Embroidery and storytelling in the Palestinian diaspora.

Palestinian tatreez embroidery is a centuries-old folk art, traditionally passefrom mother to daughter over a cup of tea. In Tatreez Tea: Embroidery and Storytelling in the Palestinian Diaspora, Wafa Ghnaim brings traditional Palestinian embroidery to life by resuscitating its roots as a powerful, provocative, and profound storytelling tool used by Palestinian women for hundreds of years to document their stories, observations, and experiences including those from her mother, Feryal Abbasi-Ghnaim. With dozens of design patterns; six complete sets of dress patterns; tea, coffee, and quince recipes; detailed traditional Palestinian embroidery techniques and rare northern Palestinian Arabic tatreez terminology – each design history and meaning is documented and preserved. Tatreez Tea is far more than a book about traditional Palestinian embroidery – it's a resurrection of tatreez as a source of identity; one that guided Wafa as she created a home in the Palestinian diaspora.

47 embroidery patterns preserved in the Palestinian diaspora, including six complete sets of patterns to create a full traditional dress (chest, sleeve and panel).

Nine family recipes, including tea, coffee and preserves, passed on through generations of Palestinian women from Safad.

Detailed traditional Palestinian embroidery technique and rare northern Palestinian Arabic craft terminology.

Complete guide to the techniques, meanings and origins of each embroidery thread stitch and color.

Guidance and instructions detailed enough for inexperienced embroiderers, and inspiration ideas for those with needlework experience.

Design histories and meanings of traditional and popular Palestinian embroidery designs in the diaspora, including The Missiles, The Birds, The Snakes, The Ducks, The Scorpions, The Story of Cleopatra, The Gardens, The Tree of Life and The Wheat Harvest.

Page Count: 448 pages

(On sale because of very slight dents in the cover)