Original
pattern written by Susan Leishman July 2000
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This is a good pattern to
experiment with using a double thread. That's what I used in the
example and it does cut your time almost in half. If you prefer you can
use a single thread, you will just need to do twice as many rounds.
There are different methods of working with a double thread, but what
seems to work the best for me is to use a large eyed needle, threading
each piece of thread separately so that it will be easy to unthread.
Work with strands about 1 yard long. To keep the threads from twisting
run the needle from the point were they exit about 4 inches up (between
the threads). Then place these 2 untwisted threads side by side over to
the point where you are going to insert the needle next time. As you
pull the needle through, move your thumb over the threads to hold them
in place. At first you have to think a little about doing this, but in
no time it becomes automatic. Wrap a 3 inch ball and do a complex 8 division. The background of the mari will not show, but if you plan to outline the design in black you may want to wrap it in black. You can do the marking in DMC of the same or contrasting color since it will not show when done. You will need 12 colors of DMC #5 or similar thread: dark, medium and light shades of both green and blue, a light yellow, dark yellow, orange, red, rose and pink. You will need less than 1/2 skein of each color for this temari. You will also need 2 pins of each of the following colors:red, yellow, green, blue. |
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Start by holding the temari with
the north pole at the top and one of the squares facing you. As in the
chart. Put a red pin in the top left corner of that square, a green pin
in the bottom left corner, a yellow pin in the top right corner and a
blue pin in the bottom right corner. See dots on chart. Turn the ball
to the left so that the next square is facing you. The yellow pin
should now be in the top left corner and the blue pin in the bottom
left corner of this new square. Put a green pin in the top right corner
of this square and a red pin in the bottom right corner. Turn the ball
left again until the next square is facing you. Put a blue pin in the
top right corner of this square and a yellow
pin in the bottom right corner. These pins mark the points that will
become the centers of the triangles that this pattern is based on. The
color of the pin identifies the color family that will be worked around
this triangle. To double check that your pins are placed correctly,
check to see that each square has a different colored pin at each
corner. The 2 red pins are opposite one another on the ball as are all the other colored pins. OK. Now the fun part begins! |
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Find one of the red pins and thread your needle with the pink DMC. Following the chart, work a triangle with the red pin at the center. Even though it doesn't look like it on the chart, each side of the triangle is equal in length. The point marked one is the place that the marking thread of the north pole square crosses the side of that square. Exit your needle to the left of the thread just above the last point that you work as if you were going to do a second row around that shape. At this point unthread your needle, leaving the threads hanging. Go to the red pin on the other side of the ball and work a triangle around it in the same way with pink. Then work the 2 yellow triangle, the 2 green and finally the 2 blue,in that order, using the lightest color of each of the color groups. Remember the song red and yellow, green and blue? Just remember to always work the triangles in that order. First a row of the reds, then the yellows, then the greens, then the blues, then start over and keep working in that order. When you come to a corner that has already been worked with another color, work over those threads so that your colors overlap. The photo at the left shows what your ball should look like when you have done 4 double rows of each of the light colors or 8 single rows. You can remove the colored pins at this point. |
Now it may help if you use a pin to
mark the triangle that you are working on, moving it from triangle to
triangle as you work. The points of your triangles should now be
covering 1/3 the distance from the middle of the square to the corner.
Since not everyone wraps the mari in the same way, you may need to
adjust the number of rounds. Next use the medium shades of each color
family and work 4 more double rows in the same way. Then work 4 double
rows of the darkest colors. Finish by working a single row of black
around the outside of each triangle if desired. Of course the 3
sections of colors could also be worked in different widths and have
metallic between them if desired.