tea & thread: portraits of middle eastern women far from home introduces 17 diverse women from the Middle East. The stories and photographs included offer glimpses into these women's memories of life before war, war-time difficulties, and the uncertainties of being a refugee. The portraits that appear in tea & thread grew out of mutual hospitality among humanitarian workers and women affected by conflicts in the Middle East. Many of the stories come from refugee craft initiatives, where women meet to encourage each other and maintain their resilience in the face of the hardships they have experienced and continue to endure. In collaboration with the authors and other volunteers, the women who share their stories here present an often poignant look at their dramatically altered lives. The collected family recipes and traditional handicrafts invite readers to share the cultural riches that remain in these women's possession.