The embroidery techniques used in Palestinian costumes are cross-stitch and couching. In a Palestinian village a girl joined the women’s embroidery sessions from the age ten or twelve. When she mastered her work she began to make her trousseau. It was like going to school to learn about embroidery and life in general. Rich and poor, women produced lavish embroidered costumes. Silk threads were used until 1930, when cotton threads appeared in the market from France.

The stitches and colors used depended on the area.
The cross-stitch was most commonly used in Central and Southern Palestine.
Couching, the special technique used in Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and the Jerusalem area, was made by twisting the gold, silver or gold cord into circular and floral patterns.
In Upper Galilee geometric designs were embroidered in the running stitch, satin stitch and a little cross-stitch, often combined with patch work.

The main stitch in North Jordan is a fine running stitch called ragma.
Patterns are created by the empty space left in between the embroidery.
On the Salt dress a neat habke (binding stitch) goes on all seams in different shades of orange, red and deep pink.

PALESTINIAN
CROSS STITCH - FALLAHI STITCH


COUCHING TECHNIQUE



JORDANIAN
MUKHARAM (RAGMA)
MA'AN STITCH