Netting & Tulle Fabric

While often used interchangeably, tulle is a very fine, soft netting with a small hexagonal mesh, perfect for bridal veils and delicate dress overlays. Standard dress net is much stiffer with slightly larger holes, making it the ideal choice for creating structure and volume in tutus and vintage petticoats.

The amount of fabric depends entirely on the length and desired fullness of the tutu. For a classic, very full adult ballet tutu, you can expect to use anywhere between 10 to 15 metres of stiff dress net. For a simple children’s play tutu, 3 to 5 metres is usually plenty.

Netting can be tricky as it likes to slip and snag. Use a fine, sharp needle and a longer stitch length on your sewing machine. If the net is getting chewed up by the feed dogs under your needle, try placing a strip of tissue paper underneath the seam as you sew, then gently tear the paper away once finished.

One of the best things about sewing with netting and tulle is that it does not fray at all! Because the synthetic fibres are locked together in a hexagonal pattern, you can simply cut your hem with sharp scissors or a rotary cutter and leave it completely raw without needing to fold or sew the edges.