Basic sewing skills enough to make veil

A bride’s stellar accessory is the veil, that all-important wispy fall of white tulle tumbling from a crown of flowers – fresh or silk – or cascading from a cluster of silken bows, or a circlet of lustrous faux pearls and white lace. The veil is the hallmark of the well-favored woman celebrating the most special day of her life. It frames her face, complements her gown and signals both the solemnity and joy inherent in the ceremony in which she will participate.

Veils look intricate, but the fact is, they’re easy to make – even for those with basic sewing skills.

Alex Turallo, volunteer-program coordinator at the Hammond Street Senior Center in Bangor, spent more than 6 years working as a seamstress at Chapel Hill bridal center on Outer Hammond Street, where she custom-made bridal veils.

“It’s mostly hand work,” she said. “But you need an eye for design, a sense of what will look good.”

A bridal veil consists of several yards of veiling, or illusion, which is gathered with basting stitches and attached with simple overcast stitches to a comb, headband, barrette, banana clip, hat, tiara or circle of flowers.

“It costs less than $20 to make a veil,” Turallo said. But a purchased veil may cost much more than $100.

Supplies for making bridal veils are easy to find in fabric shops and department stores. If you prefer not to make one, ornate headpieces may be purchased at bridal stores.

Before making a bridal veil, it’s a good idea to do a bit of reading. Turallo suggests “I Do Veils: So Can You” by Claudia Lynch, available at Bangor Public Library. She also suggests “Sew a Beautiful Wedding” by Gail Brown and Karen Dillon, and “Bridal Gowns” by Susan Andriks. These books are available online, or check with local booksellers to order the books.

If the bride doesn’t have the skills to make a veil, Turallo said, it’s a lovely task for the bride’s mother, grandmother, sister, one of her future in-laws, or maid of honor to undertake.

The first thing to do is select the headpiece. Then decide what length the veil will be – shoulder, 24 inches; elbow, 30 inches; fingertip, 48 inches; waltz, 54 inches; chapel, 80 inches; or cathedral, 108 inches long. Select tulle 72- or 108-inches wide, in white or ivory, available at fabric shops for about $2 a yard.

Before working on the veil, spread a clean white sheet on the floor around the workspace to prevent the tulle from being soiled, and banish pets, especially cats, to another room in the house to prevent them from romping in the tulle while your back is turned.

Cut the tulle, without unfolding it, to the desired length. Round the square edges, if desired. With hand or machine stitches, gather the top edge of the tulle and sew it to the headpiece.

To create a two-tier veil, which can serve as a blusher, or face veil, add another 24 inches to the veil length selected. Then fold the tulle back 24 inches, and press a crease to create a line dividing the two tiers. Gather along the crease line, and sew to the headpiece. The blusher section will be pulled forward to cover the bride’s face.

To make the veil detachable from the headpiece, sew Velcro to the gathered edge of the veil and to the spot on the headpiece where the veil will attach.

The techniques used to make bridal veils may also be used to make First Communion veils.

Bridal veil patterns are available at fabric and department stores.

“A handmade veil,” Turallo said, “is always fresh. It doesn’t have fold lines from being shipped [from where it’s made], and it doesn’t need pressing.”

But best of all, a handmade veil is an instant heirloom, and truly a labor of love for that day of days.

Snippets

Visit www.caron-net.com to read an article about how to jumpstart your design ideas. The site also has a pattern for a tote bag made of recycled jeans.

Also visit sew-what’s-new.com for quilt and applique projects and patterns.

Ardeana Hamlin welcomes suggestions. Call 990-8153, or e-mail ahamlin@bangordailynews.net.