series of 3: haiku by Matsuo Bashō

Continuing on my journey of creating temari in groups — whether common palettes, thematic quotations, or both — here are three new temari that all have haiku by Matsuo Bashō inside, and use same or similar color threads for wraps & stitching.

spring rain

spring rain

spring rain

spring rain
 
spring rain
conveyed under the trees
in drops
— Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694)

This is a design that I haven't done for some time now; it is a personal adaptation of a wrapped woven design that forms a star at the top and bottom where threads intersect. S6 division with no guidelines, but guidelines added in the S12 position for design purposes. Thread wrap in light pearl gray; embroidery in dark gray, a slightly-violet-hued sky blue, and butterscotch yellow (the same yellow and blue used in the other temari in this series). The haiku by Bashō is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 9.75 inches / 25 cm; diameter: 3.1 inches / 7.95 cm. Completed 21 March 2013 (no. 273).

For sale on Etsy to benefit Kiva.org.

temple bell

temple bell

temple bell

temple bell 

The temple bell stops.
But the sound keeps coming
out of the flowers.
— Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694)

An "S10" swirl (all clockwise). Thread wrap in graphite gray; embroidery in butterscotch yellow (the same yellow used in the other temari in this series). The haiku by Bashō is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 9.5 inches / 24.3 cm; diameter: 3.02 inches / 7.73 cm. Completed 21 March 2013 (no. 274).

For sale on Etsy to benefit Kiva.org.

the moon so pure

the moon so pure

the moon so pure

the moon so pure  

the moon so pure
a wandering monk carries it
across the sand
— Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694)

This is the first time I have tried this pattern: it's an S24 division, with 24 layered diamonds (of three rows each). The effect is fascinating — like a Fabergé egg, or something Moroccan. S24 division in metallic gold; thread wrap in golden brass yellow; embroidery in butterscotch yellow and a slightly-violet-hued sky blue (the same yellow and blue used in the other temari in this series). The haiku by Bashō is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.25 inches / 26.2 cm; diameter: 3.26 inches / 8.33 cm. Completed 22 March 2013 (no. 275).

For sale on Etsy 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

My second go at a C10 clockwise / counter-clockwise swirl; this time I realized I needed to put exactly the same number of stitches into each of the 120 triangles (as opposed to just filling them with however many it took), as well as always start the stitching at the right-angle corner of the triangle. I chose to tack all the C10 intersections with metallic gold in reference to the quote inside—all those candle flames.

Thread wrap in black. C10 division in golden yellow perle with metallic gold tacking. Stitching in golden yellow. Not counting the division or the tacking (or the stitches underground to get to the next triangle), 1440 visible stitches. . . . The quote by the Buddha is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 11.75 inches / 29.7 cm; diameter: 3.74 inches / 9.5 cm. Completed 13 December 2012 (no. 221).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

where your life wells forth

I could give you no advice but this: to go into yourself and to explore the depths where your life wells forth.
— Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926)

At long last, a C10 swirl that uses the clockwise / counter-clockwise method of filling the 120 little triangles created by the division (compared to filling larger shapes in with all-clockwise stitching). This is the next step up from the C8 swirl I finished recently — the number of triangles increases from 48 to 120. It reminds me (in these colors) of a hydrangea blossom. About 10–11 hours just for the stitching.

C10 division. Thread wrap in black. Embroidery in light [slightly violet-] blue. The quote by Rainer Maria Rilke is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 11.875 inches / 30 cm; diameter: 3.77 inches / 9.5 cm. Completed 23 November 2012 (no. 216).

For sale on Etsy to benefit Kiva.org.

to rise above the little things

One resolution I have made, and try always to keep, is this: to rise above the little things.
— John Burroughs (1837–1921)

A C10-style swirl. The stitching can be excuted very tightly, as here, or more loosely. Since the embroidery thread is a near match to the thread wrap, I didn't feel the need to have the thread wrap color show through as much as if it was a contrasting / complementary color. Plus, I really wanted to see how much I could refine my stitching. I think this is the most "packed," coverage yet, which is nice to know I can accomplish.

Thread wrap in cinnamon (red brown). Embroidery in medium-dark rust orange. The quote by John Burroughs is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.5 inches / 26.5 cm; diameter: 3.34 inches / 8.43 cm. Completed 20 November 2012 (no. 214).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

first snow

first snow —
begins in the darkness
ends in the darkness
— Nozawa Setsuko (1920–1995)

A C10-style swirl.

Thread wrap in black; C10 division, no guidelines. Embroidery in ecru. The haiku by Nozawa Setsuko is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.125 inches / 25.7 cm; diameter: 3.22 inches / 8.18 cm. Completed 5 November 2012 (no. 207).

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.

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.

be the change

Be the change that you wish to see in the world.
— Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948)

All-over swirl time again. Each time I work on one of these, I practice getting my stitched closer and more uniform. These take hours!

Dark charcoal gray wrap; sort of a C10 division, though it's actually a variant of an S4 division, and there are no marking lines. Embroidery in burnt coppery orange. The quote by Gandhi is in the bell box along with 17 brass rings. Circumference: 9.625 inches / 24.5 cm; diameter: 3 inches / 7.8 cm. Completed 23 February 2012 (no. 102).


Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

in utter simplicity

The new year arrived
in utter simplicity —
and a deep blue sky
— Kobayashi Issa (1763–1827)

Another swirl temari, for the new year.

Navy blue thread wrap; sort of a C10 division, though it's actually a variant of an S4 division, and there are no marking lines. Embroidery in medium silvery blue. The haiku by Issa is in the bell box along with 12 brass rings (for the approaching year of 2012). Circumference: 9.5 inches / 24 cm; diameter: 3 inches / 7.6 cm. Completed 22 December 2011 (no. 078).


Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

your corner of the Forest

You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.
— Winnie-the-Pooh, A. A. Milne (1882–1956)

An all-over spiral. I've learned a new way that does not require a C10 division first; rather an S4 division plus some measuring to find the shapes to fill in with the spiral pattern. Medium brown thread wrap with embroidery in light golden brown/tan. The quote by A. A. Milne is in the bell box along with 7 brass rings. Circumference: 9.625 inches / 24.5 cm; diameter: 3 inches / 7.8 cm. Completed 24 November 2011 (no. 063).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

so tremulously like a dream

I think, that if I touched the earth,
It would crumble;
It is so sad and beautiful,
So tremulously like a dream.
— Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)

Another all-over spiral, with a chocolate brown thread wrap and embroidery in smoky dusky rose. The quote from a poem by Dylan Thomas is in the bell box along with 7 brass rings. Circumference: 9.5 inches / 24 cm; diameter: 3 inches / 7.63 cm. Completed 31 October 2011 (no. 050).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

woven in plum scent

Great moon
woven in plum scent,
all mine.
— Kobayashi Issa (1763–1827)

Another C10 all-over spiral pattern, like "firefly" and "focus in the brightest." You can see the un-embroidered step of this in part four of the "anatomy of a temari" posts.

Purple thread wrap with embroidery in a hard-to-define plum/dark lavender/purply violet. The haiku by Issa is in the bell box along with 11 brass rings. Circumference: 9.625 inches / 24.5 cm; diameter: 3 inches / 7.75 cm. Completed 17 October 2011 (no. 041).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.