Nowruz - Patteh Embroidering Workshop

Join Mitra for a workshop embroidering felt earrings and hairclips in the traditions of Iranian Patteh. This traditional embroidery style from the southern province of Kerman has been handed down from mother to daughter and in Mitra's case handed down by her Grandmother, Mamanjan, a skilled Patteh embroiderer. 

Traditional Patteh is embroidered on handwoven red woollen fabric and has a set colour pallet of yellows, white, black, purples and blues. It holds ancient symbols like the Botteh Jegheh (Paisley), a traditional motif originating in Iran and based on the Cypress tree or "Sarv". This long and slender tree looks to be reaching towards heaven, so it has come to represent the connection between the earth and the holy unknown.

You can see this motif both upright as a hidden symbol of the Zoroastrianism faith and curved down into the Paisley shape which stands as a symbol of resilience. When Persia was occupied and Zoroastrianism was forbidden in favour of a new religion, the Sarv was bent to show that they have not broken their tradition but simply allowed it to bend in adversity.

In this workshop you will learn to embroider your own pair of Paisley earrings or hairclips for those who don't have pierced ears.