Tatreez Talk

Send us Fan Mail ABEER IS AN URBAN DESIGNER AND LIFELONG TATREEZ ENTHUSIAST, USING DESIGN AS A WAY TO CONNECT WITH HER PALESTINIAN ROOTS ( @taqaclothing ). Abeer shares her family's connection to Palestine — her mother from Yaffa and father from Jerusalem, though her family was displaced during the 1948 Nakba. She started Taqa Clothing as a way to experiment with applying traditional Palestin...

Send us Fan Mail WATFA IS A TATREEZ ARTIST, EDUCATOR/HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, FIBER ARTS TEACHER AND PHOTOGRAPHER ( @stitched_by_foof ). She shares her deep family connection to Palestine, tracing her father's journey from Dirar Al-Ba'ain near Ramallah to Brazil, where he met her mother, and eventually settling in the South Bronx. For her, growing up in a tight-knit Palestinian community t...

Send us Fan Mail SARAH IS A MICROBIOLOGY STUDENT AND BEGINNER TATREEZ ARTIST FROM AUSTRALIA ( @stitching.intifada ). Originally from villages near Haifa and Safad that were ethnically cleansed in 1948, Sarah's parents grew up in Lebanese refugee camps before migrating to Australia where she and most siblings were born. Despite never having physically visited Palestine, Sarah has found the &qu...

Send us Fan Mail GIOVANNA (JO-VA-NA), A TATREEZ ARTIST, POET, AND STUDENT ACTIVIST ( @giovanna_writes_poetry ). She reflects on her grandparents’ displacement from Jerusalem and Yaffa in 1948 and her family’s movement through Lebanon, Jordan, and eventually the United States. Giovanna’s journey into tatreez began relatively recently through a workshop in Seattle with Hala and Sabrene (both previou...

Send us Fan Mail HAJJA HALEEMAH IS A PALESTINIAN GRANDMOTHER WHOSE LIFE HAS BEEN DEEPLY INTERTWINED WITH TATREEZ. She shares stories about her upbringing in Palestine, her family, and her enduring love for returning home. Through her reflections, we get a glimpse into everyday life, community connections, and how cultural traditions are passed down across generations. Hajja Haleemah explains how s...

Send us Fan Mail IN THIS EPISODE OF TATREEZ TALK, we’re pulling back the curtain and sharing some exciting updates, plus a few heartfelt asks for our community. We’re officially stepping into a new chapter for the podcast, starting with a refreshed brand identity inspired by Palestinian land, culture, and a forward-looking vision for tatreez. We talk about the colors, the meaning behind them, and...

Send us Fan Mail IN THIS EPISODE, we kick off Season 6 by reflecting on our 2025 highlights and sharing what we’re excited about in 2026. From taking the Tatreez Retreat international to growing our teaching, community, and creative projects, this is a grounded check-in on what we’ve built and what’s coming next. WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO (2025) Hosted two full seasons of Tatreez Talk Held Tatreez Tal...

Send us Fan Mail SAMAR HUSSAINI IS A FINE ARTIST WHO HAS INCORPORATED TATREEZ INTO HER BEAUTIFUL WORK ( @samardesignsandart ). Samar shares her powerful family history rooted in Jerusalem, tracing her grandparents’ forced displacement in 1948, her grandfather’s scholarly work, and her parents’ lifelong political activism. Growing up between the U.S. and her Palestinian heritage, she reflects on th...

Send us Fan Mail HADIL IS AN ACTIVIST AND CREATOR BEHIND  THOUB TALE , ALONGSIDE HER VISIONARY MOTHER RABA ( @thoub.tale ). She shares her family’s displacement from Dayr Aban and how growing up near Al-Baqa’a refugee camp shaped her commitment to identity and struggle. Moving to New York revealed the repression of Palestinian identity in the U.S., clarifying her purpose: to speak intentionally ab...

Send us Fan Mail BELAL HERBAWI IS A PALESTINIAN GRAPHIC DESIGNER AND PHD RESEARCHER WHOSE WORK FOCUSES ON DIGITIZING AND REINTRODUCING TRADITIONAL TATREEZ MOTIFS INTO CONTEMPORARY DESIGN ( @belalherbawi ). He grew up in Hebron in a family deeply rooted in textile production—his family owns Hirbawi, the last keffiyeh factory—which shaped his early connection to Palestinian cultural identity and cra...

Send us Fan Mail MAKI IS THE FOUNDER OF THE PALESTINIAN OBI PROJECT ( @palestinian_embroidery_obi ), BLENDING TATREEZ WITH THE JAPANESE KIMONO AFTER EXPERIENCING PALESTINIAN LIFE AND HOSPITALITY. HANIN IS A MUSLIM-PALESTINIAN AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZER BASED IN TOKYO ( @hanin.gaza.jp ). In this episode, we explore how Maki’s visits to Palestine over the last decade led to a cultural exchange project...

Send us Fan Mail HAMA IS THE OWNER AND FOUNDER OF HAMA, A BRAND MAKING BESPOKE FASHION, CUSTOM TATREEZ ORDERS, READY TO WEAR, ART AND ACCESSORIES ( @hama_lifestyle ). She begins by sharing her personal connection to Palestine—her name, inspired by poetry, symbolizes the “summit,” and her visit to Palestine in 2010 profoundly shifted her life. Witnessing realities on the ground, from factory strugg...

Send us Fan Mail NOORA IS THE CO-FOUNDER OF TAITA LEILA, A FEMINIST SOCIAL ENTERPRISE AND FASHION LABEL REIMAGINING PALESTINIAN EMBROIDERY—KEEPING ANCESTRAL STORIES ALIVE IN WAYS THAT WOULD MAKE OUR GRANDMOTHERS PROUD ( @taitaleila ). Inspired by her grandmother Leila Khalidi, author of The Art of Palestinian Embroidery , Noora shares how her family’s legacy shaped Taita Leila as a platform to kee...

Send us Fan Mail IN TODAY’S EPISODE, WE’RE WELCOMING BACK KIKI ( @LOW_KEY_KI ) AND DIVING INTO THE WORLD OF COLOR THEORY—HOW COLOR SHAPES OUR STORIES, MOODS, AND THE WAY WE EXPERIENCE TATREEZ. Kiki shares her background in scientific illustration, explaining how light, pigment, and human perception interact to shape our visual experiences. The conversation then dives into color theory fundamentals...

Send us Fan Mail LEILA IS A PALESTINIAN TATREEZ ARTIST AND RECENT GRADUATE OF INTERIOR DESIGN BASED IN CANADA ( @leilas.gallery ). We learn her family’s story of displacement and how growing up in both Arab and Western diasporas shaped her understanding of Palestinian identity. Life in Canada, she explains, made her more intentional about learning, expressing, and sharing her Palestinian heritage....

Send us Fan Mail MARYAM IS A PALESTINIAN-KOREAN COMIC ARTIST AND WRITER BASED IN FINLAND ( @mellu.art ). She recounts her family’s displacement—from Haifa to Jerusalem to Jordan and finally to Finland—explaining how she rediscovered tatreez as an adult while searching online for traditional Palestinian dresses. Initially drawn by aesthetics, she later became captivated by its storytelling power an...

Send us Fan Mail TALA & NIVEEN ARE THE MOTHER-DAUGHTER TATREEZ ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS BEHIND PALMERA ART ( @palmera_art ). Their story is one of weaving memory and heritage across borders—from Jerusalem to Kuwait, Saudi, Canada, and now Dubai—while never losing sight of their Palestinian roots. In this episode, they share how their family history, displacement, and deep love for home have all s...

Send us Fan Mail MARYAM IS A TATREEZ ARTIST AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZER BASED IN NYC ( @MARYOOMAISTATREEZING ). From her family’s village of Ein Yabroud in the Ramallah district to Venezuela to New York City, she shares how her early connection to Palestine came through political news on Al Jazeera before finding a more personal entry point through tatreez. Maryam explains how tatreez became a groundi...

Send us Fan Mail IN THIS EPISODE, WE’RE KICKING OFF SEASON 5 OF TATREEZ TALK! Join Lina and Amanne as we catch up after a full summer of teaching, creating, and building community — and share what’s in store for the new season. Summer Highlights Launch of Lina’s new “Design Your Thobe Story” workshop → happening Sept 25 + 27 for just $33! This 90-minute workshop is the easiest way to finally start...

Send us Fan Mail JOANNA BARAKAT IS AN ARTIST, FOUNDER OF THE TATREEZ CIRCLE, AND NOW AUTHOR ( @joanna.barakat.art ; @thetatreezcircle ). Joanna shares how tatreez became central to her identity—even though neither of her Palestinian grandmothers wore embroidered dresses. Her connection grew not from proximity, but from a deep sense of belonging and curiosity about the meaning behind the stitches....

Send us Fan Mail NISREEN IS A PALESTINIAN TATREEZ ARTIST BASED IN THE UK ( @nisreensthreads ). Nisreen’s tatreez journey began during lockdown when she stumbled upon the tradition and decided to give it a try. Starting with simple motifs, she taught herself using YouTube and Instagram tutorials—gradually falling in love with the rhythm and meaning behind every stitch. Her first major project was a...

Send us Fan Mail AMAL IS A BUILDER, TATREEZER, AND EXPLORER ( @amalalii ). Amal begins by recounting her upbringing in Deir Dibwan, a village near Ramallah, where tatreez was ever-present—in homes, on clothing, and as part of daily life. Inspired at a young age by her aunt’s embroidered Qur’anic verses and wedding scenes, Amal grew up surrounded by both the aesthetic and cultural depth of tatreez....

Send us Fan Mail TALA AND JOANN TOTAH ARE TWO BAY AREA-BASED PALESTINIAN ARTISTS WHO EMBRACE THE IMPERFECT, JOYFUL, AND REBELLIOUS PRACTICE OF EMBROIDERY THROUGH THEIR BELOVED TEAM MESSY BACK MANIFESTO ( @tatreezwithtala ; @joanndotcom ). With humor and heart, they share the story of their family roots in Ramallah, Ramleh, and Taybeh, reflecting on how diaspora, displacement, and devotion to cultu...

Send us Fan Mail AMANI ALBAHRI IS THE FOUNDER OF TANTURA AND A THOBE COLLECTOR WHOSE WORK CENTERS PALESTINIAN MEMORY AND MATERIAL CULTURE ( @TANTURA.CO ). Through stories of her family and her collection, Amani offers a powerful reminder that thobes are not just garments—they are vessels of story, survival, and identity. Her reflections sparked deep conversations about what it means to embed yours...

Send us Fan Mail TALA IS A CHILDREN’S BOOK AUTHOR AND THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR GOOD RAIN PUBLISHING , AN INDEPENDENT PALESTINIAN OWNED CHILDREN'S PUBLISHER ( @tala.loves.books ; @goodrainpublishing ). She shares her family’s roots in Umm al-Fahm and how her identity as a Palestinian in the U.S. shaped her storytelling. Tala’s work centers Palestinian narratives often missing from children’s...