Palestinian Embroidery Workshop

Melkite Pastoral Center
Ramallah
14 Sahel Street
Telefax +972 2 298 57 97
e-mail: pal.embr@mada.ps

In July 1988, the Melkite Pastoral Center established a Palestinian Embroidery Project. It resulted from the desires and needs of many women to help the family budget, especially during the last Intifada, when many men were unemployed or imprisoned.
The economic situation of many families remains very weak, so this project has responded to great needs and continues to do so.

Approximately 250 Palestinian women from Ramallah and the villages around, Muslims as well as Christians, come regularly to pick up embroidery work which they do at home and are paid for as soon as they bring it back. Sewers who put the worked items together get paid in the same fashion.
A small group of paid women and volunteer workers oversee the purchase of materials, the distribution of the work to the women, the worker’s payments, sales, and the accountability.
The embroidery works are sold for at- cost prices and a great part of the revenue goes to the embroiderers and sewers, the whole purpose of the project being to provide work for the families in need.
The cross-stitch embroidery is traditional and is especially transmitted from generation to generation by the embroidered dresses that Palestinian women wear.
The patterns of the embroideries are inspired by the traditional designs which symbolically represent the hills, trees, grass, and flowers of the country. This work contributes also to the maintenance of this beautiful tradition.
Thanks to all who, by purchasing the work of the Melkite Pastoral Center, encourage the continuation of this work, which contributes to the improvement of the lives of these families.

embroidery Catalogue_2017