Fall Exhibition at the NC Japan Center

Opening Reception: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 from 4 - 6 PM

Greetings!

We are now enjoying comfortable days. The summer must be coming to an end. We hope you are doing well.

The Japan Center wants you to join us at our reception celebrating the fall exhibition, which is coming right after the Labor Day weekend. This time we are presenting two artists, Reiko Chosokabe who is originally from Tokyo, Japan, and Barbara Suess from Raleigh, NC. Reiko has been living here in NC since 1992. Her whimsical paintings are abstract creations in acrylic. Some of Reiko’s inspiration comes from the Japanese language school where she currently teaches. She also works at the NC Japan Center.

Barbara Suess’s works are temari, which are intricate, decorative balls. She is an expert at this traditional Japanese craft. Barbara is a certified teacher and also a published author of temari books. She lived in Japan for four years in the 1980’s and continues to carry and develop the ancient techniques.

We hope you can join us and meet these remarkable artists. We are also looking forward to enjoying an interlude by Onju-kai, which is a musical combo including koto, flute, and viola.

We hope you can set aside this date to join us:

Saturday, September 10 from 4-6pm at the NC Japan Center.

The NC Japan Center’s exhibition program has blossomed with success due to the continuing generosity of support by Eiko Goti and Yoko Yamagishi. Our sincerest gratitude to both.

Sponsors:

Southern Bridge Int’l, Inc.

US Remac, Inc.

Dana Raymond

Art Curator, NC Japan Center

Certification Classes for JTA 2011-2012 are open

JTA brochure

If you love making temari, you're self-motivated, and you want to experience a journey of challenge where you'll discover new techniques as well as improved stitching and pattern writing, then Japan Temari Association certification is for you.


Here is some information on the JTA.

"Temari is so easy!" at the EGA Rocky Mountain Region 2011 Seminar

Beginner class in Japanese Temari

I've just returned from a long weekend in Denver, Colorado, where I taught a beginner temari class to a lovely group of gals who are members of the Embroiderers' Guild of America in the Rocky Mountain Region. The seminar was hosted by The Foothills Chapter at the Doubletree in Denver. The creative and joyous spirit of the seminar participants lingers with me even as I quickly try to prepare for another trip in just a few days. There were smiles everywhere, all the time, except perhaps when students were concentrating very hard to learn the new techniques. When the moment of understanding and accomplishment came, that smile reappeared. Yes, temari is so easy!

Daffodil palette in the color wheel

Yesterday, I shared one of my favorite color palettes for choosing threads for temari - a palette based on colors from a photo of daffodil blooms against a blue sky.

It seems too easy! Just to satisfy my need to look at how these colors are arranged on the color wheel, I returned to Kuler to play around with their interactive wheel. To get there, click on "Create" and then on "From a Color." Wow! What fun it is to slide around the wheel creating an infinite number of color combinations!

Bright and cheery daffodil palette for temari

Daffodil palette for temari

How do you select thread colors when planning your temari? Often, we just look through our stash and grab a few threads that inspire us.

Temari in Indonesia

Thanks to Rebecca's blog at Temari Addict Australia, we know we have more kindred sisters in the South Seas!
http://temari-addict-australia.blogspot.com/2011/07/temari-making-in-indonesia-makes-news.html

Certification Classes for the Japan Temari Association

Are you interesting in challenging yourself to improve your temari stitching and pattern writing ability? In late August, I'll be starting classes for preparation for the examinations to be held in June, 2012. Please read the information on my website and fill out the form to add your name to my mailing list. I'll be in touch in August when I've got the class materials ready and the prices set. In the meantime, happy stitching!


JTA certification information

JTA certification results are in. It's champagne time!

Congratulations to Rebecca from Perth, Australia, and Glenna K. from California, USA, for passing their level certification with the Japan Temari Association in Tokyo.

Rebecca took my certification class for Level 2. She produced three temari with patterns with combination 8-division and three with combination 10-division. Her pattern writing is superb and her temari stitching is gorgeous!

Glenna is a friend who independently passed the TOP level - Level 4 - which means we can now call her Professor! Her temari are simply stunning. The level of artistry that she brings from other types of needlework to temari is so inspiring.

Congratulations to both Rebecca and Glenna and to all others who passed!

Brochure from the JTA

Picking temari thread colors from a photo

Mother Nature and Kuler

Go to Kuler. Upload a favorite photo. Let the program pick the colors. Adjust if desired. Pull threads to match. Easy!

Cape San Blas, Florida - A little slice of heaven

Tide out

Pathway to heaven?

Speckled trout

Temari stitcher's husband

Shallow water - lots of life

Skate skating along

photo by Katherine

On a break.......

On a break for summer fun!

I'll be back in plenty of time to share news of our fall trip to Kyoto and Tokyo. Glenna just got news that Takahara Sensei has agreed to meet us for a class and Ozaki Sensei teaches on the day we plan to visit the Japan Temari Association in Tokyo. Jackpot!!!

Flower Temari Challenge - Forsythia

Forsythia stitched on a Japanese temari

 

Finally! Diagrams for forsythia! Time flies when you're having fun, right? Well, I've been having lots of fun for the past few months since I consider teaching temari fun :)   Now, it's time to catch up with a lot of other projects that have been on hold.

Divide each short line
into six sections.

So here I am, back to diagramming flowers. Forsythia has lots of tiny yellow flowers and is absolutely one of my favorites!

Guidelines - thin metallic. I used Treasure Braid Petite High Gloss Copper (PH13) by Rainbow Gallery to add the guidelines. I love this thread! It is strong yet fine and looks just like metal on the ball. Hint, hint - there are some 300 yard spools left in my shop if you hear it calling your name!

Yellow flowers - variegated yellow/orange. I used Caron Watercolors 275 Daffodil (separated to one strand). Filled with light yellow Caron Watercolors 131 Banana.

Brown twigs - light brown. I used the browner parts of variegated Caron Watercolors 189 Gingersnap (separated to one strand).

To make all the little flowers, I decided to subdivide the pentagon. The first step is to measure a short line, divide by 6, and place 5 pins along each line to divide each one into 6 sections. Then pretend like this is a multicenters temari and add guidelines until all of the pins are connected and you have a grid of tiny triangles all over this C10 pentagon. If you were dividing the entire temari like this, it would have 482 centers.

Stitch to connect pins and
create multicenters.

The next step is to find the smallest shape in the center - it's a pentagon. Stitch a tiny herringbone around that center with the stitches placed on the long lines, inside the pentagon. Place stitches on the short lines just outside the pentagon.  Then locate the five hexagons surrounding that tiny pentagon.

Stitch a tiny herringbone.

When stitching the hexagons, you will stitch inside the hexagon on each guideline. Place stitches outside the hexagon just over the flat side of the hexagon. There won't be a guideline there for you to use to place that stitch so just eyeball it and place it out over the side of the hexagon. Extend it past the side a couple of needlewidths so you'll have room to interlock it when you stitch in the hexagon next door. Interlock all shapes as you stitch by weaving under and over.

Using the same thread, fill in most of the hexagons with the exception of a few in each corner where you can place brown pine needle stitches to represent the twigs on the forsythia bush.

The last step is to stitch around each of the hexagon centers (one row) with light yellow to add a bit of fill for those flowers. I love the look of all these teenie flowers. Hope you do too!

Gratitude

9,999 page views on this blog.

Thread drawers emptying here as I enable stitchers with their addiction to temari (I love doing that!).

Emails asking for patterns.

"Thanks for all you do for us" comments.

Tomorrow, I'll upload the last part of the pattern for the C10 "Blue Stars" online temari class. Then I'll be able to get back to finishing up the flower temari challenge that I've had to neglect.

I just wanted to take a minute to say THANKS! to you. So many folks from all over the world who keep me going with their interest in making temari.

I bet when I wake up in the morning, we'll pass the 10,000 page views mark!

Cool sites for playing

WeaveSilk

When I have time on my hands (like, NOT now!), I go to Stumbleupon for inspiration. I'm looking for sites that are artistic, fun, and just plain feel good. Here are just a few of the coolest places on the web. I saved them for you, just for this day.....

Good news, bad news

Drawers full of gorgeous metallics!

So, which would you like first?

The bad news is for those of us who live in Raleigh - TWO local needlework shops closed at the end of last year! I am really at a loss for making quick purchases when I'm feeling inspired and need to stitch with a particular thread right away   :(

Yes, that is a big frown  :(

The good news is for you. Since I'm spoiled and really want to have my choice of thread available to me when I get the urge to use it, I decided to place a wholesale order for my favorite Rainbow Gallery metallics. It has all arrived and I'm in heaven!

They are all listed in the shop on my website so I can share my stash with you.

Easy interacting

I'm teaching a temari class online for experienced, intermediate stitchers and something came to mind when I was writing this week's lesson. It's a basic technique for temari - what do you do when two motifs intersect? We are stitching on a combination 10-division temari in class but these four techniques can be worked on any division. In fact, it's one of the first things temari makers learn.

It turns out these different ways to combine stitched shapes are very unique, each making for a brand new temari design. This is kind of exploration makes temari so fascinating and so much fun!

"They delight the eye and satisfy the soul."

The Art Museum of Greater Lafayette sent me brochures for the upcoming exhibition that include three of my temari.

Here's a quote from the brochure:
"This is a fabulous collection of work that celebrates the imagination by showcasing splendid crafts from invited, nationally renowned artisans. The works are creative and innovative in form and materials, including glass, metal, fiber, wood and clay. These objects were chosen because they delight the eye and satisfy the soul. We sought uncommon beauty and good design in common objects. All of the works will be for sale."

She moved so fast, she almost disappeared

If you have children in school or you are in school yourself, you know that the month of May is always packed with end of year events and activities. This year, our younger daughter is graduating from high school so it seems there is even more going on than usual. All fun, memorable, impressive even. Last night was the awards ceremony for seniors where she gathered a metal and several pins of accomplishment to wear on her graduation gown. She flew across the stage so fast, she almost disappeared!

Embroidered thimbles - Yubinuki

Yubinuki ring being used as a stand for a temari

Here's a quick post today to shoot you over to Needleprint blog to see a beautiful presentation of yubinuki or embroidered Japanese thimble rings. 

A description of the case is in the next post.

I've made a few of these and really loved making them.


This site from Kanazawa has a bit more information.

Beginner Classes Online

Boxes of thread and stitching supplies arrived at my door! Feels like Christmas but it's just another class opening. Tomorrow, I will open Echo Star Temari as a permanent class online. 

Echo Star Online Temari Class

Check out all classes at my website.

My head is still in the mountains

"The Folk School’s motto, 'I sing behind the plow,' reflects our desire to find happiness, expression, and art in our daily lives."

I spent this last weekend teaching temari at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, North Carolina. From where I live in Raleigh, it's best to drive up to Asheville and then head southwest through the Blue Ridge mountains to the folk school campus.  "Blue" is so right! These old mountains are thickly covered with trees that look all shades of blue from a distance. It's a beautiful place. Beautiful setting. Beautiful spirit.

Folk School with mountains in the distance

Quilt for Japan - finished and sent!

It's been a long time since I made a quilt and finished it so quickly. After the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Luana of Equilter.com asked for donations of finished quilts to be sent to Mission of Love. They are putting together a container full of all sorts of things to be given to the disaster victims. I made a blue jean quilt with raggedy seams on the outside. It was so much fun to make and easy!

Blue jean quilt with some temari touches

Of course, I couldn't resist adding a few touches of temari...

Hooray for Fiber Art!

Packing up three of my temari babies for the gallery in Indiana

A few weeks ago, I got a a surprise email from The Art Museum of Greater Lafayette to participate in the Making It In Crafts National Invitational exhibition beginning May 20 and running until September. Exhibiting temari as fiber art has been on my to-do list for a long time and I'm thrilled that the guys from the museum in Indiana discovered my website and sent me an invitation! I only wish it were closer to North Carolina so I could go and see all the other fiber art on display. 

How to stitch on a thread-wrapped temari

It seems like forever ago that I wrote a bit here about how to make a temari ball.

Wrap your temari with blue thread.
Stitch happy, sloppy daisies with pearl cotton.

Spring has arrived here in North Carolina and I thought I'd share how to stitch happy little flowers on a temari. No adding guidelines or anything. Just use your embroidery skills, some pearl cotton, and bring these bright colors into your crafting. The daisies are made by stitching detached chain stitches or lazy daisy stitches grouped together in a little circle. Then you fill the center with yellow French knots. You'll need to use a sewing method rather than a stabbing method since you don't have access to the wrong side of the work like in regular embroidery on fabric.  A couple of tips for you ...

New temari goodies!

Gosh, I am so busy with family life, trips, and getting ready for class that I haven't had any stitching time at all. So sad! But it's like Christmas around here with all the boxes of temari goodies arriving for the Blue Stars Online class.

Just for this class, I ordered a retractable tape measure with a temari design.

Tape measure with temari design

 I have a few extras that you can find in my shop.  You'll also find some of my favorite threads by Rainbow Gallery.

There are 2 kits left (of 72) for the Blue Stars class. Going, going........

Get one before they are gone. I'd love to stitch a combination 10-division temari with you.

Blue Stars Online Temari Class

Extra patterns

Blue Stars Online Temari Class - only 5 kits left

Registration closed Sunday with 67 students - what a wonderful group of stitchers from all over the world. Since thread comes in boxes of 12 skeins, I've ordered enough supplies for 72 kits. So, there is room for 5 more students. If you would like to join, please send me an email. This is your chance to conquer that C10 division!
Class description for Blue Stars 

Weddings and a Prom

Not much temari for me right now. We are celebrating a couple of weddings in our family so I'll be traveling. This weekend my daughter attended her senior prom. There is so much to do with her during these last couple of months in high school. Exciting but busy, busy, busy! Here she is - all dressed and ready to join her friends...

Part 2 - April Temari Challenge - 20 Faces to Fill

Quick post today. This is a follow up on the challenge 20 faces marking sampler going on in TemariChallenge Yahoo group. 

Here are a couple of photographs of the temari I stitched with this marking:

Variety of herringbone designs stitch on 20-faces temari

April TemariChallenge - 20 Faces to Fill

Marking a combination division temari is often daunting to beginners. But after stitching a simple division temari, with one design on the north pole and one design on the south pole, the next challenge is to mark a temari that has more than two faces. There is an easy way to skip ahead to marking multiple faces on the ball without going the route to the combination divisions.

20 Faces Special Marking Temari

There are many ways to add support lines to further divide the ball. I'm leading the April challenge in our TemariChallenge Yahoo group to share how to turn a simple 12-division into a temari with 20 faces.

I hope you can join us!

March Temari Challenge

I've talked about TemariChallenge Yahoo group often. Have you joined yet? I sure hope so. Joan led us through a pattern that she figured out from one of the temari books published in Japan. I just finished putting the final touches on mine....

March Challenge Temari

Remembering Jerry Kreinik

Sad news from Kreinik thread company. Jerry Kreinik passed away March 23. You can read the obituary by clicking on this link. A good soul has passed.

Stash of Kreinik thread for temari

You can see I'm a fan! The company has always been very generous to me as a designer and author. I'm sure that's part of Jerry's doing.

Blue Stars Online Temari Class - learn a combination 10-division

Blue Stars Online Temari Class

Registration opens today for Blue Stars online temari class. Please visit this page on my website for all the details.

Extra patterns that come with the class

I hope you can stitch with me online!

Spring Sakura Showers

On this first full day of spring I was caught in the middle of a shower while on my morning walk. Not a drop of rain. Thousands of cherry blossom petals swirled around me like a blizzard! Every year this happens and every year I think back to the days in Yokohama when I took our young daughter to the park to get her shower of petals. I want to run and twirl and reach up to the sky like she did!

"I'm going to take off running.
Can you catch me?"

It's winter in northern Japan

Japanese temari from my book

Did you see the snow falling on the rescuers digging through the earthquake and tsunami rubble in northern Japan? It's cold there now.  Yesterday I got an email from Luana Rubin at equilter.com about sending quilts to Japan. She is partnering with Mission of Love to ship supplies to the victims of this horrible disaster.  I think this is a wonderful way to reach out personally to help. Luana is working on the logistics and I'll be posting about it as soon as she lets us know. I have an idea for a quilt to give.

I love this marking!

Back to the Flower Temari Challenge for a bit....

Someone in our TemariChallenge Yahoo group asked about marking the 10-part pentagon on a combination 10-division so you end up with a small pentagon in the center surrounded by small pentagons.

Thanks to NanaAkua who photographed her grandmother's temari and put them in a Flickr album, we can see an example of this.  Of course, we are enjoying the beauty of all her temari but they are also a great source for study on how to make them.  NanaAkua photographed one of her grandmother's temari that is marked like this.   

Earthquake Sadness

Shock and disbelief.
Profound sadness fills my days.
Can you help?

Japanese Family Crests and Designing for Temari

Want to add meaning to your temari designs?  Need inspiration on arrangement of stitched motifs? The Elements of Japanese Design, A Handbook of Family Crests, Heraldry & Symbolism by John Dower has been one of my best sources. And we all know every artist needs her sources, right?

"The Elements of Japanese Design is a library of traditional Japanese design motifs in the form of more than 2,700 family crests (mon) compiled and drawn by a Kyoto publisher and bookseller early in the twentieth century, and selected and interpreted by John Dower, a leading American scholar of Japan.

New Temari Class Begins on Tuesday

Echo Star Temari Class

I’m excited to be introducing so many people to this ancient needle art. We are beginning the class with almost 80 students! We are from:

Alabama, Australia (New South Wales), California, Canada (Alberta), Canada (British Columbia), Canada (Ontario), Colorado,  Connecticut, Florida, Germany, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Saudi Arabia (Jeddah), South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, United Kingdom (Surrey), Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. WOW!

Hinamatsuri in Japan (Doll Festival or Girls' Day) March 3

Miniature Emperor and Empress

 We moved to Yokohama in the late 80's when my husband got a transfer to help DuPont Japan set up a research facility.  Wandering through department store displays of dolls for Hinamatsuri was heaven for my daughter and me. As soon as the New Year's decorations disappeared, the dolls came out, arranged on platforms with the Emperor and Empress at the top.  Some were traditional-looking dolls. Others, like those in the photo above, were an artful representation of the royal court.  The shiny black, lacquered,  platform is about six inches across.  Shells painted with metallic gold rest on now faded purple cushions.  Tiny wooden carved dolls represent the members of the royal family.

Split Kiku (2 colors, 4 needles)

In a diversion from the flower temari challenge, I'd like to share a new temari with the kiku (chrysanthemum) design stitched in 2 colors. I guess I needed a break from all those flowers!

If you need any help with temari terminology, please have a look at my website glossary and stitch directory. 

Kiku design temari stitched with two colors.