Stitching the Intifada: Embroidery and Resistance in Palestine

by Rachel Dedman

Tatreez — elaborate hand-embroidery — is an ancient Palestinian craft characterised by remarkable beauty and complexity. Beginning with an introduction to the regional diversity of historic Palestinian dress, Rachel Dedman traces the politicisation of embroidery after the Nakba of 1948. From its evolution into a symbol of the nation, to its powerful presence during the First Intifada, and reimagination by contemporary artists, tatreez in Palestine embodies many forms of personal and public resistance

Genres: Nonfiction, Activism, Social Issues, Crafts, Art

80 pages, Paperback

Published September 19, 2024

Reviews

[Nora]

Incredible how much information and rich analysis Dedman managed to pack into this little thin book. I learned a lot. Wonderfully written (layered and eloquent without getting pretentious), beautiful lay-out and powerful images.

[Kirsten]

Absolutely gorgeous book I could look at the photos forever and ever. Really insightful discussion about the relationship between embroidery and resistance. I love to learn about textile art and its intersection with politics and this book was just so so beautifully done, and I especially appreciated the contrast of contemporary artworks with traditional garments. I want to buy every single book from common threads press now.

[iris]

The pages about the purses made in Israeli prisons with smuggled materials were ....wow. and reminded me of this story by Waldid Daqqa

'He was not smoking but trying to dispel the image of a child that so incontrovertibly clung to him. In the world of the prison, in the face of the cruelty of its guards, childhood is a burden. Knowing that he was to face years of imprisonment, he was seeking to rid himself of his vulnerability and innocence, for which he clearly had no further use–it having made no difference to the judge that had sentenced him to four years.'

Craft as resistance is so fucking important

[Enora]

5 stars.
Tatreez as living proof (if anyone needed any!) that Palestine as a people has a long cultural tradition, has existed for centuries and will survive wherever and forever (hopefully on Palestinian land).
Women are artists
Women are binders
Women are story tellers
Women weave threads, families and history
Women will save humanity.
All proceeds from the sale of the book go to the Palestine Red Crescent society.

[Saskia]

Somehow packed with information and highly accessible/ readable but not simplistic. Thank you Aunt Gabbie !!

[Catrin Harrison]

“Palestinian resistance is a process, not an event”
- beautiful quote on the difference between our typical slap dash protest signs, designed to be made quickly and thrown away, vs the months or years it takes to embroider a protest garment.

[Nina]

I wanted to support this small independent British publisher + the proceeds are donated to the Palestine Red Crescent Society. Ended up paying a €30 customs duty fee ☠️ Thank you Brexit 🤩💯 Way to make sure I never buy a book from the UK ever again! If only those €30 had gone to charity as well. If you're outside of the UK and curious, you can find 99% most of the book's contents in this talk: https://youtu.be/e-opICLaFwI?si=az9mR.... For UK readers, thought the book contains no information you couldn't find online or in the talk, it's absolutely worth buying. Loads of stunning images that due justice to the garments, beautiful end papers, obvious care and attention to layout, ...

[MKoopmans]

In the acknowledgments, Rachel refers to a talk she gave in march 2024 for the Common Threads Press audience - which they turned into this book afterwards.

This makes sense to me, as the book reads as though a guest lecturer is giving a comprehensive introduction of a particular subject.
It is easy to read and I appreciated the many images illustrating the writers point.
Great zine to have and spend an evening with.

[Annie Tate Cockrum]

Such a great book! Rachel Dedman does an incredible job writing about the history of embroidery in Palestine, beginning pre-Nakba, and moving to current day. I think I was able to just scratch the surface of understanding the languages of embroidery and also learned a lot about the political resistance that goes along with it. Another absolute gem from Common Threads press.

[Elizabeth]

In Stitching the Intifada I learnt so much about the history of embroidery in Palestine, its role in resistance and remembrance, in forming and reflecting Palestinian identity, the way tatreez has been commodified and how Palestinians continue to embroider today.

Donate: map.org.uk

[KIVA]

like an exhibit in your hands

[Anna]

"The extended temporality of embroidery reflects the idea that resistance in Palestine is a process, not an event."

[una]

what you wear, what you make, they always tell stories. and those stories are probably and mostly and sadly of violence and capitalism

[Ellie Calvert]

Where was this when doing my research! So helpful!!

[Valeria]

Una lectura rápida pero preciosa

[Margarida Rodrigues]

embora pequeno este livro carrega imenso. adorei adorei adorei

[Lucy]

"Folklore is a politics unto itself. It means that I exist."

[Piper]

Really beautiful book detailing the history of embroidery in Palestine and how it has been used in active resistance. Made me very emotional reading it