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Stars,
Diamonds and Pentagons
Several people asked on TT about or sent me a photo that was seen on the web asking stitching directions could be worked out for it. I'd like to call it "Annie's Temari", since she is the one that started it! So Annie, here you go - here's my take on it. This example is worked on a 3 1/2 inch diameter mari (31 cm circumference) and I would not suggest using anything smaller (unless you reduce the gauge of the stitching thread) with pearl cotton #5. Part of the effect comes from the shading of the stars and triangles. I used two shades of orange and two of yellow, along with a major contrast for outlines and centers. The other part of the effect comes from the overlapping of the shapes as they are worked, which really is easy to do - think of it as "stitching in the hole", placing stitches in the space between previously worked rows. The only "tricky" part is that you need to plan out your colors, and count rows so you know how to space them in the "holes". |
Wrap and prep
a 3 1/2 inch diameter mari
with a C10 division,
using regular fine metallic thread. The example is prepped in white
with gold markings. You can choose colors and shades of your preference
but this example is worked in dark orange, medium orange, dark yellow,
light yellow, and navy. Final outline of everything is done in gold
metallic. I used DMC Pearl and Rainbow Gallery Nordic Gold for
stitching, DMC spool metallic for marking.
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| 1.
Start with
the diamonds, using the dark color (Navy). You need to leave a center
opening for the points of the design to come together, so start
stitching 1/4 of distance from pole to point on the long axis of the
triangle. This example uses three rounds. |
2.
Move
through the shades of yellow (light to dark, 1 row) and orange (light
to dark, 1 row light and 2 dark). |
3.Move
to the
center pentagons for the stars. Note the orientation of the points to
the long corner legs. Start tight in the center. Start with orange,
stitch two rows dark, one light. |
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| 4.
To start
the arms of the stars, it's also time to "stitch in the hole" in order
to accomplish the overlay effect of the shapes. Enter your needle with
dark yellow,in the space shown between the 2nd and 3rd rows of a
diamond. |
5.
Skip to the
third diamond (this is the sequence for stitching a regular five point
star) and enter/exit the needle under the threads of the third row of
the diamond. Pull though and complete the stitch and thread placement. |
6.
Skip to the
fifth diamond, and repeat, laying the threads across the edges of the
center pentagon as shown. Finish the star around to the starting
diamond - |
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| 7.Work
two rows dark, one
row light yellow - this photo shows "stepping up" from the end of one
row to the next as you continue to stitch in the hole. |
8.
Finish the
stars with four
rows of navy. When you get to the centers of the diamonds, stitch the
last row in the center opening. |
9.
Move to the
triangles. Start
tight in the center, stitch two rows dark orange |
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Finish
off the temari by working
an outline of gold on each space.
You can adjust the size of the temari and number of rows - just think it out and count the number of rows you will be working of each color, so that you can determine the spacing of when you need to being stitching in the hole. By working the diamonds with the color distribution first, you will be able to plan out the rest of the color spacing if you vary the size and number of colors. |
| 10.
Continue
with one row lt.
orange, two rows dark yellow, one row lt yellow, five rows navy. Begin
stitching in the hole with the second row of dark yellow. |
11. End with the last two rows of navy in the center space of the diamond. |
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