The Sugar Plum Fairy Tu Tu Tutorial

OK Sugar Plum Fairies ..... get ready to make your tu tu's. In case you've forgotten what it looks like, there's Evan being a good sport, again, and modeling it for us (after being bribed with very macho dirtbike riding gear to be delivered by S. Claus on Christmas Eve). Anyhow, I pretty much made this tu tu like an apron. It's VERY easy and VERY quick to make (and like all of my projects, it's pretty much an inexact science!)

Here are the "ingredients":(this is for an adult sized Sugar Plum Fairy)

about 5 yds of 34" wide tulle netting (whatever color your Sugar Plum Fairy desires)

2 1/4 " wide satin ribbon to match the tulle (you'll need your waist measurement plus about 2 1/2 yds more.

some sparkly "jewels" (I used "Jewelry & Craft" 6mm faceted acrylic silver stars (originally I was also going to use those multi colored confetti shapes shown in the 2nd picture, but then I decided to go with just the silver stars. I thing I got this stuff at AC Moore or Michael's .)

pearl cotton to match the tulle (I used size 8 just because that's what I had on hand.)

nylon thread (I forgot to put in the picture -- sorry!) or, you could try "Liquid Stitch" by Prym Sewing -- I found that AFTER I already used the nylon thread, so I didn't use it, but it looks like it should work -- I also forgot to put that in the picture -- sorry!)

Fray Check (also forgot to put that in picture #2 ---- sorry! -- I think I need a new assistant here in the "Instruction Writing Up Dept" of Moonbeams in a Jar!)


Folding the tulle: (completely forgot to take pictures of this as I was actually doing it with the tulle, so I had to use a piece of paper to demonstrate -- that would be pictures #3,4, and 5. -- JEEZE -- hope I don't get fired from the "Instruction Writing Dept"!) Anyhow, start with your tulle laid out flat, single thickness. Next fold it in half lengthwise -- picture #4. Then fold it in half widthwise -- picture # 5. You now have 4 layers of tulle with the 2 folds along the bottom and one side, and open on the top and on one side.

Picture # 6: using the pearl cotton , do a running stitch through all 4 layers of tulle along the top of the tu tu.

Picture #7: pull the pearl cotton to gather up the tulle -- adjust to fit your waist. Knot the pearl cotton to secure the gathers.

Picture #8: place the "jewels" inside each "tube" of tulle -- I used the whole package of "jewels" --- Sugar Plum Fairies are pretty big on glitz and bling!

Picture #9: using nylon thread, stitch through all 4 layers of tulle on the open side edges (so the "jewels" don't fall out) -- this is where you could try using the "Liquid Stitch" instead of the nylon thread .)

Picture #10: fold the satin ribbon in half to find the center; fold the tu tu in half to find the center of the waist ; match center of ribbon to center of waist of tu tu. Pin the ribbon in place by folding it over the top edge of the tu tu , encasing the entire top edge.

Picture #11: stitch the ribbon on by stitching along bottom edge of the ribbon, through all 3 layers (i.e. the ribbon on the right side of the tu tu, the tulle, and the folded over ribbon on the wrong side of the tu tu.) (start stitching at the beginning of the tulle, and stop stitching at the end of the tulle -- i.e. do not stitch the entire length of the ribbon -- only the section that's attached to the tulle.)

Picture #12: cut the ends of the ribbon on the diagonal; put a thin line of Fray Check along edges (it dries clear).

....... and .... TA DA !!!! you're finished and ready to try on your tu tu ! So, put it on like an apron -- but don't tie the bow in the back. Instead bring your ribbon tails back to the front and tie your bow in front....... and now plie', leap, plie',piroutte, shuffle, shuffle, .......... BEAUTIFUL !!! You're a natural!!!!

(I think you could easily adapt this tu tu to fit a little kid -- probably just use half the tulle -- you want enough to make it pretty fluffy when you gather it. You might have to also adjust the width of the tulle -- 34" wide might make it too long for a little kid -- maybe just trim a couple of inches off at a time to get the length you want -- but remember it gets folded in half lengthwise - picture #4).

OK fellow Sugar Plum Fairies, the Queen Plum must finish decorating that dang Christmas tree and get the boxes out of the living room so I have room to practice my cartwheels (I always thought cartwheels should have been part of the Sugar Plum Fairy's dance in the Nutcracker Suite, and maybe a forward roll or two......)

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)