Even a long table cloth or trimmed
old bed sheet could work for our practice purposes. If desired, veils may be made or purchased.
Material
Originally veils were
made of silk, but many novice belly dancers will find silk too hard to handle and
too expensive! For that reason, the most popular materials for veil are rayon
chiffon, polyester chiffon, or georgette… most organza is too stiff to drape
properly.
The weight of the fabric, the kind of fabric
and the shape of the veil all affect the way it moves, and play a role in how
hard, or easy, the veil is to manipulate. Heavier fabrics require more effort
to swirl around. Super light and gauzy veils may collapse in fast spins and
twirls.
Measuring your veil
The short answer (works for me):
A "standard" size veil length is 3 yards (108 inches) or 3 meters (117
inches) long and 45 inches wide.
Taller people may need a larger veil. Shorter
people can try 2 & 3/4 yards, but if you get veils that are too short &
narrow you won't get the same flowing effects. Generally, it's much easier to
use a larger veil than a small one. Some petite dancers use a 4 yard veil! Usually
the 45" width works for everyone, but if you're under 5'2" you could
trim a few inches off the width.
“Exact Methods”
Width of veil: Measure
from the top of your shoulders to the top of your legs (just under your butt).
Length of veil – couple of different opinions
A.
Holding your arm straight out the side at shoulder level, then draping the veil
over your arm so it hangs evenly on both sides (same amount of fabric on either
side of your arm). If the bottom of the veil lightly grazes the floor, then
it's the perfect length for you.
Or
B. Drape a long piece of material over your shoulders. Stand up
straight and let your arms hang loosely at your sides, with the material
hanging over them. If you’re measuring by yourself, put a pin in the veil
marking where your fingertips reach, then take the material off and add about a
foot on each end (if you have a helper, they can do the measuring while it’s
still on your shoulders.
If you haven’t bought the fabric yet, ask someone to measure you
from fingertip to fingertip while you have your arms stretched out to each
side, then add 2 feet (60 cm) – but add a little extra to be safe, because this
measurement doesn’t allow for the drape around the shoulders.
Finally,
if you’re going to make the veil, don’t forget the hem allowance – which will
be very small.
Hemming
A. Arabella’s solution is just a
zig-zag around the veil’s rough edges.
B. Surge if you have a surger.
C. Use the "rolled hem" foot
on your sewing machine. Make sure you practice first - there's a knack.
D. Flat hem. You'll get a cleaner edge
if making a line of stitches about a 1/4 inch in from the edge before you fold
and press the hem (fold the material at the line of stitching).
E. Hand stitch will take a long time.
One way to cover a less-than-perfect hem is to put a trim over it, but be careful - it
will affect how the veil drapes and swoops. To be safe, keep the trim to a single
line of sequins.