#tatreez

Lil' Yafa crab 🍊🦀

Swimming around pinching colonizers 😝

Forbidden Plants Of Palestine tatreez motifs

Shereen Quttaineh: 'For countless generations, Palestinians foraged and harvested the fruits of their land, from wild plants like tumble thistle (Akkoub), medicinal thyme (Za’atar), and wild sage (Meramieh) to cultivated staples like olives, oranges, and watermelons.

Like all other facets of their lives, their autonomy over their own food is under occupation. In addition to confiscating farmlands and uprooting centuries-old fruit trees, the occupation imposes oppressive laws forbidding Palestinians from picking and growing the plants that comprise their culinary, medicinal, and cultural traditions. Despite this, Palestinians continue to find ways to resist.

Each tatreez motif documents a “Forbidden Plant of Palestine,” carrying a story of connection and resilience, offering a reminder of the enduring bond between the people and the land that nurtures them.

Palestinian women have long documented their stories and surroundings through embroidery, preserving history and identity in every stitch. Through creating my own motifs for the plants that Palestinians are restricted from accessing on their own land, I am continuing this tradition—using thread as a form of resistance. This project is my way of documenting apartheid, reclaiming narratives, and strengthening my connection to my roots and identity. Each tatreez motif is a testimony of endurance, belonging, and the fight to keep our heritage alive.

I created these motifs to be used for non-commercial purposes. The Palestinian cause is not for sale and should not be exploited for profit. If you wish to share or use these motifs, proper credit is required.

palestinian embroidery obi project

made in honor of the now-extinct population of Falasteen crocodiles, the sunbirds that almost lost their names, and everyone else surviving the attempted erasure.

posted the other week as part of an ongoing fundraiser offering free prints and paid, with 100% of proceeds going to Care for Gaza. it has since been translated, wheatpasted, and flown on kites all over the world from Saigon to Scotland...!!!

monetary donations are never a substitute for holistic political action, and a push for a different world... but the shows of solidarity and support have lifted my spirits so much.

this is now available on a t-shirt too, screenprinted by hand in Texas!same deal: all profits go to food, medicine, and other critical supplies via Care for Gaza (& the PCRF). thank you for sharing.

image description below:

Tatreez (Arabic: تطريز) is a type of traditional Palestinian embroidery. Tatreez uses traditional cross-stitch embroidery and is practiced largely among women. The craft was originally practiced in rural areas of Palestine, but is now common across the Palestinian diaspora. Historically, each village in Palestine had their own tatreez patterns. The landscape was a major source of inspiration for the patterns and motifs, which speaks to the variation in style that was common to see among all of the different tatreez expressions that were particular to each Palestinian village.

After the violent displacement and dispossession of Palestinians in 1948, people were living together in refugee camps. The different styles of tatreez became less distinct and have continued to evolve with the diaspora. Following 1948, tatreez evolved to reflect the experiences of Palestinians. Palestinian women began to incorporate the Palestinian flag and its colors into their tatreez as a means of resistance to the occupation of Palestine. Consequently, tatreez became an expression of the identity, heritage and resistance of Palestinian women and their dedication to preserve their ancient culture.

[ID: A tatreez piece in shades of jade green, with orange accents. A central line of Pasha's tents is surrounded by clove, chicken's teeth, sword, and heart motifs; a star of Bethlehem fills the top square, and a row of cypress trees is at the bottom. The first photo shows the piece with a large painting and a pair of slippers to show scale; the others are close-ups. End ID]

Tatreez raffle to benefit a Palestinian family

You know the drill! This tatreez piece is stitched in cotton embroidery thread on sage green linen, and is suitable as wall art, or to be repurposed as a cover for a cushion, tote bag, &c. A winner will be randomly selected in October, 2024.

You can get your hands on this piece in one of two ways:

Enter the raffle by sending me proof of a donation of at least $10 USD to Muhammad Abu Hamam's campaign.

Send me proof of a donation of at least $500 USD (I know, but this took a lot of hours!) and I will stitch another one, or something similar, just for you.

Send proof of a donation of at least $7 USD for a link to the pattern.

This is a physical product and you will need to be willing to give me a shipping address.

Design is 7.5" x 16" (19 x 41cm)

Cotton on linen

Stitched 2 over 2 on 32 count linen evenweave (16 stitches per inch)