Belly dancers often look at the price of veils and think, "It's only a rectangle of fabric, why should I pay that price - I'll make my own!"

It's certainly easy enough to buy the material, and doing it yourself means you can make a veil that's exactly tailored to your height and reach - but do take into account the effort needed to complete it. Cutting the right size takes only a few minutes, but the hem will take many hours of sewing if you have to hand-sew, and is fiddly work even on a sewing machine. If you want to add a trim or sequins, it will take even longer!

For that reason, I recommend you read the whole article in full first, before you decide whether to DIY.

Originally veils were made of silk, but many novice belly dancers will find silk too hard to handle - and too expensive! Because I'm used to twirling a heavy flamenco shawl, I like the heft of a pure silk veil - the extra weight takes more effort to control, but it means I can do more spectacular things with it. Most novice dancers will be better off with a lighter fabric, which has less of a mind of its own.

Having a sheer veil provides more choreographic options, too - imagine how much better the pose on the right would look, if you could see the outline of the dancer through the veil. Silk chiffon is a good material, but expensive.  For that reason, the most popular materials for veil are rayon chiffon, polyester chiffon, or georgette.

You’ll occasionally see organza veils advertised – they're tempting because they often have a nice sheen, but most organza is too stiff to drape properly.  I know one dancer who swears by it, though - she says the secret is to put the veil through a wash and spin cycle several times before you use it. So if you see a bargain organza veil and are prepared to take the chance that washing will soften it - by all means go ahead, you may end up with a treasure! 

It’s very important to get the right size veil for your arm length. Too small and you won’t be able to waft it around properly; too long and you’ll tie yourself up like a mummy when you try to twirl it!  Most adults will need a veil between 2.5 and 3 metres in length. 

To get your size:

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, of course).

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, because it will have to be a rolled hem.

Hemming is the make-or-break for many would-be veil makers! Unlike other dancers who perform on a distant stage, belly dancers are often close to their audience - so every detail has to be perfect. The veil is visible from both sides, so the hem must be immaculate.

The best solution is to use the "rolled hem" foot on your sewing machine. Make sure you practice first - there's a knack to it, especially with the slippery fabrics used for veils! If you prefer a flat hem, you'll get a cleaner edge if you make a line of stitches about a quarter inch in from the edge before you fold and press the hem (fold the material at the line of stitching).

If you have to hand stitch, make it a job you do while you're watching TV - it's going to take you a long, 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, no more.

If it all seems too hard, you'll find plenty of reasonably-priced veils online.

But now - what to do with your veil once you've got it!

All text copyright Marisa Wright.  Photo with thanks to Toast to life on Flickr.