Take a waist measurement with a measuring tape. If the waist measurement is 22 inches or under, use 44-inch-wide tulle fabric. If the waist measurement is above 22 inches, you need 54-inch-wide fabric. These amounts allow enough space for the pattern for the front and back of the tutu skirt to be drawn next to each other along the width of the fabric and limit fabric wastage.
Take a measurement from the waist to just above the knee with a measuring tape.
Multiply your last measurement by how many layers of tulle you wish to include in your tutu. Layered tutus feature up to four layers of fabric applied to the skirt individually. If you wish to include four layers of tulle in your tutu, multiply the waist-to-knee measurement by four.
Add a further 5 inches to your last calculation to allow for seams and elastic casing.
Write down the width you determined in Step 1 and the length you calculated in Step 4. This will constitute the length and width estimation for the fabric of your ballet tutu. Remember to take these estimates with you to your fabric retailer.