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.

series of 5 spring-themed temari

A series of 5 purple and green temari heralding spring . . .

cut all the flowers

cut all the flowers

cut all the flowers

cut all the flowers
You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming.
— Pablo Neruda (1904–1973)

A layered kiku design — 2 x 4-point stars. S8 division in #5 dark moss green; thread wrap in eggplant purple; embroidery in 7 shades of moss and avocado green and ecru. The quote by Neruda 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 7 March 2013 (no. 266).
Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

it is spring again

it is spring again

it is spring again

it is spring again
It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart. 
— Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926)

A traditional spindle design. S6 division in #8 lilac; thread wrap in lilac; embroidery in 5 shades of violets/orchids and blue-greens. The quote by Rilke is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.375 inches / 26.3 cm; diameter: 3.3 inches / 8.37 cm. Completed 6 March 2013 (no. 267).
Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

very spirits singing

very spirits singing

very spirits singing

very spirits singing
. . . 
(all the merry little birds are
flying in the floating in the
very spirits singing in
are winging in the blossoming)
. . . 
— E. E. Cummings (1894–1962)

A modern variation on the 16-pt kiku (chrysanthemum) design. S16 division in metallic silver; thread wrap in eggplant purple; embroidery in 4 shades of avocado green and yellow-green. The stanza by Cummings is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.75 inches / 27.2 cm; diameter: 3.42 inches / 8.65 cm. Completed 5 March 2013 (no. 268).
Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

blooming most recklessly

blooming most recklessly

blooming most recklessly

blooming most recklessly
Everything is blooming most recklessly; if it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.
— Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926)

An original design with traditional stitches; a 5-point descending herringbone star with a 5-point inverse kiku star over it. S10 division in #8 light mint green; thread wrap in light mint green; embroidery in 11 shades of purples and blue-greens. The quote by Rilke is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 9.625 inches / 24.5 cm; diameter: 3.06 inches / 7.79 cm. Completed 4 March 2013 (no. 269).
Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

a perpetual astonishment

a perpetual astonishment

a perpetual astonishment

a perpetual astonishment
Every spring is the only spring—a perpetual astonishment.
— Ellis Peters (Edith Mary Pargeter; 1913–1995)

A wrapped design, sort of arts & crafts, with 3 bands intersecting a 6 points. S4 division, no guidelines; thread wrap in eggplant purple; embroidery in 5 shades of purples and blue-greens. The quote by Peters is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 9.75 inches / 24.5 cm; diameter: 3.1 inches / 7.79 cm. Completed 5 March 2013 (no. 270).
Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

blue & brown series of 3: dragonfly, the more real, the journey

A new "series" of three temari in blue and brown. Now that I've been painting again, I thought it would be interesting to approach groups of temari with a similar color palette.

dragonfly

dragonfly

dragonfly

dragonfly

the distant mountains
are reflected in the eye
of the dragonfly
— Kobayashi Issa (1763–1827)

An S6 wrapped design, just one thread for each colored row, with space between to give an air of . . well, air. A wide obi. Thread wrap in silvery brown (a squirrel brown); embroidery in 11 shades of blue and brown. The haiku by Issa 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 26 February 2013 (no. 263).
Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

the more real

the more real

the more real

the more real

The longer you look at an object, the more abstract it becomes, and, ironically, the more real.
— Lucien Freud (1922–2011) 

A layered kiku design, 2 x 4-point stars, with gaps at the outer points. S16 division in metallic silver; thread wrap in sky blue; embroidery in 4 shades of blue and brown. The quote by Freud is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.75 inches / 27.2 cm; diameter: 3.42 inches / 8.65 cm. Completed 25 February 2013 (no. 264).
Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

the journey

the journey

the journey

the journey

It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end.
— Ursula K. Le Guin (b. 1929)  

An interlocked kiku design, 2 x 5-point stars. I have come to think of this as one of my signature designs; it's one of my favorite to make. S10 division, guidelines removed; thread wrap in medium navy blue; embroidery in 8 shades of blue and brown. The quote by Le Guin 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 27 February 2013 (no. 265).
Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

woven in plum scent

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

My tribute to the holidays!

Thread wrap in purple; S6 division, no guidelines. Embroidery in ten shades of violet, plum, purple, lavender, orchid, and metallic silver. The haiku by Issa is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.75 inches / 27.5 cm; diameter: 3.42 inches / 8.75 cm. Completed 22 December 2012 (no. 231).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

the simple things

It's the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary . . .
— Paulo Coelho (b. 1947)

Thread wrap in brass yellow. S6 division in oatmeal. Embroidery in 4 shades of muted gold, rusts, and chocolate brown. The quote by Paulo Coelho is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.75 inches / 27.3 cm; diameter: 3.42 inches / 8.7 cm. Completed 8 December 2012 (no. 224).

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. 

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.