Teaching Temari

Teachers Hints/Helps and Experiences

        With Temari growing in popularity and more people coming to the craft, those of us that have been stitching for a bit now are finding ourselves being in the place of being asked to teach the art - sometimes feeling that we are far from experienced enough to be doing so (especially considering the Japanese traditions of learning and teaching). Summarized here are some thoughts - both personal experiences as well as some collected hints and helps that you can use also (including how not to panic when you have left handed students and you are a right handed teacher....).

        But, first of all - here is a telling from Sue Hayashi of how her classes in Tokyo were conducted - which will give a basis to anyone looking for the starting point....

        "While I lived in Tokyo, I was a member of the Tokyo Union Church's Women's Society. (you do not need to be a member nor attend the church to be a member of the Women's Society - it is a free and open independent, English-speaking (Christian based) group who meet at the church (and do the occasional major donation and "fixer-uppers" around the church in appreciation for being able to meet and work there.) Check out: http://www2.gol.com/users/tuc/tucws.html (yes, I helped them get launched into the cyber-world, too... they just got a new web-chair who has done a marvelous job revamping the site). WS is a delightful social group who among all the things they offer, include seasonal classes in a wide variety of subjects. Teachers for the classes are recruited from the Gaijin (foreign) as well as Japanese communities. Many of the Japanese sensei's have been with WS for decades.

    Especially when the kids were little, taking classes at the church allowed me to get out and mix with other Mom's, and not be so isolated. (WS also offers nominal-fee babysitting during the classes). Among the various classes I took, was the one on Temari. It is considered an "on-going" class - meaning that there is no defined level for the course, new students can enter at the beginning of any "session" - fall, winter, spring, summer, and old students can stay on if they wish. Each student learns at their own pace. Classes usually last 2 hours and meet once a week. There is a general fee for the class that covers the entire session (usually around 6, 8, or 10 weeks depending on holidays) (as I recall, they were in the ball-park of 25,000 yen, per session which translates to just less than 250 dollars - US for a 10-week course.) Then there is an additional fee for materials - average - 600 - 800 yen per week ($6 - $8 US).

    As your classes appear to be, they do indeed, turn into a bit of a gab fest, but that was perfectly acceptable, considering how the classes are run. Due to the "nature of the beast" - that being that you have a variety of skill levels in the group, Sensei would prepare a small "kit" of foam balls, yarn, and base thread, (usually enough for 2 balls), specified pearle cotton threads (enough for 1 ball), (and for the first class, include a needle and spool of gold marking thread ). We were instructed to bring our own scissors, and paper strips and/or measuring tape and pins. Sensei then brings a "ready-made" ball in the design you will be working on to use as a pattern. Because of the varying levels of difficulty, all the "beginning students" would be working on say, "design A", while "Sally and Jean" are working on "design B", and "Mary and Doris" are on "design C"... etc.

    Occasionally, for the first class of a session, sensei would have us all do the same design - usually a moderately easy one, but with a bit more visual interest than just the rank basic designs. If the "group" design used an 8 or 10 combination marking pattern, then she would bring pre-wrapped, pre-marked mari. Usually, for the very first class of a session, Sensei provided a pre-wrapped mari for each student so that everyone could begin learning to divide and stitch immediately. The extra balls in the "kit" were to be prepared (wrapped and marked) for the next class, or used to repeat the same design at home with one's own choice of colors. On each subsequent class (as one began to build a stock-pile of pre-wrapped mari's), Sensei would tell us that for "next week" bring a "white, 6 divide", or "black 10 combination", etc. (the fun ones were in "inbisible" thread) - (that's invisible thread) meaning use the mari-base thread as the marking thread so it will not show through the pattern.

    It was good that Sensei encouraged us to do the "boring" wrapping and marking parts at home so we could best utilize our class time asking questions about the pattern we were working on, or watching her skilled fingers demonstrate where and how to take the next stitch.

    Sensei and her English-speaking helper would circulate around the table as we worked. For the more advanced students, it was more to help us understand where to "begin" and where to "go next". For the beginners, they would patiently explain and demonstrate each step of how to divide, and when looking at the pattern, where to begin, and which stitch to take next. If one could not finish the ball in the two hour session, you could bring it back the next week, work on it at home, or borrow sensei's demo to work on it at home, and return the demo the next week... or you could write down what you "thought" were the instructions... and see if you could follow what looked so "obvious", a few days later. It was these "try stitching it on your own", and "put it in your own words" or "look at the pattern and see if you can figure it all out on your own" that truly helped me learn the craft.

    I am far from being an inexperienced needlecrafter, but for some reason, I just couldn't get the hang of the "whole picture" or design for the longest time... (like 2-3 years worth!!!)... then suddenly it all clicked.... and I started to look at the designs and "think" inside out. Keep in mind, too, Sensei used a "tried and true" series of patterns that started the beginner with an all-directional basic obi type of pattern (check out Ginny's page of beginning balls - and look for the red base, I think it was 6 or 8 divide... )... it would then gradually work to a 6 or 8 divide simple kiku, where the stitches remained on one side of the obi or the other. That was eventually followed by crossing the obi line with the kiku-like stitches. After about a year or so, one finally reached the 8 and 10 combination balls, with interlocking squares, triangles, etc. and finally to adding "support lines", and far more complicated designs. Unfortunately we returned to the US before I had reached the level of multi poles.

    It was not until I had been in the class for over a year that I learned that our teacher (sensei) was THE head of the Japan Temari Association!!!!!! Partly due to language difficulties, and partly due to the Japanese nature of shyness, these things are not necessarily forth-coming. Again, due to language, I was not really aware that one (especially a foreigner) could "join" such an association, or what the qualifications might be. (On the other hand, I WAS slowly working my way through the official kimekomi doll course in the TUC-WS that was put out by Kyugetsu doll school, and eventually earned several certificates as well as a Sensei's certificate.)

    As my five and a half-year stint in Japan was coming to a close, I mentioned earning my kimikomi doll certificates to Sensei and inquired if the JTA had such qualifications, as several of our class members were eager to form such an association group in the US. It was only at my query that sensei produced the written documentation for the qualifications for JTA membership. My husband took a look at it (as it was all in Japanese), and helped translate it. (my part was to put it into proper-understandable English). We made copies and got it back to Sensei. It was then, that she suggested that before I left, I should submit several of my best balls for the yearly spring judging. I was never more shocked when she said that I would be getting a certificate at the "master" level - one below the sensei level!!!

    The JTA holds it's own classes at the Temari Museum in western Tokyo. Sensei invited Sarah R. and I to take several classes there one summer before WS started to do their summer sessions. We were pretty much in a "private" class - just us and sensei, so I don't know what a "real" JTA class is like. I do know the room was filled with the very narrow (about 1/2 meter), very long (2-3 meters) (typical) Japanese "classroom"-style tables... with chairs (thank goodness... believe me, sitting "properly" on the floor is not an experience any of you would care to do for any length of time!). From the number of tables and chairs, I can only surmise that they must have some sizable classes there at times - (about 40 - 50 students).

    The museum itself has a very small display room that changes its exhibits monthly. From the things I have seen there, some of the classes taught in other parts of the country seem to create designs or use colors that are very "regional". It is not until you see them next to other more "traditional" balls, that such a difference becomes evident. Then there are the balls that you just stare at in total wonder as to how they ever "did that".

        There is always a lot of discussion when someone is going to begin teaching of how to handle materials - and this is something that you really have to decide on your own given the circumstances. Some teachers purchase the supplies and make up kits for the class takers - which can certainly save a lot of class time and assure that everyone has the items that are needed - though it also puts a larger load on the instructor. The class members then purchase the kit from the teacher or it is included in the class fee that the teacher receives from the sponsoring institution. Others provide a list of what is needed - others still include a trip to the craft or thread store as a field trip for the first class.

        Some instructors will not only provide a list of items to bring to class but also a handout of some prep work to be done - depending on the experience of the students this works or not. It is difficult to ask first timers to wrap a mari without having done it before.... but if you are teaching an experienced class, then of course expecting the class to come with some preparation done is certainly not only acceptable but advisable to save on class time being taken on procedures that could be accomplished at home.

        Obtaining course material is not difficult but some protocol must be observed - if you are reproducing printed material from published sources, including the web, you should investigate the need to obtain permission and/or cite sources. Some publications (including the web) severely restrict duplicating and reusing. Others require that you obtain permission and possibly pay a royalty to the author. Some authors will cooperatively share and allow reproduction for educational purposes if no profit is gained by you and the source is clearly cited. Be sure what you are using for materials if you are not writing your own.

        One seemingly common problem appears to be establishing the atmosphere of the class.... from one person: "my classes always seem to be a happy 3-hour gab-fest with little given to the teacher! It has become a little circle of friends with one person having knowledge and techniques to share... just no respect for the superior knowledge of the teacher" ..... and another: "I was interested to read your post because I often have the same experience. I often teach for my guild, which has both a day and an evening meeting, and, come to think of it, there is a big difference in the two groups. The evening meeting seems to be a happy gab-fest, just as you described, and it's very VERY hard to teach. We've finally started asking those who are not doing the class and wish to chat to move to another room while they stitch and chat, and that helps some but not too much. I've also taught for seminars, where the stitchers don't know each other, and that's been a much easier experience, I've found. If they don't know each other they are much less likely to be chattering away while I'm trying to teach......

An experience from Blair : "Today, I taught my first adult Temari class, well, mostly adults. There were 7 women and one young boy. The 7 women were coworkers of mine or other gifted education teachers I know in my school system. The young boy came from a school whose gifted education teacher had invited me to come speak about Temari as her students had been studying Asia. "Chris" was so excited about Temari that he went home that day and called his Mom at work demanding that she get him into the class I would be teaching. His Mom told me he has never called her at work before. So, we all met at the local needlework store. Everyone was able to pick their Pearl colors and their metallic before we began. The owner had the rest of the materials bagged and sitting at the different chairs around the table. I gave them a little history background then walked them through the steps of wrapping a ball. We marked for a simple 8 division then were able to start on a Learning Ball. The class was small enough that they all were able to look over my shoulders as I demonstrated the proper stitch then most all of them got to the 2nd or 3rd spindle before we began to wrap up for the end of class. Their homework was to wrap and mark a 2nd and 3rd ball in preparation for a Rose Garden pattern and Interlocking Diamond pattern next week, our final class, when I will demonstrate how to put in the obi. The ladies did pretty well. Fortunately, no one was a left handed stitcher as I don't have much practice in working with a left handed approach. Chris also did well. He didn't seem too overwhelmed that he was at a table with 7 older women his Mom's age. His Mom was close by for most of the class and was able to reinforce any of my directions if I wasn't able to get to Chris's side and help him immediately. Sherry, the shop manager, was pleased with the class response (it was the first Temari class she had
scheduled ever). Many people who came into the store while class was going one were very intrigued with what we were doing.

From Rona :Everybody seems to worry about teaching left handed people, I am left handed and I don't know if I am different from other lefties but I find that when I learn anything from other people I'm usually the one to turn things backwards and work things out so I can do them, this is just something that comes naturally to me as I have had to do it all my life, my brain does it without me thinking about it, I always assumed that it was the same for all us lefties, do you think that all you right handed people out there worry about this more than we do? My first experience of this was when I was about six and I wanted a lady to teach me to do what she was doing when we were on holiday that year, it was crochet and she was quite happy to teach me until I picked up the crochet hook with my left hand, at which point she got worried, my Mum reassured her and told her to just show me what she was doing and as with everything my mind just seemed to translate what she was doing into a way that I could be comfortable doing it, i.e.. backwards. I read somewhere that left handed people are good at reading mirror image writing and it's something to do with the way our brains work, maybe this explains why I can do this, or is it that I'm just used to doing everything backwards because I've learned to th chicken or the egg syndrome).

From Nora: I also wanted to make a comment about the left-handed thing you mentioned. I'm right-handed myself, but I was taught to crochet by
my best-friend's mom, who is left-handed, when I was about 10 years old. The way she taught me was for us to sit face-to-face. I could then copy what she was doing...kind of like looking in a mirror. It made it really easy, and I imagine it would work the same way if a right-handed person were trying to teach a left-handed person.

From Louise: My sister is left handed and I am right handed so you can see how it can be a problem to teach a lefty or a rightie. The easiest way for us to deal with this was for me to sit in front of her and she just copied what I was doing. It took a bit of practice but it worked great. I have since found out that others have done this same thing. So if it ever becomes a problem you might try that.

From Stacy: I think you'll find, as someone else already stated, 'lefties' are pretty talented at twisting around what we need to in order to learn. I read somewhere that a left-handed person should just turn the design chart upside down to work temari. What I end up doing is looking at the design, imagine the way a right-hander would do it, then 'mirror-image' it in my mind so that the design is stitched the same way relative to my stitching hand. That probably makes no sense at all - it's getting late. Rest assured that the lefties I know already have their own way to learn right-handed crafts. I love the idea of sitting face-to-face to learn.

From Pat W, a sample curriculum: essentially I start with simple 4s, for the first several classes... either the bands-and-buckle or the squares around the S4 intersections... both teach valuable skills and aren't too critical as to spacing etc., and can be any color combination... they are learning about a lot of things at once so the first couple of classes are usually the hardest, and then the basics start to come more easily and we go on to the interlocked squares and then the mitsubishi (interwoven squares). Then we go on to roses, spindles, 6-division [Mary Woods' "three wing"] which is fun to do... then on to 5-divisions. After that we sort of start to play. I generally don't teach them the complex divisions for at LEAST 6-8 months. It depends on their skill level. We explore the C8 for a while and later go on to C10. The intermediate group I have now has just gotten into the C8s --- and since I teach everyone individually, after the first few classes we may have 4-5 balls being taught in one session. One of my gals is not terribly accurate, but she loves to do the craft, so she rolls along happily at her own speed. Another is good enough to be my assistant in class now that it has suddenly swollen in numbers. She doesn't have the design experience but has the basic skills down well and is already a teacher of children so is very good at it. I tell them I want them to do it MY way for a while and then we can experiment and if they want to do something from a book to go ahead....
usually they are glad to do one from my basket that has been luring them for a while... sometimes I really have to hustle to get another one done for
them as a "skill lesson..." Yes, we do Kiku but not until we have gone through 6-8 of the other designs. And usually their first kikus are wonderful.
Can you tell I love doing this? It is such fun hearing them say "oooh... OOOH! this is SO pretty! I LOVE this!"

From Anne: I teach at one day workshops with no more than 10 in a group. For my beginners I always prepare the maris for them and then demonstrate how to make/wrap them once they have started stitching. (On following workshops they are expected to bring their own ready prepared maris). I ask each pupil to bring along glass headed pins and embroidery scissors- I provide a temari needle, paper strip and thread too. (Nothing expensive!) In my experience we usually only have time to do one temari - it's surprising how long everything takes when you are teaching more than
two or three pupils at a time. Most people I find want to finish their project as well, so two temari may be ambitious. I have found that even highly experienced needlewoman do not always take to 'temari stitching' as well as you would expect. Possibly because the needle is very large and most of the designs are geometric etc. Having said that in all the classes I have taken, not one of my pupils has 'failed' (I hate that word!)in fact 99% of them
have returned for more. Simply produced handouts with instructions and perhaps a few pictures I find goes down well so they can refer back to them when they get home. I always take my Japanese books with me as they are such a great inspiration to those pupils that really take to temari craft.
Just in case I have a couple of fast workers/learners I have another pattern ready for them but you often find they are quite content to help others along. Be prepared for the 'one' that wants all your attention - it can be difficult dividing your time between all the pupils!!As far as charging goes, my local community centre pays me £10 per hour - if I do smaller groups elsewhere I would charge £10 per person for a one day workshop.
In conclusion all I can say is Good Luck and have a ball!