Thursday, April 7, 2011

The Cockatoo Veil

A while ago I decided to make my own veil. I bought all the fixin's, looked at inspiration photos, picked a design, found a tutorial. ThenI did nothing for several months. It's not that I was afraid to tackle the project, I just figured it would be so easy that it didn't require a lot of my time or immediate attention. Heh.

The day before my bridal shower, I sat down to knock out this supposedly easy project. Using this tutorial from Project Wedding I sewed my veiling to combs, popped it on my head, and....





We're twins! 

Ugh. I looked like a cockatoo. Instead of gently molding to my head, the veil stuck straight up in the air, making it look not so much like a veil, but more like a windshield.

Needless to say, I was displeased.


And here's the thing that none of the tutorials will tell you: trying to fix the plumage effect on the veil while it's on your head is not even remotely easy. I pinched and pulled and tried to maneuver the veil into my ideal headpiece and kept failing.  Then I did what I always do when crafting success eludes me: I quit.

 But, a few days later I tried again, because a Goodlaff will not be beaten by a piece of veiling and some string. Attempts 2, 3, and 4 went much the same way as the first, only with more frustration. I looked for more tutorials online; I flipped through hundreds of veils online and on Etsy, looking for close-up photos and trying to see how others made their veils lay so nicely.

I was unsuccessful in finding either a better tutorial or a trade secret.

I decided to take inspiration from my feathered friends, and just wing it. I folded down the veiling, basically making darts in the veil material, then safety-pinned it in place to get an idea of my new plan.  I was not horrified by the results, so I sewed my folds in place, checked with Mama Goodlaff to make sure it looked okay, and voilĂ ! Veil.


It still needs a bit of help: some arranging here and rhinestones there, but all in all, I'm pretty pleased with the base results. 

No more Cockatoo veil!

Have you ever considered DIY-ing your veil?

1 comment:

  1. i like your last attempt! so much better than the first! you're brave though for diy-ing it. i'm just not as talented!

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