If you’re a creative bride or planning a wedding on a budget, making your own veil will definitely help you save £££s! Lisa Comfort, author of Sew Over It Vintage, shares her easy guide to making your own vintage wedding veil…
Covering the comb
1. Take a strip of tulle that is about 2.5cm wide and at least three times the length of the comb. Wrap the tulle around the top of the comb, threading the tulle through the gap in between the prongs.
2. Take another strip of tulle that measures four times the width of the top of the comb and is the length of the comb, plus 2cm.
3. Fold the tulle in half lengthways and iron in a central crease. Then fold one raw edge into the crease and then the other, pressing to form two other fold lines. This will create binding to cover the wrapped tulle on the comb.
4. Tuck under 1cm on either end of the binding so there are no raw edges. Place the binding over
the end of the comb so that it is sandwiching the comb. Pin the folded edges to the bottom of
the wrapped tulle on either side of the comb.
5. Slip stitch in place. At the ends, catch the folded edges with overstitches.
The veil
6. Press the tulle gently to remove any creases.
7. Fold the tulle in half lengthways aligning the raw edges. Using pins mark out the curved sides at the bottom of the veil. Starting from the fold, keep the first half of the hem perpendicular to the foldline. Then start to curve towards the sides. The curve must be even and smooth and the pins must go through both layers.
8. When you reach the sides, start to grade in the sides a little, working towards the top of the veil. This must be a gentle angle, getting narrower at the top.
9. Cut just below the pin line.
10. At the top straight edge, run a line of gathering stitch (tacking stitches) 1cm from the cut edge. Leave the tails of thread at either end. Pull the ends so that the veil gathers up.
Attaching the veil to the comb
11. Lay the comb face down on the table. Lay the veil next to it with the gathered end facing the comb.
12. Pin the gathered end onto the top of the veil. The raw edge must sit at the bottom edge of the binding on the comb. Adjust the gathers so that they are even.
13. Overstitch the veil edge to the tulle stitch on the comb. Remove the gathering.
14. Using backstitch, sew along the veil at the point where it touches the top edge of the comb.
15. Flip the veil over the comb so that the veil hem is now facing the same direction as the prongs.
16. The veil is ready to wear! If you want to attach vintage brooches or buttons, sew these directly onto the veil and through the tulle onto the comb.
If you’re looking to save money but still have a fabulous wedding, then you’ll love our A–Z of wedding trends that will help you save tons of £££s!
