How to Make a Spanish Veil

Spanish veils combine modesty with fanciful intricacy.

Draped over the head and shoulders like a flowing cape and often set atop a high comb, the mantilla is a veil of Spanish origin which a bride may choose for her wedding veil. Spanish veils may be made of tulle or chiffon and often incorporate intricate lace edging. One rendition of the Spanish veil uses a modified hair comb that is not separate from the veil but joined to it. Tucked discreetly onto the head, the comb thus holds the veil in place.

Things You'll Need

• Sheer veil material
• Measuring tape
• Pattern paper
• Pins
• Lace edging
• Sewing machine
• Scissors
• Rectangle of wedding dress fabric
• Hair comb
• Fabric glue

Instructions

1. Drape the material over your head and around your shoulders. Have someone measure the length of the veil from the top of your head to the desired length down your back.

2. Cut out a rounded rectangle from the pattern paper according to the dimensions determined above for the mantilla veil, making it about twice as wide as it is long.

3. Pin the veil material to the pattern, using the latter as a guide for cutting the veil material, which should extend beyond the pattern borders by 2 inches.

4. Pin any lace edging you are using for the veil along the edge of the veil on the flipside, without pinning it to the pattern. Pleat and pin any rounded corners of the edging to retain the curved shape of the veil.

5. Sew a test piece of veil with edging together on a sewing machine and practice before sewing the actual veil. Adjust the machine settings, as necessary.

6. Leave the pattern on, for ease of sewing, otherwise remove it. Sew the edging to the veil in two rows, first the inner row, then the outer.

7. Tear off the pattern, after you have finished sewing. Trim any excess veil that has gone past the edging.

8. Make a fabric attachment that will fuse the veil and comb together. Make this in the same material as your dress, if possible, and center the top of the veil over the rectangle and secure with a pin. Sew the veil to the rectangle using the sewing machine.

9. Attach the fabric rectangle that you just sewed to the veil onto the comb using fabric glue. Secure the comb into the hair and let the veil fall to either side in a long flowing manner.

References

• WedNet; Wedding Veil - Make One!; Rachel Shreckengast
• Wedding Dresses by Mon Cheri Bridals: Glossary