S3E8 of Tatreez Talk: Tatreez Soul Ties with Fatima
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What are Soul Ties and what does tatreez have to do with them?
This interview with our friend and The Tatreez Retreat alum Fatima is going to give your soul the nourishment you didn’t know it needed.
If you don’t practice tatreez, the only question you’ll be asking yourself at the end of the episode is, how do I start tatreez?
And if you already do, you’re going to head straight to her IG to admire and be inspired by her work!
P.s. As of the publishing of this episode, there is only ONE spot remaining for The Tatreez Retreat 2025! Lucky for you, everything you need to know and all the links you’ll need is in this podcast episode / blog post.
Already know you’re coming? Book the last room!
Episode Shownotes
FATIMA IS A TATREEZ ARTIST, CREATOR, ACTIVIST, AND ANOTHER FRIEND FROM LAST YEAR’S TATREEZ RETREAT (@olives_and_cedar). In this episode, she introduces us to the term “Soul Ties” and the deep meaning behind it—something that couldn’t resonate more.
For those of us in the diaspora, staying connected to our identity and to Palestine is essential. Fatima offers a powerful way to do so through “Soul Ties,” and spoiler alert, Fatima has found her soul ties through tatreez. She reflects on how, at The Tatreez Retreat, we connected like sisters in a matter of days—20 girls under one roof, bonding through stitches, stories, and shared heritage.
Don’t worry, we also discuss Fatima’s tatreez projects and from her embroidered jean jacket to her thobe, she shows us how tatreez can also transport you to the landscapes of Palestine and any other place you call home, weaving memories into every thread.
And if you or someone you know is from Al-Ja'una…contact Fatima ASAP!
You’ll hear about:
>> 2:42: Fatima’s family’s connection to Palestine
>> 6:05: Fatima’s tatreez journey
>> 10:28: Her tatreez trajectory
>> 17:10: The status and story behind Fatima’s thobe
>> 23:50: How “Soul Ties” are the answer to being stuck between cultures
>> 30:31: Fatima’s experience at The Tatreez Retreat
>> 37:34: Tatreez rituals, current projects, and major life lessons from tatreez
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Transcript
Amanne: Hi stitchers! Welcome to Tatreez talk, where we share conversations about Palestinian embroidery. I'm Amani here with my co-host Nina, chatting with talented embroiderers and artists sharing their stories, inspirations, and the cultural significance behind their work.
Lina: On today's episode. We are chatting with Fatima, a Tatreez artist, creator, activist, and another friend from last year's Tatreez retreat. Welcome to Tatreez. Talk. Fatima.
Fatima: Hi, everyone! I'm so excited to be here.
Amanne: We're excited to have you like. We'll talk a little bit about the retreat later. But I will say, Fatima, when I think you. And there was one other Canadian our friend Leila. And I think when we were like, Oh, my God! We have Canadians coming! They're actually stepping foot in America for this retreat. So we're very honored.
Fatima: Oh, my God, you guys don't understand. Like us Canadians looking at Americans, it's always like from the outside in like, you know, you're like hating from outside of the club. You're like.
Fatima: they all know each other. They're all friends. How do you guys do that?
Fatima: And so like.
Amanne: No, you don't.
Fatima: Let me in!
Lina: Oh, I wish you had the visual for this. We need to like.
Amanne: I know.
Lina: Visual, because lots of us interact like reactions.
Fatima: That's what it won't be friends with them.
Amanne: Funny, because I feel like there is kind of like 7 degrees of separation. Is that what they call it like? I will talk to somebody like another Arab, American, Palestinian, American and be like, Oh, yeah, so and so. And I'm like, Wait, what's their family's name? And like somehow they'll know their cousin, who like lives in New York. And I'm like, How like, how do we? How? How is this network like this?
Fatima: Worse with us worst Canadians, because you're like I know her from social media. But like, how do I know? How do you know her. How do you know.
Amanne: Yeah, yeah.
Fatima: And like Canadians, we don't know each other at all, like even in other.
Amanne: Yeah.
Fatima: What is that? What do you mean? What are you talking about? But you Americans, you're like, someone's down in Florida. Someone's up in New York. Someone's in
Fatima: Indiana. I don't even know where Indiana is.
Fatima: That was.
Amanne: Tell me, and that don't.
Fatima: That way.
Fatima: That's my my subconscious.
Lina: That is.
Amanne: Yeah. Okay. Well.
Fatima: Okay. Yeah.
Amanne: To go to Canada and like fix this situation.
Fatima: Back to us.
Amanne: Talk a little bit more about the with the Canadian Arabs about this situation, but
Amanne: but of course we are so glad to have you here on. We're very excited to chat a little bit more with you. As Lena mentioned, we got to know you a little bit during the three's retreat, and we're like we haven't talked to her a little bit more. So let us have the listeners get to know you. And let's start by asking you a little bit about you and your family's connection to full scene.
Fatima: So my family's connection is a little bit far, because they went in the 1st Nakba to Lebanon, so I'm half Lebanese, half Palestinian, and my mom's side is from Safad and a small little town called Al-Ja'una.
Fatima: If there's anybody out there that is from Al-Ja'una, please come talk to me.
Amanne: Yes, hit up, Fatima, please.
Fatima: I have never, ever met anyone else from Al-Ja'una as my grandma's from there, and my grandpa's from Safad. Safad is already small enough. So when you say, Safad, you're like.
Fatima: you know, sometimes there's crickets, and people are like, What do you mean?
Fatima: Yeah. But that's where they're from. And they lived in. My mom grew up and was born and lived in, and that's where she met my dad, and that's where I come from.
Amanne: Did you okay? Were you born in Canada, or were you born in the man.
Fatima: Canada. Yeah, they came. Yeah in the nineties. And yeah.
Lina: And do you go back and forth a lot like to Lebanon? Have you guys been to Philistine at all?
Fatima: I actually don't. I've only been to Lebanon once, and it was years years ago. It was in 2,009 and Palestine. I've never been
Fatima: mostly because, like, there's no no family, have no family left in Philistine. So it really just would be for the culture, and just to be connected to. But my! All my uncles have all of the Palestinian passports and the key to our old home in Safa. So it's my grandpa's.
Amanne: Wow!
Fatima: Grandpa's key. Yeah.
Fatima: And actually, I need to talk to my uncle about that. He lives in Germany. And I think that's a no go. I feel like I feel like.
Amanne: You should have it. Wait. That's actually really amazing that they still have that like, that's wow, yeah. You know, you definitely need to get that and preserve it for the family, because that's like a beautiful. It's such a beautiful piece of history that so many of us don't have anymore, which is unfortunate. But that's really special.
Fatima: Yeah, I was so shocked that he had that. And there's like photographs, and I think he has little other things that have connections to Safad, which I think is amazing, because, like Safad is. So.
Fatima: I feel like it's so long gone, you know.
Amanne: Okay.
Fatima: To other places where there's still a Palestinian presence, and still that like stuff that just seems like it's.
Fatima: you know. So in the past, and I hate saying that so much because none of Philistine is in the past. It's all
Fatima: you know. It is what it is. But yeah, I'm still there.
Amanne: It's hard when we're yeah, no, it's hard. It's hard when we're scattered in diaspora. Because, like, same with, you know, my mom side of the family is from a depopulated 48 village, and like.
Amanne: I've never outside of my own family, like.
Amanne: actually, I'm lying in college. I met this girl one time, and she randomly, was from our village, and I was like, how like! But you know, it's it's hard when we're all scattered throughout Diaspora, because we already came. Most already came from such small villages. And now we're scattered globally. So okay, we got to find you. Some like long lost relatives.
Fatima: Please anyone out there, please. This is, I'm on the podcast.
Amanne: Have you?
Fatima: Any relatives.
Amanne: You're too funny. My mom's nothing.
Fatima: Yunus, and Vosa.
Lina: You know. Honestly, this isn't.
Amanne: Put that in the show notes.
Lina: Yeah, yeah, this is actually a very appropriate place to share the these details.
Amanne: Actually, yes, it actually.
Lina: It's fun!
Fatima: Someone.
Lina: But also Fatima. You're on the podcast, because we want to hear about your Tatreez journey. So please please share with us how you got started with Tatreez.
Fatima: So a lot like a lot of other girls and guys, whoever started, I started after October 7, and it was just a way like I felt like I was drowning in my feelings, and I felt like I wasn't connected. And there's just such a huge disconnect.
Fatima: and it was my friend Nada who, like pulled me out of this terrible space and was like, Hey, you want to just do it with me. And I'm like, Okay, sure. And she's like, let me just teach you. And I'm like, Okay, thinking that there was so much to this. And there is. But Subhanallah, what. I guess I took to it like a fish out of water, and I knew
Fatima: that it was something I had had in me.
Fatima: and I feel like. That's something I want to talk about is that
Fatima: being from 2 different places and being in diaspora and being born somewhere else, I feel like we're always looking for soul ties to the places that we come from.
Fatima: and this was one of my biggest soul ties like I felt like I took to it like a fish out of water. And even my Fernando was like.
Fatima: Damn okay.
Fatima: and Subhanallah like, right away. And I felt comforted and connected in this practice, and it just took off from there, and all I wanted was other girls to feel the same way, because you could be in your feelings, and you could be drowning, and you could be looking and not knowing how you relate
Fatima: to these people that are so far away from you, and that you can't help, and that you feel like, you know, there's just such a disconnect, especially being in the West and everything around you. It just seems like
Fatima: you're in a completely different world. And then you pick up the threes and you you see how your hands know what to do. And you're like.
Fatima: I know this. This is mine.
Lina: Yeah, you know.
Amanne: Totally. I love that you. I love, that you use the phrase soul ties. I
Amanne: I I like you, said it, and I was like, oh, feel that I feel that like instantly I feel that. So okay, I know you learned from your friend. But does anyone in your family.
Fatima: My aunt, my aunt is very crafty, and so is my mom, actually artsy. And that's where you get my artsy side from but long time ago. And it was like, I think, we touched on this before. I think I've heard you talk about some podcasts of how like the threes turned into a practice that wasn't respected.
Fatima: It is very like, Oh, you know, refugees do authorities, and we don't need to do.
Amanne: Yeah.
Fatima: Went into more Western kind of art forms like painting, and whatever and all those things, and that practice is kind of lost between our parents generation, and now now that it's picking up more.
Fatima: So she did Tatreez long time ago, and then when she saw me, tariz, she was like.
Fatima: oh, my God!
Fatima: I did that! And I'm like, Oh, God.
Amanne: You should.
Fatima: Pick it up again.
Fatima: So
Fatima: I tried to get my mom to. Yeah, but she has her eyes, and she's like so frustrated with it, but I'm still trying.
Fatima: and maybe I'll get her just like bigger Ida cloth or something.
Amanne: Get her those magnifying glasses. Get her bigger count. Yeah, like, Lina said, bigger Count Ida, and then get those magnifying glasses for her, because it would be. I think it'd be really special for you guys all to be able to stitch together.
Fatima: Yeah, totally. And I bribed them with trips, too, because they saw that the threes are treated. And they're just like.
Fatima: what do you mean. There was other other older women there, and you're like.
Lina: Yes, yes, that's so true.
Fatima: These. They're like, Oh, your friend's mom went. I'm like, yeah, multiple multiple of them went.
Fatima: Yeah, do you want to go next step.
Amanne: The three's retreat is for everyone.
Lina: It is, it is.
Fatima: You have to tell them. You can't tell them that I have to tell them to like you have to get these like. That's the rule. So unless you, if you don't touch these, you can't come.
Fatima: I'm sorry.
Amanne: Oh, yes, yes, you'll be very bored if you don't get these. I mean, you'll definitely laugh because we're all hilarious, but you will be bored otherwise.
Fatima: I feel like, Thank you.
Fatima: Didn't have the best time of your life, but I mean we can't tell them that.
Lina: Yeah, yeah.
Amanne: Yeah, yeah.
Lina: Yeah, yeah, it's exclusively for health based practitioners, 100%.
Amanne: Yeah.
Fatima: And you have to.
Amanne: So, okay.
Fatima: Oh!
Amanne: Yeah. Now you're gonna push them into the holes.
Amanne: all right. Well, we'll get. We'll get to there. We'll get to your soul. We'll get to your goal. But going back to kind of you know your the start of your journey. So your friend your friend Nada taught you. And you guys started stitching together and like, it's been a little over a year now, and
Amanne: I would love to hear kind of like the trajectory of your journey in this year. Because, girl, you are stitching out here. You are not stitching like a newbie. I will just say that.
Fatima: Oh, my God, I'm actually honored that you say that because sometimes I feel like a newbie, and I'm like, Oh, man, it's gonna take forever, and I look back and like, Hey.
Fatima: you're doing all right.
Lina: Yeah.
Fatima: Honestly, I don't know what came over. I think it's delusion, or just like spite, because I'm like a very spiteful person like, oh, you're gonna take this practice away from me.
Fatima: I'm going to do more.
Amanne: Yes.
Fatima: So right after I learned how to do that. Also, who also was part of the journey, was Nada and Nora. So they're both sisters.
Fatima: and Nada was working on a thobe, and she was like halfway through a thobe or something. And I remember looking at it. And she's like, yeah, like, I'm in this class like you really should try it if you want to. They're starting a new cohort in the New Year, and I had only worked on one piece, and it was just an old keffiyeh that I didn't even know was going to work, so I did it on a super old coffee. It was like the oranges I did some like.
Lina: Which, by the way, is beautiful. I like the pictures are gorgeous. I love that Kuffiyeh.
Fatima: Yeah, you have to send us pictures so we can share with the listeners.
Fatima: I will. Oh, my God, but yeah, it was that one. And so I don't know what came over me. I was like, I'm gonna do this.
Fatima: And so I just signed up just cold. Basically what felt like. I just jumped into deep water and went into the slope class, and it was one of the best things I've ever done, too, because it held me accountable to my degrees.
Fatima: and the best thing also. But a Philip, is that you have like filled palate cleansers.
Fatima: So as you're stitching, you kind of are more motivated to have other projects. So you have like 6 projects going at the same time you're like.
Fatima: So that's where my journey just took off, and I was working on other pieces and framing pieces and my jeans jacket that we could talk about, which I think is one of the most special pieces that I own. Aside from my clothes.
Fatima: Yeah, that's.
Amanne: It's like I can't believe like that's a huge leap like Btws when you're saying like, Oh, you still feel like a Newbie Yanni. I will also say I still feel like a Newbie, even though I've been stitching now since 2018, like I don't think you ever stop feeling like a newbie, because I feel like there's like endless things to learn, especially especially when you stitch with other deaf users like.
Amanne: Oh, I've like I feel like every circle, every like gathering. I always learn something new from people. But okay. So you started like stitching a fold within a year. Essentially like, is your essentially your second project. It sounds like like.
Fatima: Literally, I started in October. And yeah, I think we actually even started in November.
Fatima: And as I know here, and I started my Thobe and I joined the cohort in January.
Lina: And I was like.
Amanne: Amazing.
Fatima: I'm 1 of those.
Amanne: All right. So no excuses people.
Fatima: No, no excuses. I have it in my head where I'm like, how hard can it be like? I don't know if you've seen it on Tiktok like, how hard can it be?
Fatima: I have that
Fatima: mentality. It's it's not the easiest, but it is the most one of the most rewarding things
Fatima: I've done and meeting people, and the journey that's taken me on, I think the journey in itself.
Fatima: emotionally, spiritually, socially like it's just
Fatima: been so enriching, and I feel like I would have been a completely different human
Fatima: than I am now if I didn't have that.
Fatima: And it just like opened up so many things for me, so many new connections, new
Fatima: experiences, new feelings like, it's just kind of like it. Just yeah.
Fatima: It's 1 gigantic journey that branches into a bunch of things.
Lina: I love that I love that. Wait. So how are Nada Noora now? Are they still working on their ethwab, or are you guys still practicing together.
Fatima: Of course. Yeah. So we have a small circle. And yeah, we've taken it to public a few times. And usually it's just like we're just so late circle. So we just end up hanging out together, which we're doing it tomorrow. So we've been consistent. And it's
Fatima: amazing to have a group of girls that you can just be like, Hey, man, like, I'm overwhelmed. Or I miss you guys, let's go over some coffee. Let's and other people will come in, and other girls like oh, my friend is coming, and oh, so and so is coming, or whatever. So it's just such a nice way to connect with each other consistently all the time.
Fatima: Noora is done herself. I don't know if I should be like exposing her, but she is one of exposing.
Amanne: I know I was like.
Lina: What a word!
Fatima: Oh, I tried to convince her to come to the pizza tree so bad I was like, please.
Fatima: but she is an amazing, brilliant lawyer so she couldn't come last minute.
Fatima: And so I'm like, Okay, whatever. But she is absolutely phenomenal, like her work, her speed. You guys like oh.
Fatima: a dream like she will work on something she'll like, get a new piece of clothing, and like while she's working on, and she's like that's good, and then she'll show up to the to a thing, and it'll be done like her blouse will be done, or like sleeves will be done.
Amanne: I feel like. That's Lena Lena.
Lina: No, no, I don't.
Amanne: Girl. Mashallah! I like you.
Lina: No, but I don't show up to like different I that's that's what I would love to do. I get. I get distracted by like big projects I need to do. I need to do more on my clothing. I like that.
Fatima: I love that. That's what she got me to do. Like I she was my inspiration for my jeans jacket.
Fatima: and
Fatima: seeing her clothes, she did like a beautiful trench coat on the back of her trench coat. She did some.
Lina: Oh!
Amanne: How chic.
Fatima: Mashallah, like Mashallah
Fatima: phenomenal, and I love that little pieces she like also the threes on her graduating dress, like
Fatima: just like little things here and there that, like you look at and like that is so personal and so beautiful and just like you know how you said like, I'm so
Fatima: unapologetically Palestinian.
Amanne: Yeah.
Fatima: That's her, and everything she does, every step she takes, every.
Amanne: That.
Fatima: Unapologetically Palestinian super loud about it, and I was so inspired to do that, and just have little things here and there on my clothing, or someone's like, What is that? And I'm like.
Fatima: Well.
Amanne: That's
Amanne: amazing. You're you're in good company. I like, I like the people you're keeping around you. Girl. Okay, about your soul. I'm curious like.
Amanne: because you're all you're you're already, you're I mean, how far along are you on your thought? You're like halfway through, are you not?
Fatima: I wish, man, I wish I'm I'm almost done. The front panel.
Amanne: Okay. And that's awesome.
Fatima: That.
Amanne: So I know it's a big challenge.
Fatima: It is really is, and I don't know if I'm gonna do the back panels. I feel like past me. If I don't do it. Then I'm gonna like kick past me till the rest of.
Amanne: Very tired.
Fatima: So I might journey, and then just like ball out, and just do it all, you know.
Amanne: Yeah, yeah. Might as well if you're already like.
Fatima: Both.
Amanne: If you're already there. Well, can I ask, what story are you telling with your soul like with the design that you're you pick.
Fatima: So my job is going to be about Palestinian agriculture and garden, really, just to like talk about the landscape of Philistine. And just.
Fatima: I don't know just nature in general, so right now there has pomegranates on the pomegranates, and then on the side is the so the seeds in the water, and then the coffee on the sides, and then my is almost designed. It's almost done, and it has things like olives and almonds and
Fatima: flowers and orange blossoms like it's just all. It's all gonna be full of landscape, which I think is one of the most beautiful landscapes ever. And yeah, that's inspiration.
Amanne: I love that. I love that. It's like a story about Philistine, like.
Amanne: you know. Obviously, I know a lot of people
Amanne: want to stitch like a fold for their village or their region. And I think, like obviously post 48, with like having taking on more of like a PAL a whole Palestinian identity. I think it's gonna be really cool. I'm very excited to to see it. How did you decide that this was the story that you were going to tell.
Fatima: So initially. I wanted it to be where I was from, so I wanted it to be like a story about Safad and my grandparents and all that. It got super overwhelming, because there's not really much about Safad like even looking at like, and.
Amanne: Yeah.
Fatima: Through my friend's books and stuff. I'm like I can't really find much. So it quickly evolved from that into like, hey, what? What do I love like? What do I like? And I remember sitting in the garden just looking. I'm like.
Fatima: Oh, God, I like that stuff.
Fatima: So I looked into the Palestinian agriculture and landscape, and I also love like during October last year I was really into like food, and that's how I connected with my culture, too. So, looking at, I love like ingredients and food and agriculture in that way, too. So I was like, Oh, my gosh! Both of these things together. Let's combine them and just do like kind of a garden landscape agriculture themed. And yeah, that's how it started.
Lina: I love that. So what's the color? Palette.
Fatima: It is. You want the exact colors.
Lina: I mean, no, no, it's okay. Just like.
Fatima: No one's gonna know except.
Amanne: Bust out her like.
Lina: There you go!
Fatima: Murphy.
Fatima: 3, 2, 1 Dmc. 400.
Amanne: If anyone wants to know, we will get the information from Boss.
Fatima: It's a green orange, bushy and red.
Lina: Green orange!
Lina: I love that, and the fabric is like a you brought it right on the toll freezer tree. It's like a beige.
Fatima: Yeah, it's like a, it's like a more of a dark brown. It's a wool blend.
Lina: Okay.
Fatima: So, yeah.
Lina: That's 6.
Fatima: Excited.
Fatima: I'm happy with it. I always get like this second wind, or like it's at this point. It's like my 12th wind
Fatima: for my hand, though we understand
Fatima: it was supposed to come on my trip with me, cause like I have a thing where I'm like, I'm gonna imagine, like it'd be so nice to have like this in, you know Mexico and Paris.
Fatima: and
Fatima: never but I literally could not bring it on with me, which I'm super super sad about, but that just means I have to go other places.
Amanne: Obviously.
Amanne: there you go. I think it was, I think, Haneen, one of our one of our previous guests, who came to our 1st deputies retreat. I think it was Henin who said that, like she does something similar with, like her projects, she takes them out, she travels, and then looks back and is like, Oh, I did this part while I was here, or when I was going through that. So yeah, I think it's a cool addition to the story, but you have plenty more to stitch, so
Amanne: you have more panels.
Fatima: All time, girl.
Amanne: Oh, my God, yeah. Time and places.
Fatima: Go back and do my trip again.
Fatima: There you go!
Amanne: There you go. There you go. Okay. So you're working on your, you're working on your film. You're working on a million other projects. And you also mentioned the Jean jacket which was inspired by your friend, and something that you actually finished as a retreat. So we we were a part of it. We got to see it. It's stunning. It's like insanely stunning. We'll show pictures. But can you tell us a little bit more about the Jean Jacket, the story behind it.
Fatima: Yeah, so I love the mountains, and that's something that I wanted to have with me all the time, like we have. We're so so lucky here, like one of Alberta's
Fatima: saving graces, is that we have the Rockies so close to us, and it's just such a sacred place to me so to combine the threes
Fatima: and that together was just obviously a no brainer when it came to that. And so
Fatima: I started it way before I even knew that the 3 digit treat was a thing.
Fatima: and it took a long time. I left it for a while, and I came back, and then, knowing that I was going to the tree and being in Yosemite, and like having this experience, I wanted to have it done so badly.
Fatima: So the design came together. It was mountains and water and roses, and everything that I love, and I finished it with a bunch of girls who are now, sisters, to me in the mountain which is so poetic, I think I just still can't get over it. Just bounce every time thinking I'm like, how did that happen?
Fatima: And it's gonna be my forever jacket. So it's gonna be a little here and there. Now that the main piece is done, and yeah.
Lina: Any ideas on what you'll add to it next.
Fatima: I really want to add trees to the top part like there's some beautiful trees, and they look at citizen has them. I can't remember where they're from, but maybe the design is from Hebron, but they look like cedar trees.
Lina: Okay. Yeah.
Fatima: And yeah, I just feel like that will also tie it together like a piece of Lebanon, a piece of, and a piece of the mountains and nature. Oh, it's just.
Lina: I love it, I love it.
Amanne: We'll also have to. Yeah, we'll have to have to share pictures of the beautiful Jean jacket that you stitched. So okay, you mentioned a little bit earlier, too, and you just kind of mentioned now with being Palestinian and Lebanese, and of course, being born and raised in Canada, like, I think most of us in diaspora, regardless of where you are in diaspora.
Amanne: have that feeling of like being stuck between cultures. But given that, you have like gone on this, like the Tatreez journey, built this like the Tatreez community, both locally and globally. I'm curious how the threes has reshaped your both your Palestinian identity and your Lebanese identity.
Fatima: You know, it's again going back to the idea of soul ties is
Fatima: when you feel like you're not enough for both. You kind of like, lose that. And you kind of step back. And you're like, Okay, well, I guess I'll just be a nomad forever
Fatima: knowing that there's some here, and there's some here. But then, once you have a soul tie, you're like so deeply connected. And you're reminded that, like no, this is who you are. This is where you come from. It like strengthens all of that, like Subhanallah, like, I don't know. Maybe it's because they're both Arab, and they're both so similar in so many ways, but the once I start connecting with everything kind of fell together so like language fell together, and music and culture, and all of that like it all kind of cemented
Fatima: because of that. And I know it sounds like someone who doesn't was never done such a base. It probably is like, okay, like
Fatima: you did that. And you're like, yes, I swear like it's just so magical like, I don't know how to explain it like
Fatima: it just solidified everything. All the puzzle pieces were pushed out, and then with the threes that I kind of pushed it back in. And it's like this is who you are. This is who you're always going to be.
Fatima: You know it doesn't matter.
Fatima: End up in Antarctica. It doesn't matter if you end up wherever this is. You.
Amanne: Hmm.
Lina: I love that visual that you just said the it's like the pieces were pushed out, and then it pushed them back in to make them, that I literally have that in my mind right now, like puzzle pieces coming out and going in. I love that I love that.
Amanne: And how like, you know? Obviously, I'm assuming community is a big part of that, right like you learned from 2 of your friends. And it sounds like, you know, you guys are slowly building like a local community there. So what has that experience been like for you?
Fatima: It's been so rewarding like I honestly, even till now, like sometimes, it's like, Oh, just like, let's hang out together, and just we'll forget about. We've been posting out into the community. And then we'll have people going to like different members of the group being like, when are you guys doing like.
Fatima: and I'm like, Oh, my gosh, yes, like I would love to come. And like people coming in, even girls who are, you know, studying abroad, or, you know, moved away and then come back and visit, and they're like, Oh, I'll be here in October or in January. Are you guys gonna have a 3 circle. And then you're reminded that like
Fatima: people need this like, people want this, people need this, and.
Lina: Yeah.
Fatima: There is this desire to learn and to be in community. So I think that's what propels us forward. And Inshallah, like as things you know, everyone's kind of busy in their own lives, and as we more solidify this community, and, like Inshallah, will be more workshops and groups and other groups and different things to branch out to. So
Fatima: that's what I'm like looking forward to. But it's just amazing to be reminded of, like how many people want to even just learn and.
Amanne: Please be muted.
Fatima: That, so yeah.
Amanne: Yeah, I mean, it's like we were talking about the beginning with the whole. You know the Americans, and we know each other, and how it's harder in Canada and jet like I'm a big, big, big proponent of circles. Because once you kind of get in like the hang of it. It's very, very, very low lift, like once you find like a good spot and like, it's super easy. So I'm I'm gonna be like.
Amanne: I'm gonna be like in the background telling you like, hey, girl, when you guys having your next 50 circle because it's true, like what you were just saying, like people who were like, you know, maybe they're living somewhere else now, but like their home base is Alberta, and when they come home like we just had a 30 circle in the Bay area, you know, during Thanksgiving weekend, and there was people who were home for the holidays.
Amanne: and you know they need to be a part the bigger part of our community. And you know now they're able to come and stitch with us, and it's like Yanni. Tell us. We're picking right back up. So it's it's a really really powerful tool that we have like. It's a free and easy tool, too.
Lina: Yeah.
Fatima: It's so. It's so rewarding for so little lift like like you said. And sometimes you forget, like sometimes we're just like, Oh, who wants to do this like, you know, we love this.
Fatima: Yeah, anyone else.
Amanne: Yeah.
Fatima: And then I'll be out randomly, and someone will see me, and they're just like, Hey, are you having the 3 circles soon like you still doing that? And I'm like, Oh, my God.
Fatima: you're right, girl!
Lina: It has been a while.
Amanne: Calm down.
Amanne: That's so beautiful.
Amanne: Yeah. But see, that's the impact you have. Like, that's the impact you guys have on the community which I think is really important and beautiful.
Fatima: Yeah, and not that there's any sort of like
Fatima: need for it, like we do have other people in the community that are doing that like the workshop thing. But if there's something else to be said about like low maintenance, low commitment bunch of girls just grabbing coffee, grab your and some girls like. Sometimes they'll bring their big projects, and sometimes they're just sitting there with a little bit of pizza cloth. They just want to. Yeah.
Lina: Yeah, that's me. That's a manny. That's me.
Amanne: I come to the 3 Circles like, I always pretend I'm in a stitch, and maybe I'll get a few stitches in. But, girl, I'm there to gossip
Amanne: and see if anyone has any cute single brothers.
Fatima: Absolutely. I think we've talked about like, like, I think, what did we do? Our on our last update circle? Oh, yeah,
Fatima: I got my friends to make a salaam's account.
Lina: Oh, during the circle, I love that.
Fatima: Like we're just talking about boys and like, just drop by the threes. And I was just like.
Fatima: Give me a phone.
Amanne: So.
Fatima: Give me that.
Amanne: Awesome, coded.
Lina: Love that that's so funny. Oh, my goodness.
Fatima: Yeah, I was just like, Oh, that's so funny anywhere.
Lina: It's.
Amanne: Oh, my God! That's hilarious!
Lina: Sounds, like.
Amanne: There's multiple multiple purposes for.
Lina: Yeah.
Amanne: You know honestly, one of the things that I always remember about Fatima from the Tatreez retreat is just what a great storyteller you are, and like.
Lina: Oh, girl.
Lina: then the stories that you tell are just like, are you just such a fantastic storyteller, so kind of related to community, but more specifically retreat. When did? Because you mentioned earlier, actually, that you joined last minute? I I don't remember like when people joined. But tell me, tell us more about like, what made you make the decision to join us. And then you know your experience with retreat, because we had so much fun with you. So yeah.
Amanne: Also the fact that you brave leaving Canada for America. Yanni, we're honored. Thank you so much.
Fatima: Oh, my gosh! It was! It was an easy decision for you guys. But.
Amanne: It was actually.
Fatima: Actually Paige, that I met Paige. So I met Paige.
Lina: Oh, that's over.
Fatima: Fine.
Lina: That's right. Yeah, that's right.
Fatima: And she. We became friends right away, and we connected right away, and I remember she like saw like the path. And she I think she was really quick to
Fatima: get into it, and then she would message me. Every time you guys posted something she'd be like, and you'd be like, oh, 20 spots left.
Fatima: She'll message me that she's like 20 spots left. And I'm like, Okay, okay, Paige. And it'd be like 10 spots left 7 spots left, and she would like consistently message, please, like it'll be so fun and whatever. And then I remember like thinking about thinking about and like stewing on it because I'm just like, No, like I don't know anyone, and, like
Fatima: everyone knows each other.
Lina: Which is so not true. Yeah, which is so, not true. And you also. You also had not met Paige at this point, like, you guys had only met through Instagram. Right? Yeah.
Fatima: Yeah, we haven't even like facetimed or anything like I, we just like.
Amanne: Which, by the way, Yanni, you guys were like, I did not realize that you guys had not met like, I thought that you guys were like.
Lina: Besties.
Amanne: Old friends. Yeah.
Lina: Love it.
Fatima: Honestly, that's also the magic of the threes. I feel like the threes
Fatima: you just. There's something magical about it, because, like, look at the retreat like 20 girls and under one roof, and we connected like
Fatima: nothing like sisters in a matter of days.
Fatima: So that's exactly what Paige was like, and I remember the last time she like message me. She was like there's 1 spot left, and I was like telling Page I was like, Oh, my gosh! Like I. I was at work, and I was like I have to look for hotels in Sacramento like no one immediately like this is also like the
Fatima: you know the Hajjat of the Philistine. She was like, absolutely not like absolutely. There's no way you're staying in a hotel. You're staying at my house like. I'd be so offended if you went anywhere else, and I was like, you know what
Fatima: fine.
Lina: Sold you.
Fatima: I immediately booked it. Yeah. And I was like, you know what. And I think I was doing something at work. And I was like. If it's not saved like, it'll still be available. By the time I'm done this I think I was doing a procedure or something, and I'm like it will be done by the time I'm done. And I finished it came on. It was still available, and I was like, but it's mine fellas.
Lina: There you go!
Fatima: History.
Lina: Oh, amazing! Oh, my God! That's so true. Yeah.
Fatima: Yeah. And the 1st time I met Paige is at the airport, her and her husband, and like it, was like meeting long lost family like it was like I got into the car.
Amanne: Hi, baby! I love that.
Fatima: It was like that
Fatima: long lost sister that I had, and every time the best thing about meeting page 2 was like
Fatima: when we'd be sitting down, and I'd say something, and her husband would be like
Fatima: what? And I'm like, he's like, Paige said that the other day Paige doesn't.
Fatima: Oh, my God, yeah, that page! And look at me, and he'll be like
Fatima: what you said, that you say the same thing. And we're like, Oh, my God.
Fatima: Maybe we have like, maybe we're are you from Al-Ja'una?
Lina: No.
Amanne: Maybe you never know.
Lina: Oh!
Fatima: I'm excited.
Lina: Right.
Fatima: It's like it's such a amazing thing. And even like the girls at the Retreat, like.
Fatima: I remember walking in being super, super nervous and being like, Oh, I don't know what to expect and like
Fatima: I don't know how people are going to react, because you never know with those things. And it was like the second you start talking to one person, another person like you realize, like, Oh, my! Gosh! Like these girls are so cool! These girls are so amazing, and you have to be a certain type of amazing to love the threes that much.
Amanne: To love it enough to go away for a week with random people and just stitch yeah.
Amanne: middle of nowhere. Connect.
Amanne: And let's the somebody.
Fatima: No, no service like in the middle.
Lina: Literally, literally.
Fatima: I say that to people sometimes, and even like my friends, even with the 3 circle, they're like, you're so brave for doing that. And I'm like, Okay, yeah, like, if from the outside, looking in.
Fatima: sure, you're like, this girl's crazy like you went by yourself to this place, random girls, you don't know what to expect, but like 2 to 3 years, I feel like it's like, Yeah, what's up? You know.
Amanne: Yeah, it's true. It's true. I always say that like.
Amanne: yeah, no. I always say that, like the threes is like this cool thing that connects us. Yeah. I mean, there's so many of us that like maybe would have never been connected any other way like we would not have crossed paths like like Lena and I like
Amanne: connected to the threes and like
Amanne: we have similarities. But we're also like different people, and like, I don't know. I mean also, like I live. We live across the country.
Lina: Yeah.
Amanne: So who knows if we would have ever crossed paths? But now, like Yanni, before you even jumped on, I was telling Lena they've been traveling so much. I was like, girl, I haven't talked to you in a minute. I miss you.
Lina: Yeah, yeah, well, like.
Amanne: It's true. Yeah, you like, even, I feel like, same as you like, coming into the retreat like meeting everyone. It's like, Oh, Palestinian and non-palestinian, because, as a reminder, we definitely have a lot of non-palestinian allies who come through
Amanne: and everyone just like family.
Fatima: It's the Threes, man, it's the threes people tell me they're like, I even telling my coworkers they're like, Oh, my God, I'm going to this thing, this retreat, and they're expecting like a yoga retreat or something crazy. I'm like embroidery.
Fatima: and they're like what happening. And I was like, you won't understand. Like the 3.
Amanne: No.
Fatima: Yeah. Leaders get it home. Girls know.
Amanne: Yes, yes, yes, yeah. And it goes back to what we talk about all like. I think every practitioner talks about this all the time, and Alina and I do but like it goes back to the fact that, like Tatreez, is not just
Amanne: stitching, it's not just embroidery. It's so much more than that, and encompasses so much of our culture in so many different facets, and like what it means for us in diaspora, you know, like children of 48. Like all these things like, there's so many layers to it. So yes, Stephanie is definitely like a door to a whole new world. So yeah, I'm really glad that you found that.
Fatima: And then when I hit that home so bad like, I feel like someone's, gonna listen to this and be like you need to chill like. It's not that crazy it is. What if you're listening?
Fatima: It is.
Lina: To be fair, to be fair. If someone is listening to this and they probably get it. They're listening to a podcast called Stock
Lina: no, I'm gonna force everyone I know to watch.
Fatima: My guys.
Fatima: That these are or not. If you if you don't watch this, podcast you hate me. That's what you're saying.
Lina: We're gonna we're gonna take out that.
Amanne: You play drama.
Lina: Oh, my goodness!
Fatima: And follow me.
Amanne: Side, or the Palestinian side.
Fatima: Definitely the side. Oh, my gosh! Like everyone usually will hear my accent because my mom is Palestinian. They'll hear my accent like, Oh, Hi! People listening for sure. I'm like, yeah. Then they'll see my spicy side. And they're like, Whoa!
Fatima: Well, I see that I I get it. You're like.
Lina: Also possible.
Amanne: Bringing it to you.
Amanne: I love it. I love it. Okay, so like getting back into like your your stitching right like. Now, you've been stitching for a little over a year like you're in this world. You are building connections with the community globally. What do you like? What do you see, as like important parts of your practice, like what are some like rituals that you have started incorporating whether it's with community or when you're stitching by yourself.
Fatima: Oh, good question! What I love! I love stitching outside.
Lina: And I.
Fatima: You will
Fatima: like being grounded outside, especially like there's something so special about using like the mountain jacket, or like
Fatima: the garden, though outside in the garden or in the mountains, or whatever. It's just so grounding. It's so meditative.
Fatima: which I recommend to everyone. Just like if you're overwhelmed. Take your projects, go, sit, touch some grass, literally touch grass.
Amanne: Yes.
Fatima: Outside. Take your project
Fatima: with you like like we talked like. Another thing I would love to incorporate is like this idea of like
Fatima: having these pieces come with me everywhere. So their memories like you're you know how there's like olfactory memories and like taste, memories and sight memories. You have all these different memories. Your hands also have memories so like to sit there and have this piece and be like this came with me all over. You know this gave me solace.
Fatima: and you know Italy's crazy airport
Fatima: all the way to, you know the
Fatima: peaks of Banff like this was there with me all the time. So those are rituals I really love to incorporate. Also stitching and community. I never, ever want to lose that. Never want to lose that with my friends and strangers, and connecting over the threes is just
Fatima: otherworldly.
Fatima: And yeah, those are my favorite rituals.
Lina: I love that I love that although Caveat, you live in Edmonton or Alberta, and how often can you actually sit outside?
Lina: It's cold.
Fatima: Okay valid, which we want, which is why we make up for it with community.
Lina: There you go! There you go! There you go! I love it.
Fatima: You know.
Fatima: Oh, my God!
Amanne: Thought about stitching in the snow, because I miss it so much.
Fatima: And I'm like my fingers will fall off like.
Lina: Yeah, yeah, it's just the sad reality. Yeah, you need to get like, you need to invest in like an outdoor heated space. I don't know if that can happen, but.
Fatima: We do have that actually.
Lina: Oh, okay.
Fatima: Little domes he did.
Fatima: Oh, and I thought about that before, I'm like, should I? Just
Fatima: should I just go to go there and see if.
Lina: Gotcha, you should try. Let us know if it works. I'm curious.
Fatima: Watch me!
Amanne: Girl, the California. The California in me is shivering.
Fatima: California. Every time I think of California like.
Lina: Take me back literally.
Amanne: Yeah. Well, you're you're welcome anytime. You have a place to stay in Sacramento with Paige. You have a place to stay in San Francisco with me. So, and we got we have people in Socal. Girl. We we could sprinkle you. We could sprinkle you throughout the the State if we need to.
Lina: There we go!
Fatima: I would love to. I'll bring you all the Canadian chocolate, because American chocolate is worse.
Fatima: But.
Lina: So.
Amanne: Okay. Wait.
Lina: So Rand it was. So ran.
Amanne: This is random, but it also just reminded me of your comment. I think you and Layla were talking about the water, and like
Amanne: what what was it you guys were talking about our water and what you guys were putting in your water? And I was so confused.
Fatima: So we I brought electrolytes, and Kadi thought they were ashes.
Fatima: She's like, why do you have ashes? I was like, why would you think that.
Fatima: Why is that the 1st thing that comes to your mind.
Amanne: Oh, my God! Oh, my God!
Fatima: And we started talking about the water, and Layla looks at me, and she didn't want to say it out loud, and she like looks at me, and she's like mommy. Oh, my gosh! She's like.
Fatima: Are you hydrated? And I'm like, no, it's like, Oh, my God, me, either.
Amanne: But we debunked this.
Amanne: Yeah, I mean, you guys, it was because of the altitude.
Amanne: Yeah.
Fatima: But I would like.
Amanne: Convinced of this, but we've been debunked.
Fatima: I would like to put out a poll to all the Americans who have been to Canada slash Canadians who have been to America. Do you notice a difference?
Lina: Yes or no.
Lina: Okay, this is.
Fatima: It's a 1.
Lina: This is not an appropriate forum for that poll. We will take the home village, and we will take the outdoor stitching, but we will not take a poll on water.
Fatima: Come to my dms, drop it in my DM.
Amanne: We didn't.
Fatima: Especially if you're a cute boy, you can.
Lina: Okay. Okay.
Amanne: That moving on moving on, and if you're over 35, you could drop in my dms instead.
Fatima: Yeah, no, I'll bet Amanne, I'll bet Amanne I want her to have a good.
Amanne: At this.
Lina: Don't be afraid if this conversation freaks you out, if you're just in the police retreat. This isn't how.
Amanne: How it goes. But you know it is how it goes.
Amanne: Yeah, it's fun.
Lina: Anyways, anyways.
Fatima: Look at that!
Lina: Anyways, anyways. So okay, Fatima, you finish your Jean jacket. It's your all like forever jacket and your thought is in progress. What are the other products that you have going on. What are you working on next.
Fatima: I have a little piece that's a tribute to Lebanon. It's like a landscape of the raushi. It's not very traditional like motifs and stuff, but it is going to be kind of like a landscape
Fatima: of that. And it's just something I work on, whether, if I'm on night shift, or, if I'm you know, need a palate cleanser for my fill.
Fatima: and, Inshallah! It will be done soon, and this is the ocean which I love also, and Nibnin the flag.
Lina: I love that.
Amanne: Beautiful.
Amanne: Okay? And we always like to ask people, what is something
Amanne: that you've taken away from Tiffany's? What is a major life lesson that you have gained since you've been stitching.
Fatima: So it is
Fatima: going back to the soul. Tie thing I know it's like super I sound like a broken record at this point, but
Fatima: it reminded me that there are always going to be things that connect you
Fatima: to what you think you're not connected to. If that makes sense like, no matter what you're gonna continuously grow. And you're continuously gonna find things that make you who you are
Fatima: and just allow that to happen and learn and be open to things.
Fatima: and let them come as they come.
Fatima: and just be open to that open to learning, open to growing, your mind
Fatima: expanding your repertoire of the things that you do, because you never know what's gonna
Fatima: make you who you are and solidify that for you.
Fatima: So I think that's my biggest life lesson, because it truly was such a big turning point for me, and
Fatima: just tying it all together in a nice little bow, and who knows? Maybe that bow will unravel one day. Maybe it'll stay strong. But there's always going to be something else that's going to connect you and not to lose that, and not to be like a nomad, you know.
Lina: Oh, that is so!
Amanne: So beautifully, said, Yeah.
Amanne: thank you for sharing that. That was great. You're the best we have had way too much fun chatting and Lena. Lena's trying to like. Keep us on track. She's the responsible one clearly. But you know
Amanne: someone has been me.
Amanne: This has been amazing chatting with you and like revisiting these stories, and, you know, appreciate you sharing with us. And if people want to follow you, or if someone's local and they want to get in touch and be in community. How can people get in touch with you?
Fatima: The best way would be on my account, which is olives, underscore and underscore cedar olives and cedar.
Fatima: And yeah.
Amanne: We'll link it.
Fatima: Thank you.
Amanne: Amazing.
Amanne: Well, thank you so much. We had way. Too much fun. I'm very excited to like continue hearing about your journey, because I, honestly, I can't believe it's been a little over a year, only. I'm actually really really excited to hear your perspective when you finish your thobe, and like, as you continue to build your like local ties, community and your global community too.
Lina: I love it, I love it.
Fatima: Got it.
Amanne: Thank you so much. Have a good day.
Fatima: Oh, thank you. So nice to see you guys again.
Amanne: Okay, that was way. Too much fun, too much laughing, so sorry everyone, if we laugh too much. But you know, pots was a good time, which is exactly why we wanted her on the like to do an episode of the podcast because she is such a great storyteller, actually, Lita and I were talking about the fact that we might need to like pull some bonus video clips for you all just because you have to.
Lina: Appreciate, appreciate her storytelling. Yeah.
Amanne: Exactly exactly so good. No, but honestly, I I also don't think I mean I know she told us during this the retreat, but I don't think I fully registered the fact that, like she's been stitching. And at that point the retreat within what September, so it hadn't even been a year, and she's already like
Amanne: on her bulb like that's insanely impressive. Which also, I think, just goes to show like, if you want to stitch a thobe like
Amanne: there's no time limit, because into you, too, you started. You.
Lina: Yeah.
Amanne: So fairly early on in your like tatreez journey too.
Lina: Yeah, yeah, there's yeah. The barrier is not as high as people think it is. It's.
Amanne: Yeah.
Lina: Lot more accessible, and if you really want to do it, and you set your mind to it, a hundred percent go for it. If.
Amanne: Yeah. Totally.
Lina: Start. Yeah, I think for me like this episode. What I loved hearing her talk about was what you mentioned earlier as well. Was that phrase, soul ties.
Amanne: I.
Lina: I'm obsessed with that. That's gonna be the title that's gonna be the title for.
Amanne: Yes, it's so good.
Lina: I love that. Yeah.
Amanne: Yeah, I'm definitely going to be using that terminology. I? Because, yeah, when she said it, I was like, Oh, yeah, that just those 2 words like that completely explains everything. I think I feel. I think you probably resonate, too, and I think most people will understand that, I think, especially like, you know, I and there's a lot of non Palestinians within our community, and I think even they can feel that even.
Lina: Hmm.
Amanne: Without being Palestinian, I think, especially if you're Palestinian. It's like it takes it to a next level. So yeah, soul ties. I love that. Thank you for bringing that into our lives.
Lina: Yes, 100%, oh, so good. Well, thank you. Listeners, for listening to another episode of Tatreez. Talk like you just saw. Please reach out to us. If you want to share your story, because we want to hear about your tottery's journey, we are very friendly
Lina: and easygoing, so please please share your stories with us at Tatreeztalk@gmail.com. Because we would love to have you on an upcoming episode. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on your favorite listening platform, and be sure to leave a 5 star review. You can follow me @linasthobe and Amanne @minamanne and of course, follow the pod @tatreeztalk. We will talk to you guys soon.
