Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Vintage Temari and Cranes


I love collecting vintage temari that I find on eBay.  Here is one that I recently purchased because I have not seen the details of the crane's body on a temari before. I know how to wrap threads to get the effect of the wings but have a look at the detail of the head, body and legs. All photos of this temari were taken by the seller.


You really get the full effect of a crane with its wings spread. I experienced this close-up when we visited the International Crane Foundation in Wisconsin last month. I was wearing dark grey pants and a black jacket with a red turtle neck shirt peeking out (that's me on the right). One of the cranes strutted over to the fence where I stood and went into a full display squawking like crazy with wings spread up and out. He thought I was a crane. Before we entered, a staff member told us not to interact with the cranes so I stood still and just giggled. Couldn't help that!


This temari feels very hard and has small indentations at the poles so I'm fairly certain it was wrapped by machine. I've got some smaller ones made the same way. The body details are glued in place and are made of thin cord.


The body itself seems to be a piece of fuzzy fabric.


The addition of a formal knot and 8 inch long red and white tassels make for a stunning work of fiber art.




Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Moments of zen working on a new online class

Night fades to a calm, glassy river in the morning.








Beginner to intermediate class coming in 2013.

Desert Spirit with adaptations for Christmas Spirit and Water Spirit.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Need thread?


I need more metallic thread. Do you?

This is an opportunity for you to get your hands on 300 yard spools of thread from Rainbow Gallery. I need thread ASAP and will place the order on Monday morning at 9AM Eastern time, November 19. If you would like me to order cones for you, please contact me (barb@japanesetemari.com) and let me know what you would like. I will figure the postage and send you an invoice. I am not ordering individual cards at this time.

Prices:
Nordic Gold (any color) $19.50 per 300 yard spool
http://www.rainbowgallery.com/detail.cfm?ID=70

Treasure Braid Petite (any color) $23.75
http://www.rainbowgallery.com/detail.cfm?ID=372
http://www.rainbowgallery.com/detail.cfm?ID=992

Note that Treasure Braid Petite shimmer colors and white pearl are slightly higher in price.

If you see any other thread on their website that you'd like to order in the bulk size, let me know and I will ask them about the price.


Etsy gift cards now available

I love etsy.com! It's so easy to set up a shop and they are constantly improving and adding new features.

Here is a link to my temari shop there:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/JapaneseTemari

To purchase a gift card:
http://www.etsy.com/giftcards

I've cleaned out and tuned up the listings. They have a feature now so you can pay for your item directly through the etsy.com site. No need to go through PayPal any more although you can if you'd prefer. The new feature that I love is the ability to create a gift card when you check out. I hope you'll check it out!

I've stitched many temari for books.
Now they are for sale in the shop.

Kimekomi hand ball by Barbara B. Suess
Kimekomi hand ball by Barbara B. Suess

If you missed the class, you can purchase the DVD.


Thursday, November 8, 2012

We've come a long way baby!

Yes, we've come a long way! Last weekend, one of the best temari stitchers in the US (I say this with prejudice since she's a "bestie" and I promise that it's SO TRUE) participated in Whidbey Weavers Guild Annual Show and Sale.

Kathy Hewitt of Tacoma and Whidbey Island, Washington, spent weeks gathering her temari, packaging and pricing them for the sale. It was a lot of hard work and since this was the first show of this sort for her, she was a bit worried about it going well.

She was highly successful! Who wouldn't want one of her gorgeous creations? Sales were fantastic and she was excited to be able to introduce temari to so many like-minded artists. One of the best things about a show like this is being able to share your passion with so many interested people. Kathy said she talked so much, her voice was strained and her mouth dry. She made a lot of contacts for the future and I bet her classes will be filled with happy students. She is, after all, certified by the Japan Temari Association in Tokyo as Shihan (Master Instructor).

The idea for the display boxes came from Rebecca from Perth, another "temari addict".  We found them in the US at ClearBags.com. They have lots and lots of styles. What a gorgeous presentation!

In case you missed the event, Kathy shared lots of pictures with me to pass on to everyone interested in temari and fiber arts. We love the way the guild displayed her temari along with other items for sale. They made color-coordinated and eye-popping displays.

Kathy Hewitt's temari stacked and ready to transport to the sale.








Friday, November 2, 2012

OT Painting furniture fun

Saving money...finding old furniture in the attic, under the house, at garage sales. Paint! Uh, oh, this could be addictive!