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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the music of what happens

And that moment when the bird sings very close
To the music of what happens.
— Seamus Heaney (1939– )

Continuing on with spindles, I thought I'd try 5 layered spindles on an S20 division. Not as tidy, and maybe the circumference is a bit on the small side for this cause it was a tight fit, but I like the geometry of it; and the design reminds me of the "god's eyes" (Ojos de Dios) I used to make as a child.

Thread wrap in powder blue, S20 division in metallic copper. Embroidery in a total of 7 shades of brown, rust orange, beige, light yellow. The quote by from a poem by Seamus Heaney is in the bell box, along with 29 brass rings. Circumference: 11inches / 28 cm; diameter: 3.5 inches / 8.9 cm. Completed 29 May 2012 (no. 129).

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imagination needs . . .

So you see, imagination needs moodling—long, inefficient, happy idling, dawdling and puttering.
— Brenda Ueland (1891–1985)

I'm still on the quest for "perfecting" the pattern-element I saw in some Japanese photos of kiku herringbone with long / spindly inner points (see no. 110). With each attempt I make adjustments, learn a little more, end up with a happy temari, and get ideas for the next try.

Thread wrap in seafoam-celadon green (light, very-slightly-blue green); S10 division with guidelines removed. Embroidery in light and medium blueish greens and periwinkle-violet. The quote by Brenda Ueland is in the bell box along with 27 brass rings. Circumference: 10 inches / 25.5 cm; diameter: 3.18 inches / 8.11 cm. Completed 1 May 2012 (no. 117).

an art of balance

What I dream of is an art of balance.
— Henri Matisse (1869–1954)

Like nos. 95 & 96, I wanted to do another "individual" herringbone stitch design. I think of these as "spirograph" designs, though this one is less so than 95 and 96, I believe because if how I divided the colors as well as fewer divisions.

Thread wrap in gray-brown; S16 division, guidelines removed after stitching; embroidery in 8 shades of silver-browns and moss greens. The quote above by Matisse is in the bell box along with 23 brass rings. Circumference: 9.875 inches / 25 cm; diameter: 3.14 inches / 7.95 cm. Completed 28 April 2012 (no. 116).

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wrote some blues

I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.
— Duke Ellington (1899–1974)

A variation of the wrap pattern I first used for no. 108.

Thread wrap in jet black; S6 but no marking lines. Embroidery in nine shades of blues, silver-blues, and grays. The quote by Duke Ellington is in the bell box along with 17 brass rings. Circumference: 10.325 inches / 26.5 cm; diameter: 3.28 inches / 8.43 cm. Completed 28 April 2012 (no. 115).

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things do not change, we change

Things do not change, we change.
— Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

A variation on no. 093 (which I liked so much I decided to keep it for myself). This temari has a reverse kiku herringbone pattern of two interlocked five-point stars—reverse means the kiku points are at the equator and not at the poles. The only problem is that it wasn't until the second to last row that I realized the mistake I had made at one pole! Still, if it sells, it will go for a good cause.

Thread wrap in purple; S10 division (guidelines removed); embroidery in 5 shades of very light lavender-white (not actually white) to dusky lavender to purple. The quote above by Thoreau is in the bell box along with 21 brass rings. Circumference: 10.5 inches / 26.8 cm; diameter: 3.34 inches / 8.53 cm. Completed 16 April 2012 (no. 111).


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oops! . . .

a good poem

The world is never the same once a good poem has been added to it.
— Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)

A favorite variation on the traditional 16-petal kiku (chrysanthemum) design — leaving a gap between the first four rows and last three rows of the petals, allowing the thread wrap to show through, for a lacier effect.

Thread wrap in light driftwood brown (sort of silvery-gray); S16 division in #8 perle. Embroidery in navy blue and and three gradated shades of brown. The quote by Thomas is in the bell box along with 17 brass rings. Circumference: 11.125 inches / 27.5 cm; diameter: 3.54 inches / 8.75 cm. Completed 28 March 2012 (no. 106).


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breathing room for the spirit

What art offers is space — a certain breathing room for the spirit.
— John Updike (1932–2009)

Another pattern like no. 94: a 20-point kiku herringbone design (uwagake chidori kagari) with a second round of kiku stitched in the opposite color under and around the points of the first.

Thread wrap in medium gray; S20 division in metallic silver; embroidery in dark pewter gray and light moss green (chartreuse). The quote above by John Updike is in the bell box along with 9 brass rings. Circumference: 11 inches / 27.7 cm; diameter: 3.5 inches / 8.81 cm. Completed 14 February 2012 (no. 101).


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discover new oceans

Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.
— André Gide (1869–1951)

This is a new (for me) variation on a kiku design. Two five-petal kiku flowers, interwoven, at each pole. Then starting from the centers of those petals, two more that have their petal tips layered at the equator with those from the other side. One side goes from light to dark, the other from dark to light; the centers are the same color breaks.

Thread wrap in navy blue; S10 division in medium silvery-blue #8 perle; embroidery in four shades of blue (three are silvery-blue) and four shades of coffee brown. The quote above by André Gide is in the bell box along with 17 brass rings. Circumference: 10.875 inches / 27.8 cm; diameter: 3.46 inches / 8.84 cm. Completed 9 February 2012 (no. 098).

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left: dark to light; right: light to dark

happiness is like a butterfly

Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond your grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.
— Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804–1864)

Upon finishing no. 95, I immediately wanted to make another "individual" herringbone stitch design to change parts of the design that I thought could look better (number of petals, length of petals, treatment at the equator)—and this version is much improved. Three layers of kiku herringbone petals; the first round has four five-point stars (which have layered tips across the equator), each in a shade of orange; the second round has four stars in four shades of blue and purple; the third round has four stars in four shades of green. On each round the stars are offset by one guideline — a spirograph-like effect. I chose "butterfly colors."

Thread wrap in black; S20 division, guidelines removed after stitching; embroidery in 12 shades of oranges, blues, purples and greens. The quote above by Hawthorne is in the bell box along with 11 brass rings. Circumference:10.75 inches / 27.2 cm; diameter: 3.42 inches / 8.65 cm. Completed 1 February 2012 (no. 096).


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wise men fashion themselves

Carpenters bend wood, fletchers bend arrows, wise men fashion themselves.
— Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha

This temari has a pattern two interlocked five-point kiku herringbone flowers, but the kiku points are at the equator and not at the poles, which is the standard. I did this once before (no. 65, an S16) and think this one turned out better as an S10, and I want to try working with this idea further. The petals have the opposite "arc" than when the kiku points are at the poles, and the whole thing reminds me of Islamic designs, and doors on mosques and other Islamic architecture or mosaics.

Thread wrap in purple; S10 division in metallic copper; embroidery in 5 shades of very light lavender-white (not actually white) to dusky lavender to purple. The quote above by the Buddha is in the bell box along with 14 brass rings. Circumference: 10.625 inches / 27 cm; diameter: 3.38 inches / 8.59 cm. Completed 30 January 2012 (no. 093).

this very moment

This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, luckily for us, it's with us wherever we are.
— Pema Chödrön (1936– )

My second attempt at the "kiku around kiku" technique, like no. 91. That was done on an S12, and this on an S20, which is what the original pattern called for. This is finer and more delicate because of the narrower petals. It has a 20-point kiku herringbone design (uwagake chidori kagari) with a second round of kiku stitched in the opposite color under and around the points of the first.

Thread wrap in charcoal gray; S20 division in black #8 perle; embroidery in olive green and orchid purple. The quote above by Pema Chödrön is in the bell box along with 7 brass rings. Circumference: 11.25 inches / 28.5 cm; diameter: 3.58 inches / 9.07 cm. Completed 29 January 2012 (no. 094).

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toward what i don't understand

Every day I make an effort to go toward what I don't understand.
— Yo-Yo Ma (1955– )

This is an experimental temari, using a traditional embroidery stitch (the buttonhole stitch) that's not generally used as part of temari stitching. I have been experimenting with traditional embroidery — click here to see my first experiment, no. 86, inspired by the water lily paintings of Monet. This is the second version of a buttonhole temari as I work to refine the pattern. It is visual expression of one way I feel about cello music.

Thread wrap in dark chocolate brown; S12 division with division lines removed; embroidery in four gradated shades of silver gray that has a touch of green, going from dark at one end of the temari to light at the other. The quote above by Yo-Yo Ma is in the bell box along with 11 brass rings. Circumference: 10.75 inches / 27 cm; diameter: 3.42 inches / 8.59 cm. Completed 18 January 2012 (no. 089).