This super full no sew tulle skirt tutorial will guide you through the steps to create beautiful tulle skirts without a sewing machine.
I am certainly not a professional photographer, but I do really enjoy taking photos, especially of my friends and family–I call it “mom-tography.” Last fall some close friends asked me to do a family session for their Christmas card photo. They wanted a look that was fun and playful, with a bright pop of color, so we decided to make a big puffy tulle skirt for their little girl to wear.
Had I known how easy it would be to whip these little puppies up, I would have tried it a long time ago. Their family photos turned out absolutely darling, and I made a mental note to make some full-skirted tutus for my own girls the next time we got around to doing a photo session of our own.
Fast forward almost ten months and here we are.
Luckily this time around I managed to snap actually takes some photos while I was making the skirts, just so you could see how simple they really are. I whipped them both up in about an hour and the girls were so excited about their fancy princess skirts that they happily agreed to pose for me. (P.S. The little jean jackets were a great sale find at the JCrew outlet!)
No Sew Tulle Skirt
Here is what you need:
tulle fabric (at least 20 yards per skirt) elastic (1/2″-3/4″ size is fine) scissorsStep 1: Grab a length of tulle and fold it over, then measure it against your model to see how long the pieces will be that you have to cut. This is not an exact science, but better slightly too long than too short!
Step 2: Cut your first piece based on your measurement, then cut remaining pieces until tulle is all cut.
Step 3: Lay pieces flat on top of each other, then cut in half, starting in the middle of the folded edge.
Step 4: Measure a piece of elastic around your model’s waist and tie in place. Don’t knot it too tightly, as you may have to adjust it after the skirt is finished.
Step 5: Take a piece of tulle and loop it around the elastic, pulling the two ends through the loop as shown.
Step 6: Pull to tighten loop, but do not tighten all the way until all the tulle is on the elastic so that you can adjust as necessary.
Step 7: Continue looping the tulle pieces onto the elastic until they are gone. Make sure tulle is evenly spaced on elastic.
Step 8: Place skirt on model. Trim bottom of skirt to make it floor length. Adjust elastic as necessary. Tighten tulle loops and you’re done! Whether you want to take your own photos or arrange a professional shoot, these skirts photograph beautifully!
Did you make this no sew tulle skirt? Share your experience in the comments!
Other easy DIY Projects you might like:
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Do you know about how many strips of tulle were used per girl? These girls look about the same size as my niece who I am making this for.
I didn’t count the number of pieces, but I think I used about 15-20 yards per skirt.
How wide did you make each strip of tulle? Cuz i know for alot of tutorials I’ve seen they are like 5″ wide. But i like how these ones turned out and looks like an actual skirt.
I love your idea for the skirts! How hard would it be to figure out the measurements for an adult skirt. I want to make one for myself for Halloween!
I think it would more or less be the same thing–just double the length from your waist to the floor.
Help! I measured 4 feet and doubled it. (like the first photo) I then cut where the end piece met the attached tulle. So I had a piece 96 inches long. Then I cut that in half, but now each piece is only 4 feet. I am not understanding how you cut the tulle laid out on the table. Did you UNFOLD the folded piece and THEN cut? If I loop it over the elastic, it’s only going to be 24 inches long. I’m not stupid, but I can’t figure out WHERE you are cutting it in half. I don’t want to cut any more until I can understand. It’s Steps 2 and 3 that I am not understanding. Based on the first photo in Step 1, I can’t see the same length that is up against the little girl on the table. I see SIDE folds but don’t understand where those are coming from. I wish this were a video so I can follow along. 🙁
She is cutting in half LENGTHWISE to end up with twice as many “strips” of 96 inch, (or whatever your measurement) tulle. Each strip is attached to the elastic using the fold and slide through the loop method. You want the strips double the height from the floor to your waist, but you don’t need them 45″ wide, only about 22 inches … does that make sense?
So each strip of tulle is 20″ wide? instead of the typical 5″ wide strips for other tutu’s?
I’m so glad you asked this – I’ve been rolling it over and over in my mind, and can’t figure out HOW it will be long enough! Glad I’m not the only one 🙂
So glad to see others couldn’t understand the instructions and someone clarified. I’m now ready to get started!
Yeah, the instructions didn’t make sense at all.
Awesome tutorial! I was trying to find a way to make a full tulle skirt for my Marie Antoinette Halloween costume and I think this, in adult size, will work well.
Thank you! I’m going to cut my first piece! Thank God for electric scissors! I guess they don’t all have to be perfect, do they? I cut crooked sometimes…. 🙂