While precise historical records might be limited, the art of sewing and embroidery has been an integral part of Omani society for centuries, playing a significant role in the country's cultural identity and economic activities.
Traditional Omani clothing, such as the dishdasha for men and the abaya for women, often feature intricate embroidery and embellishments. The men's headgear, the kuma, also often showcases intricate embroidery. These garments not only serve as functional attire but also serve as symbols of Omani identity and cultural pride.
The techniques and designs of Omani embroidery have been passed down through generations, with each region and community contributing its unique style and motifs. In some cases, embroidery patterns may also reflect the wearer's social status or tribal affiliation.
Historically, embroidery in Oman was primarily done by hand, with skilled artisans using needle and thread to create elaborate designs on clothing, accessories, and household items. These artisans, often women, played a crucial role in preserving and promoting Omani textile traditions.
With the passage of time and the advent of modernization, the art of sewing and embroidery in Oman has evolved. While traditional techniques are still practised and valued, there has been an integration of modern technology and machinery in some aspects of production, particularly in commercial settings.
Raya Al Lamki, Thuraya Al Lamki, and Yousra Al Bahri are Omani young women who were smitten by embroidery art (Insta:stitches_of_life). It is an art that requires needles, cotton threads, cloth, and tyres to stretch the fabric during embroidery to come up with a mesmerising work of art.
Raya and Thuraya began practising embroidery at an early age because the presence of threads and fabrics was common in their home.
"We used to watch my mother sew clothes and bed covers when we were young, and we took leftover fabrics and made little dresses for dolls. That's how we got our start in embroidery."
"After we graduated from high school, we began to focus more on sewing and embroidery, and we found ourselves mastering hand embroidery more than sewing. We started by embroidering our personal belongings, such as bedspreads and bags, and then we realized that embroidery adds life to the embroidered piece and turns it into a unique masterpiece. Hence the idea of the embroidery project came," Raya noted.
Their embroidery project began to take shape in 2017. As Thuraya pointed out, "We began receiving requests for embroidery using fabric frames. After that, we expanded into embroidering dresses, abayas, and newborn sets, and we delved into embroidery as a hobby and not as a profession, as we used to receive requests for embroidery only during free time and stopped during study times. We loved mixing coloured threads to create endless embroidered designs."
Embroidery is one of the hobbies that can be learned and developed with practice. It is not difficult to learn embroidery, but it is an art that demands a lot of patience and consumes a lot of energy.
"We have carried out many embroidery workshops for different ages, for children and adults, some of whom have mastered embroidery, and we are still in contact to exchange skills and experiences," Thuraya said.
The art of embroidery involves many challenges where it causes different kinds of pain from your back to your wrist.
"Stretch your fingers before starting a project, pausing from time to time to prevent cramps or hand or wrist pain, resting your eyes to prevent overstrain, and always choosing a comfortable chair to prevent back and shoulder pain," Yousra advised.
Hand embroidery is not like embroidery with machines and sewing machines that produce and implement dozens of designs in minutes. As Yousra pointed out, "Hand embroidery consumes a longer time, which varies depending on the design and type of stitches and extends from 3 days for small pieces as a minimum to several months for large dresses."
Embroidery requires little to get started, but excellence is required, as Thuraya pointed out, the ability to combine appropriate colours, the skill of drawing or transferring drawings, the skill of creativity, and developing artistic work."
Embroidery was common among Omani women in the past.
"It was used to be a source of income for Omani women, as they mainly used it in stitching Omani Kuma and other Omani traditional clothes. Nowadays, the embroidery profession has transcended such restrictions, expanding the materials and stitches used until a new and different form of embroidery emerged. It is recently used in bedspreads, blankets, clothes, toiletries, bags, and many more," Raya shared.
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