White Satin Baby Quilt
A Jewish lady who was our neighbour sewed and embroidered this quilt in 1961 when my mother was pregnant with me. It was a gift to celebrate my birth. My mother kept this quilt all these years. When I grew up she gave it to me. I noticed that there was a yellow spot on it and I asked about it. She said that angels borrow old things and when they return them they put henna on them – so the yellow spot was angel’s henna. I used this quilt, in my turn, when my son was born in 1979 and my daughter in 1992. This quilt is the only thing I brought with me from Iraq. It has accompanied me through 7 countries. I wanted to wash it so it would be white again, but the cloth is so old I was afraid it would fall apart.

GULNAZ ZANGANA, arrived London 2002

Engagement Dress in a Satin Bundle
This brightly coloured square piece of satin is used to protect your clothes. Items of clothing are arranged and the cloth is folded around them and fastened with a pin or small knot. Then you put it in the wardrobe. I have protected my engagement dress in this satin bundle from the 1970’s up to the present. The dress is one of three outfits, which I wore during my engagement celebration on the 9th of November 1972. The party was at the Doctor’s Club in Baghdad in the Mansour area (an upper class neighbourhood). Around 120 people came to my party and there was a group of mullayat (women who sing professionally at weddings and other occasions) who sang. The material for the dress was brought from Beirut and I paid the seamstress who sewed the dress a sum of money that was equivalent to the wages of a newly graduated doctor – 40 Iraqi dinars. The seamstress lived in Karradat Mariam in Baghdad (an area where the embassies are).

DR ZUBAIDA AL A’DHAMI, arrived London 1974

A Cover
This cover is about 25 years old. It cost a lot at the time. It is made of pure good quality cotton. It’s green and yellow and pink. My mother gave it to me as a present and I loved covering myself with it when I slept. She said to me “this is for you, so you’ll always remember me”. I have taken this cover with me to every country I have gone to – from Baghdad to Algeria, to Morocco and finally London. The cover holds in its folds many little hopes and dreams.

MUNA KADHIM, teacher

Embroidered Wedding Sheets
These sheets were embroidered for my wedding in 1950. They cost 5 dinars at the time. They were professionally embroidered by a woman who used to work at home.

NAHIDHA MOHAMMED, born 1932 left 1990 after the invasion of Kuwait

An Embroidered Baby Sheet and Satin BlanketThe sheet and blanket were embroidered to celebrate my birth in 1947. We lived in the Karradeh area in Baghdad.