Thread: Questions about veil fabric

I'm looking for a type of chiffon fabric that will not unravel on cut edges. I want to keep the fabric floaty by not sewing the edges. What do you use to keep your chiffon veils from unraveling or looking unsightly and rough?

I have thought about using this liquid that keeps fabric from raveling but I don't know what kind of a stain or residue it will leave when it dries. Does anyone have suggestions on fabric or methods used?

silk chiffon with a rolled hem or a thread-bound edge should be fine ime. a liquid like fray check Dritz® Fray Check : Adhesives : Bonding & Stabilizers : Sewing & Quilting | Joann.com might discolor the edges or make them stiff. maybe a heat bonding product? but those will add weight and reduce pliability on the cut edges.

good question. other bhuzers must have some ingenious tricks

I wouldn't go with an adhesive or fray check on the edge. Unless you have a lot of expertise applying those sorts of products or doing a lot of fabric painting, you will end up with something far gloppier (is that a word?) than what you are imagining. Personally, I like to use a small zigzag stitch on the hems. It isn't heavy or intrusive, it's usually easy to find a matching thread color, and you don't need a special sewing machine or attachment.

Hem or overcast the edges. Makes the veil easier to handle as well as keeping it from fraying/unraveling...

Fray check sucks on sheer fabrics. It leaves a clear residue. Skip it.
Here's what I do. Caution, its a bit risky but...
I clear an area of all loose fabric, paper, curtains, et cetera. Get a glass of water, a cup of baking soda & a small fire extinguisher. Tie back my hair & roll up my sleeved or put on a tight tank top.
I light a short candle ( votive works well). I lightly pull the poly-chiffon fabric across the flame & it melts the edge of the fabric just slightly. This prevents unravelling w/out adding weight. Move slowly & work carefully. Pinch out small flare ups (which only happen from time to time). This method, which a I call "candling" works amazingly well on most poly chiffon fabrics. Every once in a while there are fabrics that just catch fire and don't melt. Blow out the flame and get out your machine to do a rolled hem.
The H2o, baking soda, and extinguisher are there *just in case*, but I've never had a need for them. If you work carefully & w/out attempting to multi-task ( i.e. chat on phone, supervise children, drink wine) you'll be all set.
Works on all poly-chiffon projects--hemming skirts, loose ends, whatever.

i agree with nayastrance. burning the edges is a great way to prevent fraying. just be sure to pass the flame along the edge of the fabric very quickly because otherwise you will get jagged edges. test this method on a scrap piece of the veil fabric first to see how flammable it is and how quickly you need to work with it.

Originally Posted by Zobeida

i agree with nayastrance. burning the edges is a great way to prevent fraying. just be sure to pass the flame along the edge of the fabric very quickly because otherwise you will get jagged edges. test this method on a scrap piece of the veil fabric first to see how flammable it is and how quickly you need to work with it.

I'll third that..I had a lovely silk chiffon burgundy veil and used fray check..left a stiff residue you could see on inspection

maybe a seamstress with a patient skilled hand could take care of it?