Om Minawir, a mother of six girls, said that her daughters have not learnt her craft but would help her in some designs. "I hope I can teach the young generation how to create these things because they are original."
Om Minawir was decorating her burqah with golden jewelry to cover her forehead and two long colorful braids on either side of her face were attached to the garment.
Om Minawir, who works with a burqah (veil) on, said it does not bother her or interfere with her work. She added that she wears it at the event to show the youth how her generation wore the garment in the past.
On the process of making carpets and other handmade materials, she said that she first buys wool from shepherds then cleans it. After that she dries and sorts it out.
"Sometimes wool is available but other times it is not. The problem is that some shepherds exports the wool outside the Kingdom, which can create a shortage in the market," she said.
After spinning the wool Om Minawir boils different colored inks and puts them in containers. She then dips the wool inside and leaves it to dry for five to six hours.
Om Minawir also mixes different colors to create new fashionable colors.
Though this long process of making threads is exhausting, Om Minawir said she would not buy manufactured wool threads as they are not as good as the ones she makes.
"My customers are people who love traditional handmade products. Young girls also buy mobile phone bags each for SR25."
Om Minawir is one of 140 women who benefited from the services of the Hirfa charity organization for female handcraft workers. The exhibition at the Hilton, organized by the charity and featuring the women’s work, ended on Saturday.
