Temari is an ancient Japanese folk

art dating back more than 500 years.

Temari means “hand” (te) “ball”

(mari), relating to both making by

and playing with the hands. Originally,

balls for games and children were

made from bits and scraps of kimono,

other clothing, or deer hide. Strips of

cloth or leather would be tightly wound

into a ball and stitched together to

hold the shape. Since an item carries

not only function but beauty in Jap-

anese culture, the stitching became

more and more intricate, leading up

to the detailed embroideries seen

in both historical and present-day

creations. Temari evolved from toy

to objet d’art. It is carried on today

(with some modern adjustments) as

a fiber art; temari are made and collected worldwide. »

MATERIALS

» 2" STYROFOAM BALL

» 2 COLORS OF PEARL COTTON

» METALLIC THREAD SIMILAR IN SIZE TO PEARL COTTON, OR A BIT FINER

» 4-PLY YARN

» PLAIN SEWING THREAD, AT LEAST 300 YARDS » SCISSORS

» SEWING NEEDLE: COTTON DARNER OR SIMILAR,

WITH EYE LARGE ENOUGH FOR PEARL COTTON » COLOR-HEADED PINS

» PAPER STRIP ABOUT 2" WIDE, 12" LONG

Ginny Thompson has been a student of temari for close to 9 years and maintains a web presence for all those interested in the craft through temarikai.com, which includes extensive how-to help, pattern designs, and additional resources.