Dare to DIY: Be Thankful (Thanksgiving Tutu Outfit)

It’s Dare to DIY time! I love having this extra little push to get me thinking about and working on holiday projects. This week’s challenge theme is “Be Thankful,” with the idea of making something Thanksgiving related. Make sure to swing by my co-hosts’ blogs to check out their great projects!

(Baby tutu via Maybe Matilda, Thankful tree with feathers and arrows via Primitive and Proper, Thankful banner and Instagram display via Decor and the Dog, Thankful chalkboard crossword via NewlyWoodwards)

 Last year, Forrest and I worked together to make him a sweet little turkey handprint shirt to wear on Thanksgiving. He loved having a special shirt to wear, and actually still wears it occasionally (although I can’t tell you how surprised I’ve been at his ever-evolving fashion sense—you wouldn’t believe the fights he puts up over what he thinks he must wear, or refuses to put on. sheesh).

So I thought this year, since we have a new little turkey in the house, I owed her a special Thanksgiving outfit, too. But I wanted it to be something she might be able to wear later as well—something that looks Thanksgiving-themed for now, but wouldn’t be strictly Thanksgiving-wear. Here’s what I came up with for Miss Darcy:

A barely-embellished onesie and a froofy fall-colored tutu! Man, I really did not think I’d be into this kind of frippy-dippy poofball girly stuff, but it’s pretty fun. And I think I managed to keep this under control . . . maybe? Like, it’s girly but not so much that it makes you want to barf, right? That was the goal, at least. Humor me.

Like I said earlier, I didn’t want this to be something she could only wear on Thanksgiving (Forrest’s shirt with the painted turkey was adorable and he did wear it after the holidays, but it definitely looked like a Thanksgiving-only outfit), so instead of doing traditional Thanksgiving-y colors, I just chose a few colors that looked autumnal to me. I went with an ivory/gold, a deep cranberry, and a glittery brown for her tutu. I love the color combo, and although it looks very ‘fall,’ I think she can safely wear it later without looking silly. Although let’s be honest, she does look a little silly in that tutu. I think it’s kind of the point.

I didn’t take any step-by-step pictures of the tutu-making process . . . maybe I should have? But it wasn’t a hugely original project (this is probably the internet’s 4,582nd tutu blog post) and I knew you could find instructions anywhere if you wanted to make one, too. In a nutshell, I just cut a piece of elastic the same length as her waist, and sewed the ends together to make a loop. I purchased 3 little spools of tulle at Hobby Lobby and cut them double the length I wanted the tutu to be, then folded each in half and looped/tied it around the elastic until it was nice and full and poofy. Quick and easy! I do need to admit, though, that I feel like I overspent on this project. I bought 3 spools of tulle and the buttons (already had the onesie, tights, and headband) and it totaled about $17. Not a fortune or anything, but that’s more than I feel this outfit is worth, really, when I meant for/expected it to be a very cheap, bargain DIY project. So keep in mind that you may want to get your little paws on some coupons or wait for a sale or collaborate with a friend if you want to make something similar (you could easily get 2 or 3 tutus out of the tulle spools, no problem).

Look at that pouty face. Girlfriend was not feeling the modeling vibe (and was probably disappointed in her mother for breaking her own cheapskate rules on DIY project spending). But this gives you a look at her shirt—I wanted to keep the top half of the outfit basic  and simple since the bottom is kinda ridiculous, so I just bought a set of buttons that I thought coordinated nicely with the skirt—a set of purple flower buttons was perfect—and stitched them onto a onesie she already had. Top it off with a little coordinating headband and she’s good to go!

(When you get a winning shot like this, you can’t not post it.)

Like I said. Not feeling the photoshoot at aaallllllllll.

Now it’s your turn to share your ‘Be Thankful’ project, and I can’t wait to see it! The link party is over at Primitive and Proper—swing by and join in! And start brainstorming your project for next week’s theme . . . Dare to Entertain!

Dare to Entertain suggestions: DIY something for your table. This could be something from last week's Thanksgiving table or a new Christmas look. Get creative and use things in new ways. Or go true DIY and make something totally new. Ideas include place mats, table runners, place cards or centerpieces.

Giveaway: One of you will win 50 free Christmas cards from Tiny Prints.