TemariKai Glossary of Traditional Japanese Temari Stitches and Techniques
          
        Multiple glossaries using various interpretations have appeared through recent years. The first one was initiated in 2003,  through the concerted effort of TalkTemari members. The TemariKai.com glossary focuses on being as accurate & true to traditional teachings as possible, compiling authentic terms as well as integrated support information. Don't be put off by the Romanji/Japanese names - they are very common-sense oriented, and will help you understand the stitch or technique. As Ozaki Sensei of the JTA says, it's fine to nickname things in your own mind to help you remember, but you still need to understand the real thing and be able to interact with other temari makers using the commonly accepted terms. As of February, 2015, Japanese terms have been standardized through the Chidori Temari Curriculum; when stitches form stand-alone shapes, the word "kagari" is not used in the name.  This is a TemariKai.com Printable Page; © 2014, all rights reserved. Right click to print one copy for personal use.

     
All-Over Design or Pattern: one that through stitching or weaving, covers the entire mari surface so that none of the thread wrap is visible.

Amime (or Ami) Kagari  (Net Stitching)  網目かがり   :  using chidori kagari, one row overlapping the previous, to create an appearance of netting or lace; can be within a section of a pattern or all over the ball.

Asa no ha kagari  (Hemp)   麻の葉  : traditionally a latticed geometric design with six diamond-shaped patterns arranged in a radial manner. The shape resembles a hemp leaf; it is common in Asian & Japanese design, especially Sashiko, and adapts well to Temari. Temari designs often will alter the number of diamonds while keeping the traditional design elements.

Band, Wrapped (Maki Kagari):  A pattern element formed by wrapping threads around the full circumference of the ball that creates bands of color. One or more bands may be incorporated into a pattern; they may be thin or wide, passed through keeper pins or not.

Basket-weave (Kagome): woven designs worked with bands of threads in basket-weave style (as opposed to Orime kake)

Bara (Rose)  薔薇  : a traditional design element composted of of layers of off-set polygons, resembling rose petals when complete

Bin Temari (Bottle Temari): a temari presentation likened to a "ship in a bottle"; the temari is made, the core removed, inserted into a vessel, and the core stuffing replaced. The neck of the vessel is significantly smaller than the diameter of the temari.

Bokasi giku (kiku): - a shaded kiku design, going from light to dark or dark to light. Bokasi means gradual or muted.

Centers or Poles: the center intersections where the dividing lines of standard divisions intersect, usually identified by the number of coalescing lines. For example, a Simple 8 division has 2 8-point poles or centers. 

Chidori:  a zig zag or up-and-down form. Chidori literally translates as "up and down like the little bird flies or walks"

Chidori Kagari  千鳥かがり : a zig zag or up-and-down stitch. It is similar to a tailor's hem stitch, executed with tiny stitches

Chou: butterfly

Chokkei (Diameter)  直径  :  the distance through the center of the ball (circumference is more commonly used to indicate mari size).

Chrysanthemum (Kiku) :  Chrysanthemum flower design created by any of a number of different temari stitches or stitch arrangements. Kiku designs are "many-petals" patterns that bloom outward from a pole, like a chrysanthemum flower. They may commonly be created using Uwagake Chidori Kagari, but are not limited to being executed with this stitch. 

Circumference (Enshuu)   円 周    or   え ん し ゅ う   : distance around the fullest part of the ball.

Combination Division (Kumiawase)  組み合わせ :  a division that begins with a simple division but then has additional poles of the originating value combined, or added onto, it so that the poles are equally spaced around the ball. For example, an 8 Combination Division begins with a Simple 8, and has additional 8-point poles added on, equally spaced around the ball.

Combination 8/C8 Division (Hatitoubun no kumiawase)  8 等分の組み合わせ  : a marking that creates 6 equally spaced 8-point poles.  The division begins from a Simple 8, and creates 6 8-point squares, 8 6-point triangles and 12 4-point diamonds as the main face distribution (there are others that can be identified) in the marking pattern. It is one of the 3 standard divisions of temari.

Combination 10/C10 Division (Jyuttoubu no kumiawase) 10等分の組み合わせ    : a marking that creates 12 equally spaced 10-point poles. The division begins from a Simple 10, and creates 12 10-point pentagons, 20 6-point triangles, and 30 4-point diamonds as the main face distribution (there are others that can be identified) in the marking pattern.  It is one of the 3 standard divisions of temari.

Continuous Stitching (Renzoku Kagari, Mawashi Kagari): Stitching an entire figure or path without breaking the thread, but not a simple polygon. It may circumscribe the mari (renzoku) or circumscribe a center (mawashi, hitohude).

Core: the center of the dodai mari, usually hand made using rice hulls, fabric or yarn scraps, etc., over which the layers of yarn and thread are wrapped.

Dan  段  : row; 1 row of stitching, as in counting rows in a pattern.

Diameter (Chokkei)  直径  : the distance through the center of the ball (circumference is more commonly used to indicate mari size).

Division: marking a ball such that there are equally spaced, 3-dimensional symmetrical centers. By the laws of nature (physics), there are only 3 ways to do this: Simple, 8 Combination, 10 Combination.

Division line: a marking line placed on the mari so that it fully circumscribes the ball and divides it into 2 hemispheres. All division lines are marking lines, but not all marking lines are division lines

Dodai Mari: the base or foundation mari which is then used for stitching temari designs.

Embellishment: the addition of extra stitching, beads, trims, etc. after the pattern embroidery is complete.

Enshuu  (Circumference)   円 周    or   え ん し ゅ う   : distance around the fullest part of the ball.

Enter the Thread:  to insert the needle and thread so as to anchor the thread for stitching and place the needle at a starting point. The thread is usually run under the mari wrap prior to bringing the needle up at the starting point. For fine threads a small knot may be placed in the end of the thread to anchor it

Equator (Sekido): division line equidistant from the north and south poles of the mari that divides it into equal halves (or hemispheres); this is also the circumference of the ball.

Exit the Thread:  to bring the needle up and out of the mari base as the second action of taking a stitch; or to run the needle and thread under the mari wrap a small distance away from the ending point of stitching and then trim the thread off close to the mari surface to end of a stitching segment.

Face/Mentai: the area on the mari marked off by dividing or marking lines (Jiwari) formed by a division or marking; may also be called lozenge. For example, there are 6 8-point faces on a C8 marking. Some faces are centers.

Free Embroidery: freehand embroidery used to decorate open areas of the mari.

Gake: stitch, used interchangeably, but less commonly, than kagari.

Gata: shape, such as polygon. Alternate word: kata

Gokaku  五角   : 5 cornered shape, pentagon. Gokaku creates a pentagon in one round of stitching.

Hachikakkei   八 角形  : 8 cornered shape, octagon. Hachikakkei  creates an octagon in one round of stitching.

Hana  花  : flower

Hari  針  :  needle

Hatitoubun no kumiawase (Combination 8/C8 Division)   8等分の組み合わせ  :   a marking that creates 6 equally spaced 8-point poles.  The division begins from a Simple 8, and creates 6 8-point squares, 8 6-point triangles and 12 4-point diamonds as the main face distribution (there are others that can be identified) in the marking pattern. It is one of the 3 standard divisions of temari.

Hishi (or Ryou)  菱   : diamond shape; Hishi kagari creates a diamond shape in one round of stitching.

Hitohude Gake (One stroke/thread figure):  stitching a figure or motif with one thread, beginning at one point and without stops and starts or following the same line twice, returning to the starting point to complete the full figure. See also Mawashi Kagari, Renzoku Kagari.  Hitdohude gake may also refer to a specific pattern (GT57).

Hokkyoku  北極  : north pole; just as in geography, temari are oriented with a north and south pole; usually abbreviated NP, and marked with a white pin

Houshajyo: radiating from a center point

Hoshi (Five-point star)    星かがり  :  using 5-point center and stitching on every other around to create a star outline. A stitching element worked on 5 marking lines using an alternate thread sequence of a-c-e-b-d-a.

Interlocked/Twisted (Nejiri kagari) - a pattern formed by weaving all threads of an element over and under all threads of an adjacent element, interlocking the shapes.

Interwoven (Kousa kagari) - A pattern formed by stitching or weaving rounds of pattern elements in a repeated sequence so that the outcome is a design in which the elements interweave, layer by layer. (Sometimes the stitching or wrapping sequence may be repeated until the mari is totally covered.)

Invisible Marking -The method of marking the mari with two strands of the final wrapping thread, or with one strand of a barely different color from the finish wrap, so that the marking lines are not noticed as part of the finished design.

Ito (thread) 糸  :  as in sewing or stitching thread

Jiwari  地割り   : (Marking, division, guide, support, threads)  - the threads applied to the dodai mari to divide it into any one of the Standard Divisions or other marking line sequences. Jiwari literally means "territories", but vernacular has come accept the word as the lines, rather than the areas, that are created.

Jyouge douji kagari (Concurrent North-South)   上下同時かがり   :  using a chidori kagari-based technique and stitching concurrently from north to south to north pole, crossing the the equator with each advance, circumscribing the ball as one round. Literally translates as "concurrent north-south pole stitching". One of the 4 stitching skills required for Honka Certification in the JTA.

Jyuttoubu no kumiawase (Combination 10/C10 Division)  10等分の組み合わせ  :   a marking that creates 12 equally spaced 10-point poles. The division begins from a Simple 10, and creates 12 10-point pentagons, 20 6-point triangles, and 30 4-point diamonds as the main face distribution (there are others that can be identified) in the marking pattern.  It is one of the 3 standard divisions of temari.

Kagari  かがり : tiny stitch, (literally, "Iike a hem stitch" or tack stitch)

Kagome (basket-weave)   籠目/篭目 /かご目  :  woven designs worked with bands of threads in basket-weave style (as opposed to Orime kake)

Kai (Round)  回  : rows comprising a layer of stitching

Kaku  (Corner)  角  : angle or corner, as in the angle formed between 2 sides of a polygon or shape

Kame: turtle

Kata (or Gata): shape

Keeper Pins: a single or pair of straight pins placed temporarily where needed to hold a group of threads together until they are finally anchored in place (most often used to hold threads gathered at the equator in wrapped designs.)

Kiku  (Chrysanthemum)   菊  or  き く  :   Chrysanthemum flower design created by any of a number of different temari stitches or stitch arrangements. Kiku designs are "many-petals" patterns that bloom outward from a pole, like a chrysanthemum flower. They may commonly be created using Uwagake Chidori Kagari, but are not limited to being executed with this stitch. 

Kireyose - the use of fabric applique/patch on all or part of the temari.

Kousa Kagari (interwoven shapes)  交差かがり  :  a pattern formed by stitching or weaving rounds or rows of threads in a repeated sequence layer by layer, so that the effect is an interwoven design. (Sometimes the stitching or wrapping sequence may be repeated until the mari is totally covered.)

Kumiawase (Combination Division):  a division that begins with a simple division but then has additional poles of the originating value combined, or added onto, it so that the poles are equally spaced around the ball. For example, an 8 Combination Division begins with a Simple 8, and has additional 8-point poles added on, equally spaced around the ball.

Layer: a set of rounds stitched or bands wrapped on individual pattern elements that is repeated to create a kousa-style interwoven design.

Lokkaku   六角 : 6 cornered shape, hexagon. Lokkaku kagari creates a pentagon in one row of stitching.

Lozenge: the area on the mari marked off by dividing or marking lines (Jiwari) formed by a division; also called face. For example, there are 6 8-point faces on a C8 marking.

Maki kagari (Wrapped Bands)    巻きかがり :  a pattern element formed by wrapping threads around the full circumference of the ball that creates bands of color. One or more bands may be incorporated into a pattern;  they may be thin or wide, passed through keeper pins or not.

Mari (ball)   まり  : the spherical base that has been wrapped and is ready to be marked for stitching; see dodai mari

Marking Strip: a thin paper strip used with relational geometry to mark divisions and place pins in preparation for marking the mari.

Marking Line (Jiwari): the threads applied to the dodai mari to divide it into any one of the Standard Divisions or other marking line sequences. Marking lines may but do not need to circumscribe the ball or divide it into hemispheres.

Marking Pins: straight pins (may be color coded) placed at determined points on the ball to aid in the placement of marking threads or as guides to stitch placement.

Masu  (Square) - see Shikaku

Matsuba Kagari (Pine Needle)  松 葉かがり  :  straight stitches arrayed in a star-burst or spray bundle; commonly used as embellishment in designs

Mawashi Gake -  stitching a figure or motif with one thread, beginning at one point and without stops and starts or following the same line twice, returning to the starting point to complete the full figure. See also Hitohude Gake. While not technically correct, it is used interchangeably with renzoku kagari.

Mentai (Face)  面 体  :  the area on the mari marked off by dividing or marking lines (Jiwari) formed by a division or marking; may also be called lozenge. For example, there are 6 8-point faces on a C8 marking. Some faces are centers.

Mitsubane Kikkou  (Tri-wing & Hexagon)   三 つ羽根亀甲かがり  : a combination of a solid hexagon center with three wings radiating outward from it. One of the 4 stitching skills required for Honka Certification in the JTA.

Mitsubishi (Three Diamonds)   三菱  or   みつびし  :  the shape formed by the meeting of the base points 3 adjacent diamonds; often at the intersection of three sides of squares or pentagons; means "three diamonds" in Japanese.

Multiple Face Marking (Tamentai):  "ta" means many;  a C10 that has been further sectioned and marked to create many faces, forming multiple small pentagons and hexagons. Tamentai is generally reserved for the hexagon markings created by subdividing the diamonds or triangles of a C10 division versus other extra markings.

Nankyoku (south pole)   南極  :  just as in geography, temari are oriented with a north and south pole; usually abbreviated SP and marked with a black pin

Nejiri kagari (Interlocked shapes)  ね じりかがり  :  a pattern formed by weaving all threads of an element over and under all threads of an adjacent element, interlocking the shapes.

Nejiri Mitsubane (Interlocked wings)  捻り三羽 根  :  a 3-point, interlocked spindle worked with one thread

North pole (Hokkyoku):  just as in geography, temari are oriented with a north and south pole; usually abbreviated NP and marked with a white pin

Net Stitching (Amime Kagari):  using chidori kagari, one row overlapping the previous, to create an appearance of netting or lace; can be within a section of a pattern or all over the ball.

Obi (belt)  帯  : a decorative design worked around the equator of the temari.  It  may be stitched, wrapped, etc. (see maki obi)

Obi kagari  帯かがり  :  chidori kagari worked around the equator of a temari, or over the maki obi,  to embellish and help anchor the maki obi.

One stroke/thread figure (Hitohude Gake): a specific design stitched with one thread, beginning at one point and without stops and starts, return to the starting point to complete the full figure. While not technically correct, it is often used interchangeably with mawashi kagari and renzoku kagari

Open/white/negative space: an area where the finish wrap of the ball shows through in the pattern; it can be as important to the design as the stitched areas.

Orime kake (woven pattern): a design formed by weaving threads through previously placed threads on the mari. The design is created by warp and weft on the temari

Ougi: fan

Pine Needle, Sunburst, Starburst (Matsuba Kagari): long straight stitches arrayed in a star-burst or spray bundle; commonly used as embellishment in designs

Poles or Centers: the center intersections where the dividing lines of standard divisions intersect, usually identified by the number of coalescing lines. For example, a Simple 8 division has 2 8-point poles or centers. 

Relational geometry: plotting or specifying distances "in relation to" - that is, compared to - an already established standard, as opposed to absolute value measurements done with a ruler or other scaled device.  In Temari it means using a paper strip cut to the dodai mari circumference, and folding it to establish NP, SP, equator, and other required points for divisions and patterns.

Renzoku kagari (Continuous Stitching)  連 続  :  Stitching begins at one point and goes around the circumference of the mari, touching in both hemispheres, back to the starting point. It may also move to the next marking line, without cutting (stopping) the thread. While not technically correct, it is often used interchangeably with mawashi kagari and hitohude gake

Rokakku (or Lokkaku)  六角  : hexagon

Rose/Rose Garden (Bara)   : a design of layers of off-set polygons, resembling rose petals when complete

Sakasa Uwagake Kagari  逆さ  : using Uwagake Kagari on all corners of a shape, and working from the outside edge into the center

Sakura: cherry blossom

Sankaku   三角  : 3 cornered shape, triangle. Sankaku kagari creates a triangle in one round of stitching.

Sasa: bamboo leaf

Seed stitch:  tiny back stitch worked over a marking thread so that it covers the marking thread; only the thread of the actual stitch shows (Japanese use this English word).

Sei  星  :  star

Sekido (Equator)  赤道  : division line equi-distant from the north and south poles of the mari that divides it into equal halves (or hemispheres); this is also the circumference of the ball.

Shikaku (Square)   四角  or   ますかがり  :  solid or open square shape usually stitched around 2 perpendicular marking lines. One of the 4 stitching skills required for Honka Certification in the JTA.

Shitagake Chidori Kagari   下掛け千鳥かがり : Chidori Kagari application where the stitch of the ensuing row is placed directly under that of the previous, working from pole outward/downward

Simple Division (Tanjyun toubun)  単純等分  :  a 2-center (pole) marking comprised of lines running from the north pole to the south pole that divides the mari into equal vertical sections, similar to an orange. Simple divisions are usually designated by the number of segments  - for example, a Simple-8 division mari is divided into 8 equal vertical sections. It is one of the 3 standard divisions of temari.

Shishuu - freestyle design using traditional surface embroidery stitches; this includes a large variety of stitching outside of the traditional temari techniques.

South pole (Nankyoku):  just as in geography, temari are oriented with a north and south pole; usually abbreviated SP and marked with a black pin

Spindle (Tsumu): a stitch element that creates an elongated oval shape, pointed on each end.

Square (Shikaku) - solid or open square shape usually stitched around 2 perpendicular marking lines. One of the 4 stitching skills required for Honka Certification in the JTA.

Standard Divisions: the three divisions that are the basis of Temari; Simple, 8 Combination and 10 Combination. These markings represent the only ways that centers can be equally spaced, in 3-dimensional symmetry abiding by the laws of nature.

Sujidate Uwagake Kagari  筋立て上掛け :  variation of Uwagake Chidori Kagari where the working thread is carried over only one previous round rather than all

Support lines - Additional marking threads added after the standard division lines are completed to facilitate stitch placement on some patterns.

Tabane kagari: a stitch used to "tie" a bundle of threads to hold in place; for example, threads crossed through keeper pins would then be secured with tabane kagari

Take: bamboo

Tack stitch: a small, nearly invisible stitch taken to hold other threads, such as jiwari, in place

Tamentai (Multiple Face Marking)  多面体   :  "ta" means many;  a C10 that has been further sectioned and marked to create many faces, forming multiple small pentagons and hexagons. Tamentai is generally reserved for the hexagon markings created by subdividing the diamonds or triangles of a C10 division versus other extra markings.

Tanjyun toubun (Simple Division) : a 2-center (pole) marking comprised of lines running from the north pole to the south pole that divides the mari into equal vertical sections, similar to an orange. Simple divisions are usually designated by the number of segments  - for example, a Simple-8 division mari is divided into 8 equal vertical sections. It is one of the 3 standard divisions of temari.

Tonbo: dragonfly

Toubun   等分  :  division into equal parts

Tri Wing & Hexagon (Mitsubane Kikkou): a combination of a solid hexagon center with three wings radiating outward from it. One of the 4 stitching skills required for Honka Certification in the JTA.

Tsumu (Spindle)  つ むかがり  : a stitch element that creates an elongated oval shape, pointed on each end

Tsuru: crane

Ume: plum blossom

Uwagake Chidori Kagari   上掛け千鳥かがり  :  specific application of Chidori Kagari where the working thread is carried over the previous rows of work prior to taking the next stitch. It creates a widening, woven inverted wedge, radiating outward from the center. The number of previous rows the thread is carried over can vary from all to one, for different effects, but these are all still called Uwagake Chidori Kagari, just specifying the number of rows worked over. Seen in many temari designs, it is one of the most commonly used for executing kiku type designs but is by far not limited to such.

Uzumaki / uzu  kagari (Spiral line)  渦 巻き  :  stitching that follows a spiral orientation. For example, Pattern GT11, a basic swirl design, is worked in uzumaki kagari. Other uzumaki kagari designs include "parasol", spiraled uwagake, etc. 

V-Ruler: a tool specific to Temari making, obtained through the Japan Temari Association, to facilitate marking a 10 Combination Division; shaped like a "V" with the internal angle equal to 72 degrees, each leg being 8cm long.

Waste thread: thread that will be removed during the course of working the project. Often used for marking lines that will be removed.

White space/negative space - areas of the mari that are not covered by stitching. White space can enhance the overall design, and at times can be used to convey the design.

Woven pattern (Orime kake): a design formed by weaving threads through previously placed threads on the mari. The design is created by warp and weft on the temari.

Last updated 11/2015 © 1998 - 2015 G. Thompson/PuffinStuff, Inc.