Tatreez, traditional Palestinian embroidery, declared a form of Intangible Immaterial Heritage by UNESCO since 2021, is a Palestinian folk art traditionally practiced by women. It has now become a symbol of Palestinian culture, identity and resistance. A form of interaction shared with similar customary arts and practices in other regions of the Arab world and Mediterranean, tatreez was used to decorate dresses, with specific shapes, colors and motifs that helped identify the region and place in historic Palestine where the pieces were woven.

During this two and a half-hour practical workshop, participants will get the opportunity to dive deep into the art of traditional Palestinian embroidery and learn about the essential techniques of hand embroidery, with a special emphasis on the patterns and colors typical of Palestinian culture, telling age-old stories through their geometric and symbolic shapes.

Each participant will be working on a piece of clothing or an accessory of his or her choosing (only linen, cotton or denim fabrics may be used) in order to customize it with a unique design that reflects the richness of Palestinian embroidery.

During the workshop, they will receive guidance on how to adapt these traditional designs to modern garments, keeping this cultural heritage alive while creating contemporary pieces.

At the end of the workshop, those who took part will have learned the basic techniques for creating Palestinian embroidery and applied this knowledge to a personalized garment with an original, traditionally inspired design.

Workshop objectives:
- To introduce participants to the art of Palestinian embroidery.
- To teach the basic stitches used in this type of embroidery.
- To guide participants in designing and customizing their own garments, using traditional patterns and colors.
- To promote an appreciation for Palestinian textile techniques and the history behind them.

Requirements for participants:
- Embroidery materials included.
- You must bring a piece of clothing or an accessory to be embroidered (linen, cotton or denim fabrics only).
- No previous embroidery experience is required.
- No more than 12 people per workshop.

Buy your tickets:
- Workshop on Thursday, December 19. TICKETS
- Workshop on Friday, December 20. TICKETS

Organized with the cooperation of The Tatreez Collective, the workshops will be taught by Spanish-Palestinian cultural embroiderer Dina Asfour.

Dina Asfour
A cultural embroiderer and founder of The Tatreez Collective, Dina Asfour was born and raised in Spain to a Palestinian refugee father and a Spanish mother who has always been very committed to the Palestinian cause. She moved to London in 2016, where she found herself in a diverse environment that gave her the chance to explore and share her identity with others through the art of tatreez. The Tatreez Collective is made up of diaspora women of Middle Eastern descent who are ultimately united to one another by their love for tatreez. The word “tatreez” means embroidery in Arabic, and although the term is used to refer to embroidery in general, in the Palestinian context it is understood as referring to cross-stitching. Practicing tatreez is seen as a way of documenting and promoting Palestinian heritage, as well as an act of resistance.