Festive Holiday Tulle

Whatever would holiday festivities be without the sparkle of tulle?  I fully appreciate its usefulness and beauty after adding it to the layers of yet two more little girls' dresses.  It adds extra fullness and shimmer to an otherwise ordinary skirt.

No wonder tulle is so elegant, considering that this fabric is named for the city in France where it was first made.  It's interesting that early versions of this fine netting were made with silk, while today it's most likely nylon or rayon.  You can't sit through a rendition of the Nutcracker this time of year without seeing yards and yards of ballerina skirts looking lighter than air because they're made of tulle.

A practical tip for working with tulle is to fold it lengthwise to create a finished lower edge and avoid trying to hem it.  This may mean buying double the yardage called for by a pattern, but it saves a little time and creates a more finished look.

If you can measure, fold and sew two rows of gathering stitches along the edge of some tulle, chances are you can add a wide ribbon at the top to create a child's tutu-like dress-up skirt.  This isn't the easiest fabric to work with, but this project is achievable for someone with a little sewing experience.

A no-sew use for remnants of tulle is to cut a neat circle, edges unfinished, and use it for an elegant, translucent gift wrap.  A little tulle and ribbon can give just about any gift a festive touch.