Temari: Decorative Japanese Balls

A Workshop with Edie Whitten

Fee: $85/$75 members (all materials included)
Registration: Registration is closed. For info on future sessions, sign up for our e-list.

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. Begin by making the inner ball—with a surprise inside—from scraps of fabric and yarn. Then cover the 2 ½-3-inch ball with the kiku herringbone stitch using a simple ten-division/five-petal design. All materials provided, no experience necessary. Bring a bag lunch and beverages.

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.