Intermediate Pattern contributed by Sandy Sodke  / Download PDF file of this pattern

Start the spiral color at a narrow point of one diamond outline, near the pole.  Follow the closest edge to the right of this stitch, then make a small herringbone stitch at the wide point.  Continue to follow the diamond outline, moving in the same direction, until you reach the next narrow point.  Make a small herringbone stitch in the narrow point.  Follow the diamond outline, moving in the same direction, until you reach the next wide point.  Make a small herringbone stitch in the wide point.  Continue in the same direction until you return to the starting point.  Make a small backstitch at this point.  When you form the stitch, the point of the needle should touch the thread of the previous round of the spiral, slightly inward from the starting point of the round.  Bring the needle’s point out of the wrap at the same point that the thread emerged for the starting stitch.  As you follow the diamond outline it should have the appearance of two rays from the same point.

The first picture of the blue ball shows a spiral section with 6 stitches worked and a seventh stitch set up.  The second picture shows a spiral section that is 50% completed and the third picture shows one completed spiral section. Continue to work spirals in this manner until all of the diamond shaped zones that touch the north or south pole have been filled.

            A frame is worked around each diamond opening around the obi.  Start the frame about 0.5 cm into the diamond, measuring from the point stitch of the swirl.  The first row of the pictured example was in light brown.  Make a herringbone stitch 0.5 cm from the outermost swirl stitch, on the guide line that passes through the swirl stitch being used as a point of reference.  Do this for all four corners of the opening, then work one more round, closer to the reference stitch than the first round.  Start the second frame color and work two more around the opening, placing a small herringbone stitch at each corner of the frame.  If there is adequate space, work a third frame color in the same manner.
            When the frames around the obi have been completed, work flowers in the openings.  The flowers in the pictured example were formed from Lazy Daisy stitch and French knots, with a bead for the flower’s center.  Other methods of making flowers may also be used, if desired.

---