DIY tulle skirt tutorial

clutch: gigi new york   skirt: self-made  top: forever 21  watch: gift  belt&shoes: old

I'm so excited about this skirt! I found it easier to make than I imagined even though it did take a couple trial by errors. But honestly, I want to wear this everyday....I just need a party to go to...unless you were like me and you wear it out to run everyday errands. And oh did I go the funniest looks, it was hilarious - people sneaking glances when that I caught in the reflection off the freezer section's doors. I loved it. It didn't help that I paired it with boots and a camo-jacket. Instructions after the below!

On another note, I rarely used clutches due to the whole having a new baby thing, but now that he is older, I started to carry around smaller bags and kept diapers/wipes in the car if I really needed them. I just love the smaller clutches, they are so beautiful. This gigi new york clutch is one of my favorites too, with its gold tassels and real leather, the I had the hardest time choosing from all the colors, hence the black.

Pictures done by the talented Corey Bryson.

Me waiting....in the snow.....

Supplies:

6-13 yards of tulle

1.5 - 2 yards of lining - I used a thin knit that matched the tulle perfectly

elastic the width, when stretched, to the natural waist

scissors

thread

pins

optional - static guard

Instructions:

1. How much and what kind of tulle to buy - find the softest/flowy-est tulle you can. I found some for $.75 a yard at Ja-anns. Mine was still pretty stiff, but after some washing, ironing and some static guard, the tulle softens up a bit.

*6 yards - If the width of the tulle (selvage to selvage) is 54" you can use 1.5 yards per layer, do at least 6 yards if you want 4 layers and the skirt to be around knee length at the longest (unless you are really tall or you have wider hips).

*13 yards - If the width of the tulle is less than 54" or you want the skirt to be longer oryou have wider hips, or you want to be safe (I bought 14 yards originally) then you will need to buy more.
***I did the two bottom layers the first way, by folding 1.5 yards in half and not gathering the waist. and the top two layers I cut individually from the 2 pieces of 60" laying on top of each other,  so I can cut deeper into the waist for a greater gather.

2. Cut the tulle into the circle or half circle depending on the size you're going for with these two simple calculations. The easiest way to do this is to take a longer measuring tulle (can reach at least as long as you need) and put one end at the center of the fold where the center of you waist will be and cut a half circle out by slowly sliding the measurement devise around like a rainbow or half circle. then to do the waist, repeat with the radius of your waist size.

 For the bottom two layers and the lining, you won't gather the waist to help the skirt not be too poofy. To cut this out of the tulle fold the 1.5 yards of tulle in half, (unless you are going to use more then do the 60" on 60") and mark out a half circle from off the fold - take your hip size divided by pie (3.14), then divided by 2 gives you a radius. Then add that radius to the length you would want the skirt. 

hip / 3.14 / 2 = Radius + skirt length = half circle template for non-gathered layers

To do the the top two gathered layers you need to do the same equation as above, but add 2-4 inches to the radius to create the gather for the waist. But you still need to make sure the length of the skirt equals the same length of the skirt's above  even though this one has a deeper waist.

hip / 3.14 / 2  + 2"-4" = gathered waist's radius + skirt length = half circle template for gathered layers

-After you have cut the half circle or whole depending on your folding/tulle amount you need, cut out the waists.

3. Once you have cut them all out, sew up the sides to complete the circles if you used the second method of cutting (when you are using more tulle). Check out the dotted lines in step 3 of the diagram.

4. Gather the waist's of the top two gathered layers to your hip size by sewing a basting stitch along the top knotting it at one end and not the other. Gather the skirt by pulling the thread to your hip size. You can see that in picture picture 4.

5. Sew the 4 tulle layers together with a straight stitch.

6. Sew the elastic's ends together, try it on and make sure it fits snug and it can slide over your hips.

7. Sew the lining to the elastic with a zig zag stitch. Do this by placing the wrong side and the raw edge of the lining to the elastic, then stretch the elastic to fit the opening of the lining. There will be a little of a gather from the elastic.

8. Repeat step 7 with the tulle layers.

7. Trim the excess fabric.

9. Flip the elastic over the newly trimmed raw edge to hide it, so the top of the elastic, will now be the bottom. Sew the lining down to the bottom of the elastic on the inside of the skirt.
---no hemming necessary, tulle doesn't fray. You may need to hem the lining if you used a fray-able lining. Mine was knit so I didn't need to.