Katharina's Bee Veil instructions:
Here is what you need, and all items are available at our local Walmart:
24" of tulle from the fabric store. Get a black one with tiny holes, it will provide the best vision.
A pack of 1/2" bias tape piping in black or dark brown. They come in 2.5 yard packs, which is enough for two veils.
4 feet of cotton string to pull the veil tightly together around the neck. More if you prefer to wrap it around your body.
Thin black elastic band.
One large rim hat. The stiff ones are usually available in camping sections. I found one at Walmart for 15 dollars with a ventilated top.
Construction:
Measure the circumference on the hat rim and add 1-2 inches. This is the width of the tulle you need. Its usually around 40-45". The length of the tulle is 24".
Fold the length into half, ending up with a 12" folded piece. Place the piping into the fold, pin into place, and sew into place with a straight stitch.
Unfold and fold into the other direction with the bias band to the outside. Sew with a large zig-zag stitch together. The end result is a tube with the piping ring in the center. The piping will keep the tulle away from your face, so bees cannot sting your face through it.
Fold about 1/2" of the top opening over, lay in the elastic band and zig-zag saw all the way round leaving enough space open to pull the elastic tight, so it will fit over the hat's top, finish off with a knot.
Repeat the same on the bottom with the string laid in instead.
Quite easy and only straight stitches needed. Similar veils are sold for around 10 dollars in beekeeping catalogs, but they do not come near the same quality.
Katharina Davitt
