The 3-session course introduces participants to tatreez, Palestinian embroidery, exploring its cultural history & its practical application
This three-session course introduces participants to tatreez, Palestinian embroidery, exploring its cultural history alongside its practical application.
Participants will first learn the foundations of tatreez and basic stitching techniques, before learning how to apply tatreez directly onto clothing and textiles. The course concludes with a Tatreez Circle, where participants can continue their projects, ask questions and receive guidance.
No previous embroidery experience is required. All embroidery materials are provided, except for the clothing or textile participants choose to embroider.
Dates: Saturday, September 12; Saturday, September 19; and Saturday, September 26
Time: 11:00 am–1:00 pm
Level: Beginner-friendly; no previous embroidery experience required
Materials: All embroidery materials are provided. For Session 2, participants bring their own garment, tote bag or textile to embroider.
Number of participants: 15 participants maximum
Session 1: Introduction to Tatreez
An introduction to Palestinian embroidery, its history, motifs and techniques.
Participants will:
Learn about the history and cultural significance of tatreez
Learn the basic cross-stitch technique
Begin stitching their own tatreez motif on an Aida fabric
Participants will leave the session with a foundation in cross-stitch and the basic skills needed to continue practicing tatreez.
Materials provided: embroidery thread, needles, Aida fabric, patterns and all necessary stitching materials.
Session 2: Tatreez on Clothing and Textiles
Participants will learn how to take tatreez beyond embroidery cloth and apply it directly to clothing and everyday textiles.
Each participant will bring an item they would like to embroider, such as a tote bag, T-shirt, shirt, or other suitable textile.
The session will cover:
Preparing ordinary fabric for counted cross-stitch
Using waste canvas to stitch tatreez onto clothing
Starting and securing the embroidery
Each participant will begin their own personalized tatreez project during the session.
Materials provided: embroidery thread, needles, patterns, waste canvas, and other necessary embroidery supplies.
Participants bring: one garment, tote bag or textile they would like to embroider.
Session 3: Tatreez Circle
The final session takes the form of a relaxed communal stitching circle.
Participants return with the projects they began during the course and spend the session stitching together, with guidance available throughout.
The Tatreez Circle provides an opportunity to:
Continue or finish individual projects
Ask questions and receive individual guidance
Experience embroidery as a communal practice
The session reflects the social nature of tatreez: not only as a technique, but as a practice traditionally shared through making, conversation, and time spent together.
About the Facilitator:
Aliya Beyhum is a curatorial researcher specializing in Arab heritage and material culture. She has worked closely with Arab dress and textiles, and holds an MPhil in Heritage Studies from the University of Cambridge, where her dissertation explored the relationship between tatreez and Palestinian national identity. Aliya is also a tatreez practitioner, and her workshops blend practical embroidery techniques with the stories, traditions, and meanings behind tatreez