[paula]

I am searching for tulle for the fairy tale dress. Are there different grades of tulle? I see a listing on amazon for 40 yards of 54 inch nylon tulle priced at $19.49 for the bolt. Is this what I want? Is there different tulle for sewing?

Thanks!

[dubhels2003]

I think that tulle is the type of fabric, i.e. a net like fabric. You can definitely get in made of different things, so silk tulle is the kind of fabric used on dreamy romantic wedding dresses. It feels soft and is expensive http://www.topfabric.co.uk/soft-silk-tulle-nude.html

You can get other types of tulle which are cheaper (and I suspect more easily washable but I may be wrong on this – I hate handwashing!). For example, this is a nylon tulle, much cheaper http://www.topfabric.co.uk/soft-silk-tulle-nude.html

I suspect that at that price for the bolt the tulle doesn’t feel very nice (sorry if that sounds snobby). If you are able to go to a shop to see and feel some it would definitely be better. I always try to when it’s a fabric I don’t use so much, and don’t know so well.

[meleliza]

Of course, this tulle is between layers, so it doesn’t matter too much how it feels, more how it behaves. If you want just a little extra fluff, regular ordinary nylon tulle is fine. Check fabric.com. It should only be 2 or 3 per yard. If you want more puff, use more tulle or something a little stiffer like net.

I often skip the tulle, especially if it’s a casual dress. Depending on your fabric, you might get enough volume with just the skirt and lining. Another way to get more drama is widen the skirt.

[Reeni]

Regular tulle or bridal tulle is quite fine and softens to nothing in the wash… this is the stuff that you often see draped on canopies and church pews. You can use it for the fairytale dress but to make a difference in fluffiness after a few washings, it would be nice to have at least 3x the length of the main fabric skirt.

on the other hand, diamond net is the one that doesn’t soften and stays crisp and perky.