Selecting thread colors can feel like a daunting task, and for Tatreez & Tea classes, students are given total freedom and discretion to design their projects. There are many ways to approach colors; some “just know” when the colors are right, others need to study the color wheel to make a decision, and many attempt to emulate traditional Palestinian garments passed down in their families. Whatever your approach, I have compiled some advice and considerations to keep in mind.
TRADITIONAL VIBES:
The traditional colors used in Palestinian embroidery are red and black. DMC black is color number 310, and DMC traditional red color numbers include, and are not limited to 321, 498, 666, 814, 816, 902. Different practitioners have different preferences, and the ones listed above are the most popular in the Tatreez & Tea classes I have taught around the world in the past decade, in the diaspora.
If you are seeking traditional colors that are associated on a per village basis, by the end of the 20th century, the following DMC colors became strongly associated with the following regions*:
Ramallah: 550, 600, 806, 900, 904, 945
Yaffa: 550, 601, 816, 904, 945
El-Khalil: 355, 550, 601, 640, 781, 806, 815, 900, 904, 923
Gaza: 320, 601, 792, 794, 814, 900, 917
Beersheeba: 304, 601, 700, 742, 796, 814, 819, 900, 3346
ONE-COLOR:
How many colors you use are your preference. Sometimes, you are in the mood to stitch entirely in red, or purple, or black. I encourage you to make a plan, and stick to it. You can play with color as you wish on your sampler, but I hear most often from students that it is more helpful to make a choice before you start your project. This decision is one you will need to face ahead of a series or project-based class when you choose to move on in your Tatreez & Tea class levels.
If you are interested in learning the meanings and origins of the different thread colors, I suggest downloading Iman Saca’s downloadable book for free from the University of Chicago, titled Embroidering Identities: A Century of Palestinian Embroidery (2006). Download here.
TWO, THREE, AND FOUR-COLOR:
While not all Palestinian embroidery motifs are stitched in multiple colors, you can certainly use them. One of the most beautiful aspects of Palestinian embroidery is the creativity deployed by women in their color selection. Color selection can be a matter of heart, mind, or spirit (and more)! Below is some advice on what to do if you fall into one of these categories of decision-making.
HEART: For some of us, choosing colors is a feeling and something driven by our hearts. It has no analytical process. When we see the color combination we like, we know it. If this is how you understand and connect with the colors around you, you may choose to observe the natural elements around you such as a field of flowers, or on a hiking trail. You may feel inspired by a particular artwork that you enjoy or a quilt that you have always loved. If this is you, I suggest photographing what you like or setting it out in your house somewhere, and select colors that are closely related. Then, find a clear shelf to place your thread combinations for viewing over a period of days. Take your time.
MIND: For those of us that are a bit more analytical, choosing colors is more of a science. If this is the case, consider reviewing the color wheel, and identifying the differences between complementary and primary colors, or bold and mute colors. It is generally considered wise to avoid mute colors in combination with bold. If you would like to investigate some technical aspects to color, please take a look at my blog post here.
SPIRIT: If you are practicing this artistry because you are seeking ancestral connection, there is nothing more powerful than using the colors in your closet to inspire you. Pull out the embroidery in your closet, passed down to you from your mother or grandmother, and see what colors you like, or match. If you don’t have any embroidery, don’t feel sad or worried. Find an object that holds ancestral connection and sit with it, see it, and be present with what comes to mind. It may help you to meditate with the object near you, or to simply look at the object and analyze the colors used.
MULTI-COLORED:
You are welcome to consider all colors and switch up your color palette on a per motif level. This is the best way to experiment and play with color if you are up for it.
* “Encyclopedia of the Arab World” by Gillian Vogelsang-Eastwood (2016)