An Extraordinarily Special Draw & The Winner of Last Week's Draw

Thanks entirely to the incredible kindness of the Creative Director of Rimal Publications we have as a very special 4 July draw this week a copy of the book Palestinian Embroidery Motifs - A Treasury of Stitches 1850-1950. 

You may remember from an earlier post that the author, Margarita Skinner, lived in the Middle East for over twenty years and during that time volunteered in several Palestinian women’s projects in Jordan, Gaza Strip, West Bank and for over five years she supervised embroidery production by over 300 ladies in a self-supporting programme in the Gaza Strip. Her 1998 book Between Despair and Hope: Windows on my Middle East Journey 1967-1992 gives some details of this endeavour. Margarita met Widad Kawar, an enthusiastic and expert collector of Palestinian embroidery, when they both worked in the refugee camps of Jordan after the 1967 war. This book, Palestinian Embroidery Motifs 1850 – 1950: A Treasury of Stitches, is the first to document all the different motifs by origin and names used on the old dresses.

And here you can enjoy just a small selection of fabulous pages from this book showing images and charts which capture this very special tradition. It is interesting to contemplate that once there was a day when the needlework motifs of 17th century England - and Ackworth School - would have had names for all the motifs, allowing common discussion about patterns.

The winner of this draw will receive this wonderful book, delivered to their door from the publishers in Cyprus, gift wrapped in custom designed Rimal paper and silk ribbons. What could be more wonderful?

The draw is open to everyone - just click on the flying angel you see below to email me your entry. The winner will be drawn and announced next Monday 11 July. And this is just the start of a special festive week to come - I hope you will love it. The winner of last week's draw is Nancy from Mohegan Lake, USA. Thank you to everyone who participates in the fun. I am sorry you can't all be winners - but hopefully your time will come!