Temari Stands

I purchased some wooden shadow box stands from York some weeks ago to display my temari when I am at festivals. I felt I needed some extra security to stop them rolling away if the table gets bumped so I purchased some discs to sit the temari on, this also means the temari wont sit on the woods' beeswax finish.

The bonus of clear ring is that he fade away to the background and will go with every temari (I don't need to remember which stand goes with which temari), but as I looked at them in the packages I thought about what they might look like covered in thread to match a temari. I tried to wrap a single ring but couldn't get it to look neat so I stacked two together and it came out really nicely.

Here is the same blue wrapped ring from the photo above placed under a temari. I think I will wrap a ring stand for all my future gift temari.

The same temari on top of the large and small disk is featured in the photo below. I like that they temari looks like it is floating just above the surface, but it wont roll away.

I am also going to stick one of these rings into my temari project bag so that when I have to put it down for a spell it wont roll away from me then either.

If you want some of these rings I've added some of my excess (I purchased way more than I need) here.

New Cosmo Thread Colours

I know I have been promising to extend the colour range of Cosmo threads, but it has proven more difficult than I had anticipated. Also while researching these threads (and their availablilty in Australia) I discovered that the only other seller I could find had their retail price for these threads listed at $4.00 per skein... makes mine a bargain at only $2.70 each.

Good news is that I have begun ordering new colours and the first lot has just arrived. I will be increasing the range by 20 colours each time I order and we should eventually extend to the full palette of Cosmo Pearl 5 threads.

Here are the new colours.

I've got 8 other colours on back order which wont arrive until May :( but these colours add depth to the current range because they include the in between colours... essential for making those shaded temari.

I've added them to the store. Go over and check them out.

Gotta run, happing stitching

Answering emails... Which thread?

For many of us there is no local needlework store (LNS), we are often left with no other choice than to turn to the Internet for our supplies. This week I got an email from a customer who had a question about the difference between two metallic threads.

When I began temari making in Perth the Internet was also my only option. There aren't too many LNS in Perth and those that are here don't carry everything a new temari maker wants and most of the staff behind the counter (while knowledgeable in other forms of embroidery) have never even heard of temari, let alone seen one or know what tools and threads to suggest to a newbie. I guess this is how my online store began. I got tired of never being able to find what I wanted at the store to I started my own small business and the rest is history.

Now I carry a range that includes metallic, rayon & cotton threads, needles, v rulers, books and the like.

We all have our own favourite threads for stitching temari. Each thread has its own pro/con depending on the projects use, users desired outcome and stitching skill.

Here is an image to compare the various threads I have for sale in my store.

From this image you can see the thickness of each thread. I've even included a sample of DMC (which I don't sell) so you can compare a thread you are familiar with to others you may not have seen before.  In addition to the thicknesses there are other aspects of each thread to take into consideration when choosing which one to use in your project. 

Cosmo Lame and Nordic Gold while very similar in terms of thickness, are manufactured in different ways. Nordic Gold is a chainette and has a slight stretch when pulled. Cosmo Lame is a braid and it has a slight flatness. Both of these threads are a little thinner than Perle 5 cotton so you need to be aware of it's potential to get lost between lots of tightly spaced rows of stitching. Cosmo Lame is sold in 3 shades in our store, Nordic Gold comes in 14 shades. 

Treasure Braid Petite is substantially thinner than the other metallic threads (although one or two shades are a little thicker than the one in the image). They are made as a braid and are quite strong despite their fineness. They are great for adding multiple lines to a C10 or C8 temari. While I wouldn't stitch with them along side Perle 5 thread, they are great for adding fine detail to outer edges or making small matsuba,  stars shape, obi chidori and the like. They work perfectly as a substitute metallic stitching thread when using fine stitching threads (like top stitch quilt or single strand embroidery thread) on tiny and teeny temari. This range comes in more than 70 shades and several levels of shimmer.

KYO thread is made with rayon which makes it GLOW on your temari, so much so that taking a really great photograph of temari stitched with KYO is quite difficult. It is thinner than Perle 5 cotton (between DMC #5 and DMC #8) is a little slippery but it is divine to work with as it rarely gets kinks and is quite strong. A good size knot or several zigzags underground at the beginning of stitching will keep it anchored nicely and you'll need a couple of zigzags at the end too. This thread is also available in more than 70 shades.

Cosmo Cotton #5 pearl is the thread used in many of the Japanese language temari books. It is softer than DMC so it plumps nicely and knots up much less too. This thread is not very well known to the rest of us but has a long history of usage in Japan and is much loved by Japanese embroiderers, it really is a great quality thread equal to (if not better than) DMC. There are 260 shades in this range. I really like using this thread to stitch my temari and although I don't carry the full range of colours at this stage, I hope to continue to widen the selections available over time.

There is an almost infinite variety of threads available to temari makers and the ranges I sell are my favourites. They are the ones I have tried, tested and found to offer the best results for most applications.  Visit the Temari Addict Australia supply store for more information of these ranges of threads.

My number one recommendation for purchasing threads on the Internet is to invest in a colour chart for the ranges you prefer to use. Purchasing from an image on the screen can sometimes result in disappointment when the 'in person' shade doesn't match the 'monitor' shade and it can throw off your whole design.

Answering emails... Where to find Temari Classes in Australia

I get emails on a regular basis which are seeking the answers to many Temari related questions, lots of them ask similar things. So seeing as I haven't got any new stitching to show today (I'm packing up for a 2 day workshop) I thought I'd share another recent email.

The writer is interested in starting temari making and asked about the possibility of finding Temari classes in Victoria because she wanted to see temari making in action as the books at her local library just didn't do it for her.

Promoting temari making... well I am all about that, so here are my suggestions.

I am not sure which books you have been looking through, there are some good ones I highly recommend for beginners.

Making temari is really the most enjoyable creative pursuit I have discovered but I too found it tough going working from a book alone when I started out. Sometimes I would get lost in between Picture A and Picture B on the page... sometimes there really is no substitute for moving pictures to show technique. (I know those of us lucky enough to have attended a real live class will agree)

The only place I know in Victoria that takes classes is Kimono House . I am not sure how often the classes run, but several ladies in Victoria have attended them previously. (I really must get around to calling them to find out more about the workshops they offer to Temari makers.) There are also some stitching videos in the temarikai website toolkit, but these deal more with executing various stitches once the temari has been prepared for stitching.

I run workshops in Perth from time to time (and I am honoured to have a lady who travels from Victoria to attend some of these). Also I think some CWA branches and embroidery associations around Australia may also run classes occasionally (if they have a temari maker in their local guild).

I also have a video tutorial series available from my store which shows how to wrap, mark and stitch 2 designs. There are also printable copies of the pattern and shopping lists on the disk which give advice on the best type of threads, needles, etc... to use which will make starting out a breeze. Just pop the disk into your computer and off you go.

I hope that this information is helpful, please don't hesitate to make contact again for any further assistance.

Here is a heads up for my fellow Australian temari makers. If you are interested in reaching out to other potential temari addicts (or forming a local group) in the Real World just drop me a line and I can try to put you in touch with someone else in your area. I know there are now temari makers living in most Australian States.

Answering emails... Where to buy temari books

I get emails on a regular basis which are seeking the answers to many temari related questions, lots of them ask similar things. So seeing as I haven't got any new stitching to show today (I've been pattern writing this week) I thought I'd share one recent email.

The writer asked about a magazine that regularly has temari patterns or to recommend a retailer and books to help encourage her Mother in continuing with temari making.

 Promoting temari making... well I am all about that, so here are my suggestions.

There are no magazines (I am aware of) which regularly feature temari making but there are several books written in English about this craft.
You can find a post on this blog where you will find details about temari books. Some shop front book stores may be willing/able to order in these books for you if you provide the ISBN, Author's Name or Book Title. 

The English language books I recommend are Barbara B Suess and Mary Wood. There is also a 5 volume series of temari books written by Diana Vandervoort, (personally I don't find them very easy to follow - but then that is just me, many other people find these texts a wonderful resource). 

I don't retail the English language books but I do sell most of the in print Japanese titles and an excellent range of temari making threads, needles etc. from my supply store.

On the Internet there are several good places to visit for free patterns. Once you have learned the basic stitching and marking techniques you can also go to TemariKai to view a toolbox of techniques and a wonderful range of patterns. . [I omitted the reference to TK in my email because I hit send too soon - silly me  - also TK has 9 pages of free patterns too.]

I run workshops in Perth from time to time and I think some local CWA branches and embroidery associations around Australia also do this occasionally (if they have a temari maker in their local guild).

I hope that this information is helpful, please don't hesitate to make contact again for any further assistance.

Hope that information is a good start point for anyone interested in beginning temari making.

While I think of what to stitch... let me ponder what to order

I am coming up for air from the recent Cosmo Pearl 5 thread launch sale. Lots of people took the opportunity to try this gorgeous thread out for themselves. All the orders are finally away in the mail as of Monday this week. Now I am sitting back wondering what other colours to order in? Any ideas? Request a colour you would like to see.

Currently I am thinking of the colours circled in the image below, I already carry all the highlighted codes. The circled colours are 204, 240, 107, 800, 316A, 319, 534, 981A

You can click the image to see it a little larger. I will order about 20 colours so if you have your heart set on a particular shade now is the time to ask for it. Just leave a comment below or send me a note. First In or Most Requested will be ordered.

Cosmo threads on sale... last 3 days.

Our 'try me' special on Cosmo threads is just about to end. If you are considering this thread you just have 3 days* to grab some for your stash at the special introduction price of $2.00AUD and saving of 60cAUD!

I can send this thread anywhere but international orders will have an additional invoice sent for the postage as it is impossible to get a correct price for this in the shopping cart. Remember the special price only applies to shades that are currently in stock - these are shaded with blue over the number in the image.

Here's the link to the store... dash over there and take a look now.

I am still trying to source the colour swatches made of real thread for this brand... it is a little like pulling teeth to be honest but I wont give up until I succeed.

*This offer ends Midnight on April 30th, 2011 Australian WST.

Cosmo Temari Books and now Cosmo Pearl 5 Threads

I addition to stocking KYO Rayon temari thread I'm glad to announce that I have secured Cosmo Perle No5 threads to sell here in Australia. It is very exciting news and while I have only a small range (about 70 shades) to start with I will be expanding the colour selections going forwards. I want you to try them out so until the end of April 2011 I'm offering these beautiful threads at the awesome "try me" price of just $2.00 each.  This offer only applies to in stock colours. From May 1st the regular selling price will be $2.60.

If you've never heard of this thread here's what you need to know:
Lecien has been marketing COSMO threads since 1950. Today COSMO holds the No.1 position of total thread sales in the Japanese market.
COSMO is the brand of thread used in many Japanese temari pattern books including the Cosmo 1-7 series of temari books. COSMO threads are strong but soft and resistant to tangling, this makes them delightful to stitch with. The superior dyeing techniques used by Leicen have created threads that have an amazing level of color retention.

There are just over 250 colours in this range and they are simply gorgeous. Our price (even our regular price) makes them much better value than DMC or Anchor skeins and the threads are of equal, if not better, quality. The skeins are 25m in length and are a 2 ply single strand made with 100% cotton.

The colours numbers highlighted with blue in the store colour charts are in stock, all other colours may be requested but could take several weeks to arrive.

I have been using this thread for a while now and my most recent completed project was the Stitch for Japan temari.

Books glorious books

I got my big order from Japan today! Yatta! So exciting. I spent a while this morning adding them to the supply store. There are 6 new books that I have added to the range we carry and all out of stock items are now back in stock.

What's new? I'm glad you asked.

In the $30 book range there are four new titles:

There is also a new addition to the $25 book range (left image) and $40 book range (right image)

Some of these titles can be difficult to get outside of Japan, and many of them never appear on eBay so I am very proud to be able to offer these for sale. Check out our store for more details.



Book Stock Arrives

The first box from my large order of books has arrived from Japan. I have replenished all the Cosmo books that were previously out of stock so here is your chance to grab one. There is another large (I mean huge) box on its way... which contains some books that we haven't previously carried. I'll put them up in the store when they arrive.

Temari Train tips for understanding Japanese patterns

Debi A at Temari Train of thought has written an excellent post for anyone just beginning to decipher all those wonderful temari diagrams to be found in books or on the net.

A common bother for all new comers to foreign language temari books seems to be the reader's inability to read what is written in the text. We all get worried about that in the beginning... or at least until we realise how much information can be found in the diagrams and photos.

Here is the link http://temarimath.info/temaritrain/?p=1784.

Thank you Debi for writing your informative post... I expect if you listen carefully you may hear the sound many pennies dropping all around the world.

And now that you have some clues on how to understand the patterns... have a look at our range of temari books available in our store.

I've got a new temari to share but I'll post it tomorrow because I forgot to take a pic in the daylight today.

Pretty Pretty Shiny Shiny

If you've got kids (or grand kids) you may have heard this being chanted... I think it is from the kids cartoon My Gym Partner 's a Monkey... which I am sure is a program designed to rot children's brains (like 98% of all children's television) but it's one of my son's favourites and I guess if I don't let him watch the Simpsons then maybe it all evens out?!... or not. 

Anyway this post is not about children's tv but rather my newest favourite thing. My 9 litre stainless steel maslin (jam) pan with interior volume measurements marked in litres and pints right on the inside. It is much more shiny in real life. Tomorrow I am taking it up to my Mum's house for it's maiden cook up. I am going to try Cherry Jam without pectin... I really hope it works out because I'll be pitting 1.5kg of cherries for the job (of course Mr M will probably eat a good portion of them, he is like a truffle dog and can sniff out pitted cherries at 500 metres) if it doesn't set up we will have some delicious ice-cream topping anyway.

I am going to be sure to wear an old black shirt so I wont care if it gets ruined. I dug my cherry/olive pitter out from the back of the utensil draw and my microplane to shred the lemon peel - actually the microplane just needed washing up as I used it to shave Romano cheese onto my pasta dinner tonight.

I also purchased a knob of ginger at the store today because I want to make some pink pickled ginger, not sure if that will happen though as I forgot to get rice wine at Seoulmart today so I might need to find another use for it... maybe shredded with the microplane into warm water... mmm ginger tea! I think Miho wants to make piccalilli and I'm not sure what Mum will make.

Next week I am going to make up another big batch of Sherry Brescia's Pasta Sauce, I made some a few weeks ago and it was delicious even though I forgot to add the red wine and Parmesan to it. Now I have this huge pot I won't have to worry about it sloshing out the top of the pot when I stir it.

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In Temari related news: I have finished wrapping my TC ball, it worked out to be 49.7cm  round, and I have marked it as a C10. I am still stuck on the TK ball... thanks to Jane I know the shape to stitch but I'm still not quite sure on how far from the pole to begin so I'm going to wait for more info... I hate ripping out!

I received a voucher from my local Spotlight store (like Joannes?) for $40 off with a $100 purchase and found some 100g balls of yarn for $2 and $3 each, 4 Milford threads and some cheap spools of over locker thread (2000m for $1) so I splurged and now I have enough wool (I lost count at 35 balls) to reach from my doorstep all the way into the main post office in the Perth CBD... (this is between 15-18kms) Thank goodness I hoard the shipping boxes sent to me, I have a huge box full of yarn now.

I also started to clean out my workroom, which was looking like a scene from 2012. All the larger boxes are away (including the Christmas Decorations too) so all that's left is the counter top. Now I just need to get the 2 bathroom exhaust fans and the kitchen range hood installed so there will be a little more space in the corner for our teams Soccer equipment which has come to live at our house again until September. I don't hold out too much hope for this as I have been 'very gently' suggesting that we install the range since 1999 (no sadly I am not joking, embellishing or mistyping the year) and 'less gently' suggesting that we install it since 2009 when we did a mini renovation of the kitchen. I think I need to strike until this installation work is done, maybe a stitch in... I could refuse to do anything except temari making until the range hood is installed, or maybe sit the box on my hubby's pillow until he gets tired of moving it every night. Any other suggestions??

My new favourite things are...

A Clover ring thimble with plate! Gotta love all things Clover!

I have long complained to my family about the constant rough patch on my palm due to temari making, it is always dry and discoloured no matter how many types of hand cream I use. Their solution is not to stitch temari... excuse me?? are they serious?? They may as well suggest I stop breathing too!

 At a class last year one of my students told me I should try a sail makers palm so I did some investigating but they all seemed a little too big and cumbersome but I did manage to stumble across this neat solution. I had never seen one of these 'in person' but my wholesaler could get them for me. So here is one on my hand... my rather berry stained hand.

I love that these are adjustable... even to fit comfortably on my great sausage-like fingers. I have tested a little stitching with this on and it is awesome... I have put some up in the shop.

Why are my hands berry stained? I spent the day with my Mum making jam at her home. I made two small batches of Raspberry and then Mum made one large batch of Strawberry with Vanilla jam. Isn't that colour  of raspberries in the pan amazing? I think my fingers got stained from washing all the dishes afterwards.

Of course we had no nice fresh bread to try the jams on so I also made a batch of scones to eat them with whipped cream.  Sorry I forgot to take a photo before we gobbled them all up. I love scones, many people dread making them because they are hard to get fluffy inside but crisp on the outside. I remember at high school we all drew recipes from a hat for our final Home Economics examination. Everyone in the room chanted to themselves 'please don't be scones' as they drew from the hat... when My turn came I drew scones but somehow I managed to score a perfect 100%. I think I've only made them 3 times in the last 20+ years. Tonight like the last times I've made them I exclaimed 'I don't know why I don't make these more often, they are so easy' and that is because they really are. 

Scones

2 cups of Self Raising Flour,

A pinch of Salt

about 3 or 4 teaspoons of Butter (No margarine)

Enough milk to bring it together (just under 1 cup).

Preheat the oven to 230C and line a try with baking paper. Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl (yes it should be sifted at least twice but a 30 second whisk is fine). Rub in the teaspoons of butter with fingertips and then whisk gently for a second time (this makes up for not sifting and aerates the mixture a bit more) Make a well in the center and pour in almost all the milk. Use a butter knife (I just mean an ordinary knife not a meat cleaver or other sharp knife) to mix in the milk until the dry dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured board and roll out (or press out with your palms as I did tonight - I can't believe my Mum doesn't own a rolling pin!) until 3/4 inch thick and then cut into rounds and place on oven tray. Be economical with the cutting as scones don't like to be re-rolled and get tough. Brush tops with a little milk (or egg wash if you have it but milk is fine) and place in the oven but turn it down to 210C and bake for about 10 minutes ... until just lightly golden on the tops. From start to finish this recipe takes about 15 minutes to make.

Pop on the kettle and make your cup of tea while they are in the oven. Break the scones open fill with jam and whipped cream then put on your best Queen Elizabeth II accent and enjoy.

 Here are two of the jars, Raspberry on the left and Strawberry with Vanilla on the right.

I love love love Raspberry jam but had never made it before. In the preserving books I have they mentioned that Raspberry was the easiest jam to begin with.  It tasted much nicer than any store bought jam... of course I am only slightly biased. 

On the other hand I passionately despise strawberry jam, just the thought of it makes my skin crawl (bizarre because I really adore fresh strawberries) so it took some coaxing for me to try this jam but it was really nice, very nice and I'd actually eat it again without needing to be tied to a chair and forcefully fed it... I think it was the addition of Vanilla or maybe the little bit of motherly love stirred into it. I am going to look around for some nice cherries to preserve next week. Yummy!!

I hope you spend your day doing something awesome.

I've got a new temari to share next time.

Store updates.

Just before the big bumper bingle* last Friday, I had spent a few days updating the Temari Addict Australia Supply Store. It had been quite a while since I did any housekeeping in the store so it was well overdue. 

I've changed the banner to match this blog background, updated many product images and added some new product lines. All the books are now featured 4 to a page so the cover images are a little bit bigger. I also did a mini stock take and found a book I've had in stock that wasn't yet listed in the store. It is now of course!

I'll have more time (theoretically) coming up so I will be able to be more vigilant about keeping all the listings fully stocked so I've changed the inventory system to show all items again (this will allow you to back order any out of stock items as they will no doubt be on their way from the supplier). I'll be ordering more frequently so things should get back to being rarely out of stock. There is a big KYO and Cosmo series order about to arrive at the door so if there is something you wanted head over to the store to take a look. Also I am getting colour swatches in for threads and will add some starter kits to the store for those that just want to try temari without diving too far into the deep end.

*Bingle: an Australian informal noun which means collision or minor traffic accident.

Blog tinkering completed and store update.

I hope you like the new background on the blog.

I think I've tweaked the layout as much as I can for now. I even made a new cute little button to send you to the supply store. I accidentally overlooked checking the link address and this afternoon I discovered it went to a very unexpected place. Sorry if you clicked on it already, please take another look as I've fixed up the link now. I've also put a similar design on the supply store banner.

Speaking of the store... we have started getting in some new threads. We are trialling a small range of Rainbow Gallery Very Velvet Petite, Treasure Chest & Treasure Braid Petite. Most of these threads are virtually impossible to find in local needlework stores and the Australian on line stores that sell these ranges do so at a higher price. The Very Velvet Petite makes a beautifully soft to touch temari. The Treasure Chest range is a set of lovely multicoloured metallic which is a little thicker than Nordic Gold. Treasure Braid Petite provides a smooth sparkle and is a fine thread which makes it perfect for marking support lines on combination divisions. If you are interested in a colour not already listed in the drop down menus send me a note and I can special order it for you. We still have our ranges of KYO rayon, Nordic Gold, Japanese Temari books and needles in stock.

More exciting news: we have a quantity of V-Rulers from the JTA available for sale. You wont get these anywhere else in Australia. I can also send them overseas but you will also find them available through Etsy stores from time to time. These rulers are sold at cost from the JTA and are supplied with a handy ruler keeper card to keep it nice and flat.

Blog Tinkering, Mari Making and Pillow Fights

Today when I logged onto blogger I saw a note about a new feature, the ability to  add your own uploaded background picture. I have wanted to change from the 'green balls' design to something else for so long, but while the pictures offered by blogger are beautiful, none of them quite said 'this is a temari blog' to me. I am sure the background will continue to evolve as I tweak the image to get it just 'right' over the next few days. Then again it could even change back.

I have been wrapping bases like a woman possessed this week. I have completed 25 bases in about 8 hours (over 2 days, while watching several movies) and will use these for upcoming classes. I find the best way to get newcomers truly addicted to temari making is to get them right to stitching on a prepared base. Then once they have enjoyed the outcome of stitching they are more accepting of the base preparation process. There was a time when I loathed making bases but now I really quite enjoy it. I like to challenge myself to see how many I can make in a set period of time. This week's ones were made on Styrofoam bases which take a slightly different process to my usual rice hull temari. I think for learning the first couple of balls it can be easier on foam because hull can be crushed to 'off round' either by the more overzealous stitcher or inside the kit bag. Also if you can get a good round mari on a foam ball you will make awesome hull maris if you decide to use that as your core material later on.

I am playing with the idea of making individual zabuton (pillows) for my temari to sit on. I made a test one today with gold satin fabric but we all agree that it isn't puffy enough. I will add 2 layers of wadding to the next one. You might remember this older temari, it is still unfinished (I need to work out what to do around the equator) but it is made with KYO rayon thread. It is lovely to use, but challenging to photograph... just like the satin fabric. I'll try another zabuton tomorrow.

I have finished up all but two of my temari UFO's but I've started a new temari so the old ones are back in the basket. I think I will treat myself as a reward for all my industriousness (is that even a word??) and make a yubinuki.

Video Temari Tutorial Series released

I have been quietly working on this video tutorial project over the last few months and now it has been released in our supply store. Books and Internet sites are both fantastic (and highly recommended) resources for learning temari making but (if you're like me) nothing sinks in like an actual live demonstration.  I need to see what happens between the photos.  This tutorial series shows you how to make your very first temari.

There are five episodes (40+ minutes in total) demonstrating every step from how to prepare the temari base through to measuring & marking with pins into a Simple 8 division and laying the guideline threads. This series shows you how to make a classic simple obi and includes two traditional pole designs using Herringbone stitch. Use the two designs on the same ball or make two temari using a design on each.  A handy temari supplies shopping list and printable copy of the instructions are also included on the disk. 

A handy temari supply shopping list, history, colour & motif information and a printable copy of the instructions are also included on the disk.

I planned to offer this series as a download the file but size was just too large to allow it. You'll have no problem viewing the tutorials on a Window Media Player, it is a WMV file. (Mac: You may be able to download a converter from the Internet... and if you are a mac user you probably already know how or have done it.)

This is the ONLY item in our store that is set up to ship to locations outside Australia.  Visit our store to see all the details.

Free temari patterns and cool books you can buy

OK so you've discovered temari making and your mind is agog with potential, but you can't lay your hands on any books today so where do you go for a starter project or two?  So here is a little list of places to visit for some free temari patterns.  Don't we all love that word?! Free!!

Japanese Temari by Barb Suess (you can also order a great book written by Barb).
Temari Kai you need to click through to the pattern pages.  There are a variety of submitted patterns from many members ranging from beginner to advanced.
Math Info by Debi Abolt. There are many pages of patterns and very useful investigations about all things temari related.  Debi also has an awesome blog where she has been sharing her Yubinuki pattern studies.
Kathleen Hewitt's web pages have several free patterns to try.
WikiHow on this page you will find how to construct the base ball with a inserted bell.  Instead of using batting, I use a layer of wool wrapped in the same manner as the thread layer shown in the tutorial.

There are also some really great Yahoo groups to join:
Temari Challenge
Talk Temari
Thimble Rings

So until you can get your own copy of at least one of the great temari books available you've got some links to patterns to get you going toward your new addiction.  Our store sells many of the Japanese language books.  Click the supply store link  in the left column to see what's available.

Year 10 Japanese Class - Session 1

Yesterday I was lucky to be able to bring the craft of temari to 60 students at a Perth Secondary College.  I'm not sure if privacy allows me to mention the school by name, but here is a shout out to these students reading this blog. You all know who you are!!  I thought the classes were a blast. We got all of our bases made and hopefully the balls will be divided for homework and we'll be ready to stitch next week.

Regular readers may recall me mentioning the prospect of taking this class last year. At one point I had thought that we were jinxed because it had to be rescheduled twice, but now we have had our first of few sessions.  Next Monday we will have our second lesson where I will demonstrate the bi-coloured Kiku.

The pic above is a sample bowl of balls I took along for the classes.  I always take along lots of different styles and try to mix up the sizes too.  The largest ball in the bowl is a pattern I purchased from Barb Suess and always elicits the biggest wow from people who haven't seen temari before.  I can also see in the bottom of the bowl my take on a CHA Fujix ball pattern that Glenna Kipp deciphered - this pattern always gets people asking 'How did you do this?" I also took a small selection of books along for the class to flip through. These are probably actually my favorite 'this is temari and this is how you do it' books.

In this photo are the two best English language books on temari (IMHO). Barb's book is quite easy to get hold of  and the Wood book is harder to find but can be ordered through a good book store.  There is also a Cosmo book (#1 of 7 that we sell in our store) and a few other Japanese Language books (the two center books are currently out of print) and the mini book is not out of print but is hard to find... I think I got mine from an Etsy seller.

You can probably see the corner of the little baggies in the pic above. These contain samples of the core materials I use.  Rice hull (OF COURSE my FAV!!!), socks, drier lint and orts and sliced up fabric bits are all items that are inside the sample balls in the bowl.

.... and I think I can see some budding temari addicts.

Lots of awesome Japanese Temari Books

Now in stock

In my last post there was a note about new books becoming available in our Supply Store.  They are now featured in our store.  The books are listed in price groups and have images of the book covers with the ISBNs underneath.  The titles are listed in Japanese and English to assist you in locating the book you are interested in.  There is also a page entitled Temari of the Week where we aim to showcase temari made from designs in our range of books.