In the idea of mystery quilts, where each quilter is given written instructions for a block and asked to complete a block to be incorporated into a quilt, the members of the Temari Discussion Group decided that it would be fun to try creating a Temari ball along these guidelines. Working a Mystery Ball is open to all site readers, you need not be a member of the discussion group, so give it a shot.  Mystery Balls are  reviewed as to difficulty - don't let that put you off if you see one that you think is beyond you. Give it a try and you may surprise yourself! But - if it is a bit more difficult for you, don't be discouraged - with some practice you'll get there, and you know that you are trying a more advanced technique.   If you give it a go, I'd very much like for you to send or email me a picture and I'll post them  on the site so that we can see how they all come out - seeing all the different ones is as much fun as making it.... I also encourage you to submit for instructions for a Mystery Ball... no gain other than your moment of fame on the site, but you'll have fun doing it!

Mystery Ball May 2005
Submitted by Sandy E. / Advanced Beginner to Intermediate

This ball is based on a simple 6 divide with an obi. The wrapping color will show. You will need a neutral color and 1 or 3 or 6 colors that go with the neutral and the background. You will also want another color to make bands between your sections. This color can be your neutral or your background color. You will use it last so you can decide later if you choose.

Your neutral color can be a metallic. You will use a fair amount of thread so plan accordingly as half of each section of the 6 divide will be stitched with this color. I used maybe up to 15 yards. If you choose 6 other colors then one of each color will go into each section next to the neutral. If you choose 3 colors, then you will stitch two sections with each color, each one on the opposite side of the ball, and if you choose 1 color then all sections will have your neutral and this single color. All will work.

I used about a 3.5 inch ball which worked well, but most any size would be all right. I wouldn't start with anything under 2.5 inches though for the first ball of this pattern. Wrap and prep your mari with a simple 6 division and with an obi. The division lines can be scrap thread, but the thread used for your obi should be the neutral color. I ended up taking out the division lines before I did the final bands. You should either leave the pins in at the equator or tack the equator at each marking line. My obi shifted and I had to remeasure it, so make sure it is secure. The only other measurements are to place a pin on each marking line, one half inch down from the pole, doing the same for both poles

Look at your mari with the North pole up. Find the 6 eye shaped wedges that reach from the North pole all the way down to the South pole. The obi line crosses these sections. We will stitch in one of the eye shape wedges at a time. There are two stitching rules. 1) All stitches will be parallel to the division marking lines. 2) Your needle will always point away from the equator. In other words your thread will cross the equator but your needle should point away from it.

Use your neutral thread and travel it to the left side of the wedge and bring it up just under the obi very close to the dividing line. Your stitching thread will now be in the bottom half of the wedge. You will bring the thread up over the equator and take a stitch near the division line on the right, above the obi. Remember to point the needle to the pole, and the stitch is parallel to the division markings. Your stitches should be about 1/8 inch in length. (It won't hurt if the stitch is so close to the division line that it is even underneath the division line) Turn the ball over so that the South pole is now up and take another stitch about 1/8 inch away from where the stitching thread was started. This stitch will point to the pole and be parallel to the division line. You will notice that your thread will cross the obi, near the middle of the wedge, and it will also cross the last stitch. Continue taking stitches parallel to the division lines, and closer and closer to the poles, while turning the ball each time. You will end up with a build up of stitching threads at the center of the wedges and this is OK. There will also be space between the threads. They will be further apart at the division lines and be very close together at the center of the wedge. Continue stitching in this manor, to the pins on the division line. Stitch this neutral color in the same manor in all the wedges.

Now for the other colors. We are going to do the same thing as the neutral color, but just in the opposite direction. Pick one of your colors, bring the color up in the bottom section of the mari, but this time on the right side of the wedge shape, just under the obi line. Take a stitch on the left side of the wedge above the obi line. Turn ball over and repeat the stitches all the way up to your pins. Fill in the other wedges with the color of your choice.

It is hard to get these stitches even and right near the division line, so we will make bands along the marking lines. If your band color is not the same as your marking color then remove the marking threads but make sure you leave the obi line in place. Replace the division lines with wrapped bands. 4 or 6 rounds of wrapping should make a band wide enough to visually clean up the edges of your stitches. If you need a few more rows that is ok too. Just use the same number of rounds in each band. You can decorate any negative space to your liking and you are done.