Maybe it’s the sentimental Mom in me, but there is just something about a tulle skirt. I remember back to when my girls were both very young, little toddlers running around in Superhero pajamas and princess crowns absolutely begging to wear their tutu for the day. Daddy was always Prince Charming, and somehow I was always relegated to the role of ‘Evil Stepmother‘ – LOL. These are the precious moments I remember when I see a cute tulle skirt, my daughter going to preschool in a tutu and superman shirt like a BOSS.
Fast forward to the pre-tween years, and all my kids want to do is play Pokemon Go and run around with their friends. So when I saw the latest trend of tulle overlay skirts, it was sentimental love at first site. I went to the fabric store looking for fabrics that I knew my daughters would individually love, and found a tulle overlay that would offset each fabric. Allowing the quilting cotton to still shine through, not being overpowered by the tulle. And I am happy to report that after having made these skirts almost 2 months ago, my children have since worn them countless times. SCORE!! Point for Mommy in the ‘my kids can still dress like kids and not mini adults and look cute’ category :).
How to sew a tulle overlay skirt
Free skirt pattern, sizes 2T thru 12
This was a paid content post first seen on Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores Creative Spark blog. Jo-Ann paid for the post content to be published on their website. All instructions and photos are my own. Thank you!
How to sew a tulle overlay skirt
Skill level: Advanced Beginner
Time Needed: 2 hours
MATERIALS NEEDED:
- 1 – 1 ¼ yd matte tulle fabric
- 1 – 1 ¼ yd woven cotton fabric
- 1 yd 1” wide elastic
- Coordinating thread
- Fabric scissors / rotary cutter
- Universal Regular Point sewing needle (80/11)
- Basic sewing essentials
Cut out fabric as indicated in the skirt pattern sizing chart below.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Cut out fabric as indicated. Place 2 main woven panels right sides together, pin and sew side seams. Finish seam with either a serger, zigzag stitch, or pinking shears. Press seam.
- Fold bottom of skirt hem ¼” towards wrong side and press. Fold again ½”, enclosing the raw seam, and press again. Sew around to hem.
- Sew a line of gathering stitches around the top raw edge of the woven skirt. Gently pull bobbin threads to gather edge, making sure the gathers are evenly spaced.
- Place tulle panels right sides together, pin and sew side seams.
- Sew a line of gathering stitches around the top edge of the tulle skirt, and gently pull the bobbin threads to gather the tulle fabric. Make sure the gathers are nice and even.
- Place waistband pattern pieces right sides together, pin and sew side seams.
- Fold the raw outer edges ¼” towards the wrong side all around, on both sides, and press.
- Fold waistband in half, enclosing all raw edges, and press.
- Slip the tulle skirt over the woven skirt and match up the side seams. Work the gathered waistband of both skirts until they are the same width as the folded waistband. Once again, make sure the gathers are all evenly spaced. Sew a line of basting stitches ⅛” away from the gathered skirt edges to help secure both skirts together.
- Unfold the waistband, and slip over the top of the right side of your gathered skirt matching up the side seams. Pin and sew, using the folded ¼” edge as your sewn line guide. Trim seam when finished to help remove waistband bulk.
- Fold waistband to the inside of the skirt, enclosing the seam. Pin around, leaving a 2” opening for inserting elastic. Sew around, using the waistband seam as your guide.
- Attach a safety pin to one side of your elastic, and carefully insert elastic into the 2” waistband opening. Pull elastic through the waistband, making sure to keep the tail of your elastic from slipping inside the casing, until you reach the other side. (Be careful not to twist the elastic when pulling through). Sew elastic ends together, and insert elastic fully into waistband. Sew waistband opening closed to secure.
And you are done!
Fabric used in above photos:
Pink tulle skirt:
Blue tulle skirt:
- Cobalt Blue – HERE
- KoKo Lee cotton strawberry and blueberry cotton fabric – found in store at Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores
PS – in case you were curious. She is super mad at me because I made her wear a jean jacket. Lol – KIDS!! But she does indeed love this skirt, I can attest to its constant rotation in my laundry cycle.
Thanks so much for stopping by, and until next time…
Happy sewing!
Haha haha! The jacket. Lol. My kids totally do that too. Mommy’s fashion sense doesn’t match theirs for sure! Love the skirts. They are so cute!
I made a purple skirt like that for my daughter this Spring. She loves it still. Great job.