Temari Dreams

I am finding that I am much more interested and excited about stitching temari when I use my Japanese temari books for bed-time reading. I think reading about temari just before I go to sleep helps me dream about temari and solve problems in my sleep. The past week or so I have been studying this picture in Cosmo 7 (page 32). It is nice, because there are diagrams for each of these temari, which isn't always the case for Cosmo books.

I like the coordinating colors, similar, but not exact. And since I have been dreaming about these, I decided to try my hand at one.


When I study them, it is very interesting. The lines run parallel between the centers, and on this page there is an example with 2 lines, 4 lines, 6, and 8 lines, building up in complexity. I decided to be brave and start out with the 4 lines example, and because of the weather outside, I went for snowflake colors.



I haven't decided yet if I need to take out the guidelines or not. I think I will probably end up taking them out. This one isn't done yet, it still needs the flowers. While I was stitching I was trying to analyze the pattern. Working it reminded me of the weaving temari I made this year (the 3-way weave). This one is made with triangle shapes, which isn't terribly evident from the pictures. I will let you know if the rest of them are made with triangle shapes too, again, I can't tell from the pictures. The weaving gets confusing when you turn the corners, but I think I got it right. The first try I got about a third of the way done, and took everything out to start over again.

I was thinking that you used bands with even numbers between your centers, and pentagons with odd numbers of centers, but maybe it is triangles for even numbers, and pentagons for odd numbers, bands or not. The orientation is different here, on the long lines of the pentagons instead of the short lines, like the previous one, around the outside of the centers.

(Clear as mud, right?)



I was thinking that you needed this orientation for odd numbers. This is the beginner's multi-center I was talking about on the Temari Challenge group. The pentagons are oriented on the short lines of the 12 centers and are all inside of the 12 centers.



Thank you for listening while I think out loud about this pattern. It helps a lot. I will let you know if my guess about triangles vs. pentagons (even vs. odd) is right.

Answer to a comment

Argery, Espero que puedes encontrar una manera de aprender temari. Si quieres unirte a un groupo de temari en espanol, puedes encontrar uno aqui. Esperamos poder traducir mucho de lo que hay en el Internet a espanol para compartir temari con todo el mundo. Nos vemos alli?

A Week of Vacation

Thanksgiving was as nice as I had hoped. The whole family was there, including a new member. He is a very good cook! and we added a delicious sweet potato casserole to our Thanksgiving menu. Everyone enjoyed the company, no one got stuck in the kitchen for hours doing dishes, and there were no arguments or hurt feelings. Just a wonderful day!

It is amazing how much I got done last week, while I was on vacation. There are some days when I would love to not have to get up and go to work; waking up when I was done sleeping, and hibernating inside if the weather is bad. However, I think I am addicted to my pay-check, and I would get lonely for company if I were home all the time. Also, I need the exercise! It is too easy just to sit in my stitchy chair all day.

A vacation once in a while is very good, though. The first half of the week I worked on my alphabet sampler. I am very happy to be more than 1/2 way done. I even got to start the large monogram:



I am using "Colorwash Silk" for my variegated color, using only one strand. It is very fine, but I think it is covering enough. The puzzle, of course, in using a variegated color is to keep from having abrupt color changes, except where you want them. So far, so good, on this letter, but we are at the beginning yet.

Then, being on vacation and all, I had time to do some cleaning. I mentioned last time that I found some things I know I will never do. Olly asked for the Golden Retriever and the purse kit, so that will be on the way to her as soon as I get her address. Here's a picture of the punch-needle kits. They are still available.



Then, when I was cleaning out the kid's craft bin I ran across a couple of Styrofoam balls that I put in there after I started using rice hulls for temari. I put them on the table to get rid of them, and then I looked at them for several days. Someone said they used Styrofoam bases to make temari ornaments, because they are lighter and they don't burden the tree too much. So I looked at them some more, and I finally decided to make a bunch of ornaments. It is true, though, that it is harder to make a nice round mari with Styrofoam. These are very lumpy.



All four of these are the same pattern, triangles stitched on the 20 triangle faces of a c10, with gold-rush metallic thread. The thread is kind of a bunka thread, that could be stitched unraveled, but I used it whole. I love them all together. This is actually the first half of the pattern. I tried the full pattern here:



I saw it done in a bright and a pale pink, and it was a "sakura" or cherry blossom pattern. The flower showed up in the negative space. Unfortunately, the colors I had to work with don't really show up right and let you see the flower shape without doing some eye calisthenics. It still looks like Christmas, though.

I think I just about got through November without stitching any temari. Like I said, some free time does wonders. There are at least two more patterns I want to stitch in the next week. (Having time to pore over my temari books at bed-time helps a lot in picking out patterns. I think I can stitch a lot better when I dream temari.)

Alphabet Stats

I am uncomfortable showing a close-up of the alphabet sampler this time. There is just too much information available in a picture, so I will just tell you how far I am. I am one letter short of finishing my 6th alphabet (155), I have finished 4 sets of numbers (40), and 2 partial alphabets (29), for a total of 224. That is almost 55% done. That is a little deceiving, though, because I am just about ready to start the large monogram. If I count the monogram as a whole alphabet (because it will probably take about an alphabet's length to finish) I am just about 53% finished, which is still not bad.


I have been working on cleaning up my sewing room. I want to clear off my sewing table enough to keep my sewing machine up there, getting it off my dining room table. I am making progress, but there is a ways to go. As I am cleaning, I am discovering items that I am never going to use. I have been the repository of other's clean-up projects; several pieces of aida, a couple of pre-stitched needlepoint canvases (the kind my grandma M used to work), several punch-needle patterns, a silk canvas golden retriever that my eyes won't let me do, and a knit beaded purse, with the fiber, beads, purse frame, and pattern. If you are interested in any of these items, let me know, and it is yours.


I also found a whole stack of projects that are completely stitched, but not finished. I am thinking of showing pictures of those when I don't have a sampler picture. However, I'm on vacation this week, and I'm being lazy about taking pictures.

I am looking forward to tomorrow! The whole family will be here, all squeezed around our small table. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, getting together without all the hubbub of decorating and presents. I am so thankful for my family! I am also thankful for my home, my pets, my job, and my hobby.

I hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow, if you are the US, celebrating with your family, or wherever you are in the world! I am thankful for you too!

Cross Stitch is not easy to Blog

Hello, I'm sorry I only blogged one time last week. C ended up sharing her cold with me, so I spent a day and 1/2 at home. I got a lot of stitching done on my Alphabet sampler! I finished a complete alphabet, and several other motifs, bringing me to 49% finished! This is going faster than I expected. However, I don't have a picture of my progress.

This past weekend I have been reading instead of stitching, so I decided to do a reading meme from Anna instead.

Favorite childhood book? I think that would have to be the Narnia series. I still re-read it on occasion. I can't wait for the new Narnia movie to come out (in about a week). It is my favorite of the series "The Dawn Treader."
What are you reading right now? I stayed up past midnight last night finishing "Paladin of Souls" by Bujold as a sequel to "Curse of Chalion." Next up in the queue is "Inside of a Dog."
What books do you have on request at the library? I am very bad at returning books to the library on time, so I would rather buy books. (See next question.)
Bad book habit? library fines!
What do you currently have checked out at the library? n/a
Do you have an e-reader? DH and I both have Nooks. It is very convenient.
Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once? If I am reading more than one at a time, it is because I have had a problem with one that I am reading.
Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog? Not really. They changed when I started full time work about 15 years ago, for several reasons.
Least favorite book you read this year (so far)? If I am not enjoying a book, I usually stop reading it so, I can't think of any.
Favorite book you have read this year? As I mentioned, I have been reading Bujold. I just discovered her this year, and I think I have read about a dozen of her books. My favorite so far has been "The Sharing Knife."
How often do you read out of your comfort zone? I read quite a bit for work, but not always books, more like articles. But I would say daily.
Can you read on the bus or train? My commute to work is 16 minutes driving, so I don't get to read on the way to work.
Favorite place to read? Someplace there is a book!? I do have an easy chair.
What is your policy on book lending? If I want it back, I put my name in it. I don't like lending my very favorites that I like to re-read, because if they don't come back I have to re-purchase them.
Do you ever dog-ear books? How else can I find my page?
Do you ever write in the margins of your books? Not very often.
Not even with text books? Oh, textbooks... of course I do.
What is your favorite language to read in? English.
If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you chose? I can read Spanish, but rarely for pleasure reading.
What makes you love a book? A happy ending! without too much suspense.
What will inspire you to recommend a book? When I know the kinds of books a person likes, I can tell if they would enjoy a specific book. Both DDs, DH, and my friend enjoy different kinds of books, but I have been able to recommend books to each of them.
Favorite genre? I enjoy romance, mystery, science fiction, historical, and fantasy. The more elements of each in a story, the more I enjoy it.
Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?) I don't read too much non-fiction, but I don't really want to...
Favorite biography? Um...
Have you ever read a self -help book? There have been a few.
Favorite cookbook? I really like the Victory Garden vegetable cookbook.
Most inspirational book you've read this year (fiction or non-fiction)? I just finished the book of Acts, and I was amazed.
Favorite reading snack? If there is chocolate in the house... otherwise a piece of fruit. I
know, messy.
Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience. The only thing I can think of is that I have not read "Eat, Pray, Love" because of the hype, so I guess my reading experience was ruined.
How often do you agree with critics about a book? I don't read critics regularly.
How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews? If I don't like a book, I don't finish it, so it is hard to give a review.
Most intimidating book you've ever read? My Calculus textbook!
Most intimidating book you're too nervous to begin? Um...
Favorite Poet? A lack in my life. I like Robert Louis Stevenson's poetry for kids... about my speed.
How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time? I haven't been using the library recently. I have at least a dozen unread books on my Nook.
How often have you returned books to the library unread? Often.
Favorite fictional characters? Paksenarion and Clare and Jamie.
Favorite fictional villain? Reformed villains... Eustace Stubbs.
Books I'm most likely to bring on vacation? Last April DH and I took several audio mysteries by J.A. Jance, and enjoyed it tremendously.
The longest I've gone without reading? 12 hours?
Name a book that you could/would not finish. I dislike suspense. If a book gets too suspenseful I put it down. The first time I did that was in 4th grade. I felt guilty, but I keep doing it.
What distracts you easily when you're reading? My Nook has a sudoku game. If the book is not gripping, I tend to wander off to sudoku.
Favorite film adaptation of a novel? I thought they did a good job with the "Fellowship of the Ring" and the other two.
Most disappointing film adaptation? I don't see a lot of movies... Narnia could have been better.
The most money I've ever spent in the bookstore at one time? DH and I together can do some damage, but we try to keep it under control. It was probably when I was in college buying textbooks.
How often do you skim a book before reading it? I like to page through a book before I buy it (or check it out of the library) but once I have it I just plunge in. That's what makes it hardest to buy e-books, or books on-line.
What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through? Too much suspense.
Do you like to keep your books organized? Yes. Science fiction is in the basement, by author, mystery in the bedroom, and romance under the bed!
Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you've read them? If I like it enough, and know I will want to reread, I keep. A couple of years ago I got rid of stacks of books, and haven't missed one; I should do it again, but I don't want to get rid of any of the books that DH wants to keep...
Are there any books you've been avoiding? I have "Count of Monte Cristo" on my iPod, and I have been avoiding that. I'm finding it quite suspenseful but I haven't given up on it yet.
Name a book that made you angry. Um...
A book you didn't expect to like but did. Robinson Crusoe! I was shocked by how good it was.
A book that you expected to like but didn't. I bought a book after reading a recommendation, and then couldn't get into it. It just went to the thrift store, and I cannot remember the name of it.
Favorite guilt-free, pleasure reading. The Blue Castle by Montgomery. I loaned it to my mom, and as soon as it was out of the house I wanted to re-read it. It is a sweet love story.

Alphabet Sampler 2

Here is a picture of some progress on the Alphabet Sampler.



I Stitched ACHJK, NOP, R, the new numbers, the Fleur de lis and maple leaf motif, and the needle, thread, and thimble motif. According to my calculations, I am now at 40% done, which means, this project would not take forever to finish. (I also rolled the scroll bars, which is always a momentous occasion.)

I have also resolved the color dilemma: It doesn't really matter! LOL I stitched 3 letters in the darker color, and DH cannot tell the difference. Plus I discovered the floss I had used originally, which did turn out to be an Anchor color, 168. I am not going to take out the 3 letters I stitched, because I couldn't tell the difference this morning. Under my daylight bulb I can, but I don't think anyone will be studying it that hard. I am going back to the original color, though.

Thank you Karen, Debi, and Mom for your advice, it did help me to get going on this project again.

GITS

I had a package waiting at home after work one night this week. That is always exciting, especially when C is around. (It came in a Toy Story box too, which made it even more interesting.) Inside was this lovely temari from Nettie, for a GITS (Great International Temari Swap). I like the colors, and I love the beads. Thank you so much Nettie! Yours should be going out this week.



I accidentally signed up for a Martha Stewart magazine through JoAnn's this fall, and I got 2 issues. C was reading over my shoulder last night, and had a couple of comments. One comment was "there isn't a lot of sewing in this magazine, grandma!" She was right, most of the activities were crafty or cooking, not stitching. She did like looks of the Noah's Ark tree, but she didn't think we should make the ornaments out of cookies, she thought felt would be easier.

Does anyone have animal outlines, for felt ornaments for a Noah Christmas tree? (And I'm not even the one who is wrapped the tightest around her little finger!)