I read about Tatiana Vigdorova on TreeHugger and thought there might be other people interested in her and the temari this artist creates. She was trained in dentistry, but now creates gorgeous artwork using embroidery and silk threads.
You can see photos of her fabulous work on Instagram. She was also featured in this Mobi Spirit article and this short article on My Modern Met. Check out these links to see her wonderful temari creations.
Temari has been a traditional Japanese folk art since about the seventh century. They are used as both a decoration and a child's toy. You can read about the history of these beautiful balls here on Temari.com .
I took a beginner temari class (and made a very beginner ball) with Barbara Suess at the NCSU Japan Center, and tried another (not yet finished) at either the EGA or ANG in Raleigh.
I would like to really learn to do this. Have you tried?
I've been secretly making this temperature quilt for someone else. Now it is finished.
After the new year I will begin quilting my year one quilt.
This year, the kanji character 災 (sai), meaning disaster or misfortune, was chosen as the character that best represents the sentiment and events in Japan in 2018.
Sehihan Mori, the head priest at Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto, drew the character with a large calligraphy brush on a huge piece of Japanese paper. Every year since 1995, the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, a Kyoto-based organization that promotes kanji, has conducted the nationwide survey. This year 193,214 submissions were received and 10.8% or 20,815 voted for 災 . The second most popular was 平 (hei), meaning peace, which received 16,117 votes. Many disasters hit Japan this year including earthquakes, typhoons, and a heatwave, with hundreds of lives lost.
The 2016 Kanji of the Year was 金, meaning gold.
I find this very interesting.
I'm still working on some gifts that I want to keep secret a while longer, but I did work on a few other things, too.
All of the fobs have beads now. Next step - putting them together.
I also added a few more windows to my cathedral windows project.
Sunday, the stitch group met.
First we had some show and tell. Do you remember the woven baskets two stitchers bought at the flea market?
Well, now they are ready for winter. How cute!
Here are three butterfly bags, two finished and one just needs the drawstring.
Our first project of the afternoon was a quick one. We all got little sake cups at the flea market and using some shibori fabric (also from the flea market), we made up some little pin cushions.
Then we started some cathedral windows, but somehow I didn't get any pictures of that. We will continue to work on them next time, so I hope to have pictures then.
Our hostess has a pretty tree with some stitched ornaments from last year and the year before.
If you have been reading my blog long, you know that I love my birthday. I celebrate every day in December, not just one day. They had a wonderful cake for me - chocolate with fruit and a box of delicious strawberries! Pamera is my Japanese name.
After the dessert, we had pizza. (Do you notice how the pizza plate looks like cathedral windows?) Oishi katta!
I am so thankful to be a part of this group. They are so kind to me. (And they never laugh at my awkward Japanese).
Year Two of the temperature quilt
Week 31
November 25 - December 1
57, 63, 63, 64, 57, 61, 63
Sarah at Sarah Did It! is continuing to host us on Wednesdays, so please check out the temperatures around the world. Feel free to join in! Why don't you start one at the beginning of the new year?
I am reporting the high temperature each day. My Year Two temperature/color (Fahrenheit) scheme remains the same:
100 + Brown
90-99 Red
80-89 Orange
70-79 Yellow
60-69 Green
50-59 Blue
40-49 Purple
30-39 Pink
20-29 White
10-19 Black
As I went to the train station last week, I saw this outside the train station --
Cigarette smoking old men were unloading chickens from crates into metal cages.
I had a train to catch so I couldn't dilly dally, but I was so curious about what was going on.
Mt. Fuji watches over everything, even chickens.
Jo at Serendipidous Stitching is hosting a stitch a long the first Saturday of the month and the topics are chosen by her readers. (Somehow I was confused and thought today was the first Saturday, not the second! I need to learn to read the calendar). This month the topic is Dragons. Check it out here. I stitched three of Dorothy Lesher's Dragons and here they are --
The Sun Dragon
The Dragon Master
The Moon Dragon
I started this quite awhile ago and have finished it to give to a stitching friend (who doesn't read blogs). I lined the inside of the stitched side with some floral fabric.
I used to buy these Stitch and Zip kits when I was in the US and work on them when I was out and about. They make great carry along stitching projects.
