What are Temari?
Temari are hand wound and decorated balls originally made for children. The technique for making temari was developed by Japanese grandmothers. These grandmothers, members of wealthy families, would unravel worn silk obi and kimono and wind the silk into tight balls. Legend says they were wound so tight that they actually bounced. The grandmothers would then embroider clever designs on the outside of the balls. These balls would be presented to their grandchildren who would use them play rhythm and rhyme bouncing games much like American jump rope games. There are very few antique temari because children would play with them until they fell apart. I have never seen a silk temari except in pictures and I have never made a temari out of silk. Mine have been mostly cotton and polyester and, rarely, a little silk ribbon. I have also used rayon “bunka” thread, but there are no stores in my area that stock such things so I have to order it on line or make a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area
