Workshop 5

Embroidering Belonging with Saarah Furmli

Afternoon Workshop | 1:30 - 4:00 p.m.

While embroidery is often seen as simply a method of beautification, It is also often seen as a "proper" vocation for women. The Afghan community has a unique method of embroidery, particularly in clothing; clothing is one of the main ways that members of the Afghan diaspora connect to their culture. We reclaim embroidery as a form of decolonization for diaspora populations. It is also an expression of the various identities that individuals, particularly women, possess. This beginner embroidery workshop allows participants to explore embroidery as a form of relaxation and meditation. The repetitive movements can instill a sense of security and reconnection. The embroidery also is a means to discuss connection and identity.

Saarah Furmli, an Osgoode Hall School of Law student, owns a business called Mursal Embroiders (external link)  where she makes embroidery that is inspired by her own and other people’s cultures. 

She has also found ways to incorporate her embroidered designs in her assignments, using them for social work education.