Temari Pattern 0505 / A TalkTemari StitchAlong Compilation
Intermediate to Advanced  /  Download PDF file of this pattern

StitchAlong from Cosmo Book 2  pgs 25 & 53

A few TT folks had been pondering this pattern for a while and while we were coming close, it was time to call in reinforcments. It was presented as an SA to figure out. Debi A was able to figure out the remaining glitches from what Ginny started with.

Debi stitched it through with a basic diagram and provides work-along photos. She also notes that this falls into what we call "thread eaters" - thread consumption is more than the average pattern might be. For a 27 cm circumference mari it used a full skein of white and almost as much red.  And, size matters. She worked a 27cm diameter mari.  That is about the smallest that should be tried; the original was done on a 31cm and that would be better.

Wrap a mari (the mari wrap does get completely covered when you are all done so strictly speaking it does not need to match your design threads, but having a matching wrap allows for a little sloppiness around the flower centers if you are one who has a hard time getting the kiku stitches to line up right next to each other. Divide into a C10



This is the basic diagram - the red polygon detail is enlarged at right


Enlarged detail of the intersection area outlined in red at left.

After marking the badic C10, add extra marking lines that are shown in light green. The easiest way to do this is to stitch around each pole following the dark green line in the diagram. The pattern is composed of stars, diamonds and triangles. The brown lines indicated the paths for the red stars; the blue lines indicated the paths for red diamonds and the purple lines indicate the paths for white triangles. Dots indicated suggested start and stop points. This is an "interwoven" pattern - it is built by adding layers of each shape. You will stitch one round on each shape, and then repeat the cycles to build up the layers. The pattern will interweave and emerge as you proceed.


With red, stitch the inner outline of the stars formed around each pole.

With red stitch a round inside each diamond

With white, stitch the triangles as shown, but NOTE: the inner points of the triangles at the mari poles are not worked as a stitch, but rather the thread is just run under the mari wrap, making these inner points "disappear".


Repeat this cycle of red stars, red diamonds and white triangles, one row on each, to build up the design. Unique kiku centers will emerge on the corners of the stars.

Work the last cycle in gold thread.

Working just in the star shapes on each pole, stitch a star overlay using herringbone (zigzag) stitches. Outline the stars in thread of your choice - metallic or pearl cotton; you can also further embellish with accent straight stitches from center to points.

Notes from Debi: "Some changes I made from the original: 1.  I did not add on the gold threads to the top of the white stars after I stitched them.   I
thought it was glitzy enough for me without them.  They are just straight stitches following the original marking line if you choose to do them. 2.  I outlined my white stars in blue instead of red.  When I stitched the blue row I did not do each star individually, rather I started at an inner point on one, traveled down to the outer point and crossed over to the outer point on an adjacent star and up to the inner point on that one, took my stitch and then continued on, zig-zagging my way around the ball until I got back to the starting place.  Eventually you get the border on all of the stars and the crossed lines at the outer
points are shaprer points than you would get if you stitched them individually.

Also, although I originally thought the red stitching went first I think the white stitching should be done first because the red stitching holds it in place so nicely
and with the red stitching last you get a very nice looking temari when you are halfway done (Do only the red and white but not the mettallic or final white stars) and you could just stop there.

4.  The final layer of white stars gets stitched over previous stitching.  At the inner points you have clear stitching into the mari base because of the way the white stitching went under the mari on the earlier layer, but at the outer points you need to stitch over the stitches from before.  It was a bit challenging for me to get good stable stitches that didn't slide out of place.


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Last updated 7/05 © From 1998 inclusive G.Thompson, Debi Abolt, TT et al