Creating A Wedding Veil Fit For A Little Princess

Making a wedding veil for a child is easy and fun and will save you quite a bit of money. Take your little girl shopping for tulle and embellishments and get started on an enjoyable project together.

First, measure from the crown of the child’s head down to the desired length. Add a few inches to that measurement to compensate for gathering and bunching the veil. It’s always better to have too much fabric, as you can trim it later if it is too long. Measure the width of the child’s shoulders to determine how wide the tulle piece for the veil will need to be.

Cut a piece of tulle according to your measurements. You should have a long, rectangular piece of tulle. Make sure you use fabric scissors meant for cutting delicate fabrics like tulle, as using regular scissors or those with serrated edges can rip tulle.

Cut two pieces of thick white ribbon the length of the width of the tulle to serve as a border for the bottom of your veil.

Lay the tulle on a flat surface and apply a thin line of fabric glue to the bottom edge of the veil. Place ribbon over the glue and smooth it gently over the edge so that bubbles or wrinkles do not form. Flip the veil over and apply glue to the other side of the veil and glue ribbon so that the pieces of ribbon are glued together on the bottom edge of the veil.

Gather the fabric on the side of the veil opposite of where you glued the ribbon. This is the top part of the veil that you will glue to the barrette. Glue bunched fabric to the underside rim of the comb barrette with hot glue so that the fabric is extending out the front of the barrette, going away from the prongs of the barrette. Allow the glue to dry.

Measure around the rim of the barrette and cut a piece of ribbon to that length. Apply a line of glue going around the rim of the barrette and over the bunched tulle you glued and wrap the ribbon around the glued rim. Allow the glue to dry completely.

Flip the veil over the barrette so it is now going in the same direction as the prongs of the barrette. Slide the barrette into place at the crown of your child’s head.

Measure the child's head and desired veil length

The first step in making a wedding veil is to measure the wearer's head and the desired veil length. This will determine the amount of fabric needed.

To measure the head, place a measuring tape where the veil will sit on the head. Brides may choose to clip their veil to the top of their head or opt for a romantic style at the back of their head.

Next, measure the length of the veil by measuring from the desired starting point on the head to the desired endpoint. Common wedding veil lengths include shoulder, elbow, fingertip, floor, chapel, and cathedral. For example, a veil that measures about 32 inches will fall at elbow length.

It is important to add a few extra inches to the desired length to compensate for gathering and bunching of the veil. It is always better to have too much fabric, as you can always trim it later if it is too long.

For a child's veil, an additional step is to measure the width of the child's shoulders to determine the width of the veil.

Cut the tulle

Cutting the tulle is the first step in making a wedding veil. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Cut the Tulle to Length for Your Veil

Lay the tulle out on a large table or clean floor, keeping it folded in half lengthwise. This is how it was at the store. Now, fold the tulle in half crosswise by grabbing the rightmost edge and folding it over so that it touches the leftmost edge. You should now have four layers of tulle. Measure again how long you want the tulle to be (from the top of your head down) and cut the tulle to that length if needed.

Step 2: Round Out the Corners of the Tulle

Now, round off the top left edge of the fabric by pinning to mark it and then cutting in a smooth motion. If you need a guide, try using a large serving platter. You want to be left with a quarter-circle shape.

Step 3: Refold the Tulle into Veil Layers

Unfold the tulle completely. At this point, you should have one layer of tulle. Now, fold the tulle crosswise from right to left, but you don't have to bring it all the way over. You can match the ends up for a single-length veil or leave a few inches between the edges for a nice layered look. If you keep a shorter layer, it can be used as a blusher. At this point, you should verify that the length is exactly what you want, and if it's too long, cut one of the rounded ends shorter as needed.

Turn the veil 90 degrees counter-clockwise so that the folded edge is at the top, farthest away from you, and the open rounded edges are closest to you. Don't be surprised if the veil seems wider than it is long, especially if you are using really wide tulle or making a fairly short veil. Once you gather it all up in the following step, the proportions will make a lot more sense.

Step 4: Gather the Center of the Tulle

You now need to decide whether or not you want the side edges of your veil's two layers to come all the way up to the top. If you choose to have the edges come up to the top, the top of your veil will be fuller and puffier. This decision is particularly noticeable if you plan to put a ribbon trim on the edges because the ribbon will clearly be only at the bottom or will go up to your head, depending on your choice. Once you choose from these two styles, you will be ready to gather the top of your veil. Depending on your choice, you will either gather up only the centre portion of your tulle or gather the entire width of the tulle.

Once you have decided how much tulle to gather, do so with a needle and strong thread, weaving in and out with small stitches. Pull the thread to gather the stitched tulle so that it is only about 2 inches wide. Knot the thread securely.

Step 5: Attach the Veil to a Clip or Comb

To be able to wear the veil in your hair, you'll need to attach it to something. You can use a simple French comb, a barrette, or any headpiece you already have picked out. Just take the gathered portion of tulle at the top centre and sew it securely to your clip. If you are planning to wear a fancy tiara and want to be able to remove the veil for the reception but still keep the tiara on, just sew the veil to a simple French comb, and you can wear both pieces at once, then easily take just the veil off later.

Sew the tulle to a comb

Sewing the tulle to a comb is the final step in making a wedding veil. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Gather the tulle

Before you begin sewing, you need to gather the tulle to the size of the comb. This can be done by pulling on the ends of the basting threads. For most veils, this will not mean pulling as tightly as possible. You can use a needle and strong thread, weaving in and out with small stitches, to gather the tulle.

Step 2: Pin the tulle to the comb

Once you have gathered the tulle to the right size, you can pin the gathers into place along the top of the comb. You can use a pin to hold the ends of the basting threads in place by wrapping them tightly and pinning them to the veil.

Step 3: Stitch the tulle to the comb

Now, you can begin sewing the tulle to the comb. You can do this by hand, using small stitches and making sure that every gather is stitched down. You can also use a sewing machine, sewing two rows about half an inch apart.

Step 4: Cover the gathered edge (optional)

This step is completely optional but will make for a prettier comb. You can cut a length of ribbon to the size of your comb, plus a few extra inches. You can then pin the ribbon in place along the comb, covering the edges of the gathers and the stitching from attaching the veil to the comb. Finally, stitch the ribbon into place along the top and bottom, wrapping the ends of the ribbon around the back of the comb.

Decorate the comb

Now that you've gathered your veil and sewn it to the comb, it's time to decorate! This is a fun step where you can really make your veil your own. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Sew on some pearls, silk flowers, beads, or rhinestones. Choose something that matches your dress.
• If you must glue something on, use fabric glue. Hot glue tends to get messy, and it can melt on a hot day.
• If you want to add a ribbon trim to the bottom edge of your veil, choose some thin, satin ribbon, and pin it to the bottom tier, 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) away from the edge. Sew the ribbon on using the straight stitch on your sewing machine, then trim the excess tulle away.
• If you want to add a beaded trim instead, hand-sew it 1 to 2 inches (2.54 to 5.08 centimeters) away from the edge.

Add optional ribbon trim

Adding a ribbon trim to your veil is a great way to add a finishing touch and make yourself feel like a princess. You can hand-sew a beaded trim for something more delicate, or sew a thin, white, satin ribbon.

If you are sewing ribbon onto the edge, sew it an inch or two away from the edge first, then trim off the excess tulle. If you're planning to add trim, use a tulle that has a stiffer feel to it.

Frequently asked questions