Weaving to Reclaim | Fern Facette

Response to collaborator Fatme Elkadry’s writing on the Weaving to Reclaim project

Two years ago, Fatme sent me an email titled “Weaving a Kaffiyah”. She described a scarf that is a prominent symbol of Palestinian identity, and asked if it would be possible to hand weave one. We decided to give it a try and got her in the studio. Her ease at the loom and careful note taking gave me confidence in the project, while her warmth and thoughtfulness gave me confidence in our compatibility. Weaving a Kaffiyah soon evolved into a long term weaving mentorship and artistic collaboration that includes four projects. 

As we absorbed photo after photo of traditional Palestinian textiles, we realized that each of the four projects, not just the Kaffiyah, was an opportunity for Fatme to connect with her own Palestinian identity. Inspired by our research, what began as a simple placemat and table runner flourished with colours, designs, and patterns that reference the work of Palestinian weavers from decades ago. 

When Fatme finished weaving a series of nine amulets, we had a moment of celebration then rolled her weaving off the loom. We admired each design and the precision with which they were woven. The beat consistent, the selvedges tidy, the red inlay designs rested comfortably on the cloth. You can sense the ease of the weaver. 

As the amulets rolled off the cloth beam, I inwardly counted down from nine, anticipating my favourite of the series: the first sample. While the nine woven amulets show ease, the sample is quite the opposite. The weft is beaten so tight that the fibres look crowded and uncomfortable. The red inlay is unfinished, seeming dissonant and displaced. New threads replace broken ones by stabbing anchor needles into the cloth. This sample is a tangible representation of struggle.

I remember the moment Fatme discovered that her hometown in Palestine, Safad, was once a main weaving centre. She was seated at her loom, flipping through the pages of Spinning and Weaving in Palestine. We hadn’t yet read the book cover to cover and must have passed over this fact a dozen times before Fatme found it. Uncovering this connected her to the practice of weaving in a new and direct way. I witnessed her joy of discovery, followed by a visceral sense of loss. This is now a familiar feeling that visits again and again as we see Palestinian looms and garments in museums, books, and collections.

When Fatme was weaving the sample for the amulet series, frustrations were high and she nearly scrapped the study entirely. We adjusted her movements and she found the ease to carry on. The sample captures the complex experiences entwined in this research and woven work. The amulet study that follows her early sample shows Fatme’s perseverance. As Fatme claims her Palestinian identity through weaving, the rich history of Palestinian weaving lives on through her.