Temari Pattern 99SH04
Beginner to Intermediate to Advanced - Pattern contributed by Sue Hayashi  /  Download PDF file of this pattern
White Crane

       Sue H sent me this temari as a gift when we first got to know each other - I've always loved it. She demonstrated it at a StitchIn several years ago and now we finally got her to write up the how to. Sue learned it in her temari lessons from Sensei Ozaki while in Tokyo.


Materials: 1 black temari base divided into 20 with equator in gold thread.
    Pearle cotton #5 in white, black, red; it is important to use these colors since they are associated with cranes. (I have used pink instead of white to create a flamingo.)
    Pearle cotton #5 in green and brown; these are optional colors symbolizing marshy grasslands however, other colors may be substituted.

1: Thread your needle with a single strand of green and create a wrapped obi – 5 rounds on the north side of the equator line, 5 rounds on the south side of the equator line.

2: Use brown thread to create a diagonal line across the obi from one marking line to the next.


3: During the next step, use a pole-guide to help keep your pole stitches even… this can be done by using a small coin to trace a circle (about 2 cm in diameter) on a piece of scrap paper (a button can also be used in place of the paper.) Fold the paper into quarters to find the center.  With pins, secure the paper circle (or button) directly over the poles.



4: Put a pin on each marking line, measuring 2 cm from the edge of the obi toward the North Pole; leave 3 consecutive marking lines open.  Place a pin on these 3 marking lines near the pole to help remind you not to stitch on these lines until later.


5: Taking note that you now have marking lines #1through #17 designated with a pin 2 cm from the edge of the obi… begin with TWO strands of white;
bring the point of your needle up close to the edge of the pole guide.  Keeping both threads parallel, take a stitch just below the pin near the obi on the next marking line.  Continue around in this kiku-stitch manner to marking line #17.  Bury thread and cut.


6: With TWO strands of white: bring the point of your needle up just below the obi pin on marking line #1.  Keeping both threads parallel, take a stitch close to the pole guide on the next marking line.  Continue around in this kiku-stitch manner to marking line #17.  Bury thread and cut.  You may now remove obi pins and pole guide.


7: Using TWO strands of black, repeat steps 5 and 6 in a kiku-like manner, with the pole stitch 2-4 mm below the white stitch, and the obi stitch 4-6 mm below the white stitch.  Don’t be afraid to stretch the points.

8: With TWO strands of white, repeat steps 5 and 6 in a kiku-like manner, with the pole stitch 2-4 mm below the black stitch, and the obi stitch 4-6 mm below the black stitch.  Don’t be afraid to stretch the points.


9: Remove the three pins on the unused marking lines (#20, #19, #18).  With TWO strands of white, bring your needle up from under the 1st row pole stitch on marking line #17; bring the threads toward the obi on marking line #19 (the center one of the three unused marking lines) so that it ends about the same distance from the obi that the third round of kiku stitching ends (about 1 cm).

10: Using TWO strands of white, bring your needle up about 2 cm from the edge of the obi on marking line #20; carry the threads to a point just over the line created in step 9 and take a stitch about 2-3 cm from the obi edge.  Carry the threads back over the line created in step 9 and bury the end under the 1st white pole stitch on marking line #1.

11: With ONE strand of red, take two overlapping stitches on top of the white stitch.

12: Repeat pin placement and create another crane on the opposite pole.  Crane heads may be on the same marking
lines, or placed in the opposite direction

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Last updated 5/05 © From 1998 inclusive G.Thompson and Susan Hayashi