Student Gallery
Throughout each cohort & course of The Thobe Project, practitioners will often hear me say, "You have within you the skills and abilities to do everything I am teaching you already. My job is simply to help your hands remember them." Below, I invite you to admire what our hands have remembered in celebration of our Palestinian past and a testament to our Palestinian future.
- Samia, Instructor
I would recommend this class to another practitioner, and have recommended it many times already. Samia is an incredibly knowledgeable teacher who is deeply invested in being a good steward of the traditions she teaches. Her commitment to the historical is admirable and though she encourages personal expression and doesn’t discourage anyone from diverging from what we commonly see in historical thobes, she is very intentional about centering the traditional way of doing things and using that as a solid foundation for her students to carry this traditional practice into the future. The amount of personal support Samia provides to her students throughout the thobe making process is very generous. The thobe making process was historically done by many artisans in collaboration with the woman who was embroidering the garment, but Samia’s supportive and thorough instruction makes it possible for us in diaspora to continue the tradition from wherever we are.
Practitioner Review, Winter 2025 Cohort
I would describe this course as not just a lesson in the historic construction of Palestinian thwab, but also a lesson in my confidence as a Palestinian. This has been a way for me to connect to my culture and express solidarity with my people through cultural art. I feel the class as been a way for me to connect with other like-minded people and preserve our historic art form and culture in community.
Practitioner Review, Winter 2024 Cohort
Samia has helped us work through every step of constructing a thobe beyond just stitching. She has offered individualised attention and overall instruction to insure everything is clear and thought through. I appreciate her care to teach all levels - from sewn before - to never sewn a thing.
Practitioner Review, Summer 2024 Cohort
Not only has it been amazing and very informative as expected, it's also been very healing to take this class and learn about this process, not only because it's something I've always wanted to learn and keep alive, but also because of the words of encouragement you give us that connect us to our ancestors, land and history, a connection I very often long for. This, along with the passion you have for Palestine has made this class very special. You have been very helpful every step of the way and I've learned so much as a result. The instructions were very clear and detailed and I felt comfortable with asking lots of questions despite being a very nervous person. Also, the consistent reassurance about building insurance into the steps has been really helpful with trusting the process!
Practitioner Review, Winter 2025 Cohort
Have questions about an upcoming course with The Thobe Project? Join us for our next virtual tatreez circle to see what we're working on and figure out if the project is right for you!