Stocking up on flowers

A full-time professor at the Academic Technology in Dubai, Meena Mascarenhas finds the time to pursue her hobbies of teaching tailoring, glass fabric painting and stocking flowers from the house. "I enjoy teaching and having people around me and I love to share my knowledge," says Meena.

Born in Portugal, Meena developed an interest for cutting, pattern-making and sewing and did her higher diploma in each of them. She came to Dubai 20 years ago and started conducting tailoring lessons. She also teaches glass fabric painting and stocking flowers. Glass fabric painting is similar to glass painting where special glass paints are used. The difference is that the fabric is glued on to the glass before painting on it.

In stocking flowers, or flowers made from stockings, the flowers are fitted closely on a thin copper wire and twisted to make the shape of the flower or leaf desired. There is a wide range of colours available in this fabric, and it can make the bouquet look very bright.

"A friend of mine liked lilies that I made from ceramic and was interested in learning," says Meena. Now she teaches women from all over the Emirates who come to her on various days. Her students are young girls, teachers and mothers from various nationalities. Her youngest students are eight and 10-year-old girls, and they are learning sewing.

"These days everybody wants to become a fashion designer and these two young girls are showing such an interest in pattern making and cutting," adds Meena. Simple forms of fabric are used to build up the confidence to sew and cut.

She suggests that there are several ways to do the tailoring course. Women who are interested in sewing clothes for themselves do the short-term course. There is the half course where you can sew for others on a minimal level and then there is the full course. The time frame is flexible and depends on how much time you have to spare.

The flower making and glass fabric painting are short classes where you can learn the different techniques of making copper or stocking flowers as well as painting different motifs on flat glass. Copper flowers have a similar technique as stocking flowers, but without the fabric. For more information call 04-3369967.