kumo temari: start where you are

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

start where you are

Start where you are.
— Pema Chödrön (b. 1936 )

This is a variation of the application of the "swirl" stitch. Previously, I had only used this on quasi-C10 divisions (for example, no. 102). Shapes from a C10—in this case diamonds—are filled with the swirl stitch; the remaining areas are irregular hexagons, which are also filled. But changing the shapes and the direction of the stitching (clockwise vs. counter-clockwise) produces completely different effects.

This one is very simply an S4 division, with the eight triangles (four in the upper hemisphere and four in the lower) filled with the swirl stitch, alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise (in effect, mirroring), to create a completely different optical illusion.

Thread wrap in lilac; S4 division but no guidelines. Embroidery in ecru. The quote by Pema Chödrön is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10 inches / 25.4 cm; diameter: 3.18 inches / 8.08 cm. Completed 11 September 2012 (no. 157).

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do you sell temari?

I sell select temari in my shop on Etsy.com — KumoTemari.etsy.com. Temari are added to the shop as as I finish them, sometimes 2 or 3 at a time, on average once a week. To learn how to find out when new temari are added to the shop, please see the FAQ section of my shop policy page, "How to Find Out When Temari are in the Shop." The FAQ page includes instructions for joining my mailing list.

All sales loan funds to low-income entrepreneurs around the world through the micro-financing site Kiva.org.

temari diagram

The temari is traditionally referred to in terms relating to the globe. Thus, the top and bottom are poles (north and south), and the horizontal circumference around the center is the equator (marked in red; it's called the obi, which is the sash around a kimono). The vertical gray lines represent the division lines that are marked with thread on the temari before stitching. This is a "simple 8" division (S8), resulting in eight equal "wedges," as if slicing an apple from top to bottom (wedges is not an official term, but it gets the idea across). Divisions include simple (S) and combination (C) — S4, S6, S8, S10, S12, and S16; C6, C8, and C10.