This dress really isn't overly complicated, and turns into a formal yet fun dress.

Step 1: What You Need...

What is needed for this project is pretty flexible.

I started with:

1 yard of heavy tulle
1 yard regular/light tulle of each color
2 yards of the base fabric
about 30 inches of elastic, for the waist
a 20 inch zipper

Step 2: The Top

So, really this "dress" is actually a skirt (tutu) and a shirt.

The top begins in four pieces. The bodice front and lining, the lower bodice front, and the back pieces (each covering half the back with the zipper up the center.)

Begin by sewing the top bodice and bodice lining together, right sides in, then turn inside out. Now gather the bottom edge of the bodice and finish gather by sewing the upper bodice front to the lower bodice front.

Add the back panels and the zipper.

Step 3: The Skirt

The layers are as follows, heavy tulle, base fabric, various layers of lighter tulle. For the full tutu effect, each layer has to be gathered individually. I began by sewing the heavy tulle to the base fabric and gather that with a wide piece of elastic (the main waistband).

Next, gather each remaining layer on individual pieces of elastic. Sew these layer together at the top, then add them to the base skirt.