INTRODUCING…
CRAFT YOUR DREAM THOBE - Digital Course
A Step-by-Step Guided Journey to a Unique and Handmade Palestinian Dress.
The program is the only systematic approach that will help you confidently design, stitch, and construct a unique and one-of-a-kind Palestinian thobe, allowing you to tell YOUR story. Engage in a community with fellow thobe-makers as you reclaim Palestinian tradition, both in the journey and the outcome!
Before I tell you all about this program, let’s make sure you’re a good fit.
You’re right for Craft Your Dream Thobe if you want to create a Palestinian thobe from scratch, one that is as unique as your story and reminiscent of the beautifully handcrafted dresses made by our ancestors.
Craft Your Dream Thobe is right for you if you’re ready to embrace the deliberately slow and steady pace of bringing to life a masterpiece – one that would make Teta proud. It's an endeavor that, even if you're miles away from your ancestral land, inherently connects you to Palestine.
If you are…
A Palestinian in the diaspora seeking to reconnect to your roots by meticulously crafting a thobe that embodies your cultural heritage and journey, bridging the gap between your past and present.
A Palestinian mother longing to pass on the legacy of your ancestors to your children by creating a personalized thobe that serves as a tangible link to your Palestinian heritage despite being miles away from your homeland.
An artist passionate about reclaiming your cultural identity through the slow and deliberate process of handcrafting a traditional dress that reflects the spirit of Palestinian women in the diaspora.
A Palestinian ally with an interest in textile arts looking to appreciate and engage with this indigenous craft, fostering a deeper understanding and connection to Palestinian culture and traditions through hands-on creation and collaboration.
You’re in the right place!
Craft Your Dream Thobe will empower you with the tools, inspiration, and unwavering support to create a garment that not only reflects your unique journey and cultural heritage but also serves as a material connection to your homeland, a cherished heirloom to pass down through generations, and a celebration of Palestinian artistry and resilience.
By the end of this program you will have…
01.
Nailed Down Your Story
that captures your journey till this point and which will be forever cemented in the stitches that make up your soon-to-be handcrafted masterpiece.
02.
Fully Designed Each Panel with Tatreez
that reflects your story and style while intricately incorporating traditional motifs that echo the rich heritage of Palestinian embroidery, and perhaps a few new ones not yet documented.
03.
Measured and Cut Fabric to Your Size
using a dress pattern tried and tested, and with the beginner in mind. Printable at home or at a copy shop, you also gain the added benefit of learning how to read a sewing dress pattern.
04.
Mastered Garment Construction
by skillfully assembling each component and turning raw materials into a wearable dress, ultimately bringing your vision of the perfect thobe to life.
05.
Embraced the Slowness of Tatreez
and finding peace and solace in the deliberate pace of hand embroidery, needle and thread acting as a direct communication channel with Palestinian ancestors.
06.
Cultivated Confidence & Pride
in your craftsmanship, as each completed stitch represents a testament to your dedication and heritage and your finished thobe a reflection of your craftsmanship.
Working with Lina helped me bring my vision to life.
“I had the goal of designing my own thobe for a while and had somewhat of an idea of themes that I wanted to incorporate but always got stuck and felt overwhelmed with where to start. She broke the design process down into smaller and manageable steps. Also, the process allowed me to build my design to my preference but leverage Lina’s experience and Tatreez knowledge to improve the design and explore options. In addition, I appreciated her flexible approach and how she leveraged whatever communication channels/frequency I preferred and gave me time when I needed to play with different design but always stayed connected and checked in to make sure I stay on track. Overall, I was very happy with my experience and working with Lina and can’t wait to start my thobe.”
-Aseel, thobe-maker
Plain and Simple: Craft Your Dream Thobe Reclaims Palestinian Tradition.
What’s Inside Craft Your Dream Thobe ⌄
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The bulk of making a thobe lies in the time and energy required to do the actual stitching, but what on earth do you stitch??
Don’t worry, I got you!
In Module 1, we'll delve into the intricate process of infusing your personal narrative into your thobe design. From identifying the story you want to tell to creating an inspiration board, you'll learn how to weave meaning into every stitch.
We kick off our journey together by getting the hardest decisions out of the way to set you up for success…primarily, the PDF tatreez design files that will make up your thobe’s undoubtedly gorgeous design!
Highlights:
The art and science of determining the story you want to tell (because that’s what will drive your design).
Create your inspiration board filled with all of the things that spark beauty for you.
Key design decisions including color palette, motifs, and how much tatreez you’ll be stitching together on your dream thobe.
All of the considerations you need to be fully equipped to shop for fabrics that will make this journey smooth and fun.
Downloadable resources like Thobe Design Comparisons, Tips for Fabric Choice, and your very own Thobe Design Worksheet to jot down all the important details that will come in handy for years to come.
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After the actual design of a thobe, the next big barrier is the actual construction. Tatreez is a different technique from putting together a garment but if you’ve learned one, you most definitely can learn the other—and I’m here to walk you through it!
Together, we’ll learn to decipher the fundamentals of sewing a thobe and build confidence in our sewing skills in Module 2.
Highlights:
Unlock how to read and print the provided thobe dress sewing pattern and instructions.
Sew together a practice thobe using muslin material to make sure it fits just right using a sewing machine (recommended) or using a simple hand sewing technique.
Gain the assurance that all of your tatreez work will culminate in a perfectly tailored garment.
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Now that your design and sewing pattern are good to go, let the FUN BEGIN!
Module 3 is all about getting everything prepped and ready to go to get stitching and it’s going to be oh, so good.
Highlights:
Wash and press your fabric to ensure your thobe can last a century.
Take the plunge and cut that fabric (I know it’s scary, but it’s going to look so good once it transforms into a wearable dress).
Attach waste canvas and prime your fabric for all of the intricate tatreez work.
Practical tips and tricks to navigate the pre-stitching process with ease, readying your fabric (and you!) for the transformation ahead.
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For many of us, our tatreez time is sacred and something we look forward to…but sometimes projects as large as a thobe can end up feeling like a draaaaggg.
By the time we hit Module 4, the hardest parts have been ironed out and now we lean into EACH OTHER to stay motivated and connected for the longest stretch of the journey.
Experience the magic of supportive tatreez community and overcome challenges in the same way our Palestinian ancestors did—together.
Highlights:
Join regular virtual stitching circles with your Craft Your Dream Thobe cohort.
Take part in friendly stitching challenges that aim to motivate when things feel repetitive and never-ending.
Overcome isolation and create truly meaningful connections by being in community with other thobe-makers who “get” the journey and are here to help you bring your dream dress to life.
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Your panels are all cut and stitched, the only thing left is to unveil your dream thobe!
The magic of your handmade thobe will be on full blast in Module 5 as we assemble your garment, conduct quality control checks, and add final details for a professional finish.
Highlights:
Review our Thobe Dress Pattern instructions.
Sew each panel together, one at a time.
Turn your dream thobe right side out and TRY IT ON for the very first time!
Finish off the seams and add any final touches (perhaps sew together a belt?!).
Proudly unveil your completed thobe, a testament to your creativity and craftsmanship.
Ready to imagine, design, and bring to life a thobe that tells YOUR story?
Craft Your Dream Thobe is a Step-by-Step Guided Journey to a Unique and Handmade Palestinian Dress.
Inside Craft Your Dream Thobe, you get…
5 Implementation Modules
showing you literally EVERYTHING you need to get started and complete your dream thobe.
PDF tatreez design files for each panel
that tell your specific story and guide you stitch-by-stitch to bringing your vision to life.
Confidence in the mechanics of creating a garment
so that you can focus on what truly matters—stitching together what will become a masterpiece.
A complete, step-by-step plan to a COMPLETED THOBE that tells your story!
Need I say more?!
Thobes may be only ONE way to connect to Palestine…
But they ARE powerful in that they ALSO tell stories between their stitches…
OUR stories.
If you’ve been following me through my own thobe journey for even just a little while, then you’ll know that I am OBSESSED with the idea of embedding your story in a dress through its tatreez — this is a centuries-old Palestinian tradition.
For me, creating my unique garment from scratch did not only take *TWO* years of patience, hard work, and an incredible amount of learning, but it holds the story of an entire season of my life. What I celebrate when I wear my thobe is not simply just a beautifully embroidered dress, but the Palestinian Panamanian woman in the diaspora who intentionally chose to spend approximately 234.5 HOURS to revive a centuries-old Palestinian tradition in her own, unique way.
Most people see an embroidered dress like mine and think something like, “oh that is beautiful” or “I love recognizing Palestine through a dress" or “I didn’t realize Palestinian embroidery is so intricate and colorful”… at least that’s what I’ve been told when wearing this beauty out in the world.
But what our Palestinian ancestors stitched was so much MORE than the surface-level beauty and basic Palestinian identification!
Our stories are our legacy and for centuries, Palestinian women have been telling STORIES through tatreez. Stories of their own individual lives and stories of the Palestine they witnessed and experienced. They chose colors that meant something to them, designs that meant something to them, and parts of what we know as Palestine that meant something to them. Through the motifs that represent the life and earth of the Palestine of the time, they ingrained stories of themselves and by extension, of all of Palestine, through the stitches on their dress. Their legacy is the stories of their Palestine told between stitches.
On the surface, the story of my first handmade thobe is one that represents my specific upbringing, family, and personality… Its legacy, however, is the idea that I can connect to my Palestinian roots through this practice of telling a story through tatreez on a dress REGARDLESS of how I came to be the person that I am, where I am in the world, and how I decide to practice the rest of my life.
And here’s a little secret…
I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I decided to create my first thobe and I’m willing to bet that the woman behind every handmade dress felt the same way the first time around.
And if they never started or took a chance on themselves to share their unique story, we’d never have all of this beautiful, tangible heritage connecting us to our homeland.
Your unique story is worth NEEDS to be told on a thobe. And I’m here to stitch alongside you, every step of the way.
I can’t wait to meet you, teach you, and cheer you on inside Craft Your Dream Thobe!
All my best,
