New tutu pattern by Jalie

Jalie patterns in Canada have just released a tutu pattern to be made from stretch fabric. As tutu patterns are very rare I decided to try it out. Here is a link to the pattern,
http://www.jalie.com/catalog/product/gallery/id/106/image/270/

The pattern consists of a leotard and a separate pull on tutu, the leotard is designed with a flap that is worn over the pull on tutu to give the appearance of a bodice sitting over a basque. It can also be worn over pants, leggings, a skirt or shorts.

I first made up the leotard pattern exactly as the instructions say, mainly to fully understand how it worked.This is the orange and red one pictured.



As the leotard has really lovely lines I decided to make a tutu from it and modify it a bit to suit my needs. I decided as I didn't want a separate tutu skirt, to sew the net directly to the leotard and also to sew the bodice directly onto the panty, eliminating the facing and also the waist sewing line. As I wanted the bodice to just sit below the waist at the sides and back, I shortened the bodice pieces here and curved them down to meet the front point. The second photo is of this leotard made in mauve stretch satin.









I sewed on eight layers of net (not the four the pattern suggests) and put four widths of net in each layer. After I had sewed all the net on, with the top layer going under the point of the bodice, I decided the line was a bit low as shown in this photo so I pulled off the top layer and sewed it back on higher, with the line of net going across the point of the bodice.







Next time I make a tutu from this pattern I will shorten the point of the bodice as I prefer the point to just touch the top net layer. I also didn't bother with the pinch front on the leotard and top stitched the bodice seam lines to make them more obvious. The stretch satin which is shiny on one side, so I used it shiny side out on the side front panels for interest.




This is the finished tutu.


















Here is a close up of the bodice, decorated with hand painted lace, sequins, pearls and diamantes.









Here is a photo of it on a real person. I did find the sizing quite generous, this is a Girls 13 on my fairly tall grown up daughter.









This pattern has a really nice neckline and the seam lines on the bodice are extremely well placed, I have since used it for a neo classical (lyrical) costume, again no facing and with the bodice sewn straight onto the panty but no other modification to the pattern.


I'd also like to thank Emilie from Jalie patterns who wrote back immediately with information when I emailed with questions about this pattern.

More pictures 2

I have just uploaded a few more photos. I have made lots of tutus but they look so much better on girls than laying on the floor that I don't have that many photos. I have also been playing around with a new tutu pattern that Jalie have just put out, when I have more time I will upload some pictures of the tutu I have made and explain how i customized it and why. Cheers!

More pictures

Thanks for the nice comments, I have just added a couple more photos and will have more to add soon I hope.

First post

I just set this blog up today so I would have somewhere to send people who were interested in looking at pictures of my tutus. Leotard based, stretch, pull on tutus have a reputation, in some circles, for being a cheap and nasty alternative to "proper" traditionally made tutus, but I think when well made, they can look just as good, fit better in lots of cases due to the wonders of stretch fabrics and are a lot cheaper!

I have started learning how to make traditional tutus and must thank Suzanne from "Tutus that Dance" (see website in links) for the pattern for the pink and purple tutu leaping on my header (and thanks Jayde for looking so beautiful in it)! All other pictures on this site so far are of stretch tutus.

Anyone interested in sewing tutus should go to The Sewing Forum (see links) as it has a special dance section full of lovely, helpful, knowledgeable sewers from all over the world