Spending time with Japanese artists has been most enlightening, in terms of being able to "dig" into some concepts. One is the idea of obi - design around the middle of something. Needless to say, obi comes indeed from the obi worn with kimono, for both men and women. Artistically, the obi concept is applied in many art and design forms. So -  can a design around the "middle" become too wide so that it no longer would be considered "obi", as opposed to a more "top to bottom comprehensive" design. In other words, even if you are stitching around the middle, can the design be too wide to be called an obi design (in total or as part of the overall temari pattern).

        Turns out yes! Just because a design is "focused" or centered around the equator of the mari, does not always mean it can be called an obi. There is a definite perspective that guides the width of an obi - on anything, including Kimono. Consider any example of traditional Japanese dress in kimono, and look at the width of the obi in perspective to the length of the kimono as it's worn on the person (virtually all kimono are made alike in terms of size and length... length actually is adjusted to the person by folding excess and securing it in place with obi and related garments). The obi doesn't exceed about one-third of the height/ kimono length of the wearer. They may be narrower, but even in the most extreme examples of the obi on kimono of the Maiko in Kyoto (the most intricate and traditional kimono dress in Japan, and still used today for first year Geisha in training), the width of the obi is one-third of the body length.

       The use of obi design has of course, long carried over into the application of "middle" or obi designs on other many articles - be they functional or decorative, in almost limitless applications and art forms. Applying this to temari, we can be guided by for an equator design on a temari  - that is, the design stitched around the middle of the mari, be it as the main focus, or as embellishment, or part of the overall temari design in total -   to be artistically considered "obi", the maximum width of the obi design is one-third of the distance from top to bottom (north to south pole).

Don't be confused that equator-focused design elements that are wider in perspective are not important parts of temari design - certainly they are. Wider designs would just not artistically be considered in perspective to be called an obi.

        So - for Temari, the maximum width of for an obi design would be one-third of the distance from north to south pole. (1/3 of 1/2 circumference). And - don't jump to the opposite extreme. This is not to say that wider designs, centered around the equator, are "not allowed" or there is something "wrong" with them - nothing of the sort!! Wide designs are just that - wide (or tall/long) designs stitched on the mari around the equator. They can be and are effective and stunning.... they just are not called obi once they "overgrow" that 1/3 perspective.