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.

the more abstract, the more real

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

Another swirl, of the C8 cw / ccw variety, with the tacking in metallic thread. This tacking style on a C10 received some lovely compliments from some fellow temari-makers, and I continue to enjoy how it looks and enhances the patterns in the design.

Thread wrap in black. C8 division with metallic copper tacking. Stitching in light silvery-gray (with a very slight tinge of beige—a "white birch bark" kind of color). The quote by Lucien Freud is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.625 inches / 26.8 cm; diameter: 3.38 inches / 8.53 cm. Completed 20 December 2012 (no. 227).

Sold to beneft Kiva.org.

 

curiosity

Curiosity is insubordination in its purest form.
— Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977)

A C6 swirl stitched entirely clockwise, compared to the clockwise / counter-clockwise method.

C6 division. Thread wrap in chocolate brown. Embroidery in light creamy brown. The quote by Vladimir Nabokov is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 9.875 inches / 25.1 cm; diameter: 3.14 inches / 7.98 cm. Completed 24 November 2012 (no. 217).

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.

new year's day

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
— Edith Lovejoy Pierce (1904–1983)

Another swirl design, though this time stitched on a C8 division — my first in this style. 48 triangles filled alternating clockwise and counter-clockwise. To the best of my reckoning, the pointed shapes come out in three or four points because on the C8 you can view it as having either triangle or square shaped areas; this is in contrast to a C6 swirl where all pointed shapes have 3 points (and I guess 2 [for both C6 and C8]?, but I see those less as autonomous shapes). Next up is a C10, where I assume they'll come out as 5-points (and maybe others?). To be continued . . .

Thread wrap in silvery lilac. Embroidery in dusky antique lavender. The quote by Edith Lovejoy Pierce is in the bell box along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Circumference: 10.25 inches / 26 cm; diameter: 3.26 inches / 8.27 cm. Completed 20 November 2012 (no. 215).

Sold 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.

in the droplets of dew

I like to wash
the dust of this world
in the droplets of dew.
— Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694)

A C6 swirl design. Thread wrap in straw yellow; C6 division. Embroidery in light silver blue. The haiku by Matsuo Bashō 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 14 November 2012 (no. 213).

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.

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.

this floating world

Year's end, all
the corners of this 
floating world, swept.
— Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694)

The swirl pattern on a C6 division—first time I have tried this division. With 24 little triangles to fill with swirl stitching, this was a labor of love, worked on over many days. At first I thought it was too big, but now that it is finished it looks lovely, like a big pearl.

Thread wrap in purple with embroidery in very light dusty antique lavender. The haiku by Bashō 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 6 October 2012 (no. 173).

Sold to benefit Kiva.org.

don't worry, spiders

Don't worry, spiders,
I keep house
casually.
— Kobayashi Issa (1763–1828)

A set of two small temari with the traditional flax (or hemp) design—asanoha kagari. They're stitched with hand-dyed perle #8 thread—about half the thickness of #5, the size I generally use—which is naturally variegated in a palette of soft colors.

No. 175: Thread wrap in pearl gray; C8 division and embroidery in #8 "Scottish heather"—a range from soft browns to soft grays. Circumference: 9 inches / 23 cm; diameter: 2.86 inches / 7.32 cm. No. 176: Thread wrap in silver gray; C8 division and embroidery in #8 "charcoal"—blacks and grays with a very slight blue hue. Circumference: 9.25 inches / 23.5 cm; diameter: 2.94 inches / 7.48 cm. The haiku by Issa is in the bell box of each, along with brass rings that make a quiet traditional rattle. Completed 3 October 2012 (nos. 175, 176).

Sold to beneft Kiva.org.

left: no. 175; right: no. 176