How to Make a Tutu Skirt

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Learn how to make a tutu skirt for girls. Every little girl should have a pretty tutu skirt to twirl and play in. This month’s free sewing pattern is the Taylor skirt. It will show you how to make a tutu skirt and comes with a free printable sewing pattern.

Table of Contents

Tutu skirts are perfect for dress-ups, ballet or going to the supermarket! You never need a special occasion to wear one. Team it with your little girl’s favorite leotard pattern or make a pretty top to match with the Natalie peasant top pattern. The Taylor tutu skirt sewing pattern is perfect for costumes too. I see a lot of Elsa from Frozen costumes made with this skirt!

Tutu Skirt Sizing

This skirt comes in girls sizes 2 to 14.

Download the Pattern

Download your free tutu skirt sewing pattern here. This is a great way to try out my sewing patterns with a simple and fun project. The pattern includes printable pieces for the tulle, skirt underlay and bow.

taylor-skirt-pattern-27 — How to Make a Tutu Skirt with the Taylor Pattern

Printing

This pattern includes printable pattern pieces and PDF instructions to help you along the way. If you are new to printing PDF patterns check out my tutorial. The main thing you need to do is print at 100% scale. There is a test square to measure on the pattern.

How to Make a Tutu Skirt – Sewing

Full sewing instructions and more photos are included in the free download PDF. If you have never sewn or gathered tulle before, then have a read of my article on how to sew tulle and how to gather tulle for some extra tips.

Step 1 – Prepare the Underskirt

With the RIGHT sides together, stitch the FRONT to the BACK underskirt at the side seams matching the notches. Finish the seams.
Stitch a narrow hem by pressing up the bottom by 1/4 inch and then 1/4 inch again. Stitch around the hem.

Step 2 – Sew the Tulle

You will have cut 8 pieces of tulle. Double them up so you now have 4 pieces of tulle.

Overlap the pieces by 4 inches (10cm) and baste them together close to the top to form a long strip.
Join pieces 1 to 4 to form a circle, overlapping by 4 inches (10cm).
Baste the overlap close to the top. (The reason we use this overlapping method is that stitched seams don’t generally look nice in tulle as they show through.)
On the RIGHT side of the TULLE OVERLAY, gather close to the top raw edge. Gather up the TULLE OVERLAY to fit the top edge of the underskirt. Gathering tulle is really easy using dental floss or crochet string and a simple zig-zag stitch. Read more about how to gather tulle.
With the UNDERSKIRT and the TULLE OVERLAY the RIGHT way out – Pin the TULLE OVERLAY over the outside of the UNDERSKIRT matching the top raw edges.
Baste the skirts together close to the top edge.

How to Make a Tutu Skirt - Tulle and Underskirt — How to Make a Tutu Skirt – Tulle and Underskirt

Step 3 – Join the Waistband

With RIGHT sides together, stitch the waistbands at the side seams leaving a gap as shown on one side. Press the seams OPEN.
With WRONG sides together, fold and press your waistband in half matching the raw edges and seam.
With WRONG sides together, fold and press your waistband in half matching the raw edges and seam.
Baste the raw edges together.
Pin the waistband to the RIGHT side of the skirt matching the center back with the waistband seam. IMPORTANT: Make sure the gap in the waistband is facing out.
Stitch the waistband to the skirt all the way around.
Finish the seam.
Thread the elastic through the gap in the waistband casing. Overlap the ends of the elastic by 1/2 inch (12mm) and stitch them together. If possible try the skirt on to see if the elastic needs adjustment.
Push the elastic ends back into the casing.
Fold the waistband up. The gap in the waistband will probably be hidden in the folds but if it is gaping you can hand stitch it closed.