25She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.

26 She speaks with wisdom,

and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

Proverbs 31:25-26

Christian veiling/headcovering has been a practice for millennia, and it is still widely practiced outside of the West. However, the mantilla veil seems to be making a comeback among some devout Catholic women in America and Europe! The cost of buying a professional veil can be prohibitively expensive (although those veils are gorgeous), so I've made this post to help women who want to try wearing a veil to mass, but don't want to deal with the cost! With the instructions below, you can make 2 (identical) veils for as little as $8, depending on what supplies you already have and how expensive the fabric you choose is.

I also recommend the instructions found at this blog , to help you on your way to mantilla success!





Step 1: Decide on a Color

What color do you want your veil to be? I'll list some colors and the considerations you should take into account.

White: This is a pretty traditional, basic color. You can't really go wrong with white. Some people suggest that white is the color for maidens, but there's no hard and fast rules. It is also easiest to find lace in white, ivory, or cream. While you'll find lace in other colors, there will simply be fewer options available.

This is a pretty traditional, basic color. You can't really go wrong with white. Some people suggest that white is the color for maidens, but there's no hard and fast rules. It is also easiest to find lace in white, ivory, or cream. While you'll find lace in other colors, there will simply be fewer options available. Black: This is also a quite traditional, basic color. This color is especially appropriate for times of penance (such as Lent or Advent), times of mourning (such as funerals), or women with black hair. Some people suggest that black is the color for matrons, but there's no hard and fast rules.

This is also a quite traditional, basic color. This color is especially appropriate for times of penance (such as Lent or Advent), times of mourning (such as funerals), or women with black hair. Some people suggest that black is the color for matrons, but there's no hard and fast rules. Beige/Brown: This isn't a traditional color, but it might be the right choice for a woman with brown hair. These colors stand out less in a parish in which few others veil.

This isn't a traditional color, but it might be the right choice for a woman with brown hair. These colors stand out less in a parish in which few others veil. Liturgical Colors: Green, Red, Purple, and Rose mantillas aren't traditional, but can definitely compliment your wardrobe. If you want to match the liturgical season, consider a collection of these. However, these colors are also less in-demand, so you'll have fewer options at the store in terms of shade and lace design.

Personally, I find that a white and black mantilla meet all of my needs. With such basic colors, I never have to worry about my veil clashing with my outfit, and I can choose black or white to fit the mood of the liturgical season. I wear white for Easter, Christmas, and Solemnities, and I wear black for Lent and Advent. During Ordinary Time, I just wear whichever mantilla I happen to grab!

Step 2: Get your supplies

Find a fabric or craft store near you. If it's a chain type store, check online for any coupons (Hobby Lobby and JoAnn Fabrics usually have 40 or 50% off coupons).

Fabric: At the store, look at the fabric selections. Make sure the fabric you choose will drape rather than be stiff. If you find something with a nice edge (scalloped or detailed in some other way), that's ideal. Sometimes the "nice" edge is set back in the fabric by an inch or two, so that the machine-finish is actually unpatterned. This can still work! You can simply cut away the excess fabric later so that the lace edge is actually on the edge. (My white mantilla has an edge, but my black one doesn't). Buy 1 yard of fabric (which can make 2 mantillas- but you should NOT only buy half a yard... I explain below)

Sewing Scissors: You'll need sewing scissors to cut the fabric. "Normal" scissors may not be sharp enough to cut the fabric cleanly or easily.

Comb: Pictured below. You'll need a way to keep your mantilla on your head during mass. I prefer combs, but you could try bobby pins or other hair clips.

Lace Ribbon: [optional] I haven't used lace ribbon to "finish" the edges of my mantillas, but it's a pretty common practice. Get at least 1 and 2/3 yards, or 2 yards to be safe.

Needle and Thread: Basically any needle should work, and you'll want thread that matches your lace. This is to sew on your lace ribbon and comb.

Step 3 Cut the Fabric

In the figure above, I've traced the outline of two mantillas in red (one as a semi-circle, and the other as a triangle). Note that my sketch is NOT to scale! Personally, I prefer the semi-circle.

Fold your fabric in half (along the dotted grey line in the diagrams). Iron it so that it stays.

Using an old newspaper (or smaller pieces of paper taped together), make a pattern. Draw a triangle/semi-circle of the correct proportions onto the paper with a marker, then cut it out. This is easier (for me) than trying to mark the fabric itself. Folding the paper in half before cutting can help with symmetry.

Lay your paper pattern on top of the lace and align it, with the long, flat edge along the finished, 1yd long side (NOT the folded side)

Use the pattern to guide your cuts. Once done, you have two mantillas cut out!

You may need to hem your fabric to prevent fraying. Take a piece of scrap fabric that has been cut and pull on the cut edge to see if the fabric pulls apart readily. If it doesn't, you can probably skip hemming the fabric. If it pulls apart, you're going to want to at least turn the edge over twice (so that the ends are tucked away) and sew it. Your iron is your best friend for hemming! Iron over your folds so that you can sew with ease. On both of my veils, I actually ended up not needing to hem the lace, and simply left it cut.

If you want to add a lace-ribbon edge, figure out if your lace needs hemming. If it does, hem it first. Pin the lace-ribbon onto your edge, and then stitch it on. Depending on what ribbon you chose, you may need to hand stitch this part.

Step 4 Add Some Security

How are you going to make this veil stay on your head during mass? I ended up using a clear plastic comb.

Check which side of your fabric is nicer than the other. Most laces have an "outside" that's slightly nicer, so just check which side you want to be on the outside.

Sew the comb on slightly behind the front center of the veil on the "inside". (You don't want the comb to show, so I set mine back from the end by about half a centimeter). For pale veils, don't wrap the comb with fabric. For black veils, you can wrap the comb with a strip of scrap fabric.

If your fabric is slightly stiff, only attach the ends of the comb- otherwise, the stiff ripples will end up being affected by the comb and look very strange.

I folded the veil over the comb and sewed it on, attaching the fabric wrapped on the comb to both sides of the folded-over veil.

It can be a bit nerve wracking to be the only person at mass wearing a veil. However, I've never gotten a bad comment about it. Most people won't say anything even if they think something rude, and sometimes I've gotten compliments from the older ladies who remember veils from their childhood. It can also be a good conversation starter among mixed-church religious events where you veil. (No, I'm not a Mennonite. No, I'm not forced to wear this. No, I don't think people who don't wear it are going to Hell, either. No, I'm probably not going to be a nun.)

New White Veil!









New veil in black!!





For my second veil (black), I decided to use a thin scrap of the fabric to wrap the comb, so that it wouldn't show up as a shiny plastic piece at the crown of my head. It ended up looking like this: