How to sew a tulle skirt with your own hands, simple master classes

A tulle skirt is an amazing piece of clothing that has gone from a ballerina's stage outfit to a favorite item in the wardrobe of modern women. It helps to create an image for any occasion. It will be useful for beginning craftswomen to learn how to sew a tulle skirt with their own hands, to get acquainted with the properties of this material. Taking into account age, build and height, you can make a fashionable item for any woman.

Model selection

Feminine and weightless tulle skirts differ in their cut and length. Before you start sewing, you need to decide on the style, since not every model is easy to make. Types of skirts:

1. The tutu is short and consists of several layers of semi-rigid tulle sewn to a belt or elastic band.
2. A tulle sash is an elongated model made from one or more layers of soft material. The cut is rectangular, wedges, "sun" or "half-sun".
3. Tutu – strips of tulle that are attached to an elastic band or belt (without sewing).
4. American or Pettiskirt - a combination of a tutu skirt and a sun skirt, creating a very voluminous product.
5. With large frills - when made, strips of fabric are gathered and sewn onto the lining in tiers.

Inexperienced craftswomen are better off starting with simple models such as tutu and American.

By length, tulle skirts are divided into:

• super mini (very short, worn with leggings);
• mini (above the knee);
• knee-deep;
• midi (below the knee);
• maxi;
• with differences in length.

Many people wonder how to find a model and how to sew a tulle skirt that will look good on its owner. First of all, you need to determine the type of figure, and also take into account height, age, and build. Recommendations from stylists:

1. Owners of a pear-shaped figure need to choose a style so that excessive fullness does not weigh down the hips. A long Chopin skirt made of one or two layers of tulle with a lining will look good.
2. Short, curvy models are also not suitable for an apple-shaped figure. It is better to opt for a moderate midi version. In this case, the waist can be slightly raised and emphasized with a belt.
3. A full skirt will visually balance the inverted triangle figure. It will distract attention from massive shoulders and give the hips the missing volume.

Very short, fluffy models are suitable for little girls and slender young women who often use super-mini for sports and dancing.

The length for young, slim women can be any. As for plump ladies, not every style of tulle skirt will suit them. It is better to choose a single-layer lining option. The length depends on height, knee-length, midi or maxi skirts are preferable.

Skirts with a difference in length are suitable for special occasions. As a rule, these are models with a train and a shortened front. They look spectacular at weddings, parties, and other celebrations. For convenience, the train can be made removable. It should be sewn from softer tulle than the main product, so it will flow and fall beautifully.

Measurements and calculations

To understand how much tulle is needed to sew a product, you should make some calculations and measurements. Much depends on the chosen model. If the craftswoman plans to sew a rectangular tulle skirt with her own hands, she needs to know the length of the product. For example, for a tutu 60 cm long, you will need a piece of material 3 m wide. The length of the fabric is 2.40 m (the length of the item multiplied by 4). From this fabric you will get 4 layers of 3 meters, or 2 layers of 6 meters. Both options will be quite lush. But if the waist circumference is more than 75 cm, then in order to get a pronounced gather and folds, it is better to take layers of 6 meters.

If the fabric is thin and very translucent, it is worth complementing the product with a petticoat in the same color. The material should be smooth, giving a beautiful drape. To give additional airiness, you can take a dense fabric for the petticoat. If, on the contrary, you need minimal volume, the material should be soft. With a fabric width of 1.5 m, you will need a piece whose length is 5 cm shorter than the length of the skirt.

A petticoat is needed for items made of very thin material with a small number of layers. It also serves to prevent the edge of the stiff tulle from catching on the tights. It is calculated and cut in the same way as for a tutu.

For a shopenka consisting of several layers cut in the "sun" type, the calculation of tulle depends on the number of layers and the length of the product. To cut out one of the elements, you will need a square, the side of which is calculated using the formula: (length of the item + waist circumference, divided by 6.3) x 2. Thus, with a waist circumference of 70 cm and a skirt length of 60 cm, for 1 layer you need a cut with a side of (60 + 70 / 6.3) x 2, that is, approximately 142 cm.

If you plan to make a tulle skirt with an elastic band that is put on through the bottom with your own hands, then you need to take into account the girth of the hips, not the waist. That is, for a 60 cm long chopenka, consisting of 4 layers, you will need 3 m of fabric with a width of 3 m, and for six layers - already 4.5 meters. To make a gather at the waist in this model, you need to either increase the waist girth, or use the "double sun" cut, when the resulting parts are cut and sewn in pairs.

To sew a fluffy three-tiered skirt with large frills, you will need 4.5 meters of tulle and base fabric, the length of which is 5 cm shorter than the length of the product.

To make a children's tutu skirt without sewing, you need to take strips of tulle 15-20 cm wide. The number of pieces is equal to the waist circumference in centimeters. You can take a little more to increase the splendor and reduce transparency. The length of the strips is equal to twice the width of the product. To calculate how much tulle is needed for the item, you should count the number of vertical elements. For example, for a tutu skirt 30 cm long with a fabric width of 3 meters, you will need a piece of 3 meters in length. This piece will make 75 strips measuring 60 x 20 cm.

Necessary tools

It will be very easy for a beginner seamstress to work with this material, as it is easy to process. But it is recommended to prepare some tools in advance. In addition to the fabric cuts of the required size, you will need:

• measuring tape;
• scissors;
• pins for pinning parts together;
• needle;
• threads in the color of the fabric;
• elastic band (for a tutu skirt you can use a checkerboard one, which is used to make hair bands);
• satin ribbon for belt decoration.

You also need to prepare a sewing machine by installing a needle for thin and stretch fabrics. If you plan to process the bottom, you will need bias tape.

Some types of tulle shrink. To avoid this and at the same time eliminate all creases, before sewing, you should treat the fabric with steam using an iron.

How to choose tulle

Tulle is a translucent mesh material made from nylon and polyamide threads. Its structure resembles a honeycomb. The fabric is widely used in sewing clothes, curtains, and jewelry.

Positive qualities:

• weightlessness and airiness;
• ability to drape beautifully;
• wear resistance;
• does not wrinkle;
• keeps its shape even when wet.

In addition, it does not absorb moisture and dries quickly. There are also disadvantages. Tulle is electrified and sticks (especially after washing), melts at high temperatures, and does not allow air to pass through.

According to the degree of rigidity, tulle comes in the following types:

1. Rigid. Holds its shape well, but has such a rough cut that it can scratch your leg. Rarely used in clothing. A skirt made of this type of tulle requires a petticoat and edge finishing.
2. Medium. Well suited for voluminous items and full petticoats. It holds its shape without damaging the skin. However, when sewing clothes for children, it is better to finish the edge.
3. Soft. Suitable for sewing formal clothes for children and adults. Pleasant to the touch, but does not hold its shape well, so a skirt will require many layers to achieve the desired volume.

Today, you can find Eurotulle in sewing departments. It is a very soft fabric that does not curl when cut, so it does not need to be straightened. It is suitable for sewing American skirts, the volume is created by the density of the frills and the number of layers. In appearance, tulle can be plain with shine or matte, with a print and decorative embellishments: sparkles, sequins, spraying, rhinestones, embroidery.

There are several secrets that will make it easier for the craftswoman to work with this material:

1. To prevent the fabric from becoming electrified and sticking to your hands and the sewing machine while sewing, you need to spray it with water from a spray bottle.
2. When sewing by hand, it is better to use a thick needle and thread. They will not damage the fabric due to its mesh surface, and it will be easier to work with them with such volumes.
3. On a sewing machine, it will be more convenient to use a zigzag stitch rather than a straight stitch. Large stitches will help to make a fine gathering.
4. Before sewing, the layers of tulle should be pinned across the seam or basted by hand.

The cut of this material does not crumble, so it does not require processing. A slightly torn edge makes the thing even more airy. But if the model involves finishing the edge, you can do it with a satin ribbon or bias tape. For additional volume, a fishing line is sewn to the hem.

The main stages of making a chopenka

The basis of such a skirt is the cut of rectangles, half-sun, sun and double sun. The most magnificent thing from this material will be in the latter case, besides, it will help to avoid excess volume at the waist. How to sew a Chopin skirt from tulle 60 cm long with your own hands - this is worth knowing for beginner needlewomen.

To make this model, you need to know the length of the product and the waist circumference. You will need to cut out 4 layers of material, each of which consists of two sun circles. Fabric consumption for such a model: a piece of tulle 6 x 3 meters, a piece of material for the lining measuring 1.45 x 1.45 m. In addition, you need to prepare interlining for the belt, sewing accessories, pins, and a zipper.

Creating a pattern and cutting out tulle

First, a semicircle pattern is made. To do this, two radii are laid out from one point on paper (wallpaper will do). The first is equal to the waist circumference divided by 6.3. With a waist circumference of 70 cm, the radius will be 12 cm. The second radius is equal to the first + the length of the skirt + 3 cm for the seam and trim. In our case, it will look like this: 12 + 60 + 3 = 75. You will get a semicircle with a diameter of 150 cm.

After this, the tulle is divided into 8 equal squares measuring 1.5 x 1.5 m. Each of the elements must be folded in half and, using the pattern, cut out a circle with a hole inside. If the size of the fabric does not allow you to cut out each detail from a square, a more economical layout is needed. For this case, there is a chessboard pattern principle:

1. We fold the material in half lengthwise and align the edges.
2. The semicircle is applied with the flat side to the fold, the outline is traced. After cutting out, you will get a solid semicircle.
3. Then the pattern is shifted and placed with the flat side to the opposite side, without folding.
4. Here you will get two half-suns that will need to be sewn together. The pattern is moved and turned over until all the layers are cut out.

You can move not the pattern, but the fabric, having first glued the template to the floor with tape. Its contours will be clearly visible through the transparent tulle.

Next, you need to do the following:

1. Cut each circle in one place along the radius.
2. From the lining fabric, cut a circle in the same way as from tulle, 5 cm shorter.
3. Cut out a belt of length equal to the waist circumference and 8 cm wide.
4. Glue it with interlining. If you plan to replace the belt with an elastic band, then you do not need to cut out this detail. In this case, you should prepare an elastic band, the length of which is equal to the waist circumference minus 2 cm.

In the case where the "sun" cut is taken as a basis, additional volume can be given to the shopenka by increasing the size of the opening for the waist. Each layer in such a skirt can have its own gathering coefficient due to different diameters of the opening for the waist. The densest gathering is done on the top layer of tulle, and the bottom remains unchanged.

Opening radii for a skirt made of different numbers of layers for a waist of 70 cm:

1. Bottom (first) layer – coefficient 1, i.e. radius = waist circumference / 6.3, approximately 11.5 cm.
2. The top layer is a factor of 1.5, which is considered the base for assembly. The radius of the hole will be 70 x 1.5/6.3, that is, approximately 17 cm.
3. If there are 3 layers, then the middle one can be taken with a coefficient of 1.25. This will be 14 cm.
4. If there are 4 layers, the coefficients can be taken, for example, 1; 1.2; 1.4; 1.6. It depends on how full the skirt needs to be.

In the fabric departments you can find tulle with decorative elements. This will save a lot of time, since you will not have to think about how to decorate the product.

Assembling the product

First of all, you need to combine two cut circles and sew them together along one side seam. You will get 4 double suns. Two of them are combined along the waist cut and pinned. Along the top of each of the two resulting parts, 2 parallel machine lines are laid with a loose thread and a large stitch.

Then you can start assembling:

1. Pulling the threads on one side of the lines, gather the pieces so that their length is equal to the waist circumference. Baste and sew both pieces together along the waist line.
2. Cut the circle of lining fabric along the radius, place it under all the layers of tulle, baste and sew at the waist. Remove all basting stitches.
3. Place the belt with the right side facing the right side of the skirt and sew it along the waistline.
4. We sew all the layers along the side cuts using an overlock to make it easier to sew in the zipper.
5. Using pins, pin the zipper to the side seam so that its upper teeth reach the middle of the waistband.
6. We fold the belt to the wrong side, baste it and sew it to the skirt, tucking the edge.

At the very end, we sew the side seam below the zipper. We process the bottom of the lining with an overlock or a hem with a closed cut. The tulle Chopin skirt of four layers is ready.

Sewing nuances depending on the model

The material consumption and sewing of skirts of different styles differ. It is necessary to carefully study the information on how to sew a fluffy tulle skirt using different methods. It is also recommended to read the advice of experienced seamstresses.

A tutu for a baby

To sew a tutu skirt for a girl, you will need a piece of tulle 5 m long and 2 times wider than the expected length of the tutu. You will also need lining fabric, an elastic band 2 cm wide (its length is 1-2 cm shorter than the waist circumference), and thick knitwear 25 cm wide (the length is equal to the waist circumference + 2 cm). Step-by-step manufacturing sequence:

1. Cut the tulle into 50 cm long rectangles and fold them in half to get a length of 25 cm.
2. Using a special foot for creating a gather, stitch all the folded pieces of fabric, stepping back 5 mm from the fold, placing them one after the other. Make the seam with wide stitches with a loose thread.
3. Carefully pulling the thread on one side, collect all the parts so that the total length is equal to the waist circumference + 5-10 cm
4. Sew the piece along the side seam.
5. Cut out a piece of fabric for the lining. Its length should be slightly shorter than the length of the top skirt.
6. Sew the fabric along the side seams and gather it in the same way as tulle.
7. Place the lining into the skirt and baste it.
8. Cut out a belt from knitwear of such a size that it matches the circumference of the resulting skirt and the width equal to the width of the finished belt multiplied by 2.

After this, you can sew the belt to the top of the skirt from the inside, then fold it in half and, having folded it, sew the front side to the tulle with a zigzag stitch. Thread the elastic and sew its ends. Sew the sides of the belt with blind stitches.

American

To sew a tulle skirt for a girl with your own hands, you will need a lot of effort, but the result is spectacular. For the "patty" model, you need to prepare material for the tier and frills, thick fabric for the yoke, elastic, sewing accessories. Stages of work:

1. From thick material, cut out a yoke, the length of which is equal to the waist circumference multiplied by 2, and the width is 20 cm.
2. From tulle, form a tier of the skirt, the length of which is equal to the waist circumference multiplied by 9, with a width of 11 cm.
3. For the frills, you need to cut long strips of tulle 7 cm wide.
4. Along the strips exactly in the middle you need to lay a machine line for gathering. You can use a special foot. In the process of sewing, put the following strips under.
5. After this, tighten the frills until their length is equal to the length of the tier.
6. Sew ruffles to the edge of the tier.
7. Sew the rectangle for the yoke along the short side into a tube, fold the top edge and form a drawstring.
8. Gather the tier to the length of the yoke by hand or using a machine stitch and sew it to its bottom edge. Insert elastic into the drawstring.

To make a girl's skirt look more elegant, you can decorate it with a satin ribbon, tying it into a bow.

Multi-tiered

To make a tulle tutu consisting of 3 tiers, you need to prepare 4 meters of material, a piece of knitted fabric for the base. In addition, you will need an elastic band, sewing accessories, and threads in the same color. Sequence of actions:

1. From the knitwear we cut out a rectangle, the length of which is equal to the hip circumference + 2-3 cm. The width is 5 cm less than the length of the skirt. We sew the short sides, we get a tube.
2. Cut the tulle into strips 15 cm wide.
3. Sew the strips onto the base. Simultaneously form the folds. Sew the first strip at a distance of 10 cm from the top of the base, distribute the other two evenly along the length so that 7 cm remain from the last seam to the bottom of the product. To get a very fluffy tulle skirt, you can increase the number of layers.
4. We fold the top of the knitted tube inward and form a drawstring.
5. We make a hole to insert the elastic band.

To make the product perfect, you need to choose an elastic band to match the skirt. The optimal width is from 3 to 5 cm. If it is a children's skirt, then a narrower elastic band will do.

From rectangles

To make a three-layer rectangular tulle skirt, you need to take 6 meters of fabric with a width equal to the length of the future skirt. If the material is transparent, you may need a lining. You will also need a wide satin ribbon for the belt.

Master class on sewing a tulle skirt:

1. We cut the fabric into 3 pieces: 1.5 meters, 2 meters, 2.5 meters.
2. Sew each piece along the short side into a tube (not reaching the edge by 10 cm) and gather along the long part with a needle and thick thread. Their length after this should be equal to the waist circumference plus 4-5 cm.
3. We collect the layers so that the narrowest piece of fabric is on the inside and the widest one is on top.
4. We sweep the layers together.

We close the seams with a wide ribbon and sew it on with a sewing machine. You can leave long ends for tying. The same pattern is used to sew a tulle skirt with an elastic band.

Sun

To sew a tulle skirt for a girl or an adult woman, you need from 4 to 8 layers of fabric. If there are fewer of them, you will need a lining and gathers at the waist for volume. Then we calculate the radius for the hole in the circle using the formula: waist circumference / 3.14. Each layer is gathered separately, since otherwise they will repeat the shape of each other, and there will be no volume. To save material, you can cut out some of the circles as wholes, and some from halves and quarters, which are then sewn together. It is better to place such layers at the bottom.

An interesting option is to cut out a sun skirt from tulle in 2-3 layers and wear it with other clothes. It can be worn both on top, to add elegance to the look, and underneath, to create volume. To sew such a garment, take 2 m of medium-stiff Euro tulle, elastic band around the waist, and sewing accessories.

Sewing is carried out as follows:

1. Cut out the required number of circles for the sun skirt. The opening in the center should be equal to the hip circumference for easy wearing.
2. We put the layers together and machine stitch them close to the edge.
3. Fold the elastic band in half and iron to prevent shrinkage.

Then we process the belt with a piping. We slightly stretch it and sew the elastic along the edge, hiding the previous seam. We sew the ends of the piping together.

How to make without sewing

A fun and interesting tutu skirt made with your own hands is made from strips of tulle, attached to an elastic band without sewing. This item is suitable for a girl or a teenage girl. Sequence of actions:

1. To calculate the amount of fabric for a tutu skirt, measure the waist. You will need as many strips of tulle as there are centimeters. The size of a rectangular strip is 20 cm and double the length of the skirt. You can take several different colors of fabric.
2. We sew an elastic band that fits the waist circumference into a ring and pull it over the back of the chair.
3. We bend each strip of fabric in half and tie it with a loop knot to the elastic band. It is important not to overtighten the elastic band so that the product remains even. To secure the strips without excess volume, you can use a hat elastic band, fixing the tulle with it using the back stitch method.

After all the strips are tied, gather their ends into a bundle and trim the hem. The belt can be decorated with a ribbon, wrapping it around an elastic band with knots.

Decorating the product

Weightless tulle items look elegant on their own, so for everyday wear you don’t need to add any embellishments. But if they are intended for a holiday, there are several ways to decorate the products to give them shine and showiness. The belt can be decorated with a wide satin ribbon, which is tied at the back or on the side with a lush bow. The latter can be replaced with an artificial flower, a brooch. All these decorations can be used without a satin belt.

The hem is also decorated with a ribbon or piping to emphasize the volume. You can insert a fishing line inside the fabric for beautiful folds along the edge. If desired, the hem is embroidered with beads, sequins, and decorated with decorative embroidery. Children's skirts are complemented with beautiful buttons, bows, pompoms, and lace.

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