Empress Wu Designs with Wilma

 Background Information:  Temari (literally translated “hand ball”) is a Japanese folk craft that is alleged to have originated in China and was introduced to Japan five or six hundred years ago. Traditionally, the balls were constructed from wrapped kimono fabric remnants and silk threads. They were made by mothers and grandmothers for children to play with. Nowadays, decorative embroidered temari represent a highly valued and cherished gift symbolizing friendship and loyalty. Recently I've wondered if your don't use traditional techniques whether you should call what you create "temari". That is an ongoing debate but today I share what I do to make a "non-traditional temari".... 1.I start  with a polystrene ball ( traditionally the balls were wound  silk scraps or other organic materials) and begin to wrap with approx 4 ply wool, turning the ball as I wrap.  2. I then wrap another layer of wool in a similar fashion , this time a 3 or 2 ...

  Temari (literally translated “hand ball”) is a Japanese folk craft that originated in China and was introduced to Japan five or six hundred years ago. Traditionally, the balls were constructed from wrapped kimono fabric remnants and silk threads. They were made by mothers and grandmothers for children to play with. Nowadays, decorative embroidered temari represent a highly valued and cherished gift symbolizing friendship and loyalty. ... This is part of the description of a workshop I will be teaching at the Contemporary Craft Retreat in October. I just finished the paperwork for the advertising copy this afternoon. The photo above is one of my latest balls - completed while my mother was visiting over the Christmas break. I had her ball as a guide. In the workshop however, we will be completing a much simpler design like the "polystar" patterns seen below.  As part of my New Year's resolutions to so something different each week, I joined the Tag Tues...

Newcastle  Entertainment Centre became an 'arty place' when the Craft and Sewing Show came to town a fortnight ago. I heard some visitors say that there wasn't much there, but I found lots of fun things to do.... and enjoyed at least two different  new arty techniques to try.  I did a workshop on paper quilting with Michaela Laurie  .  I have made a few gift tags, but nothing quite as  complex as this example of Michaela's lovely work  (image jewelled elephant from the website ).  I also  purchased a kit for this little container made by weaving strips of Japanese fabric and I amazed myself when I  completed it in one night. One of my favourite stalls was Wabi- Sabi Designs manned by Shuji Yamazaki from whom I bought a beautiful silk  kimono style jacket.  Wabi- Sabi Designs is based in Canberra and has a regular stall at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston as well as online shopping...

Winter temperatures have dropped dramatically in this part of the world in the last week , and my work room is cold… so most nights I have been watching some TV in the warmth of our family room. So, what projects can I do while watching shows like Master Chef each night? I decided to devote TV time to temari. Temari  are thread wrapped decoratively stitched balls - a Japanese folk craft originally made in ancient times to amuse children. I think most temari designers these days like to think of them as small works of  stitiched art. I was a raw beginner about six weeks ago when my mother got me started. I also bought a book which begins “How can anything that looks so intricate be so simple?” (from Japanese Temari, A Colorful Spin on an Ancient Craft by Barbara B. Suess). I must admit I was sceptical about the “simple” bit, but was surprised at the results from  familiar embroidery stitches. While I  haven’t attempted a complex division of the ba...

With the news of the unfolding and escalating disaster in Japan dominating the media, our thoughts are with  our friends, especially our previous exchange daughters and their families in Japan. Thankfully they are all safe, but we can't help feeling sad for the magnitude of loss of life and environmental destruction. This morning, I looked around our home and found all kinds of  little reminders of happy times we have had with them. Most are beautiful gifts the girls or their families have given us or made themselves ... a thousand cranes, paper cuts, dolls and fabrics. I even found small gifts from my host families when I was in Japan over 40 years ago, and a little handbag I made a few years ago and this reminds me so much of our girls. We are thinking postive thoughts for you all. Not to forget a small but very special event this week - Happy 3rd  Birthday William. May you always be protected from disaster.

Last Saturday, my daughter celebrated her birthday, and on Sunday, our family gathered at her place not only to wish her a happy birthday, but also to wish both her and her husband a happy wedding anniversary. A few weeks ago I was very happy when I found this Michael Miller fabric panel online, and I thoroughly enjoyed making it for my daughter whose nickname is Nome (gnome). This particular fabric gnome carries a baby in a sling on his back. Our Nome had a baby daughter last December so the gift was received with great laughter. Even baby Amy and Aunty Kellie enjoyed the joke.   On Sunday too, our Rotary Ambassadorial scholar Mayuko organised a Japanese party for our Rotary club and friends. Mayuko and friends, including fellow Ambassadorial scholar Steffen, from Germany took over my kitchen and cooked for 30 guests. We enjoyed many traditional Japanese dishes – Is that cake really green … yes of course, green tea! Then, we were privileged to be the audience of a performan...