Woven Spindle Temari

This is a c10 Temari with spindles in 5 colors. The spindles overlap in the centers of the pentagons making a star that changes in each pentagon. The colors turned out so nice in the "crayon temari" that I wanted to use them again, but I don't like them nearly as much here.



I followed this pattern from Debi at her Temari Math website.

Tutorial: wrapping a mari

The core of the ball can be made from anything, Styrofoam ball, dryer lint, rolled up nylons, or rice hulls (a kind of bran). I had been using crumpled plastic bags from the grocery store, but I like using the rice bran much more.

Here you can see the rice bran in a bag made of part of a knee-high nylon.

At this point, it is not round at all.

I take a handful of plastic bags:

The second layer is yarn.

Wrapping the plastic bags:

Rice bran:

As you wrap, press in on the areas that are bulging, and it will start to get round. The yarn wrap is done with very light tension, to build up a layer on the ball for the stitching to go into. Turn the ball constantly as you are wrapping, and try to always place the yarn/thread over the center of the ball.

When the yarn wrapping is done, the only way to tell them apart is by squeezing:


The third layer is several strands of thread held together.


Here you can see the surface after this step. The three strands look a little like ribbon. Continue wrapping randomly, each wrap over the center/thickest part of the ball. Roll your ball between your hands, or on a hard surface like a table or the wall to encourage roundness.



The fourth layer is a single strand of sewing thread. This is the layer that is easiest to skimp on. Some times I like to make the middle layer out of different color threads so I can tell how thick the outer layer is, and make sure it completely covers the previous layer. This is the layer you stitch on. It should be wound the tightest, and the tail gets stitched into it, all over the surface in a type of herringbone stitch, securing the threads from slipping.

Each layer is dense enough so you cannot see the underlying material underneath. The thread and yarn can be anything inexpensive.

You stick a pin anywhere in the ball, and that becomes your north pole. I usually use a black pin for the north pole.

You use a strip of paper to measure the circumference, checking several times to ensure accuracy.


Fold your strip in half, and cut a notch to mark the south pole. I usually use a white pin for the south pole.


Again check several times to make sure of your accuracy. If you are having trouble after checking 3 or 4 times, that is a good hint your ball is not round.

You also use that strip of paper, folded in quarters and eighths to find the "equator" and other needed points on the ball.

This ball is divided for a c8, and is ready to be marked. In this example the pink pins mark the equator and the turquoise pins mark the location of the diagonal dividing bands. If you are interested, I can continue showing how the c8 is marked.


There are many sites that explain how to make Temari, and many of them have free patterns. This one is my favorite: http://www.temarikai.com/ If you are looking for a book, for introductory patterns I recommend Barb Suess' book Japanese Temari.

Temari for my sister

This temari is for my sister as a thank you for teaching me to do this. When I asked what her favorite colors are she said, "Blue and Green." The threads are DMC Pearl Cotton Variations.



The mari turned out huge! I don't know how it got so big. I think the scale is okay though, between the thread and the stitching.

I will draw a name on Friday for the winner of the give-away.

100th

This is my 100th post on this blog. I can hardly believe that I have so much to say, or that there are people interested in my ramblings.

Since this is my 100th post, I want to do a give-away. Please comment to be entered in the give-away. I will be sending one of these:




Probably. I might give one away in the mean time, and the orange one at the bottom is not available. Tell me which one you would be interested in when you comment. I got a set of apothecary jars a couple of weeks ago, and I love them for holding and displaying Temari. There were three in the set. Don't they look cool?

G.I.T.S.

This is the 100th post I have written, but not my 100th post, I have a note saved to work on later. I will do a give-away on my next post, so stay tuned!

My swap partner received her Temari yesterday, and likes it. Here's the one I sent her. (Remember, G.I.T.S. stands for Great International Temari Swap.)




It is a c10 division; the weaving on it reminds me of woven cane seats. There are a couple of mistakes in the weaving, which I very carefully did not photograph, and even more carefully tried to mend with some judicious stitching. The extra thread hanging is a tag I included with the occasion and the date for my swap partner. The swap was to commemorate the Lunar New Year, so the colors were chosen as auspicious colors for that celebration. It is the year of the Ox, but I couldn't think of a way to incorporate that into a Temari.

Wintery Temari

I like this temari, because it is tricky without being impossible. It is a c8 division with extra marking lines. There are 8 12 point stars, each with a lavender layer and a grey layer. The grey is outlined with white to make the design pop a little bit. The lavender has 3 shades, but I would have liked the outside to be a little darker. There are 6 4 point stars; all the points overlap.



I will try to post a tutorial on how to wrap the base, and how to begin marking in order to stitch, along with some resources on finding patterns and further instructions on-line.

What a difference!

I finished this Temari on Sunday, and I love the way it turned out, and the colors. It is very similar to one of the first Temari I made (here), but the experience of making it, and the outcome, were both very different this time. I guess practice does help!



This is a c8 division, marked with DMC spool metallic. I followed a picture from "My Temari," one of the Japanese books. I never felt lost or puzzled while I was stitching, the way I did the first time, and I think all the weaving is correct. It makes me happy just to look at it, and to hold it in my hand.