RealLiving Magazine

I love interior decorating and when i was in Australia i got hooked on reading thier magazine Real Living . This magazine is my absolute favorite as it shows how you can achieve a gorgeous look at a reasonable price. The magazine also include delicious recipes.

Unfortunately i dont get the magazine anymore due to be being in Oman. Sad that i cant get it at Borders either, I am thinking of subscribing to them however until i do i like to read thier homepage RealLiving and i just found out they have a blog

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Purse Organizer

Dont you hate it when you cant seem to find what you want in the bag?

How about when you just missed a call cause you couldnt find your phone at the bottom of your bag.  I dont know about you but i really get fustrated when thoes things happen so i am proud to say that my bag is finally organzied thanks to the purse organizer that i made!!

These are items that i usually carry in my bag

My wallet

My mobile

wet wipes

Lip gloss & small bottle of perfume

a pen

and a hand sanitizer

Here are the items all laid out

and here it is rolled up

If you are like me and constantly changing bags all you have to do is pick the purse organizer and put into your other bag and VOILA you are done

To make this i used this tutorial by The Giving Flower

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Joyful Sewing

Aaaa…Aaaa … AACHHOOOOO….
Uh i am not feeling well today i have a runny nose, constant sneezing and a very sore throat, lovely isnt it?
My daughters are also sick, it actually started with my eldest so of course my youngest caught and then me.

On a happier note yesterday’s lesson was great! I think N1 and i are finally understanding each other. She even gave me a compliment yesterday she said that i was a very good student!…i know talk about improvement.

So i am currently working on another dress for Hadeel basically the same design just for practice.

Yesterday we also drew patterns, which is great fun and really shows you how you are going to make whatever it is you are making. It has to all make sense on paper before you transfer it onto fabric otherwise your sewing project is bound to fail. I am having difficulties grasping it but i am confident that with time it will be second nature.

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Sewing videos online

To learn any skill you have to have 3 things: you have to be patient, be determined and believe in yourself.

As most of you know from my previous posts i am not really enjoying my sewing lessons cause of N1. However that doesnt mean that i am going to stop learning, on the contrary  if anything i am more determined to learn how to sew.

To prove to you that Shimmertje is real a sweetheart, she has sent me links that teach you the basics of sewing. I thought i would great to blog about it to help thoes like me and to have it as a reference. (Thank you Shimmertje )

The links below will take you directly to the search results for sewing videos

Expert Village

 You Tube

Technorati

This is all for now, let me know if you find anymore so i can add them here.

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My first Sewing Project Complete

Today i finished my first sewing project, a girl’s dress.

The dress is a bit big for my daughter the measurements  i used was a sample dress that was given to me in my sewing class.

It may look good but dont let that decieve you, i messed up the sleeves.

 

I did not realise when i choose the fabric that it was designed by the talented Sandi Henderson. I had no idea that her fabric was available in Oman. When i asked where she got the fabric the from i was told that Aunty S buys her fabric from Dubai.  I wish i could get more of this kind of fabric to work with i love the designs.

Today Aunty S came to me to see how i was doing and taught me how to make the sleeve, she actually sewed it onto the dress to show me how its down. She is a real darling unlike N1. I wanted to tell her that i am not very happy with N1 but thought that this being my 3rd lesson is not the right time.

I have until the end of the month so i will see how i go and i am still on the look out for a new teacher,i think i’d prefer a one on one. Shimmertje informed me that the Seeb Women Association will being sewing classes next month. I will give them a call this afternoon to find out more about it, will keep you informed.

Let me know what you think of the dress, i have bought some fabric to try and replicate what i did thats if i can remember the orders i was given lol

JUST AN UPDATE: The dress fits my daughter perfectly

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Just keep sewing, just keep sewing

Ok so today was my sewing class and boy am i so annoyed!

I know, i know its only my 2nd class so what am i complaining about!!!!

The thing is that Aunty S has lots of students and has hired 2 Omani girls to help her with the load. One who helps on the sewing machine and the other one is just there…. These Omani women well at least one of them might know how to sew but doesnt really know how to teach.

Aunty S was not there today because she was attending a funeral. Anyway even if she had been there she was not going to teach me because as i was going to be on the machine next with one of the Omani ladies who i will refer to as N1 from now on.

Now N1 is well how do i put this? is not a very good teacher, has absolutely no manners and dealing with people is not her forte.  For example today was my second class and as a beginner i am sewing a girl’s dress. Yeah i know, what are they thinking?… I was kind of shocked to begin with but thought well they should know what a beginner is able to handle, i intially thought that i would start by a pillow case or with something simple.

Anyhow, the only thing N1 knows is how to order me aound, when i asked what am i cutting this piece of fabric for?, what is it going to be used for? she replied “you just do as i tell you and you will understand it in the end” !! I mean how rude, i just wanted to understand what i was doing.

I remember prior to joining when i asked Aunty S if i should bring anything with me and she said no everything was provided. I had the following converstation with N1

N1: Where are your scissors?

ME: i dont have any

N1: What do u mean? u dont have one, how do you expect to sew without them?

ME: umm i have a pair at home but i clearly remember Aunt S telling me that all tools are provided

N1: Yes we have some but they are not sharp, best to bring your own

She then went to help another lady so i took this opportunity to go and buy a pair of scissors

(i went to the ask if i could buy a pair of scissors, and was told they have none, so i bought a small pair of thread scissors used for cutting pieces of hanging thread, very useful to keep by the machine)

N1 saw me with the small pair of scissors and says “You can not cut fabric with that, this is only used for cutting threads”

ME: i know but i needed one

I can post many more of such incidents but you can imagine what the rest of my morning was like and i am not looking forward to my next class cause of N1. I have paid for classes until the end of the month but its ok as it gives me time to search for another teacher.

So if anyone reading knows someone who loves sewing and is willing to share her knowlege with a sweet lady (me lol) let me know. Thanks

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My first sewing Class

I just got back from my sewing class and i am so happy. I had been waiting for approx 2 1/2 months to start but the sewing teacher was overbooked with students.

My sewing teacher is an Omani lady called Safia. I had planned on calling her Abla Safia (Teacher Safia) but i noticed that most of her students call her Aunty. So i shall follow the crowd and call her Aunty Safia aka Aunty S.

I choose Aunty Safia as a sewing teacher because when i asked about for a  good sewing teacher who lives close by ideally Mawalih but  i was willing to go to  Al Seeb, Al Khod  or even as far as Al Khuwair. However a number of refered me to Aunty Safia saying that she is a good teacher and many people have really benefited from clases. What is really great is that she teaches sewing from her home and its in Mawalih  Her place is actually 5 mins from my house which is perfect.

Aunty S has a big room in her house which she is where she has set up 18 sewing machines (Singer, Juki, Janome), 1 Overlock machine, 5 huge tables from cutting fabric. She stocks fabric, lining material, lace, ribbons, interfacing basically she has all the necessary tools so you can buy everything from her.

I am the only beginner which is good the rest have been there for a while didnt get to talk much to the other students as we were all busy.

Aunty S mentioned that she would start by teaching me how to sew a simple girl dress. I of course will be making it from my eldest daughter  who is 3 years. She brought me sample of a dress that was made and showed me how to take measurements.

Once i learnt that i wrote the measurements down in a tailoring book (which i bought from her), and drew out the pattern. I then choose a cotton fabric(light green with big pink flowers, very pretty) which i bought for 1 RO per meter and had to copy the pattern onto the fabric.

I needed her guidance obviously otherwise i  would have been in a real mess. It looks complicated but i am sure that with practice it will soon become second nature.

I didnt get to stitch as i ran out of time and had to go pick up my eldest from school.

As a start  it was very intresting to learn how to take measurements and transfer it onto fabric it made cutting fabric so much easier.

My next class is on Monday, i will be attending classes 3 times a week (Sat, Mon and Wed) and i cant wait until Monday where the real sewing begins.

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Sewing Group

I joined Omanforum recently and i posted a topic on finding a sewing group in Muscat.
I was told that American Women’s Group and Women’s Guild have a sewing group but unfortunately they both are approx 30 mins drive away if i am lucky that is the timing depends on the traffic.

I was delighted when a member from Oman forum Shimmertje got me in touch with a couple of ladies who informed me that there is quilting group called Muscat Quilt Guild and they are in my area!

Muscat Quilt Guild might be part of Women’s Guild but i am not 100% sure. Whatever the case is i am glad that i have found them and i look forward to meeting these lovely ladies. Apparently they meet once a month and have fun sewing/quilting.

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I confess…

that i have a bag obession! and i blame it on being a woman lol

Women in general love shopping and each woman has a secret obession. This obsession can be based on anything from books, watches, shoes, sunglasses, shoes to phones, rings etc you get my point.

I loooovvve bags i have so many bags in all different sizes and yet i cant get enough of them i am always on the look out for the perfect bag. I just cant help it!

When i was younger i used to smuggle my new bags into my room hiding them from mum. I would start using them and hide them when she came into the room so she wouldnt notice and when she finally did notice i would say “oh ma this is an old bag, i bought it ages ago” lol, wicked arent I? but i wasnt lying lol…Poor mum, if you are reading this i apologise

So there it goes, i have confessed …now its your turn

What is your weakness?

What do you keep on buying even though you have it?

 What cant you get enough of?

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Ready for Class

My sewing classes are starting on Saturday and i am really looking forward to learning. I am all set and ready.  Mummy is coming round this weekend so we can finish hemming the curtains *YAY* which will give me some sewing practice before my class, great way to impress my teacher

My craftroom is nearly done, hubby has promised to complete the drilling this weekend.

 I will be attending morning classes 4 times a week, lasting 4 hours from 8am -12pm which works out well as i am have pick my daughter up from school.

I really believe that sewing is going to change my life, i know that i am going to be good at it as i have so much passion to start and all i read are sewing blogs and forums.
I have so many ideas on what i want to do once i know my way around a sewing machine. I am intrested in joining a sewing/quilting group in Oman, so if you know of any group please drop me a line.

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