maximillion Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Without wanting to trivialise or be reductionist, I really love the elegant way the veils of the SOL, DSSME's and the Nashies all fall. I was used to a veil more like the Carmelites use. It was a rectangle which was pinned on and fell just the way it fell. Does anyone know if the veils used by the communities named above are cut a certain way or what they do to have them look so neat and elegant? I'm just curious. Oh and that this is MOP about the way they look. It's not to say the other ways of wearing a veil are nasty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscerningCatholic Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I don't know about any of this, but I do love the way the DSMME, Nashies', and SOL veils fall. :nun: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaTherese Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Sr. Mary Catharine wears that sort of veil, doesn't she? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr Mary Catharine OP Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Actually, ours is quite simple. It is the standard rectangle and when folded it in half and 4" from the 2 edges and 10" from the front, it is sewn to create the look you see on ours with the 2 points in the back. We didn't used to sew it, it used to be more like the OSB's of MO wear it but our origins are French Canadian and as I know from my mother's family, they like things looking "neat". The DSMME and I think the Nashvilles(but not sure) have it cut more narrow and sewn in an interesting way. I can't really explain it although I know how it is done. The SV's veil is how Nashville's used to be but I noticed that now theirs is more narrow and shorter. The veil can get heavy and PULL. Not fun! I was told once that with Dominicans "cloistered nuns wear 2 points and sisters wear 1". As I looked at all books I realized that is true! It's not for any particular reason; it just happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 i am familiar with this "style" of veil ... they hang off a wire (sort of like a wire hanger) that is threaded through the veil like a drawstring is threaded through the waist of sweatpants ... its shaped around the head and pushed under the "lip" of the cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 i am familiar with this "style" of veil ... they hang off a wire (sort of like a wire hanger) that is threaded through the veil like a drawstring is threaded through the waist of sweatpants ... its shaped around the head and pushed under the "lip" of the cap. Sounds painful... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 they can be, if they aren't shaped right. But its not "supposed" to hurt. In the beginning mine was too tight and gave me a headache, but once I stopped being silly and said something about it, it got fixed. Just needed to be bent a little more. After that I didn't even feel it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr. Dominica Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 48" x 36" Wire from the bottom of coat hanger 14"-16" with tape round ends to make hairband. Use bias binding along the top edge for the hairband, or hem and also to round off the corner as you will shorten the long edge to make it fit you round the head and hem/bias/cut away a quarter circle under the neck to fit. With the right sides facing out stitch a seam at an angle about 14"-16" from the bottom points up towards the nape. This gives the double tail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximillion Posted February 21, 2014 Author Share Posted February 21, 2014 Wow! Sr Dominica, thank you for that. The secrets Religious keep under their veils! I would never have imagined that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr Mary Catharine OP Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 We don't use any wire! Thankfully! I really don't quite know why they do..the communities with the turnback on their cap. We use a snap at the top, 2 straight pins and if one wants to, 2 little safety pins near the ears and that's that. Sr. Dominica, I'm glad you can explain who the DSMME's veil is cut. Ours' are cut according to the height of the sisters. Basically, it's small, medium and long and a few extra long. I make our veils and caps but I don't remember the lengths. I just look at the chart. I think mine is 48 or 50. I love the fold marks in the veil when we put a newly washed veil on but they don't stay in. We fold our veil up into a square after it is return from the wash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscerningCatholic Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 Sounds painful... I actually asked one of the sisters about how they keep their veils on and she looked at me quite smugly (like so :evil: ) and said, "Oh...you'll find out when you enter!" I did manage to get the answer out of one of the other sisters at the next retreat (without really intending to) and she said, "Oh, well...I can't tell you EVERYTHING, but I can tell you that there is a wire that shapes it to our face. It's comfortable; you don't even know it's there!" My grandma is so freaked out by the way the veil covers the ears. "HOW can that be good for your ears????!" "Doesn't that make their heads hurt?!" "Can they hear?!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I actually asked one of the sisters about how they keep their veils on and she looked at me quite smugly (like so :evil: ) and said, "Oh...you'll find out when you enter!" I did manage to get the answer out of one of the other sisters at the next retreat (without really intending to) and she said, "Oh, well...I can't tell you EVERYTHING, but I can tell you that there is a wire that shapes it to our face. It's comfortable; you don't even know it's there!" My grandma is so freaked out by the way the veil covers the ears. "HOW can that be good for your ears????!" "Doesn't that make their heads hurt?!" "Can they hear?!" I would hope that the wire part is covered. I know on most veils, they have a headband. My friend, who entered an active Carmelite order, was relieved to find out that the veils don't have the headband. They have a white cap and then the veil wraps around it and ties underneath. She said is was very comfortable. Also, my friend told me that it took her a while to get used to the veil being over the ears but she hardly noticed after she wore it a while. I've heard other Sisters say the same thing. Some elderly Sisters, however, find it problematic because their hearing is already poor so they wear the veil behind the ears - especially if they have hearing aids as the veil interferes with the aid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiscerningCatholic Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I would hope that the wire part is covered. I know on most veils, they have a headband. My friend, who entered an active Carmelite order, was relieved to find out that the veils don't have the headband. They have a white cap and then the veil wraps around it and ties underneath. She said is was very comfortable. Also, my friend told me that it took her a while to get used to the veil being over the ears but she hardly noticed after she wore it a while. I've heard other Sisters say the same thing. Some elderly Sisters, however, find it problematic because their hearing is already poor so they wear the veil behind the ears - especially if they have hearing aids as the veil interferes with the aid. Oh, it is. The sisters said that the wire is the thing that shapes the headband-like thing. And I think that the white bone collar(?) covers the wire. I don't know anything for sure though. The sisters found it quite amusing to tease me whenever I asked questions. :evil: "Oh, you'll find out when you enter." :hehe2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandelynmarie Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I've read somewhere that some sisters used to cut up plastic jugs or bleach bottles to help form their veils...any truth to this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherie Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 I've read somewhere that some sisters used to cut up plastic jugs or bleach bottles to help form their veils...any truth to this? Yup! Truth! Now there is a habit making company that makes this plastic piece specifically for religious Sisters who wear this type of cap as a base for their veil. But in the past, yes, they'd cut plastic jugs to make this piece. (And who knows? Maybe some still do.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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