Temari: Decorative Japanese Thread Balls

June 15, 2019 - 10:00am - 4:30pm

A Workshop with Edie Whitten

A Workshop with Edie Whitten


Fee: $90/$80 members (all materials included)
Registration: Space is limited. Advance registration required. Register online or by phone at 414-446-8794.

The practice of making temari originated in China and made its way to Japan, where it is said that Japanese noblewomen, confined within castle walls during times of war in the feudal period, made the decorative balls for their children. Temari are now made by mothers and grandmothers for a new child on New Year’s Day.

Spend the day learning to make one of these beautiful thread jewels as a gift or decoration. Starting with a 2 ½-3-inch Styrofoam core, we will focus on the different stages of creating a simple ten-division/five-petal design, from padding the ball, to covering it with a thread wrap, to finishing it using a Kiku herringbone stitch. All materials provided, no experience necessary. Bring a bag lunch and beverages and dress for studio work.

About the Artist
Edie Whitten lived in Japan as a girl where she was imprinted with the Japanese aesthetic. She has always preferred arts & crafts over housework. Temari encompasses her other fiber arts interests of needlepoint, embroidery, kumihimo, wearable art, as well as her interest in leaded glass which, like temari, allows her to delight in the interplay of color, dimension, and geometric shapes.


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