How to Measure and Cut a Wedding Veil

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Wedding veils come in all different lengths and a variety of widths, depending on the formality of the wedding and the bride's personal style. Make a short, blusher veil to cover your face, or make a long and flowing cathedral-length veil for a formal wedding. You can custom-make a wedding veil at home for an inexpensive alternative to the pricy veils at bridal shops and add the money saved toward the honeymoon account. Attach the veil to a simple white comb or add it to a more elaborate hair accessory, such as a tiara or hair wreath.

Lay the organza or tulle fabric on a clean and flat work surface. Draw a rectangle on the fabric for the veil. Use the following measurements, depending on the type of veil you would like. The first number is the width of the veil and the second is the length.

Blusher-length = 24 x 12 inches Shoulder-length = 30 x 20 inches Elbow length = 36 x 25 inches Waist-length = 36 x 30 inches Fingertip-length = 36 x 36 inches Knee-length = 36 x 45 inches Floor-length = 36 x 78 inches Chapel-length = 36 x 96 inches Cathedral-length = 48 x 114 inches

Add an extra half inch to the width and one-quarter inch to the length if you would like rolled edges along the outside of the veil.

Lay the organza or tulle on your cutting mat and use the rotary cutter to cut out the rectangle. If you do not have a rotary cutter, use a sharp pair of scissors and take your time to make sure you cut as straight as possible.

Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise. Rotate the folded veil to put one of the width edges directly in front of you. Draw a curved line along the corner opposite the folded edge and use the rotary cutter or sharp scissors to cut along the line. This creates a soft, curved edge for the bottom of the veil. You can skip this step if you prefer a veil with defined corners.

Open the veil and fold three of the edges over one-eighth of an inch. Leave the top edge of the veil unfolded. Iron the folded edges and then fold over another one-eighth inch. Sew a wide zigzag stitch along the folds, or set the serger to a rolled edge setting and sew along the outer edges.

Set the sewing machine to a wide running stitch (about three-eighths of an inch wide) and sew along the top edge of the veil. Pull the thread at the end to gather the top of the veil and prepare it for your bridal hair accessory.

Sew or fabric glue the top of the veil to the hair accessory.