4th of July Tutu - with mini Tutorial

So this may seem a little late... you know, with the 4th of July being last week and all, but we were away for the holiday so I'm just getting this up now.  Maybe it will be useful to you next year, or you can use the idea of it for another holiday!

Here's the 4th of July Tutu!

I actually made the white part of this tutu before my baby was born, in December.  I thought it would be cute, all white with some ornaments and what-not for a picture.  Problem.  I tried to take the pictures myself, and I tried to involve my boys. 

I had no idea how hard it would be to take a picture of three kids at once.  How many times can you say, "Stop touching your sister.  Hands to yourself." ? Kudos to all those photographers out there who specialize in capturing children.  Saints, really.

Anyway, I never pulled the tutu back out again.  I think I was trying to block the nightmares of us trying to get those pictures 5 days after the baby was born. 
It felt like a waste, all that cute tulle for nothing.  So as the summer approached, seemed like a perfect time to convert that white tutu into a red, white, and blue tutu!

I removed just a few pieces of the white tulle to add the red.  For the blue, I took out about a quarter section of the white tulle, added all royal blue then glued on a few felt stars, just to feel extra patriotic :)

I know there are a lot of tutorials out there on how to make a tutu, but it really is so simple, I thought I'd add a quick tutorial here, for anyone who may be stopping by and might be wondering.

Start with an elastic measured to your child's (or the child it is for) waist. I cut it exactly to measurement (maybe even a smidge under), because the tied- on tulle seems to hold the elastic out to a larger spot.

Overlap the elastic by 1/4 to 1/2 inch, and sew.

Now it's time to tie on your tulle.

Measure the length you want the tutu to be.  Then double that measurement and add an inch.  You will be folding it in half, plus tying a knot. (For my newborn I cut it 18 inches, and that length still worked for her at 7 months.  There is a lot of play length-wise with tulle)

Fold a piece of tulle in half and take it behind the elastic.

Put the long ends of the tulle over the elastic, through the tulle loop on the other side.

Pull tight.

There you have it.  Continue that quick and easy process all the way around your elastic until you have a nice full tutu.

Don't forget to snap pictures of your little one all fancied up! 

Oh, and as you can see, even 7 months later, we STILL haven't figured out how to take a picture of all three kids together.  If someone out there has a tutorial on that, meaning - getting two 3-year-olds to hold still, not "over" smile, and a 7 month old to stay focused... LET ME KNOW!! :)