Threads of Belonging I – Persian Kilim Weaving
Saturday, October 10, 2026 | 1-4 PM
FREE
This workshop has been developed exclusively for Immigrant, Refugee, and Newcomer participants, with thanks to Toronto Arts Council Funding via their Newcomer and Refugee Arts Engagement program.
In this hands-on workshop, participants are invited to discover the art of Persian kilim weaving through motifs, symbols, color, and personal storytelling. Drawing from the rich tradition of Persian woven textiles, participants will learn the foundations of kilim weaving while creating a small, personal woven piece that they can take home.
The workshop introduces participants to the idea that traditional textiles are more than beautiful objects: they can carry memories, hopes, places, relationships, and stories across generations. Through a selection of Persian motifs and their meanings, participants will explore how weavers have historically used visual language to express ideas about nature, protection, family, journey, love, and belonging.
In this workshop, we explore the idea that weaving can be a way of carrying home with us. Participants will be introduced to Persian motifs as a visual language. They will learn about the stories and meanings traditionally associated with selected motifs and then consider: What symbol represents a place, memory, hope, or relationship that I would want to carry with me?
By the end of the workshop, participants will:
- Gain an introduction to Persian textile traditions
- Understand the basic principles of kilim weaving
- Explore Persian motifs and their cultural meanings
- Understand how motifs can function as a visual storytelling language
- Create and complete their own small woven piece
- Experience weaving as a social and collaborative form of cultural exchange
This is a beginner-friendly workshop with no previous weaving experience required. All materials and step-by step guidance will be provided.
For any accessibility needs, please email Marium Durrani (mdurrani@textilemuseum.ca).
This workshop is part of the Museum’s workshop series: Liminal Threads. In this workshop series, the Museum aims to create space for newcomers, refugees, and immigrants, where they can bridge the divide of settling in Canada. Taught by local Immigrant, Refugee, and/or Newcomer artists, participants learn new modes of sustainable thinking, textile making techniques, and creating new community. We would like to thank the Toronto Arts Council Strategic Funding: Newcomer and Refugee Arts Engagement, for funding this program.
Facilitator Bio:
Jamileh Haji Hasan is a skilled artist and professional educator with deep expertise in Persian carpet and kilim weaving. Since 2016, she has been teaching this traditional art in both Iran and Canada. In Canada, she has led numerous private and group workshops in Toronto, collaborating with cultural and community organizations such as the Willowdale City Office, Tirgan Festival organization, Gibson House Museum, and Pickering Museum.
Jamileh is also the author of a bilingual handbook (Persian and English) that introduces the fundamental techniques of carpet weaving. Beyond the artistic and cultural aspects of her craft, Jamileh is passionate about the therapeutic potential of carpet and kilim weaving, advocating for the mental health and wellness benefits that come from engaging in traditional hand-weaving practices
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