Hi Karen! Welcome to the Board! This is the BEST Board on the Web as far as I am concerned. I agree with you - it's like having coffee with friends...really knowledgeable friends! We are glad you have joined us and hope you will comment often so we can get to know you even better! Tell us about your sewing experience in Dubai. I'll just bet you can get some wonderful fabrics there! What about threads? Tell us about your experience!