How to Sew a Wedding Veil
Few fashion accessories can match the sheer enchantment of a wedding veil. Over time, these iconic accessories have morphed from a single section of lace to ornate, bejeweled tiara-crowned lengths of tulle. Today's veil comes in a wide variety of sizes and styles. Some are short and light. Others are cathedral-length expanses of silk organza that don't arrive at the altar until moments after the bride has landed there. Whichever style you plan to craft, use the directions in this article to look gorgeous while staying within the boundaries of your wedding budget. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Tulle or netting
- Sewing machine
- Needle and thread
- White or clear hair comb (4" wide), headband or tiara
- Tiny silk flowers with pearl embellishments (optional)
- Pattern (optional)
- Satin bias tape or ribbon (optional)
- Spray-on glitter (optional)
Instructions
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Drop in at a bridal shop and try on veils to see which style and weight feels and looks best. Your dreams of sewing a cathedral-length veil (at least 108-inches long) might change radically when you discover that a more manageable floor-length veil (62-inches to 72-inches) proves easier to manage. Alternately, waist- or finger-length blush (24-inches) or shoulder (18-inches) veils offer your groom one less thing to worry about when he tries to reach you for a kiss.
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Visit a fabric and crafts store and check out the patterns they stock, if you're not confident enough to attach a veil to the headpiece or fastener yourself. Choose whichever pattern most closely matches the style you liked best when you "auditioned" veils at the bridal boutique--all pattern companies make them, so check out a variety until you find the right one.
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Select veil material based on the color of your wedding gown. Yes, even white comes in many shades, so bring a swatch of your dress material to the fabric store if you're purchasing tulle or netting at a retail shop. Ask for color swatches from the manufacturer before you place an order for tulle over the Internet. Additionally, make certain the site has a return policy should there be an unexpected mismatch.
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Use an iron set on low or delicate to smooth the tulle or netting, then arrange the pattern pieces atop the fabric. Pin the pattern down and use pinking shears to trim veil sections away from the selvages.
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If you're not using a pattern, go straight to the sewing machine. Set a wide, running stitch and create two rows of gathering stitches 1/2-inch apart. If you run into slippage problems, take a tip from professionals and place strips of paper under the fabric as you sew. Rip away the paper when the stitches are in place. Gather up the tulle to the size of the comb or headpiece by holding the threads taut. Hand stitch the veil to the headpiece.
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Hem the entire veil to secure the edges and/or give it a gorgeous finish. The easiest hemming method is a simple rolled hem secured with a zigzag stitch, but you can create a more fanciful edging by sewing satin ribbon, metallic tape or white braid around the edges. If you have a lot of patience, whip stitch lengths of small silk flowers to the hem to customize and glamorize it.
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Decorate the body of the veil as lavishly as time and inclination allow. Try spraying the veil with mother-of-pearl glitter to give the fabric a romantic shimmer. Scatter the veil with lush trim by hand tacking pearls or crystals across the expanse of the tulle. You also can fasten a cascade of ribbons to the comb. Add a silk flower to the end of each ribbon and fan them across the top of the veil for an ultra-romantic finish.
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