EMBROIDERING IDENTITIES.

Palestinian women traditionally used embroidery as a means to define and redefine their identity over the course of their lives, developing different colours and symbols local to regions. Pieces were embroidered and pieced together to create a thobe, a dress made up of panels, each conveying a message, story, patch of identity through embroidery. For example, a woman from Ramallah would be recognisable by the white base and red cross stitch of her thobe, while a Bethlehemian’s multicoloured sleeves of purple, yellow and green would identify her, the embroidery on the kaaba (chest panel), radah (yoke), and shinyar (lower back panel) told the story of future hopes and past experiences.

During this workshop, While learning history and contemporary practice of Palestinian Embroidery we will be learning or refreshing our skills of cross-stitch to make our own embroidery patches on pieces of naturally dyed Hebron cotton. We will explore symbols of meaning, personal narratives, and distinctive imagery that can be used to define, or identify each of us within our own complex lives

Please feel free to bring a garment you wish to stitch these patches to so you can leave wearing them, proud. Everyone of all abilities welcome.