How to Make a Birdcage Veil

Many brides want every detail of their wedding to be as extravagant as possible, even the veil they wear. Most would opt for long trains that run five feet behind them, bringing a classy and glamorous look to their gown. Others, though, prefer simpler veils. One very popular example is the birdcage veil. This unique and simple wedding accessory brings a stylish vintage look to any bride. (Learn how to wear a veil)

If you’re getting married, the classy birdcage veil might be something you want to use. You can easily buy it from any wedding boutique, but if you look closely, you’ll see that the structure is fairly simple. Why spend hundreds of dollars on something, when you can make it yourself without spending a lot of money? If you don’t know where to start, don’t worry; Here’s how to make a fancy wedding birdcage veil.

Materials:

• One yard of 18″ wide white or ivory Russian netting
• ½ yard of white or ivory tulle



• ¼ yard of organdy or organza
• Fabric glue
• Needle and thread
• Scissors
• Flower pattern
• Clip or hair comb
• Felt
• White feathers

Procedure:

1. Get the netting and lay it down on a flat surface. About six inches from one of the edges, cut the netting at an angle, so the veil will taper. Do the same for the other angle. The more tapered you want the veil to be, the more angled the cut should be, cutting closer to the halfway point of the sides
2. Starting on one end that’s opposite of where you trimmed, make a running stitch along the whole side, making sure you stitch through the small squares where the netting intersect.
3. Pull the thread taut, so you’ll end up with a gathered end. Knot the thread’s end. Carefully arrange the pleats whichever way you like, then sew the whole edge to the hair comb.
4. You’re now done with the actual netting, so you can now work on the design. Find a flower pattern you can use. Use it to cut fabric flower patterns on the organza, organdy and the tulle. Cut four patterns for the organza and organdy, then eight for the tulle.
5. Overlap the different fabrics alternately, staggering them, so they don’t line up and layer too perfectly. Run two stitches through the center, so these are kept in place.
6. Fold the fabric flower stack in half. Afterwards, fold it again, then stitch along the couple of edges that will meet. Just sew them halfway up to the edge.
7. Move the petals a bit, so the fabric flower will open and form to your liking.
8. Cut a couple of circles from the leftover organdy or felt. Arrange the loose feathers on one circle, so they will extend evenly outwards. Apply fabric glue then stick the second circle. Let it dry completely.
9. Stick the fabric flower to the feather base, adding a small amount of fabric glue to the center. Put the flower on the base. Secure the feathers and flowers together by using four to six stitches to stick the outer flower petals around the edge of the circular base. Wait for the glue to dry.
10. Stitch the feather and flower to the comb’s edge, just above the netting.

Some Tips:

• Organdy and organza can be a bit expensive, so use more tulle to create more layers.
• Trim the netting according to the length you want.
• You can do without the feathers, and create two flower pieces instead.

Don’t spend big bucks on a birdcage veil when you can easily make one yourself. Just try these easy steps and you’ll end up with a fantastic looking veil to complete your look. The best part is, you won’t even worry about tripping when you walk down the aisle! For more information regarding this article, read Looking For the Perfect Wedding Veil