How to Make a Tutu with a Crochet Waistband

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I really don’t know what’s cuter than a tutu. I previously shared with you how to make an easy, basic tutu using a special type of notion called crochet elastic. But why not actually crochet a waistband? Here’s how to make a tutu with a crochet waistband.

Crochet elastic looks kind of like crochet but it’s not crochet. Crochet elastic is not always readily available or available in the particular colour you want. There’s a huge colour selection in yarn – you’re bound to find the colour you need. Plus, if you’re like me, your yarn stash is pretty big and so why not crochet your own waistband?

It’s really quite easy to make a tutu with a crochet waistband. The waistband works up easily and quickly.

First, you need to know the size of the waistband that you want. You need to know the length. In order to determine the length of the tulle strips that you need, refer to this handy chart from the PinningMama that I shared in the previous post.

How to Crochet the Waistband

For this tutorial, I am going to crochet a waistband to fit a 1-2-year-old and so I need to make it 15 inches long.

I wanted to make a purple tutu and I have a lot of category 4 weight yarn. It wasn’t hard to find some yarn that matched my tulle. With this size yarn, I used a 5mm crochet hook.

Row 1 – Start with a row of DC’s, the length of the waistband. You can do this in 1 of 2 ways – FDC the length you need (that’s what I did as I find it the easiest) or crochet a chain the length you need, add 2 more chains after the fact and then DC into the 3rd chain from the hook and all the way across. You will want to make sure you have an even number of stitches.

For this tutu, I started with a FDC row of 48 stitches. This can be easily adjusted to shorter or longer – just be sure to make sure you have an even number.

At the end of the first row, ch 2 and turn.

Row 2 – DC into the first stitch, ch 1, sk 1, DC, ch 1, sh 1. Continue on with this pattern all the way across. Essentially you are DC’ing every other stitch and creating gaps for your tulle to be attached. You should end with a DC stitch in the last stitch. Ch 1, turn.

Row 3 – HDC across. Ch 1, turn.

Row 4 – HDC in the 3rd loop which you will find in the front. I put my hook underneath the 3rd loop and go up. You are working on the back side of the waistband. When you are done and turn it over, you will see that working in the 3rd loop created a nice ridge on the front. Do not break yarn yet.

Fold in half lengthways, with the right sides together. SC the 2 ends together to join. Break yarn and weave the end in.

Now your crochet waistband is complete. Next, attach the tulle.

How to Attach the Tulle to Your Crochet Waistband

Using the information in my post on the easy, basic tutu cut lengths of tulle to correspond with the size you are making.

I personally find that layering 2 pieces of tulle together works well with a crochet waistband.

You will attach the tulle in a similar manner as the easy, basic tutu. However, instead of looping the tulle around the bottom, you will be looping around the DC stitches, sideways.

Look how cute this tutu with a crochet waistband turned out! So if you can’t find crochet elastic or you can’t find it in the colour you need, you now know that you can easily crochet a waistband to make your tutu.

Want to remember how to make this tutu with a crochet waistband? Be sure to save this to your favourite Pinterest board.