the tints of autumn

The tints of autumn—a mighty flower garden, blossoming under the spell of the enchanter, Frost.
— John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892)

The traditional rose garden pattern as a tribute to deepening autumn.

Thread wrap in chocolate bown; S12 division in metallic silver. Embroidery in 10 shades of orange, red, yellow, and brown, plus silver. The quote by John Greenleaf Whittier is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.75 inches / 27.5 cm; diameter: 3.41 inches / 8.75 cm. Completed 29 October 2012 (no. 197).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

27 October shop update

The shop will be updated with eight new temari sale at noon Eastern time on Saturday October 27. I had been adding them to the shop singly, or in twos or sometimes threes, but decided on a change in approach — adding more at once — so this is the first time in awhile I'd have enough around together for a nice family photo!

Want to get a notification e-mail a couple days in advance of shop updates? See the sidebar at right for info on how to sign up.

letting go

Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness.
— Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Playing with multiple rows of layered kiku herringbone.

Thread wrap in medium silvery blue; S8 division matching perle #8. Embroidery in 6 shades of blues and browns. The quote by Thich Nhat Hanh is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 11.25 inches / 28.5 cm; diameter: 3.58 inches / 9 cm. Completed 23 October 2012 (no. 196).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

the direction of your dreams

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.
— Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

My second C10 division flax / hemp design (asanoha kagari); the first was no. 185.

Thread wrap in graphite gray. C10 division in ecru, with stitching in ecru and medium orange. The quote by Henry David Thoreau is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 12.125 inches / 31 cm; diameter: 3.85 inches / 10 cm. Completed 23 October 2012 (no. 194).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

nobody can bring you peace but yourself

Nobody can bring you peace but yourself.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

An S4 swirl design.

Thread wrap in taupe. S4 division; embroidery in dusty pink. The quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10 inches / 25.3 cm; diameter: 3.18 inches / 8 cm. Completed 22 October 2012 (no. 195).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

thousands of candles

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the single candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.
— Buddha

Another set of two small temari with the traditional flax (or hemp) design—asanoha kagari. Stitched with hand-dyed perle #8 thread—about half the thickness of the size I generally use.

No. 192: Thread wrap in lilac; C8 division and embroidery in #8 weight purple—naturally variegated from hand-dying for a subtle range of purple tones. Circumference: 7.75 inches / 19.5 cm; diameter: 2.46 inches / 6.2 cm. No. 193: Thread wrap in light pearl gray; C8 division and embroidery in the same purple. Circumference: 7.75 inches / 19.5 cm; diameter: 2.46 inches / 6.2 cm. The quote by Buddha is in the bell box of each, along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Completed 22 October 2012 (nos. 192, 193).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

left: no. 192; right: no. 193

castle in the clouds

There are no rules of architecture for a castle in the clouds.
— G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936)

Spindles!

Thread wrap in light sky blue. S12 division in metallic silver. Embroidery in blues, grays, and blue-greens. The quote by G. K. Chesterton is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 11 inches / 28 cm; diameter: 3.5 inches / 8.9 cm. Completed 21 October 2012 (no. 191).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

a poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom

A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom.
— Robert Frost (1874–1963)

One of my favorite techniques: interlocked, inverted kiku.

Thread wrap in black. S10 division in black perle #8. Embroidery in two blues, green, brown, and pale yellow. The quote by Robert Frost is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.875 inches / 27.5 cm; diameter: 3.46 inches / 8.75 cm. Completed 19 October 2012 (no. 190).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

my religion is kindness

My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.
— the Dalai Lama [His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso], (b. 1935)

A variation of a temari I designed not too long ago, no. 170. Intended to highlight the "negative space" at the poles — that is, the shapes formed by not stitching over the thread wrap.

Thread wrap in purple. S4, guidelines removed. Embroidery in purple, red, orange and pale yellow. The quote by the Dalai Lama is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10 inches / 25.5 cm; diameter: 3.18 inches / 8.11 cm. Completed 19 October 2012 (no. 188).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

the present moment

If we are not fully ourselves, truly in the present moment, we miss everything.
— Thich Nhat Hanh (b. 1926)

Once in while I am inspired to do a dual thread wrap; oftentimes it just looks messy which is why I usually avoid it, but certain colors can combine to make a neat effect. This silver gray and black combine to create almost a metallic effect.

Dual thread wrap in black and silver gray. S6, not marked. Layered wrap in grays, blues, and black, with a black obi. The quote by Thich Nhat Hanh is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 11.125 inches / 28.5 cm; diameter: 3.54 inches / 9 cm. Completed 17 October 2012 (no. 187).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org. 

life is an experiment

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
— Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)

Another very small temari — with an interlocked 2 x 5-point kiku pattern. The thread is perle #8 (half the weight I usually use).

Thread wrap in brass yellow gold. S8 division in perle 8. Embroidery in perle 8 black and light butterscotch. The quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 7.875 inches / 20 cm; diameter: 2.5 inches / 6.36 cm. Completed 16 October 2012 (no. 188).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

shown with no. 186, which is 3.6 inches diameter, for size reference

you can always begin again

No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.
— Buddha

I have crafted a number of temari using the traditional flax (or hemp; asanoha kagari) stitched on a C8 division. This is my first on a C10 division. Instead of stitching the flax "blossoms" (bundles of pine needle stitching) in squares, they are stitched into pentagons.

Thread wrap in dark navy — really midnight blue. C10 division in metallic silver, with hemp stitching in metallic gold. The quote by Buddha is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 12.125 inches / 31.5 cm; diameter: 3.85 inches / 10 cm. Completed 16 October 2012 (no. 185).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

moonless night

moonless night . . .
a powerful wind embraces
the ancient cedars
— Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694)

More experimentation with multiple rounds of interlocked kiku.

Thread wrap in dark gray. S10 division in perle #8. Embroidery in two shades of mushroom-gray-brown, and a very dark brown-black. The haiku by Bashō is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 11.25 inches / 28.5 cm; diameter: 3.58 inches / 9 cm. Completed 15 October 2012 (no. 186).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org. 

arrange whatever pieces come your way

Arrange whatever pieces come your way.
— Virginia Woolf (1882–1941)

This temari is one of my favorite designs; it's not complicated (well, slightly tricky at the end), but it is time consuming. I do love how it looks when finished.

Thread wrap not visible. S6 division made with cotton packaging twine, for support. Wrapped with numerous shades of grays, reds, and black (no white, just very light pearl gray). The quote by Virginia Woolf is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10 inches / 25.5 cm; diameter: 3.18 inches / 8.11 cm. Completed 13 October 2012 (no. 181).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.