Newspaper Article

My EGA guild made the papers! Here's the article about our programs for the coming year, notice the Temari classes in September and October. Also, if you look at the pictures you can see a whole stack of temari balls on the show and tell table; what can I say, it was a good month!

What I'm looking for on the temari from yesterday is sort of an acrostic (with English characters) that would fit in the spaces on the ball. "Temari" would fit in one of the directions...

Boxes or Frames?

Here's the temari I was working on last night. I was looking at a temari in the "Temari for 12 Months" book, and this is close, but no cigar. This is a c8 with additional marking lines; the marking lines were no problem, except I think I need to make the final lines (around the squares) in metallic instead of the disappearing white. I practiced them first with my snowflake temari.

The biggest difference is that in the book the squares make frames around the squares, and in this one the colors are too thick, and they make boxes instead. In the book the triangles get 3-point stars and the frames get Japanese characters, written in red. I couldn't think of what to write in red, so at first I wasn't too worried about the openings being so much smaller, but now I don't like the look at all. Does anyone have any suggestions for an inscription? There are 18 spaces.



I'm hoping to make this my last c8 for JTA submission, so it has to be right. I can't work on it tonight either, because I have to wrap temari for my class on Saturday.

Sampler Temari, all 12 faces

I took pictures of my sampler temari this morning. I used pins to keep track of the faces I had already photographed, so if you see a pin, that is what it is for.

Purple & Green: two kiku stars, different sizes, layered.
Blue: two five-point Kiku stars, interwoven. I was trying to do something different with the color arrangement.
Green & pink: two stars, interwoven.



Blue: two stars, interwoven descending herringbone.
Coral: "rose" pattern, layered pentagons.
Violet: Intertwined star.



Coral & pink: intertwined pentagons
purple: intertwined pentagon and kiku
violet: simple descending herringbone kiku



Purple: 2 intertwined kiku
Violet: 2 different colored interwoven kiku.
Blue: 2 shaded interwoven kiku



I used the set of pearl #8, and was sad that there were only 2 shades of most of the colors. I did get out DMC pearl for the blue shades, since I wanted more than 2. These colors don't really do it for me, but it will be a wonderful help when I teach.

Bunk Beds

No stitching at home this weekend... I feel kind of lost. I was all set after our errands on Saturday to hunker in and then friends called and we went out for the evening. It was a lovely evening, but... I did take some temari cores with me and conversed with my hands winding thread randomly but that still doesn't fill the void.

On Saturday morning I had some commission work. C received a gift of bunk beds for her babies from my friend Marj, but there was no bedding. DD2 suggested using one of the character sheets from when she and her sister were little (their grandma loved giving them sheets) and I found a Strawberry Shortcake top sheet and pillow case. Plenty of fabric! I covered two mattresses and attached the top sheet, and made 3 pillows (one for each baby). I'm not done yet, though, I have to make the comforters/duvets. C wants them to feature the kitty from the fabric (because it's so cute!). I haven't quite worked out yet how that is going to work.



Here they are sleeping sweetly in their new beds.

I did actually finish the 12-face temari on Friday; I will share pictures of that tomorrow.

Sampler Temari

Well, I didn't finish this one last night, but I'm far enough to take a picture without showing any blank spots. I wanted to make this one so I would have examples when I teach the chrysanthemum stitch of the different ways you can treat your stitches. I wanted to be able to say "when you stack your stitches" and point to the green and purple face at 1 o'clock on this picture; or "when you use descending herringbone" (8 o'clock).



This one shows a rose, and a entwined star, the descending herringbone again, and a layered star.





I don't think it is beautiful or especially striking, but I do think it will be very useful. I used #8 pearl thread, and I didn't have as many shades of colors to work with as I would have liked. I do like using the #8, though. I have 2 more faces to do, and I think I have patterns that will work.

Dreary Weather

The weather is very dreary today, and was dreary also on Monday and Wednesday. We did have some sun on Tuesday, contrary to what the forecasters were saying, so I have been able to continue stitching on my latest temari. It's taking so long because I am using it for a sample of all the ways you can stitch in a pentagon, to use for my next class when it starts. I have to come up with 12 different patterns/color combinations, and I'm having to scour my books and wrack my brains to come up with that many. I find it easier to play solitaire or play on facebook, which is why this one is taking so long. I only have 4 more faces to go, so I hope to finish tonight. The temari is not turning out beautiful, but it will be interesting.

If you are longing for pictures, there is some wonderful work to look at here. I'm writing the "Show and Tell" posts for my guild, and it is a lot of fun.

We have this trio watching over us at home.



From left to right we have Isabella, Diamond, and Ruthie. Isabella and Diamond are sisters, Ruthie is a cousin. Isabella is ready for dance class, while Diamond and Ruthie are dressed for the outside weather we are having. The three of them together are a little disconcerting if you are not expecting their gaze; our dog barked at them the first night they were up there, and he's still giving them a wide berth. You never know what trouble 3 girls can get into (or can get you into, if you are not careful).

Sugarplum Fairy

The Sugarplum Fairy is done! The face is not quite as cute as the one in the picture, but is very acceptable for an embroidered face (not my strong point!).



In fact, the whole front of the stocking is done, with just the assembly and the cupcake name-tag left. Here it is:



It is quite busy! LOL In fact, I was thinking it was too busy this morning, but now that I see it from a little further away, I think it will be fine. C is very happy with it.

P checked out the progress this weekend as well. He liked it, and was ready to start getting jealous until I told him a "blue snow-man" would be coming his way soon, then he was happy.

So for now I can get back to making JTA temari.