Temari Pattern 99SC02 instructions

This pattern is very easy, just one of many patterns where an obi is woven through spindles; Since it is a basic pattern I'm writing the directions to be understood by a beginning temari stitcher (advanced stitchers, please bear with me). If you will make this first to get the idea of what you’re doing, you can then experiment with many adaptations of your own.

It helps the effect of the pattern if the perle inthe obi weave is the same color as the mari wrap. For the ball on the right above I started with a black mari that is about 2-3/4 inches in diameter. Mark the ball in a simple 10 division with an obi, using an “invisible” thread (check the TemariKai glossary if you don’t know what this is.) Using colors of your choice in perle #5, stitch spindles around the ten division lines. With this pattern, it is necessary that the number of times you go around the spindle must be an UNEVEN number. In my ball it was eleven rounds (making the whole spindle 22 threads wide.) I suggest making one whole spindle to begin with; you can then determine the number of rounds you need so that the sides of your spindles will almost meet at the obi and also allows you to see if you’re happy with your color arrangement, before you stitch all ten spindles.

Start by placing two marker pins on one vertical division line, one 1/2 way between the north pole and obi, and the other 1/2 way between the obi and south pole. Around these you will stitch your first spindle. Be sure to stretch your points. Ends of the spindles should almost reach the north and south poles. For this first spindle, I also find it helps to have placed guide pins on the obi, one on either side of the division line that I’m working around, 1/2 way between that division line and the one adjacent to it. This way, I can gauge when my spindle is nearing the right width. When your spindle almost reaches the guide pins at the obi, count the number of thread rounds (on one side of the division line) to be certain the total is an uneven number … if it’s not, adjust by adding or taking off one round. Once you’ve got it looking good, make the other nine spindles just like it – same color arrangement and same number of thread rounds.

Now comes the fun part … weaving the obi. You do this with #5 perle that matches your mari wrap color. Use a double thread (but don’t let them twist.) Wrap once around the obi – on top of all threads of all spindles – the two threads should straddle your obi marking thread, which probably peeks out in between the widest parts of your spindles. To the north of these two threads, wrap around again (keep using a double thread), this time weaving under the two center threads of each spindle. To the north of this, wrap around again, this time weaving under six threads of each spindle (the center two threads and two additional threads on each side of the center ones.) Continue in this manner, each time weaving under two additional threads on each side of the center threads, until finally you do one wrap where you are weaving under all threads of your spindles. Repeat this same process on the south side of the obi. You should end up with solid color diamonds going around the obi.

As a final touch, you can put a line of metallic thread from the edge of each diamond, across the pole and down to the edge of the corresponding diamond on the other side. Congratulations! your woven spindle temari is complete – you are now ready to experiment with your own variations.