Every girl needs a tutu. Even dogs need a tutu from time to time. We’ll show you how to make a dog tutu!
There are two options for making a tutu for your dog: Making a base or undergarment for the tutu, which is the first approach in this post, or start with a harness to attach the tutu.
How to Make a Dog Tutu
Make a basic pattern customized for your dog and it's easy to make a dog tutu. Use a stretchy fabric, like Spandex, for a good fit. Close with velcro so it is easy to take on and off, and get a close fit.
Use several colors of tulle to give the tutu ruffles more interest.
Have fun and enjoy your fur baby in a tutu. Rox sported hers on special occasions - especially Halloween! She was the biggest hit at the party n her tutu!
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Materials
- 4 yards tulle, colors of your choice. I used 1 yard of 4 different colors of pink tulle
- 1 yard spandex knit
- Thread
- 6 inches velcro
Tools
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
Instructions
- Start with tulle - lots of it. I used one yard each of four different pink colors of tulle. Using different shades of colors makes it visually more interesting.
- Cut the tulle into strips about 3" wide. Wider if you have a bigger dog and want longer ruffles.
- Here are all of the colors I used to make my tutu.
- I used a piece of elastic - because this fur baby needed some stretch at her waist. Take the strips of tulle and slip knot them onto the elastic until it is as full as you'd like. This also allows the dog to move easily.
- This fur babies waist is over 30" at her widest point, so her tutu needed a top to keep it in place. Spandex knit was perfect! It doesn't ravel, so no need to finish the edges. And, it stretches over her broad shoulders.
See the article on how to make dog clothes for more information on this pattern, how to measure a dog for clothes and make a basic pattern that can be switched up to make a dog rain jacket and more.
- Sew or glue velcro on the neck and waist bands so it is easy to take on and off, but secure while it is on the dog.
- Next, sew the elastic strip tutu to the bottom edge of the body of the spandex. We have a dog tutu!
- Rox poses in her new tutu.
- Everyone loves a bulldog in a tutu!
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A second way to make a tutu for your dog is starting with a harness:
I’m a little dog with a big attitude, and considered a little princess. I needed a custom doggie tutu!
This tutu was made differently than most you see online, as it attaches to my harness so that it stays in place and out of the way if nature calls when I’m all dressed up.
Start by cutting 4 pieces of ribbon. 2 are the length of the harness around the body plus about 2 inches. 2 are big enough to fit the clasps of the harness through, plus seam allowances. These will make loops to attach to the harness.
Then, cut a piece of the tulle on a roll found in craft stores for weddings and such that is 2x the length of the long piece of ribbon. This needs to be gathered to fit on the large length of ribbon from where the ribbon will hit the dog from side to side. , so that the tulle isn’t under the body. I choose to gather this tulle using the method of using a zigzag stitch over dental floss. This is a quick and easy way for finicky fabrics, like tulle. I use the foot with the hole in it (Bernina #6), thread the dental floss through the hole and just put your machine on a zigzag stitch and sew!
Tie off one end of the dental floss, and pull the other end to make the gathers. I pinned one end using a figure 8 twist over a pin to stabilize the one end.
This is pinned at about 1/4 up the length of the ribbon. I folded the ribbon in half, and the half way mark will hit where the clasps for the harness are, then 1/4 mark on either side is where the gathered tulle will be, leaving the underside with no tulle.
Once all gathered and in place on the ribbon, I zigzagged the tulle to the wrong side of one of the pieces of ribbon. This will be the ‘inside’ of the tutu.
Once the tulle is secure to the ribbon, place the two loops of ribbon on either side of the ‘center’, leaving a gap big enough for the clasp. Then, layer the other long ribbon on top and topstitch to finish the edge.
Note: This is the wrong side that shows the zig zag stitch. I zig zagged twice so it would be extra secure.
Once the 2nd long ribbon is sewed on, there is a ‘tube’ of the large ribbon. Cut a piece of elastic that is about 1″ larger than the circumference of the chest, and thread it through the ribbon tube. I used my bodkin – makes it much easier!
Finish off the edges. I turned them in so there were no raw edges of the ribbon, which can ravel. Then it is finished and ready to put on! Slip the main body onto the dog, and slip the loops on the harness and you have a tutu that stays on and stays put!
Browse through more projects and inspiration for diy projects for your pet.
