Tutu Weekend

Liz came for two days to teach us the fine art of tutu making...
She had cut out all the pieces of net for us (ten layers, a channel and leg ruffles) and the first thing we did was cut points along the bottom edge of each piece, except the channel.  Then all the lengths had to be stitched together and the channel stitched to the centre of layer 7.  Each length then had to be pleated up to fit onto the base - yep pleated, no gathering! So by the end of Saturday it all looked like this...

Next we had to prepare the basque and knickers.  The basque has a petersham waistband with elastic inserts at the sides, so it has some give.  The bottom edges are bound and all the seam allowances zig zagged.  The knickers are made from a double layer of cotton bobbinette and had to be marked up with all the stitch lines for the net and french seamed up the centre front, with the centre back opening neatened.
Once the knickers are prepared all the layers of net have to be stitched on with zig zag stitch.  You start with layer 4 and work down to the leg ruffles first and then up from layer 5 to 10, holding them down with your left elbow as you feed it all through the sewing machine - you have to wrestle it in to place the more layers you put on!  The next challenge is to french seam the lower centre back seam and crotch seam - don't let the tutu win...
Then we ran out of time.  Still some bits to do but so far it looks like this...