We are so excited to welcome back guest blogger Caitlin of An Enchanted Box on Etsy, where you can find her charming tutus & tutu dresses, including darling dog tutus! Caitlin created a troll tutu dress and headband for us in the past, and now she's got the Halloween spirit with this sweet Candy Corn Troll! (You can now see the troll hair headband DIY here!) The tutu dress was created with The Hair Bow Company supplies below, but if you aren't a DIY'er yourself, you can find a selection of tutus available ready to go at An Enchanted Box!
DIY Candy Corn Tutu Gown
Looking for a unique Halloween costume for your little one? Consider doing this Candy Corn
dress with the matching headband! All you need are some materials from The Hairbow
Company, plus these easy directions, you’re ready to create your child’s costume!
Materials:
Orange 7” Lined Crochet Tutu Top*
Tulle*:
4 rolls of Lemon Yellow
1 roll of shimmer white
Embellishments:
7/8” Peach Grosgrain Ribbon
Additional Items:
Scissors
Recommended:
Crochet Hook
Hot Glue Gun and Glue
Safety Pin
Fray Check or Lighter
Fairy Wings (optional)
Cardboard or something thin that measures 12” in length and 2.5” respectively
* NOTE: This dress is designed to fit the average one or two-year- old. For children unusually
sized for that age range or those who are older, you may need to change the size of the lined tutu
top. Consider using a lined 8” tutu top for children three to four and a 10” tutu top for children
five and up. Check out The Hair Bow Company’s website for details regarding dimensions and
adjust your tulle material accordingly.
Step One: Cutting the Tulle
You will begin by cutting the yellow tulle into 24” strips. You will save considerable time if you
can find something that’s 12” long and simply wrap the tulle around that and cut once. Perhaps a
cookie sheet, box, cardboard or something else that you can scavenge from around your home.
Step Two: The Skirt Pattern
You will be making two rows of tulle around the bodice. I recommend completing the entire first
row of the skirt before moving on to the second as this will help keep your rows even.
You will use two strips of tulle for each hole on the first row and one strip of tulle for each hole
on the second row.
Step Three: Attaching the Skirt
Always be sure that you are tying your knots in the right holes. There should be a solid square
between the knot and the lining. Take the two strips of tulle that you will be threading into the
hole, layer them on top of each other and then fold the double strip in half to find the center thus
making the strip 12” in length. To attach the tulle of the skirt to the bodice you will implement a
basic Larks Head knot. Don’t worry, it’s not a complicated knot! All you do is take the crochet
hook and go up under the hole and out the other side. Then, grab your double strip of tulle where
you folded it at the center with the crochet hook and pull a couple of inches through to create a
loop. Take the tails of your tulle and pull them all the way through the loop you made, and, ta-
da!, you have yourself a Larks Head knot. You’re just going to repeat that in the color pattern all
the way around to attach your skirt. After you’ve completed the first row, move up to the second
by going to the square immediately above the first row. TIP: to get a cleaner look to your Larks
Head knot, roll the tulle between your fingers just before tightening it as this will keep all the
fibers close together.
Step Four: Ribbon Straps
Once you have finished the skirt, it is time to move on to the bodice. First, count how many holes
are around the top of bodice in order to locate the middle of the front. I recommend that you very
gently slip a safety pin in the hole one or two spaces below that middle square so that you don’t
lose track of it but it is not in the way. Just as with the bottom of the skirt, be sure you are
working on the row that has a solid square between it and the edge. Count out six holes to the
left, then six to the right of middle, for a total of thirteen holes in the row. Take your crochet
hook and go under those thirteen holes between the bodice and the liner. Cut 55” of your peach
ribbon. TIP: seal the cut ribbon ends with either Fray Check or sear the edges quickly with the
flame from a lighter. Do NOT use a candle as that will leave a soot mark on the ribbon. Hook the
ribbon and gently pull it through and, viola!, you have the front part of the straps!
Step Five: The Back of the Ribbon Straps
On the back of the dress, count three rows down along the seam (which should be in the center
back), then, count three holes to the left. Now, take your crochet hook and go under the two
furthest holes and pull the ribbon through so that it comes out toward the seam but there is still a
hole between where the ribbon comes out and the seam. Do the same on the other side then tie a
bow and your straps are done!
Step Six: White Fringe
You’re almost there! All that’s left to do is the fringe. Now take your white tulle and cut thirteen
strips of white each about 5” long. Again, if you can find something that’s 2.5” then you only
have to cut once! Make sure you have a solid square between the lining and the square to which
you are attaching your fringe. I usually make the fringe as wide as I did the ribbon straps but you
can make them narrower if you would like or a little wider. Take your crochet hook and go under
the chosen square along the top of the bodice and make another Larks Head knot to attach the
fringe but this time going the opposite direction (top to bottom) so that the fringe will naturally
stick straight up. Once you have them all on, you will want to go back through and trim them to
make sure they are all the same length and you don’t have any stragglers. If your little one is
particularly small, then you can cut the fringe shorter as needed. I also recommend taking your
hot glue gun and gently tacking down each knot so that the fringe stays sticking straight up.
Step Seven: You Did It!
Way to go! You are a fairy godmother in the making, having created this dress for your little
princess.
Resources:
Process photos, DIY & Crafting Expertise courtesy Caitlin of An Enchanted Box
Model Photography by Ava K Photography
You can find tulle here at The Hair Bow Company.
You can find crochet headbands here at The Hair Bow Company.
Shop Caitlin's ready made tutu dresses here at An Enchanted Box.
Fairy Wings (optional)