grandmother star - or, how big is a temari?

Temari range in size from very small (marble sized?) to very large (very, very large). I'm taking the "Grandmother Star" class from Barb Suess. It's from her that I took my first class for my first temari in her "Morning Glory" pattern.

This is the largest temari I have made to date. Most of mine average 25 to 29 centimeters in circumference. In the photos, the purple temari is no. 93, and is 27 cm / 10.625 inches in circumference, which is 8.59 cm / 3.38 inches in diameter.

The tennis ball is 21 cm / 8.25 inches circumference (6.68 cm / 2.62 inches diameter).

And, the large prepped off-white mari is going to be the Grandmother Star. It has 6 cups of rice hulls inside (I usually use a little more than one cup) — and its circumference is 41 cm / 16.125 inches (13 cm / 5.13 inches in diameter).

Stay tuned! This is temari no. 100 (I number them when I start, and don't always finish in order — though I have yet not to finish one).

contemplation — "maritime stars"

Contemplation is the highest form of activity.
—Aristotle

This temari is my color variation on a design by Barbara Suess, "Maritime Stars" (her original is in blue, white, and black). It combines kiku stars (six of them) with the rest filled in with an "all-over" swirl. It's a combination of techniques that I first learned with the five-petal kiku herringbone and Suess's "Oliver Twist" pattern.

This is the first C8 (combination 8) division I have done. Creating the division wasn't hard, but the stars need to be perfectly placed and executed and that seems to require some feat of engineering that I have yet to fully understand. Still, it is a fairly forgiving pattern, maybe just because it is so nice to look at . . .

Thread wrap in very dark brown; no division lines (they're removed partway through the process); embroidery in light blue, dark chocolate brown, and three more shades of brown each one shade lighter. The quote by Aristotle is in the bell box, with twelve brass rings. Circumference: just over 10.25 inches / 26 cm; diameter: 3.25 inches / 8 cm. Completed 22 August 2011 (no. 018).

oliver twist no. 3

The third "Oliver Twist" temari — my stitching is improving, getting more even. This one has a thread-wrap of very dark green, with embroidery in a sort of celadon green (called medium blue green by the manufacturer). Circumference: 9.5 inches / 24.5 cm; diameter: 3 inches / 7.8 cm. Completed 18 August 2011 (no. 016).

oliver twist no. 2

A second example of the pattern called "Oliver Twist." This time around I used a thread wrap of brown — coffee with just a bit of cream — and embroidery in a coffee-with-lots-and-lots-of-cream color. Circumference: approximately 9.25 inches / 23.5 cm; diameter: approximately 3 inches / 7.5 cm. Completed 13 August 2011 (no. 010).

echo star

so clear the sound
echoes to the Big Dipper
the fulling block*
—Matsuo Bashō (1644–1694)

Here is another pattern by Barbara Suess called Echo Star. While the colors are not my palette (the pattern comes as a kit with wrapping thread and embroidery thread, as did Morning Glory and Oliver Twist), the technique of layered stars is filled with possibilities. The Echo Star temari is just over 3.5 inches / 9 cm in diameter (11.25 inches / 29 cm in circumference); the other two are the smaller companion temari (3 inches / 7.5 cm in diameter). The two companion pieces focus on interlocked star and solid layered star embroidery techniques. Completed August 2011 (nos. 011, 012, 013).

*This is the haiku in the bell-box of the large temari. A fulling block (kinuta) was used to pound fabric and bedding to remove creases, making a distinctive sound.

Echo Star, top (pole view)

Echo Star, 3/4 view

Echo Star, side view

Echo Star, detail

Companion temari; interlocked star (left) and solid layered star (right)

Companion temari, another view

oliver twist

No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.
—Charles Dickens

This is "Oliver Twist," a pattern by Barbara Suess. It's a deceptively simple pattern with the finished temari looking exquisitely complicated, a puzzle, Escher-like. It does require that the stitching be consistent and methodical, so it's good practice. Given the name, the quote above by Dickens for the bell box seemed apropos. 9.75 inches (25 cm) circumference; about 3 inches (10 cm) diameter. Completed 6 August 2011 (no. 009).

the first three temari: "morning glory"

Following the pattern by Barbara Suess, here are the results of my first attempt at making temari. The main temari is called "Morning Glory," and is about 3 inches in diameter; the other two are slightly smaller "companion temari," with complementary patterns in the same colors. Like a proud mother, I'm posting lots of photos. Completed 26 July 2011 (nos. 001, 002, 003).

Morning Glory, top view

Morning Glory

Morning Glory, side view

companion temari no. 1

companion termari no. 2

the two companion temari

the set of three