I got my licence and a surprise

Yesterday a parcel from Barb arrived which contained the goodies for the upcoming Blue Stars class that Shirley and I are taking. (If you are interested I believe there are still 2 kits left click the link)

I am amazed that everything fit into the box. I carefully unpacked my goodies and returned Shirley's goodies back into the box so she could collect them today. Then I went through all my things to check off that everything was there - of course everything was because Barb is very clever like that. I was very glad to get a new V ruler because I just snapped a leg on my old one (which is of course taped up... like the other leg was six months ago). I had to chuckle because on the back of the V ruler ready reckoner there is a North Carolina Divider's Licence complete with a date of issue and everything. I realise I have been illegally dividing for more than a year now!! I'm glad to be legal in North Carolina at least... I wonder does that mean I need an International Divider's Licence?

Also in the parcel was a small envelope with my new JTA member card and some recent newsletters. What a treat to get the newsletters! Not that I can read any more than 30 (of the 5000+) Japanese Kanji characters, but I can see the wonderful pictures and  make out some of the text. I got a big surprise to see some ladies from Australia in the pictures in Newsletter No50, 2010. Some of these ladies have been to workshops with me here in Perth.

I'd rather be... stitching temari

... than stuck at this traffic light! This was my thought this morning.  I think someone programs the light changes to deliberately make you stop at every intersection... maybe that person is in cahoots with the oil companies... do I smell a conspiracy to make us use more fuel? This morning I travelled about 23km in about 15 minutes along the highway (no traffic lights) and then it took 20 minutes to travel just an extra 8km along the surface roads. I stopped at 11 sets of traffic lights because every one of them was red... two sets had no traffic coming at the crossroad either. Nevermind it was all worth it because I had a physiotherapy appointment today, and I do feel much better, my brain can process thoughts again and I can even look over my shoulder to reverse the car. Yippee! I've got another appointment booked for Wednesday which should take considerably less time to get to as I'll be going from home instead of via Lesmurdie.

Before the physio I went to school to take another class of girls for temari making. This was my last teaching commitment for 2010 so now I guess I am on holidays!!???? Er actually... No rest for the wicked (and I must be particularly so) I've got 2 JTA temari to make, 2 birthday cakes to bake (I am so lucky to be making my nephew's 1st birthday and niece's 3rd birthday cakes), then I will get stuck into all the Christmas baking. My assigned course is dessert (another conspiracy I suspect) and everyone has given me a long list of requests. I daren't make anything new because I know it will be added (nothing every gets left off) to the request list for next year when I mysteriously get chosen to make desserts.

Today I am made photo boards to help the girls finish off their design. Click here to see them.

I also finished off a yubinuki bead to go on a necklace. This one is green and navy and is quite cute but still no good for entering into Chloe Patricia's share your thimbles for this month... not to worry though because I am half way through one that will qualify. This one is made with Orizuru No9 silk in green and navy on a base made of bias tape, cardboard, cotton thread and yarn. There are 11 sections and each colour is stitched in the opposite direction.

The new thimble bead is also 11 sections but I am experimenting with 3 colours. 2 sections of red, plus 1 section each of gold and silver. I'll share a pic when I've finished it.

Weekend Workshop

Ahhhh we are having a bit of rain today and my garden is so thankful as it has been particularly thirsty weather for the last few weeks.

Last weekend I had an awesome workshop with 9 ladies in South Perth. One participant flew all the way from Melbourne just for the weekend. On Saturday morning we were so lucky to have Miho come to help as everyone marked up C8 division temari, for some ladies this was their first time to mark a into C8.

We stitched our way through several temari designs together over the weekend. I managed to convert one lady from foam bases to rice hulls when I gave her one of my bases because her prepared base was just a little too small for the design we were stitching. Once you go hull you don't go back.

This week is a bit quiet... for the first time in ages... I am waiting, waiting, waiting for a giant delivery from Japan. I haven't done much stitching (my neck, spine and arm are playing up) but I have something to show which is my latest effort. I finished this one last week but hadn't had time to take a photo. I think the pattern is from Cosmo 2 but I can't remember because I started it a while ago and it sat for several weeks waiting to get the last light yellow triwing  stitched on it.

I am beginning to suffer from increasing numbers of UFO's again. I am hoping to get some of them finished soonish. Some of these may get wrapped back over and started again as something else. Let's see: I will finish off the green based one (right) and the one on the front left but the middle one is just a ball I use for laying out new patterns and the one at the back is Joan's stitch along I still haven't finished. I don't like the colours so it will get wrapped over or pulled out and something else done on it. Also you can see through the bag my latest thimble bead almost done, this is the item closest to finished so this is the next thing I'm doing.

Now that I look at the photo it's not too many UFO's... I just have to put out of my mind all the crafty things I promised to do for everyone just now. [Just kidding people... you know who you are]

I am looking for C10 projects to make right now. I need two awesome temari to finish off my JTA requirements. When I started the C10 above I planned to use it as a JTA submission ball but in all honesty I did a terrible job of the stitching and when I tried to diagram the pattern... well let's just say I couldn't without just redrawing exactly what was in the book. I like to make my diagrams from my understanding of the pattern rather than just reproducing one verbatim* from the source.

*I know this means word for word... is there a term that means picture for picture?

I had a Chinese hacker attack on one of my 5 email accounts twice last weekend. Grrrr!!! I don't even recall opening or clicking on anything dodgy recently so goodness knows how it happened. I want to apologise if anyone got a weird message from me... I wasn't even aware of it until some kind folk began to email me to tell me what they received. I've changed everything, every password for every account and my modem and anything else I could possible think of and now I scan every hour (instead of once a day) for potential problems. There seems to be a lot of nasty Internet goings on at the moment so let's all stay alert.

October Workshop

Tomorrow I am taking a temari workshop in South Perth at Hazel McDougall House. It will be a beginner's class with 10 students. This is one of my personal ITAD activities for 2010. Here are a few photos of the venue.

I did some resreach about this building and I discovered this history. The parkland that this building sits on was actually the last dairy in the Perth metropolitan. Until 1946 dairies in this area supplied all Perth's milk and dairy needs. This farmhouse was owned by the McDougall's, a childless couple, who worked the surrounding land until 1952 when the local government purchased most of the property, which it redeveloped into housing.

After Mr McDougall passed away his wife continued to live in a small acreage while in the 1960's the land were developed into the current amphitheater, parklands and lake which provide shelter for local native flora and fauna which was the McDougall's wish. The buildings in the map below still exist today.

 When Mrs McDougall passed away she bequeathed the remaining farm acreage and homestead to the local government of South Perth with the understanding it be used to further arts and crafts in the district.  Now days many groups use this facility for sharing their artistic knowledge and skills. Thank you to the McDougalls for being so selfless with their community and giving us all such a wonderful gift.

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.

Temari Addicts by the Dozen

Last weekend was a complete blur. But in a good way.

On Saturday I took a group of ladies through the basics of temari making in a 6 hour class. It was a wonderful day and all the ladies did very well on their temari balls. There was a lovely morning tea of delicious homemade goodies make by the attendees. The group was organised by two ladies (Shirley and Penny) who attended a class with me last year. This time they gathered a ladies from their lace making guild. During the afternoon several other ladies came to make their lace and sat in amongst our class.  I must say I've never seen lace being made and it was rather difficult to keep my mind on temari making... the lace making was so intricate and so stunning that my eyes kept wandering over to see what they were doing. One lady must have had 30 or more bobbins flying through her fingers. Amazing!

On Sunday we had football (soccer) in the morning GO FREO UTD 9's!!! After that I raced home to mark my ball and get organised for the last 2 hour session of the beginner class I have been taking. We did a kiku design ball... I like to save it for last... because it is the one everybody loves the most. It is a nice reward to make such a pretty pattern after all the effort of learning the basics of temari making.

It was an awesome weekend and we minted a dozen new temari addicts to boot! Hmmm..... now what I am I going to do next?.... Finish some UFO's or start some more?

Rush rush rush.

I am hurrying to get everything done this week. I have a new round of Temari 101 classes underway and a one day workshop booked in about 10 days so it's all systems go and full steam ahead too.

Yesterday I wrapped 12 white balls for the workshop. The bowl looked very boring so I've put in some patterns I've been playing with which are my effort toward some new beginner ball patterns for future classes. Can you spot the weird thing in the photo, besides the dodgy lighting? (the answer is at the end of this post)


How to come up with a new pattern? I wouldn't feel right teaching from other people's patterns so I always endeavour to come up with something original. This can be very tricky because, let's face it, Temari making has existed for several hundred years and so it must be very difficult indeed to arrive at something absolutely unique. In addiction there are so few resources for Temari makers (especially in English) that we must all be following a similar 'artistic consciousness'. Still I do try... The first thing I do is get out every book I have and leaf through the pages looking for inspiration.  Next I get a feeling for an element I want to incorporate in the design... then I go for it. I don't make notes as I go... after the ball is finished I make retrospective notes and then see if I can do the same ball again from the notes.  I also 'tweek 'as I go and make reedits along the way. This is  probably completely backwards to the way everyone else does it... but it works for me. 

I wanted to do something with stars, hence the two attempts above and also something floral is always nice so there is the Sakura shape too. I usually teach a really simple Chrysanthemum ball as part of every class, no skips just up and down, but I think it is time for a change. I like the Sakura but want to work on the star a bit more the outer star needs to be a bit fatter and the inner star needs to be thinner.... or something.

I also squeezed in an hour or two at the Bassendean textile workshop today where we learned finger crochet. I made a few strands of it to contribute to the city logo mural the organisers are making.

Photo Answer: The front blue ball is casting a white reflection on the bowl. I photo shopped it in from another picture I had taken because the blue ball is actually one ball with two different patterns. I nestled it on top of a white ball. Did you get it?

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.

Sunflowers are all done [insert sad face here]

Ball 3 is all stitched and Barb's Sunflowers class is completed.  Here it is.  Thank you Barb for being such an awesome teacher... I need to start saving my pennies for another class. 

I really love how simple this one was... it was the perfect wind down from the previous balls.  I definitely think I will be doing this one again soon because it is one of those quick hit projects.

Here is my little sunflower family all together.

Sorry for the rather dodgy pictures in today's post. In the last 2 weeks we have killed a mobile phone, printer and now our computer... so this post was created on an alternate machine with rather limited programming.

Within half an hour of finishing the last class ball I had picked up my latest thimble project and got back into it again.  No picture yet but it is in red and white with a navy blue base.  I just can't keep my hands still.

I ordered two (yes greedy me) pin cushion kits from ma mercerie on etsy.  They are so lovely and I have admired the completed ones that Chloe Patricia sells from time to time.  I have had one of 'those' weeks and needed a little treat to help the medicine go down and who needs a spoonful of sugar anyway?

I have also earmarked a future project.  Glenna K has made the MOST beautiful wreath from temari. See pics of it at her webshots  album.  Now I just need to work out how to distract my DH while I gather the supplies needed for making the 72 balls.  Glenna kindly sent me some formula to work out how to make one.  This will be a long term project... so I had better finish off the quilt I started about 2 years ago first.  I just need to unearth it from amongst the UFO pile I have accumulated.

Year 10 Japanese Class - Session 2

Monday 15th was my second visit (and sadly last) to teach temari at school.  Now it's back to actually learning the Japanese language.  Wow! Didn't our classes just fly by??? 

Here is another shout out to all the students reading this blog. You know who you are!! I thought the classes were great fun.  We made great progress.  I am sending along a set of videos for Sensei to help you complete the design.  But there are some photos below to remind you.

Thank you for showing your interest in these temari making classes... I know we all learned something new.

Yubinuki #3

I finished a new thimble ring today.  I got a $10 gift voucher from my local craft store so I guessed it would be a good idea to get some more colours of the top stitch thread I use.  I usually remove the thread from the spool and card them (which is a much more efficient use of space) and I popped them all onto a big ring and off I went to the store.  I noticed while I was looking at the spool threads that there Gutermann makes a thin rayon thread that is sold on a grey spool.  It might be closer in size to the silk thread (than what I use) so next time I visit I will take down some of the thread from my kit.

The 8 left hand boxes are filled with the Perle 8 threadart colours. Some near the center are embroidery floss and some perle 12 and #40 threads I got given. The 3 boxes on the right are top stitch. I got 4 new colours today and some red bias tape.

Here is my new thimble.  It is not as well made as the first one  :(  but that's ok.  I think this time I was pulling too tightly which contributed to the waviness of the edge stitching.  It is the same size and sections as the last one. The colours are blue pink and green (not that the green shows up too well).

Here is a shot with the two new rings together. The red/orange one was definitely finished better.  That may have something to do with stitching the pink one while watching my son play and chatting to my girlfriends after school yesterday.

I am enjoying making the thimbles but will be putting them on hold for a few days so I can take an adhoc class with some previous Temari 101 students and also the second session for the school students. So I better sign off and prepare some balls.

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.

Temari Class rescheduled.

At the fetes we attended this year several people comment how it would be great to have a temari class at their school.  Given the nature of temari it certainly encompasses geometry, art, language and history.  When I gave a friend of mine a temari recently we talked about this and she invited me to do an incursion at the high school where she teaches Japanese.  I had been so excitedly preparing kits for the temari class but unfortunately we have had to reschedule it until next term due to me being a sickie last week.  I was so sad to let them all down, but it may turn out to be a good thing as in the new year the class will be full of Japanese exchange students so it will be even more fun.  I wonder how many of the students from Japan will know about or have made temari.  I will keep you posted on the outcome of this class next year. 

Temari 101 Redux

A new round of temari 101 classes will commence next week. We love sharing the addiction to temari with others. A friend of my Mum saw the temari trio I made for her Birthday/Mother's Day and decided to gather some friends and learn how it is done.

Also the ladies from the May/June class are popping in this weekend for a chat and cuppa. One of these ladies has recently returned from a trip to Japan and I am excited to see what temari things she purchased.

I have placed a link to our new temari addict australia shop on the Australian madeit website. Right now it is just a link - our shop is empty... but soon we will begin listing a few items. Supplies and so forth and also temari we just can't keep :( ... if we can bear to part with them that is ;)) The banner is up in the shop after my 3rd attempt I managed to save it before the computer all went crazy and crashed.

June Temari 101 - It's a wrap

Our 101 class finished today. :(

Several newly minted temari addicts join the throng :)





We had a great time stitching our Sundays away over the last few weeks and learned 4 techniques. Of course the cups of tea and cookies were nice too.




I was most impressed when one of our ladies produced some patterns she had printed from Temarikai (C8 Lotus) that she wanted desperately to try her hand at making. Gladly we had already learned the stitches required for this (Spindle and Kiku) so all that is left is to mark out the ball in a C8 and place the additional lines. I think I will need to check in with the class in a few weeks to see how they are all progressing. We hope to get together in July for another stitch session.



When we all compared our finished balls it was interesting to see the subtle differences between them due to our choices of colour.

All said I think the group did marvellously with their new skills and I ended our sessions with a link list to map out the best places (on the www) to visit for further inspiration.

I really enjoyed presenting the classes and look forward to starting the next round. I am already lining potential victims/addicts/students up for the next class.

In other news:
My favourite cheap and cheerful perle 5 cotton thread has come to spotlight. 50g balls of Milford Satin in 29 colours (including 5 variegated) are in stock and yes I have all of them. Now I know that 29 colours is not a huge variety - unlike DMC or Anchor - but for practice balls it is fantastic value as you can purchase a ball for about $6 and it goes on forever.

Temari Class

Our new class is almost here.... it begins on June 7th and we called it Temari 101. The very basics of this craft will be taught over 3 weeks (approx six hours in total).

I have put together a starter kit for students attending with all kinds of goodies (some of which can prove challenging to find in Perth). The emails have been flying, instructions printed and mud maps have been made. We will explore contruction of the mari and learn 4 designs. I hope to post pictures later.

If you live in Perth and are interested in attending a future class email me for details.