Veil Making: Beading for the First Time

A friend is getting married this weekend.  Yay for weddings!  Since brides are always strapped for cash and I was looking for something different and interesting to sew (see #3 and #4), I offered to make her veil.  She had a style in mind and emailed me this veil picture (here's the link):




Yikes!  Opening that picture was definitely a "I'm in WAY over my head" moment.  But I rallied and delicately explained to her that due to my limited experience (as in ZERO experience) beading wedding veils, we could produce a similar effect without all of the beading.  No worries.  We ended up with a light ivory, oval cut, two tier, scalloped veil with a beaded edge.  Three hundred and eighty 3mm and 4mm Swarovski crystals were sewn by hand with silver thread.  It turned out simply lovely and I can't wait to see her looking all radiant on her big day!



(Shhhh! Don't tell the bride I took the veil for a test run.)

For first time veil makers, don't be intimidated because they are super easy, and so cheap you can scrap your failed attempts without feeling guilty!  I learned how to make veils by typing 'how to make a veil' in an internet search engine.  Tutorials are abundant and the savings are phenomenal.  I spent three years after college working in a bridal salon and veils are like costume jewelry - stores mark them up four to five times their wholesale cost.  Clip a few coupons and you can probably throw a simple one together for less than $10.  With a some patience, 'cut edge' and beaded veils can be made without a machine.  I use the 'bridal illusion' veiling that you get at your local big-name fabric store.  For this veil, I purchased my crystals from http://www.artbeads.com/.  I like the bicone crystal beads in the 'AB' color because the rainbow tint is very pretty in the light. 

SNIPPER TIP:  Use the white side of wrapping paper to make a pattern for your veil.  Then, instead of cutting the veiling with the pattern paper on top (like you would with any other type of sewing pattern), put the pattern underneath of the veiling.  The veiling is sheer and you can see right through to the pattern. 

If I can get a picture of the beautiful bride this weekend, I'll update with a photo.

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