Temari Glossary and Stitch Directory

It's Monday morning and I realize that, once again, I'm swamped! In a good way, for sure. As my time quickly winds down for our trip to Japan, I am also trying to finish several big temari projects. When a big project is completed, it's champagne time around here and I've chilled a bottle for Saturday night. My part will be done then.  I think there are always little gremlins waiting around to stir up trouble so I can't say the release date for this big project  is absolutely set. It's just an estimate and I'll let you know as soon as I can.

Temari Treasure

Temari Treasure
by Barbara B. Suess

An early morning visit to the antique market one fall yielded treasures galore – bits of antique chandeliers, beads, and metal medallions snipped from found objects. We sorted through bins to find the perfect treasures to repurpose in the creation of unique temari art.

This four inch diameter temari has a core of rice hulls and a rattling bell box filled with beads and positioned deep in the center. Thin black metallic thread makes an almost invisible marking (a simple 12-division).  Kiku herringbone designs stitched with satiny-looking rayon thread surrounds the antique metal medallions positioned at each pole, north and south. Coppery ribbon and sparkling green netted thread zigzag around the temari's equator and create frames for bamboo-colored embroidered flowers. 

Harvest Moon Japanese Temari

Harvest Moon
Japanese Temari by Barbara B. Suess

Yesterday, cherry blossoms

Tomorrow, red maple leaves –

Today's moon. (Buson)

In Japan, a full moon symbolizes autumn, just as cherry blossoms signify spring, and snow is the sign of winter. 

Moon viewing parties introduced from China celebrate the full moon of mid-autumn. Offerings of thanks for a good harvest are set upon a small table facing east. A display of autumn grasses sets off a pyramid of balls made especially for the season from rice flour, or a careful arrangement of melons or other harvest fruits. This is a time to gaze at the moon, sip green tea, and reflect upon the wonders of nature.

Harvest Moon is a large 42 centimeter diameter temari wrapped with soft yarn and dark red thread around a five inch diameter Styrofoam core.  It was marked with fine gold metallic thread into 272 centers. Bamboo-colored perle cotton was wrapped over the marking lines. Triwings were stitched in blue, green, and red perle cotton. Small hexagons were then stitched around each center.

To display this work, a black stand purchased at the museum shop of the Japan Temari Association in Tokyo is included. Also included are a history of temari and a description of this particular temari, signed by the artist.

Shipping is by priority mail to US locations and is included in the price. If you are located outside the US, I will send you an invoice for the extra postage needed to send Harvest Moon to you.

Visit the shop page for this temari

Unfolding Kiku

Unfolding Kiku
Japanese Temari by Barbara B. Suess

It's time for me to raise some funds for my trip to Japan and time to destash! I have a lot of temari that I need to find homes for and the first is up for sale in my shop. I'll put it on etsy as well. Please have a look at Unfolding Kiku and consider adding this unique Japanese temari to your collection of fiber art.

Link to this item in my shop