an alice tu tu

FIRST: did you know that today is feb 30? oh..it's not? well it should be! and that means my pick your plum giveaway ends tonight so go enter HERE!

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so sometimes i make projects (like yesterdays alice dress) and i'm not sure it's going to turn out. and sometimes i'm in craft competitions and HAVE to have the project submitted to missy by thursday night. and i don't want to be up a creek....

so SOMETIMES i make back up projects just.in.case.

and this is one of them....an non literal alice in wonderland tutu dress....

and i have a somewhat tutorial for this one....i took a long rectangle of fabric. (it's about a yard) then i measured under my daughter's armpits to the floor and shortened it a few inches and hemmed the bottom.   I bought this cream tulle (about 4 yards) and folded it in half and trimmed it so it was a tad longer than the fabric. ran a loose stitch across the top and gathered it and pinned it to the top of the fabric and sewed it in place

then i took another rectangle of fabric...it's the same length as the dress....i hemmed one side...

and used it like a binding around the top part of the fabric/tulle (where you just sewed the tulle to the top) so this rectangle is folded in half...the hemmed side is on the back and then i just fold under the edge on the top sied and pin and sew it along.

then add an elastic throught the inside of the tube (the elastic is cut to measure around the chest of your dress wearers body)

it will gather up quite a bit!

then i turn it right sides in and sew the two edges together...

i made little straps by taking aNOTHER rectangle of fabric...measure chest to back (i think this was about 12 inches (at the most) you don't want it droopy so don't make it too long) and hem both the long sides of the fabric (okay..these are straps...so there will be two of these)

then i run a loose stitch and gathered up the ends...

pin and sew ..one to the front and one to the back it's a little tricky to sew cause of the elastic but be patient! it's doable!

so i finished it and added a big white tulle bow onto the back. and then i decided to go a step further and add some flowers...

i just laid them out into an arrangement i liked...

i thought this one was a little too flower girl (which is good if you are trying to achieve a flower girl look)

so i ended up with just one flower hot glued onto some extra tulle i had..

and added a pin so it was removable...

and i added a hair bow..you KNEW that was coming right?

AND..just when you think it couldn't possibly get cuter......

you can tuck the straps down inside and have your oldest girl (or boy) wear it as a regular tutu skirt....

she is not thrilled to be here...apparently you can be too cool for a tutu....who knew? maybe i shouldn't wear mine anymore.