Tutu Shirt

There are lots of different ballerina outfits that a little girl can wear. One is a body suit, with a tutu over it. Another is a one-piece number with the tutu attached. If you've been buying expensive tutus for your little girl, stop it. Why would you buy them when you could make three or four for the price you'd pay for one? If your little ballet lover needs some new outfits, but you're concerned about the prices, just make some. The one-piece with the tutu attached is one of the easiest ballet costumes you can make. Just start with a shirt your little girl already has and you can quickly turn it into a new ballerina outfit.

The perfect shirt for making the one-piece tutu is a shirt that is stretchy. The shirt can be a long-sleeve Henley, or even a tank top. The ideal shirt will be one that fits against the body.

Tulle is a fabric often used to make a tutu. The netting-type material is not especially expensive and is really easy to sew. Purchase it in a color like white, pink, purple, or blue.

Fold the tulle in half, lengthways, and position the fold in front of you. Cut the width of the folded tulle to reach from the hem of the shirt to the length you want for the skirt. Measure across the hem of the shirt, double that measurement, then double it again, to make the length of the tulle. Cut one piece.

After cutting the first tulle piece, cut the next piece to be the same length, but a few inches shorter in width. Cut one of these folded pieces. Cut another folded piece to be the same length, but yet another few inches shorter in width.

Lay the widest piece of the tulle on a flat surface. Lay the next widest piece on it, then the smallest piece on top of that. Align the long sides that are opposite of the folds.

Baste the entire length of the pieces so that you sew them together, and gather them as well. Measure to fit the tutu on the inside hemline of the shirt. Sew the two side seams together then pin the tutu in the shirt. Sew around the hemline of the shirt to attach the tutu.

The tutu shirt is as cute as can be. You can make it even more sparkly by attaching sequin, using glitter fabric paint, or otherwise sewing on glittery notions. Now your little ballerina can get ready for practice or a recital in no time, since she won't have to bother trying to put on a tutu. All she has to do is put on the shirt, and there's the tutu, too!