logo
episode-header-image
Aug 7
57m 14s

S4E11. Sit Up and Stitch the Palestinian...

Tatreez Talk
About this episode

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 denim jacket embroidered with the names of Palestinian villages, which she wore to protests. The response was overwhelming. It wasn’t just a garment—it was a walking statement of memory and resistance. That project sparked a deeper connection to her heritage, eventually inspiring her to begin stitching her own thobe. Though she’s never set foot in Palestine, each motif she selects is intentionally tied to a region, flower, or village—turning research into reclamation.

For Nisreen, tatreez is a source of grounding, pride, and power. It’s her way of telling the world: we are here, we have always been here—and we are not going anywhere.

BUT make sure you sit properly! Posture is critical for your tatreez practice.

You’ll hear about:

>> 0:43: Nisreen meets Amanne in Paris

>> 4:54: Nisreen’s connection to Palestine

>> 11:18: Her Palestinian identity growing up in the UK

>> 14:48: Tatreez is Palestinian and Nisreen’s journey

>> 22:40: Going from zero to tatreez on a denim jacket

>> 26:14: Nisreen’s next goal, a thobe!

>> 33:53: Her tatreez design style

>> 37:15: Connecting with family and others through tatreez

>> 47:13: What’s next for Nisreen

Rate, Review, & Follow on Your Favorite Podcast Platform

“I love Palestinian embroidery and Tatreez Talk.” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing our show! This helps us elevate the vibrant narratives of Palestinian embroiderers and support more tatreez-ers — just like you — in learning more about tatreez and connecting with each other. You can find us on Spotify, Apple Podcast, and others -- just scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let us know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. We’re adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!

Links Mentioned

>> Nisreen’s Threads on Etsy

Boycott Resolute RGL. Click here for more information.

Boycott ZARA and all Inditex brands—Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Oysho, ZARA Home. Click here for more information.

Follow us @tatreeztalk
Follow Amanne @minamanne & Lina @linasthobe

Up next
Yesterday
S5E4. In the Garden of Tatreez with Maryam
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 Palesti ... Show More
43m 27s
Oct 2
S5E3. A Generational Collaboration in Tatreez with Tala & Niveen from Palmera Art
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 t ... Show More
47m 52s
Sep 25
S5E2. Tatreez, Intifada, and Teta’s Wisdom with Maryam
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 bef ... Show More
42m 31s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 15
The Brush that Carried a Homeland - Sliman Mansour (Arabic Episode)
Few artists have captured the soul of Palestine the way Sliman Mansour has. His paintings featuring olive trees, stone terraces, mud, and the steadfast women of the land have carried Palestine across generations and borders. In this conversation, Mansour looks back on his childho ... Show More
50m 42s
Jan 2025
Palestine Laced in Gold and Flowers | Dana Barqawi
Throughout her works, Dana Barqawi employs diverse media including photography, paint, gold, and flowers to craft a vivid portrayal of Palestine. She seeks to deconstruct biased narratives and colonial histories, reclaiming the agency of Palestinians. While maintaining a captivat ... Show More
42m 21s
Oct 2
Dana Salah: Falahi Pop, Tatreez & Cultural Resistance | Sumud Podcast
🎙️This week on the Sumud Podcast, recorded live at ADC’s ArabCon, we welcome Jordanian Palestinian singer, songwriter, and producer Dana Salah. Known for blending traditional Palestinian folklore with global contemporary sounds, Dana has pioneered a genre she calls Falahi Pop. H ... Show More
26m 4s
Sep 2024
24. The Palestinian Museum with Amer Shomali
Today's guest, Amer Shomali, was appointed as the General Director of the Palestinian Museum on October 5, 2023. Two days later, we all know what happened. Amer Shomali is a visual artist who directed one of the most innovative documentaries we have seen as of late. The Wanted 18 ... Show More
42m 34s
Apr 2025
Food is Political | Fadi Kattan
Join us as we welcome renowned chef Fadi Kattan to Tarwida, diving deep into his rich family heritage and unique culinary journey. Fadi shares fascinating stories of his upbringing, the profound influence of his Teta’s kitchen, and his commitment to celebrating Palestinian cuisin ... Show More
53m 35s
Aug 2024
Palestinian Music in Exile: Voices of Resistance | Louis Brehony
In this episode of This Is Not a Watermelon, we talk about positioning Palestinian music within a global music scene, cassettes as precious as diamonds, music and resistance, and reiterations of traditional folk music. Global scholar of Palestinian music, activist, and musician L ... Show More
1h 19m
Sep 1
Chasing Freedom | Yalla Parkour (Arabic Episode)
Walls, fences, and Israeli checkpoints try to dictate where bodies can and cannot move in Gaza, yet young athletes turn to parkour to reclaim freedom of movement under siege. Yalla Parkour, a film by Areeb Zuaitar, follows this story. In this episode, we sit with Zuaitar and park ... Show More
1h 6m
Oct 2024
31. The Politics of Resistance with Abdaljawad Omar
What are the politics of Palestine, who can take over a Palestinian state when it is conceived? Aboud Hamayel, also known under his pen name Abdaljawad Omar is a writer and theorist and a Lecturer of Philosophy at Bir Zeit University on the Occupied West Bank. Abdaljawad gives us ... Show More
27m 3s
Jul 2024
19. Queer as in Free Palestine with Fredrik "Apollo" Asplund
"How can you be gay and support Palestine?" is a question that bugs Swedish club icon Fredrik "Apollo" Asplund. For him, it's obvious - the 1969 Stonewall Riots (protesting New York police harassing the city's queer communities) and the Palestinian Intifada are about the same str ... Show More
39m 13s
Jan 2025
Palestinians Return to Northern Gaza: Kalam Digest 21
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians return to a more or less completely destroyed northern Gaza. Meanwhile, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seems to be holding, with a few exceptions in the form of Israeli violations leading to the deaths of several Palestinian individua ... Show More
29m 43s