So you want to make a tutu, don't you?

I find it completely normal for a twenty-something year old to want and or [need] a tutu.  It's natural.

Anyway, So I began my googling, my eBaying, and my Amazon searching, and come on retailers, I knooow these are astronomically overpriced.  I have this argument with myself daily.  If there is any shred of possibility I can do it myself, ughhh then I do!

As much as I love JoAnn's with the rest of you,  I do however tend to resort to the internet prior to shopping there.. Maybe it's because I live in a tiny little horse town and the closest JoAnn's is a good 35 minutes away, or maybe it is because the internet is a beautiful, wonderful creation.

So eBay it was.  The main ingredient to a good tutu is tulle.  Now you can buy tulle in the same form you buy fabric, but that just causes more work.  I'm about efficiency and keeping as many pretty pennies as possible.  So my recommendation is to go straight for a 6" spool of tulle, the length completely depends on how poofy you want it. Me? I like em poofy, abundantly poofed up.

eBay has tons of tulle, so look around for the best price (factor in shipping!).
<-- Look at these!!

Choose your favorite color(s), but keep in mind it won't be this bright. Tulle is a very thin material.  My friend bought light purple and light pink and white tulle, and her tutu just looks all white. That's why, I also recommend ORGANZA!! The color will definitely pop with Organza, not so much with tulle.

The only other supplies you need is the waist band.  Now you can do the legit thing and measure out some elastic, orrrr you can do the easy, quick, cheap, convenient thing, and grab one of these ->>>>>>>>>
from your drawer (or buy them if not readily on hand). If it seems like it will be too tight, IT DEFINITELY WON'T. I worried about the same thing, but I ended up having to cut and retie to make it more snug.  As you tie on the tulle, it stretches out the band, so don't worry about a thing!

Oh... and if you are a girly girl like me, you may want to buy some sparkly gems to glue on. 

Ok, next, do you have a rubbermaid storage container?

Just a standard sized one will do. Keep in mind I like to be efficient.  Of course you can sit there and measure out a million pieces of tulle, or you can take that spool, tape down an edge on one tip of the lid, and just wrap the spool until you get to the end. Go LENGTHWISE, otherwise your tutu will fit... your infant.

 I didn't take a picture of this process, so I apologize for the Microsoft Paint depiction.
I used 50' of tulle, and 50' of Organza (in different colors). Wrap them (again lengthwise) around the lid of the storage tote (have one end taped), until you run out of spool. Then cut EACH END at the handle. This will give you plenty of about 20" (guessing.. I didn't measure) strips.

Next, you'll want to take your headband / elastic and place it on something like a chair. 

Ok, you are now ready to get this party started.

Take a strip of tulle / organza and fold in half.
Place the looped end up behind the elastic
Then, take the free ends and pull them around the elastic, and through the loop, pull tight.

Go around and around and around. 

I did all of my tulle first, then the organza to ensure even distribution, alternating the two different colors within the white tulle.

Remember, the more you add, 

the larger the elastic becomes.

Push each strip tight against the strip beside it.

And, like I said, if you wanna be a girly girl (like me), then go ahead and use some craft glue to attach some sparkly happiness.

 All done!!!

This is the perfect length to fit under those cute adult Halloween costumes that need a little extra poof!

Also... it's just kinda fun to prance around in.