Hurricane Sandy Disaster Relief

Link to donate for disaster relief

Hurricane Sandy

We are away from home, visiting our daughter in Madison, WI.  Our neighbors on the Pamlico River said Sandy passed and the water did not come over the bulkhead.  Our house is located on the west side of the Pamlico Sound and the wind was from the west pushing the water away from us. We are flying back to Raleigh this afternoon and do not expect any problems. Pray for those to the north!

Upcoming demo and class

I hope to see you!

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Dana Watson and I will be stitching temari all day in Chapel Hill. Bring your temari and sit, stitch, visit.

The Ackland Art Museum
BUNKA NO HI | Japanese Culture Day    文化の日
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Free and open to the public. An all-ages event.

Join the Ackland on Bunka no Hi (Culture Day), a national holiday in Japan that celebrates culture and the arts. In addition to exploring the Ackland’s exhibitions of Japanese art, participate in workshops and events, learn about Japanese art forms like bonsai and temari (embroidered balls), and get creative with do-it-yourself activities available all day.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Temari class at my home in Raleigh, NC

Temari class by Barbara B. Suess

Great review from Library Journal!

Verdict: thumbs up! Your local library can now access the review and purchase Temari Techniques for their collections. Please spread the word. 

"Suess, Barbara B. Temari Techniques: A Visual Guide to Making Japanese Embroidered Thread Balls. Breckling Pr., dist. by Independent Publishers Group. 2012. c.209p. illus. photogs. index. ISBN 9781933308326. pap. $29.95. FIBER CRAFTS

Embroidery and geometry collide in temari, a traditional Japanese fiber craft of spheres embellished with colorful thread. In this comprehensive guide to temari, Suess (Japanese Kimekomi: Fast, Fun, and Fabulous Fabric Handballs ) introduces the basics of the craft, beginning with creating the core of the temari ball and progressing to selecting a design for the outside and hand stitching techniques for temari. The patterns range from simple wrapped designs to detailed combinations of wrapping and hand stitching. Diagrams for the designs are provided.

VERDICT Embroiderers of all skill levels, as well as fans of Japanese culture and handcraft, will find themselves inspired by Suess’s creations."

A surprise in an out-of-print temari book

Out-of-print temari book from 1992

Since I contracted this crazy addition to making temari, I have collected books on the craft from Japan. At first I ordered a few from Japanese book stores. Then my husband stopped by the JTA shop in Tokyo and bought me a few when he traveled there for business. What a sweetie! Ebay has always been a good source but you really have to watch the prices and make sure you don't pay too much, especially with shipping added.

Sometimes, an out-of-print book sneaks on to eBay, one that I haven't seen before. I just got my hands on a copy of the New Life Series 7 book about temari titled Tanoshii Temari Nyumon (Temari Lessons for Beginners) ISBN 4-522-01307-8. It was written by Chiyoko Ozaki and published in 1992.

This copy is in perfect condition! I'm so lucky to find a mint condition book even though it's twenty years old. It's 125 pages and like most of the temari books from Japan, the color photos are grouped in the front of the book with instructions in black and white placed at the back. It's too bad this book is out of print. It would be a wonderful resource for beginners. The instructions are brief like so many of the Japanese books, but there is a lot to be learned from the photos and diagrams. It teaches simple divisions, as well as combination 8 and combination 10 (beginning with a simple 10). Most of the basic stitches and designs are represented - wrapped bands, spindles, and lot of variations of herringbone stitching for example.

The surprise? Just a little something I've not seen before.  It made me smile. So simple - the ball on the left in the scan below uses a very different path for the kiku herringbone stitching. Can you see it? You can click on this scan to make it bigger.

The inside point and outside point are taken on the same guideline. Then you'd skip a guideline. The artist must have adjusted the guidelines before beginning so they are paired (another novel idea). This is a simple 16 division. How fascinating!

The middle temari in the scan uses the same technique but skips two guidelines. And the guidelines are evenly spaced at the top. This is a simple 15 division - very unusual.

The swirling effect in the ball on the right side is a slightly different path. After stitching at an inside point, go back one guideline to make the stitch for an outside point. Then skip over a guideline to make the stitch for an inside point. Once again, it's a simple 15 division.

There is always something new to learn with temari!

Date change for Desert Spirit temari class

I've changed the date for temari class to Saturday, November 10. Hope you can make it!

Sign up for Desert Spirit temari class

Temari class on November 10, 2012

Unfolding Kiku temari pattern is ready for download

Much requested pattern for advanced temari stitchers....
Ready!

Purchase by download on my website

All day temari class at Barb's house

Saturday, November 3, 2012, at Barb's house in Raleigh, NC.
6 hour class beginning at  9 AM.  Please bring your lunch and a ball already wrapped and marked into a simple division.

Desert Spirit temari is a study of the herringbone stitch, elegantly executed on a simple division temari. It is photographed on page 16 of my book Temari Techniques. This class is suitable for advanced beginners who are able to make a large, round ball and mark it into a simple division temari. You should also have experience with herringbone stitching on temari and be ready to learn several variations.

We'll begin at 9 AM and take 30 minutes for lunch during the day. Please bring your lunch so you don't miss class time running out to eat. I will have lots of temari on display and my collection of Japanese temari books available for you to see. Let's talk about temari designs that you'd like to see me write up for future patterns. Bring show and tell. We'd love to see what you have been stitching!

Preparation: bring a temari already made and marked. I'll give you details when you sign up for class. You can use your own threads in colors of your choice or purchase a kit from me before class begins. If you decide to purchase the kit from me, you'll need to stop by and pick it up or have me mail it to you in time for you to make and mark the ball before class begins. Also, be sure to bring other temari already made and marked for practice stitching, especially if the stitches are new to you. I'll also give you details for those temari when you sign up.

Sign up on my website. I hope to see you soon!

"Everything is connected to a sphere..."

"On the macro level, the cosmic level, the whole universe is like a sphere.

The planets are spheres, ya know.  Atoms are spheres.

…It's probably the most natural form that we have. Things of wonder and beauty."

Bernard Hosey, artist

My good friend Kathy recently shared a link to a video about Bernard Hosey, a sculptor who creates spheres. This short video is beautifully done and well worth your time. I can relate!

The artist's website provides a biography, galleries of works, exhibitions, links, blog and contact information.

From Mr. Hosey's web gallery
"The 8-foot steel spheres are the beginning of a new dimension.
Despite the heavy weight of these steel spheres they look buoyant."
http://www.bernardhosey.com/gow_spheres_2.htm

Pre-mathmatics
http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/photos/2010/mar/15/55903/

Cast on stitching makes an adorable, dimensional flower

Week 32 in Sharon's TAST (Take a stitch Tuesday) was the cast on stitch. If you have ever started a knitting project, this stitch will be a snap for you to pick up. It makes an adorable flower!

Cast on stitch

The flower stands up above the surface.

Progress so far on a new temari design

Ah, Pamlico

First of many sunsets to come at our new digs on the Pamlico

Want thread? Rainbow Gallery metallics are gorgeous!

I'm going to place an order from Rainbow Gallery for thread on Wednesday, September 5. With the holiday weekend coming up, this will give you plenty of time to have a look at their website and send me your wish list. I should be able to mail thread by September 14.

Here are some prices (shipping to you not included):

Nordic Gold 25 yard card $2.25
Treasure Braid Petite 25 yard card $2.75
Silk Lame Braid 10 yards $3.50
300 yard spool of Nordic Gold $20.25
300 yard spool of Treasure Braid Petite $24.75

I can order any of their thread in 300 yard spools. Prices depend on the type of thread so if you are interested in something other than Nordic Gold or Treasure Braid Petite, let me know and I'll ask the company. You can order any color for spools. They are put up individually. With cards, I have to order six at at time, so if you request an unusual color or type of thread, I'm not sure I'll get it for you, but I'll certainly try.

My favorite colors are Treasure Braid Petite: High Gloss Copper (PH13), Green (PB06), Gold (PB01), Bronze (PB21) and Red (PB07), Water Blue (PB17), Yellow (PB201), Rose (PB24), and Avocado (PB57). For Nordic Gold, my favorite colors are Silver (ND3), purple (ND10), gold (ND2), white pearl (ND4) , red (ND6), green (ND5), bronze (ND15).

Here is the link to Rainbow Gallery. Have a look and send me your wish list (barb@japanesetemari.com). Let me know if you want me to figure out the shipping cost.

New DVDs of Temari Class

Summer is winding down and I'm back to work. The last class that I ran online with the Shining Needle Society was Sunflowers temari. As the weeks went by, I stitched more of my favorite temari and made videos of the process for the students - very much an amateur production! I attached a Flip camera to the light by my stitching chair and filmed as I made the temari. Even with the home-made quality, students have given the videos great reviews. During a class, they are available online and many students like to purchase a DVD so they have a permanent copy.

Sunflowers Temari Class now on DVD

My first task after summer trips was to organize the videos and burn them and the class text on to DVDs. There are so many videos that I had to put them onto two disks!

These two DVDs include the 84 page text for the class and these videos:

1. Mark a simple 8 division (13 minutes)
2. Layered triwing and continuous triwing (11 minutes)
3. Interlocked triwing (4 minutes)
4. How to mark a C6 division (11 minutes)
5. Sunflower 1, Week 2 Temari Class (21 minutes)
6. Sunflower 2, Week 3 Temari Class (24 minutes)
7. Sunflower 3, Week 4 Temari Class (29 minutes)

If you took Sunflowers temari class online from me at any time in the past, you can order the DVDs for a reduced price. However, if you missed the class, you can now order the text and videos and work on them at your leisure.

Here is a link to the page on my website that has all the class information.

Sunflowers Temari Class DVDs

Grandmother Star Temari Class DVD

Ah, it's nice to be back to temari work!

Great news! More books are on the way.

I'll have copies to send on August 20, 2012. Please check out my website page for purchasing information.

Week 30 of Take a Stitch Tuesday (my how time flies!)

Week 30 of Take a Stitch Tuesday

Oyster stitch in the center forms a little flower. This is a really nice way to bulk up a lazy daisy (detached chain) stitch. The temari is a prototype. I'm working up a design that isn't quite there yet!

Flax leaf - studying the books

Still on the flax leaf kick, I've been pouring through my collection of Japanese temari books and finding some amazing designs that include asanoha, flax or hemp leaf design. No wonder. It's a very old an important product.

From The Ultimate Sashiko Sourcebook by Susan Briscoe:
"Star-like asanoha (hemp leaf) is probably the most famous sashiko pattern. It originally came from China, where it was associated with Buddhism and represented radiating light or even the inner light of the soul. Before cotton became available to ordinary people, hemp was a very important source of cloth. There are many asanoha variations. It was particularly popular for children's clothes and bedding, and clothing for newborn babies would be decorated with the design in the hope that the child would grow up strong like the hemp plant. It also symbolized a wish for good health."

Left front: dark red simple 16 division covered with flax leaf
Right front: pattern from Color Coordinated Temari, page 18

I get so distracted while stitching a temari from a Japanese book and often change the design along the way or stitch only the part of the pattern that really interests me. But finally, I managed to finish one. The largest ball (right front) in the photo above is from the book Color Coordinated Temari, page 18. I'll be sharing details of how I made this one in our Temari Challenge Yahoo group.

There are still so many more flax leaf temari that I want to try. I'm not sure where I'll head next but I'll be sure to keep you posted.

Laura B. recently finished a beautiful temari with flax leaf design. Check it out on her blog...

Flax leaf stitching fun

Carolina posted some fun that she had stitching flax leaf design on temari over on her blog Rududu's semitropical adventures! She learned the technique on a C8 temari and then stitched some temari from a Japanese book and even designed her own. This is one of those techniques that works up so quickly and has a big impact. Once you start, it's hard to stop!

Carolina's flax leaf temari - WOW!

Online temari class DVDs

Did you miss the class? I offer online temari classes and repeat them every few years. If you can't wait for the next class and would like to purchase a DVD that includes the pattern and videos, please have a look at your options below. I'm just an email away so if you need help while working through the class material, just let me know. Grandmother Star is ready now.

Temari Class DVDs

Temari Class DVDs

Temari class on Saturday, July 21

It's time to sign up and prepare for Asanoha! Flax or hemp leaf stitching. I've got lots of different patterns for you to try and photos galore. I hope you can join me for temari class. Find out more by clicking on this link.

Temari class with Barb on Saturday, July 21

Thread, lots of thread

What a beautiful box I just received from Rainbow Gallery in California!

 Click on this link to see lots of thread now in my shop.

New stash of metallics from Rainbow Gallery

  

Stitch alongs are so much fun!

What's a stitch along? Well, join our group TemariChallenge and you'll find out. Joan led us in a stitch along to make this renzoku design simple 12 division temari. Now, she has challenged us to figure out another that is more intricate. Everyone is learning a lot and sharing their photos and ideas. Come join us!
TemariChallenge Yahoo Group

If you saw my post yesterday, you will recognize this as a continuous motif. Yes, renzoku (continuous). Yes, motif (one path creates the motif).

TemariChallenge Renzoku stitch along by Joan

Continuous motif - a temari stitching term

An excerpt from my new book Temari Techniques

Do you remember drawing stars in elementary school? You put your pencil on the paper, draw five straight lines along a path without lifting the pencil, and end right back where you started with a five-point star. You can stitch a star on temari in much the same way by taking a basic stitch at each turn your pencil would make. You are not limited to stars, though; there are many other continuous motifs which can be created in the same manner. These are different than shapes like squares and triangles because the thread path will cross over other stitches in the same motif as you stitch.

The Japanese have a phrase, hito hude gake (one stroke of the brush), to describe a kanji character that can be drawn with a single stroke of the calligraphy brush. Temari artists have borrowed this phrase to describe these continuous paths where one single stitching path will create the entire figure. Some motifs have special names because they are so common: hoshi kagari (five-point star) and mitsubane kikkou kagari (triwing).  After exploring the individual hito hude gake motifs, try the “one stroke” technique to complete multiple motifs with just one stitching path. Setting up the path is an intriguing temari puzzle; stitching along the path is a relaxing, almost meditative, experience.

Practice by drawing the path for your first continuous motif on paper to get a feel for how it is created. You could also place pins in your temari and wind perle cotton along the path to visualize the completed motif. Typically, diagrams will have the stitches numbered to help you get started. You can pin numbered slips of paper to the guidelines on the ball to help you stitch the first row.

Note: Renzoku means continuous in Japanese. All of these motifs are stitched with a single, continuous path. The term continuous motif (or hito hude gake) simply adds the requirement that one path is used to complete an outline of the entire motif. It has the same starting and ending points.

Stitching temari in North Carolina

I've got an email list going just for people interested in stitching temari with us in North Carolina. Please let me know if you want to join. Here is what I sent out today...

Hi temari stitchers,

You've expressed an interest in stitching temari with us in North Carolina and I've created a separate email list just for locals and those who want to come and be a local for a while. This is it. Thanks so much for joining the list!

Here's what's on the schedule as of today:

Chapel Hill, NC, at Thimble Pleasures Quilt Store

Three sessions (July, August, and September). Click on the link above to get the details. If you are beginner, start with Dana to learn the basics and lots of fun temari designs.

Sign up for this class through Thimble Pleasures.

Raleigh, NC, at Barb's home

Saturdays, from 9:30 am until noon or so. June 23, July 21, August 18, September 15. This class is for experienced temari makers who are at the level where they are comfortable making a C8 division. If you're not there yet, let me know and I'll hook you up with Dana for the beginning classes. Each session is $15 payable to Barb. Bring your own stitching supplies. The deadline to sign up is Wednesday, midnight, before the Saturday class. Minimum is three students. Maximum is twelve students.

Sign up for each Saturday class individually by contacting Barb (barb@japanesetemari.com). Please sign up as soon as you know you will come since seating is very limited.

Saturday, June 23 -  Let's play with asanoha (flax or hemp leaf) design. Bring a ball (any color, any size) marked in a C8. Bring extra thread (same color as marking thread) for stitching the design. This technique is described on pages 144-149 in Temari Techniques. Bring balls marked in other divisions if you want to keep going and be sure to bring your requests for future classes.

Temari Retreat in Raleigh, NC

Almost 40 people have expressed an interest in coming to stitch temari over a two or three day period. Wow! I'm so excited! I'm hoping to get this event organized for October, 2012, and will let you know which days as soon as I can.

Thanks again for your interest in coming to stitch with us!

And the winner is....

# 17 Laura Bezzeg is the lucky draw for a copy of Echiro Temari, given by Sensei Ozaki in Tokyo!

To everyone who left comments about temari, thank you so much for expressing your love of the craft. We all enjoyed reading them!

Laura, I'll put your book in the mail today.

Echiro Temari - Book Give-Away!

Echiro Temari, a book in Japanese

Echiro Temari No ISBN. 68 pages. Published in 2005.

This is a small hardback book published to showcase the work on a temari teacher from Echiro. There are many striking black and white designs like these on the cover and also a series of traditional blue and white temari. There are no diagrams. This is a collection of photographs of intricately stitched temari.

When we went to Tokyo last fall, Sensei Ozaki gave each of us a copy of this book. I've already got a copy and decided right away to give it away here on my blog. Finally, six months later, here we go!

1. To enter to win this book, post a comment before Sunday, June 10, midnight, EST (US east coast).
2. Be sure that your name is given. Do not put your email unless you want it displayed here.
3. Tell me why you like to make temari. Use lots of adjectives! How does stitching them make you feel? Do you love to give them away or get satisfaction from selling them? What's your motivation?
4. Make sure you are subscribed to my email list. I have a new service for this just last week. If you aren't sure, then please fill out the contact form on my website.
5. On the morning of Monday, June 11, check back here and I'll announce the winner.

Good luck!

[Update Wednesday, May 29 - I'm so impressed with the eloquence of your comments! You've captured my feelings about making temari too. Keep them coming.
To leave a comment, click on the link at the bottom of this post that has the number of comments. Scroll to the bottom of that page and type your comment in the white block. Make sure you give your name. Select anonymous in the drop down menu. Publish.]

Sneak peek inside Temari Techniques

Click on this link to have a look at the contents and some other pages from the new book.

Did you get your copy yet? I'd really appreciate your review.

 Please click on this link and add your review in the comments section.

Ready to order? The books are here and waiting for you. Please visit my website to order.

Update: today is Thursday, May 24, and the mailman will pick up the last of the books that were preordered! Poor guy must be as worn out as me. Everyone who has ordered from me should have their book by Monday or Tuesday next week if you live in the US. All parcels were sent by priority mail. Packages going overseas were also sent priority and should arrive within 6 - 10 business days. 

Reviews of my new book Temari Techniques

Did you get your copy yet? I'd really appreciate your review.

 Please click on this link and add your review in the comments section.

Thanks! Barb

Quick post

Just to let you know that I'm at the Carolina Fiber Fest for three full days. Friday, I met lots of "internet" friends face-to-face. It means so much to make that connection! Groups came from New Bern, Wilmington, Richmond (Va), Cary, and of course Raleigh. This is SO much fun. Honestly, I'm having a ball :)

Book news: Yes, it finally arrived! I managed to send out 50 copies before Fiber Fest and I'll get back to the rest next week. If you ordered through PayPal, you will get a notice of shipping. Please be patient. I'm working like a dog here trying to get everything done. It's it weird how everything happens at once!

Friends Meg and Richard gave me flowers and champagne for my 60th birthday. Aren't these lilies beautiful!

A Mother's Love

Present for my mother, a musical temari ball

It's funny how sometimes you keep running into stories that express the same feeling, the same idea, the same quality of human nature. This happened to me four times this past week so I thought I'd better pay attention. Enjoy this moment, be present with it, and learn. The message is that when you make something by hand and thoroughly enjoy the process, you put something of yourself into that creation - your love and good spirit. Be sure you give some of these things to your children and loved ones. You will strengthen your family bond and pass on your love of creativity.

I've been watching the PBS series Craft in America. Have you seen it? The first episode is called "Memory."  This episode profiles several craftsmen and women who explain what their work means to them and their families. I particularly like the story of the family in South Carolina that has been passing on the skill of weaving baskets with native grasses for several generations.

"Unlike fine artists, who perhaps capture a moment in time, and are more concerned with an artistic style and technique, craft artists, through their objects, go beyond telling where we were, making a statement of who we are. Their objects will create memories for us, because the artists give selflessly of their memories in creating the objects. "

Sensei Ozaki wearing Glenna's corsage

I came upon this same thought when I was looking for something online and came across a translation of a newsletter from the Japan Temari Association. This was not part of my search but Sensei's words made me think of the PBS shows that I've been watching.
 

"A message from the President  of the  Japan Temari Association, Ms. Thoshiko Ozaki.

We are enjoying Temari making from ancient days; now we also can create many modern designs and enjoy stitching them into our Temaris. The pleasure that it gives us when we finish making new Temari is incomparable to anything else in the world, and such a beautiful feeling of achievement saves us from other small worries that are brought to us in our daily lives. As we continue to learn more about Temari making, we must nurture our feelings THAT CAN FEEL BEAUTY in this world, and convey this kind of knowledge to others. Further more, this kind of gesture will help our Temari making to flourish even more in the future. I feel that in every stitch that we weave into our Temari, we are stitching into it various feelings as well as memories, and this is how we create new Temaris. Please treasure such important feelings and memories that go into making Temari to produce your own Temari in the future. Continue to pass on the tradition to the next generation. This is my sincere wish that I like to convey to the members of Temari Association. Thank you.
(translated by Tomiko san)"

Hometown Temari  by Arai

This morning I picked up my new book, the advance copy that my publisher sent me, and flipped to the page about the book Furosato no Temari or Hometown Temari by Tomokazu Arai which was published in Japanese in 1990. The last paragraph (yes, I wrote it so you'd think I would remember) helped me make the connection between the PBS show, Sensei's words, and the words of Mrs. Nori Furuta (below).

From page 8 in Temari Techniques: The author traveled across the country and interviewed temari makers to document how they learned the craft as well as their techniques and designs. Furosato no Temari is filled with photographs of temari and the stories behind them.

From its very beginning, temari has exemplified a mother’s love for her child. In many regions, temari are handed down from generation to generation. The one thing all temari have in common is that they were made by mothers to show love for their children. Mrs. Nori Furuta said, “Every time I hold these temari my mother left for me, I remember my mother. They make me happy but a little sad at the same time since I feel that my mother is still talking to me.”

Yesterday, I got the best mother's day present from my daughter who is away at grad school in Wisconsin. Four times in one week - that same message! I was a bit dismayed when she decided to work in a lab but she assured me that she can be very creative there. She's a very talented gal and could have been an artist or a writer (my motherly pride is showing here). Anyway, she sent me a photo titled "Pretty colors today." Yep, that's my kid. I guess I succeeded in passing on my love of color and creating. I love you, Alison!

Creative chemistry

What's this mess?

 

Getting ready for the Carolina FiberFest!

Rebecca over at TemariAddictAustralia participated in a similar event not long ago and she found some clear acrylic boxes. I found a supply here in the States. Makes a nice, attractive display. 

I've got a bin full of kikemomi balls that just MUST go!

I'd like to bring the kimono and temari mobile but I'm not sure yet how to hang it at the festival.

Hope to see you there!