Once a traditional craft practiced by village women, Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery has become an important symbol of Palestinian culture. Embroidered pieces can be found in the homes of most Palestinian families in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Israel, and the Diaspora beyond, adorning the walls of houses in Jerusalem, villas in the Gulf, suburban homes in the United States, and cement block houses in refugee camps. The popularity of em-broidery springs from both its beauty and its association with the Palestine of the past. Common patterns reflect the millennia-long history of the land.

The designs are derived from sources as diverse as ancient mythology and foreign occupation and date as far back as the Canaanites who lived in the area over three thousand years ago. There are a number of books on Palestinian cross- stitch embroidery which approach the subject with the primary purpose of collecting and classifying patterns and techniques. This books is based on stories told by Palestinian women for whom embroidery is a central part of their lives.

Twenty women, young and old, from West Bank villages and towns, a Bedouin community in the Negev and a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip were interviewed. While the wearing of traditional embroidered dresses has declined over the years, many of these women use embroidery in modern clothing or around their houses. This booklet attempts to ex- plain the cultural significance of Palestinian cross- stitch embroidery in the women's own words. For those readers who embroider some of the oldest and most common patterns in Palestinian embroidery are reproduced at the end of the book.