Catégorie: Yubinuki

Yubinuki - Tutorial 3: Preparing the Core for Sewing

9/30/2018

Wow, we are now ready to sew our first yubinuki! Or are we?

Before actually sewing the yubinuki, the core must be prepared with the padding and the pattern to be sewn.
To start gather you material, tools and supplies:

Core
Padding
Pattern Division Tool
Mandrel (Support Tube)
Plain Paper
Painters Tape
Clear Adhesive tape
Cotton sewing thread and needle
Marking Pen/Pencil
Scissors for cutting threads (I never use my good "fabric" scissors for cutting paper!!!)
Scissors or Rotary Cutter for cutting paper
Ruler with millimeter markings

NOTE: There are two ways to apply the padding and the pattern, The option you use is your choice. The first choice (Option A) is described first. The second choice (Option B) is described afterwards.

Step 1 Option A - Wind Padding on to the Core

Put the core on the support mandrel
Take your padding, I am using tencel spinning fiber.
Wind the padding around the core, in the center and away from the edges.
NOTE: The more padding you add, the more rounded/domed your yubinuki will be and since the first one you sew really won't look that good, when you are done, don't add a much.
Take the sewing thread and the needle and sew the herring bone stitch, as you learned when making a core, across the padding and around the core. This will hold the padding down.

Step 2 Option A - Measure and Mark Pattern
The pattern you will sew will be very easy, one color, in one direction. We are doing this to not only to learn how to sew but to evenly space our stitches; which is not easy and if you are not careful will result in gaps. This will be covered in more detail in the actual sewing post

Using the plain paper, cut a strip that is 1 cm (10 mm) wide.
Wrap the paper around the core and the padding and mark where the end overlaps.
Remove the paper and add a small amount to the paper, beyond where you marked and then cut at this line. This extra area is so you can overlap the paper when applied to the core. You now have the paper for your pattern.
On one side, mark an arrow at one corner such as the left upper.
Then mark another arrow at the other corner, on the same side, upper right.
Take the Paper Division Tool and lay the pattern paper on it, diagonally.
NOTE: To make our sewing easy we are marking a pattern with 10 divisions. If you want write 1 - 10 in between 11 eleven lines.
Put one corner on a line, mine is placed on line zero.
Place the opposite corner on line 11, so you paper spans 10 divisions.
Use a small piece of painters tape to hold the pattern paper in place.
Place a tick mark at each line along one edge.
Rotate the pattern paper and do the same on the other edge.
Take your ruler a connect the tick marks from each edge, make sure your lines are at 90 degrees to the long edge and that your lines are parallel to each other. This will ensure you have evenly spaced lines. HINT: Use your mm ruler to verify this.
One one line mark a big dot by a division, I use red so I can easily see it. This dot is used to denote where your stitching starts.
Then draw arrows, these will be used, while sewing to guide your sewing direction.

Step 3 Option A - Apply Pattern to the Core

Cut a small piece of painters tape and place it at the end of the paper where the overlap will occur, on the marked pattern paper.
Place the marked pattern paper and lay it on the core, with the padding, ON TOP of the padding and again, centered.
NOTE: is does not matter if the arrows point left or right as the marked core will be turned over and back while sewing.
Tape the two ends together, using the clear adhesive tape for this, such that there is NO gap.
Take the sewing thread and needle and using the herringbone stitch, once again, sew the patter paper down so it won't shift. I take a stitch at a line, then the next stitch is on the other edge, one mark over and I go around twice so there are stitches at each mark on the top and bottom edge.

Now, we are ready to SEW!!

Option B
Option B has the exact same steps as Option A but they are done in a different order. To follow this option the steps would be
Step 1 - Measure and Mark the Pattern (refer to Step 2 Option A above).
Step 2 - Apply Pattern to the Core (refer to Step 3 Option A above).
Step 3 - Apply Padding to the Core ( (refer to Step 1 Option A above).
Here are some more pictures to help you see the difference.

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Yubinuki - Tutorial 2: Make a Pattern Division Tool

9/22/2018

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Before you can start sewing a yubinuki design, the pattern guide has be create so it can be used to mark where the design is to be sewn. But how to make the divisions on the pattern guide can be difficult. WHY?

IF your cores vary in size, each time you measure the outer (surface) circumference, it will be easy to take that measurement and divide it using a calculator but if the length of each division has fractions of millimeters actually marking the division lines on the pattern guide will be difficult.

Well, using a division template, removes the math and hassle. Shh, this works due to geometry!
The three basic division grids you need are 1 cm, 5 mm, and 2.5 mm and now will tell you how to make a 5mm grid of your own and then you can make any size you want.

There are several ways to make a division grid.
Hand Drawn:

Take a piece of 8.5" by 11" paper, orient it so the 11 inches is horizontal.
From the top edge, measure down 1" on the left and right side and make a mark.
Using a ruler, draw a line across.
Now mark the left and right sides every 5 mm and then draw lines across.
Either laminate the page or slip it into a protective sleeve so when it is used, it stays mark free.

Computer Drawn:

Open your word processing program and set the page orientation to landscape.
Insert/add a table to the page that is 1 column and many rows, have the rows fill the page.
Change the table properties to have the row height be exactly 5 mm. If required you might have to change the options to measure in millimeters vs. inches if that is the default.
Set the table properties to also have a thin border of black, so when it prints the border lines are visible
Save the document, now you can print one when ever it is needed.

The next tutorial will be how to take the the core and add the padding, mark the pattern guide using the division tool, and sew a simple design.

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Yubinuki - Tutorial 1: Making a Core

9/9/2018

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YES, Finally a real tutorial!

Making a core or base takes several steps, but before we do that a decision must be made as to what finger the yubinuki will be worn on and where on the finger it will be worn. Traditionally a Yubinuki was worn on the middle finger between the first and second joint as shown in the picture on left. The other place the yubinuki can be worn is where the finger meets the hand, for example on the middle finger (right picture) and it can still be used as a thimble but it can also be worn as a ring even on what we call the ring finger.

NOTE: all images can be opened, to be larger, by clicking on the image and from there you can scroll backwards and forwards, in the series.

STEP 1 Measuring for the Core:
To measure for the size of the core, wrap a tape measure around the finger depending on where it is to be worn. We are actually measuring the circumference which is the length of the "circle" .

If worn as a ring: Measure the finger joint that the Yubinuki must pass over
If worn as a thimble: Measure the finger just in front of the finger joint, if on the middle finger or ring finger, measure at the joint it must pass over.

The following images correspond to taking the measurement for the locations discussed above.
Write YOUR measurement DOWN! For this tutorial, I will be using the measurement from the first location, on the middle finger, before the joint. MY measurement is 56 mm but to ensure the Yubinuki does not move too much I am going with 55 mm.

STEP 2 Make the Support Mandrel:
Take a piece of regular paper and cut the paper in half so it is half the width but still full length.

Measure and draw a line horizontally, from the bottom edge of the paper, the number of millimeters that were measured with the tape measure. Make an arrow at the bottom edge and at the line.

Now from the top roll a tube (the extra thickness of the paper rolled inside will support the tube and the core as it is being made). Adjust the tube making it tighter or looser, so the bottom edge and arrow meets the drawn line and the arrows meet.

Tape the tube closed at the top and bottom. Measure the circumference of the tube and adjust to make it the measurement that is required. I rolled mine to 54 mm so when I add a layer of painters tape, it results in a measurement of 55 mm. Then write the size of the tube on one end so I can reuse the tube later and know what the measurement is.

STEP 3 Cut the material for the Lining:
Take your lining material (see other post for what to use) and cut it to length. Cut the material so it is 30 to 35 mm wide by xx mm's in length. What length is xx you ask? That length is found by adding the finger measurement taken earlier + 15 mm's (or more), to overlap so there isn't a raw edge on the inside surface of the yubinuki, this will become very apparent in the final assembly. That is the length you need. The length I cut to was 66 mm (55 mm + 3 mm + 12 mm). Once it is cut to length, mark a 3 mm line from one end, then fold it at that line and either press it or finger press it and get a good firm crease. Set this aside for the assembly which is coming up.

STEP 4 Cut the Card Stock for inside the Core:
Take your card stock (paper) and cut it 11 mm wide and at least twice if not 4+ times the length of the finger measurement. The longer the strip means there will be more wraps thus making a thicker core, this thickness is to the outside of your finger because the support mandrel (tube) keeps the inside measurement from changing. Since I am using a J. Peterman Co. catalog for this tutorial, the length of the strip is 260 mm which is more than 4 times my finger measurement. Remember that as the card stock is wrapped, it will add thickness which is why the overall length must be MORE than just one length of the measurement. Yes, I use a rotary cutter, mat and ruler to cut my card stock.

STEP 5 Assemble the Core Layers:
Take the support mandrel and put the fabric on the mandrel so the "inside" of the fabric (the fold is visible on this side) is towards you and the outside is against the mandrel - the outside surface is what will be against the finger. Put down the folded end first and then wrap the extra around so the extra length, overlaps the folded edge. The fabric should be snug but not too tight. Using small pieces of tape, tape the fabric edge down to the fabric beneath it; only tape the center between the top and bottom edges.

Lay the card stock on the fabric, on the mandrel. Position the paper so it is centered vertically between the top and bottom edges of the fabric and place the edge of the paper on the side opposite the folded and taped fabric ends. Take a small piece of tape and tape the the end to the fabric to hold it in place and again, do not place it on the fold, do it on the opposite side as this will help keep the thickness even. Now wrap the paper around, at least 2 or more times. Once again take a small piece of tape and tape the end down so it can't un-roll. Adjust the edges of the card stock so they are all even to create a nice clean edge along the top and bottom. I use painters tape so I can easily re position it if I need to make adjustments

Next the extra fabric at the top or the bottom of the card stock roll and fold/pull it over to cover the card stock. Do this with your fingers or a needle. Next take the extra fabric at the other edge and fold it over the paper such that the fabric at the not only cover the paper but overlaps the other edge of the lining fabric

This is where that extra length of your lining comes in. IF your fabric is not long enough, the overlap will spread and separate revealing a raw edge on the inside; this is why it is important to add that extra. And since the roll of card stock is thick, having the fabric cut on the bias allows the fabric to stretch during the process of folding the fabric over.

As needed use a needle to pull the fabric towards the center so the fabric meets the edges of the card stock core.

STEP 6 Sew the Core Together:
Take the sewing needle and cotton thread and thread the needle with an arms length of thread and have the thread so it is 1/3 and 2/3 through the eye of the needle. Knot only ONE end of the thread as the sewing will be done with a single thread. Now use a herring bone stitch to sew the material overlap together (see first picture below)

This is a video that shows how to stitch the herring bone stitch... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHkB_iadptA

When stitching, you need to make sure you catch the overlapped edges under the stitching. When sewing the herringbone stitch, especially on the folder edge, make sure to go down to the card stock; at the fold you will be going through 3 layers. Do two rounds of herringbone stitch, the first close to the overlap the second round, further out; making sure to also pull the thread to get the fabric tighter and thus smoother on the inside surface, that will be against the finger.

FINAL STEP: Slide the core off the tube and try it on! Congratulations, the core for a yubinuki has been completed.

In the next tutorial we will make a tools that will allow us to divide our pattern evenly without doing MATH.

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Yubinuki - Material Sources

9/1/2018

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NOTE: This post was originally posted over on my personal website.

In the prior post about materials, I wrote about what types and sizes of thread to use to make yubinuki. In this post I will tell you my sources for them.

Threads are very particular to the user; I like cotton and silk and if I could I would use silk all the time. But I also have used polyester, poly/cotton, soy, linen, bamboo, and Tencel. Threads for making Yubinuki can be found almost anywhere provided you are willing to look and try them. Having a background in sewing/weaving/knitting I go to Fiber Festivals around the area where I live and I look for threads and yarns that are lace weight, that could be used for making yubinuki; that is how I recently found the silk thread supplier (below) and silk lace weigh yarns. Go to knitting store as the fine threads for crochet (size 30 and 80) are also good to use. Additionally go to needlepoint, embroidery, cross-stitch and other hand sewing stores who stock not only the big name manufacturers of threads but some of these smaller makers too.

Then of course there is the web! You can search and find suppliers of threads from around the world, you just have to look and Google will be your friend! And do not rule out eBay, Etsy or Amazon as possible sources. It was via eBay that I picked up some silk floss and perle from Japan and I am still looking for online stores to source more from.

Now I am going to point you to some of the on-line vendors that I use for various threads. Yes; I now there are others but these are the places I like to use and none are local or big box stores.

123 Stitch: They have flosses and perle cottons in many sizes and fibers.
Herrschners: Also a good selection of threads and you can sign up for their catalog.
Needlepoint Joint: They have tatting, bobbing lace, needlework, crochet, weaving, and knitting threads/yarns.
Tatting Corner: A good selection of smaller diameter threads from various manufacturers around the world.
Phoenix Fiber Mill: I discovered their silk thread at a local fiber festival. The silk thread is NOT on their website but you can email them at phoenixfibermill@yahoo.com. They supply silk in spools of 23 grams each, which is approximately 550 yards or an assortment of 5 bobbins with 40 yards on each bobbin equalling 200 yards total. I sent them pictures (from the DMC website) of the colors I was looking for, which they kinda matched and sent back pictures so I could confirm the colors. Each spool costs $10.00 and the 5 bobbin assortment costs $6.00.

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Yubinuki - Materials

8/25/2018

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NOTE: The post was originally posted on my personal site

Now let's talk materials for the yubinuki of which there is only ONE - THREAD. This is the primary material to make the design. There are several things to consider when selecting the thread for your yubinuki: color, material, and size. I don't think I need to discuss color at this point as that is important for your pattern, which shall be discussed in a later post. But the thread material and size are what be discussed in this post.

First some general information: Material and Size
Thread Material: In Japan, the traditional materials are either cotton or silk which was taken from the remnants of weaving. These are the two fibers still primarily used in modern times. Your skill level, design and personal preference will influence what material that is selected. There are also nice threads in linen, polyester, and blends and are also metal threads which is where a very fine wire is wrapped on a cotton or silk core; with some searching you can find silver, gold, and copper.

Thread Size:  Thread size is not actually measured in inches or millimeters; there are 3 major measuring system and each thread manufacturer picks how measure their thread; trust me it is confusing and I learned quite a bit. What is important to know is that the thread size will influence how detailed the design of the pattern can be; the finer the thread the more details the pattern can have. There are 3 ways to measure thread: Weight (meters per 1 gram), Tex/Length (grams per 1000 meters) or Denier ( weight in grams per 9000 meters). Perle cotton is in the weight system and Japanese silk is sometimes given in denier and some I can't figure out at so let not worry about it at this point

Let's now let's look at some actual threads which can be used to make yubinuki. The letters the start of each paragraph refers to the letters in the picture below.

A) Cotton Perle Size 5: A 10 gram ball contains 45 meters.

B) Cotton Perle Size 8: A 10 gram ball contains 80 meters.

C) Cotton Perle Size 12:  A 10 gram ball contains 120 meters.

D) Cotton Perle Size 16: On a 10 gram ball which contains 143 meters.

E) Tatting Cotton Weight 10: On a 25 gram spool which contains 112 meters.

F) Tatting Cotton Weight 20: On a 25 grams spool and contains 192 meters.

G) Tatting Cotton Weight 40: On a 25 grams spool contains 274 meters.

H) Sewing Silk Perle: A spool contains about 17.5 yards or 16 meters and is about a cotton perle #12 in size.

I) Silk Perle #16: Labeled as 1000 Denier, which is on a card and contains 20 meters. This is in between a perle size 12 and size 16 and is marked as 0.25 mm in diameter.

J) Silk Perle #9: This is on a card and contains 80 meters.  This is finer than a perle size size 16, it could be a perle size 30 but I can't find much information on this size but it is finer than the 1000 denier.

K) Silk Thread: This is on a spool that weighs 23 grams and has 503 meters. There is also a 5 thread assortment, with each bobbin having 40 yards for a total of 200 yards.

It should be mentioned that there are other sized that have not been shown or other threads like cotton or silk floss's as well as various hand/machine sewing threads. Remember as the "size" goes up, the thread diameter gets smaller; if a pattern uses a Perle Size 5 and you want to use Perle Size 8, you will have to take more stitches per division and that may require the overall pattern to be adjusted.

When making your first yubinuki, I suggest starting with a perle of size 5 or size 8 as you will have less stitches and a thicker thread is easier to work with. As experience grows, then move to using size 12 and 16 and eventually you will be using silk "sewing" thread.

I will discuss where to purchase these threads in the next post.

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Yubinuki Supplies Clarififcation

8/19/2018

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NOTE: The post was originally posted on my personal site

This post is to clarify and expand on a few things that are required for making a core, before a core is made; this is so the appropriate items are acquired.

First up is the card stock used for the core.

When choosing the card stock (aka paper) that will be inside the core, it should be a nice thickness that when rolled at least twice, into a circle, it will provide enough support to the core and yet be a tiny bit flexible.

DO not use regular everyday printer or copier paper for this, it is too thin, even if there is more than one layer of it. This paper is known as "20 Bond" and this refers to the weight of 500 uncut 11" x 22" sheets. The thicker the paper, the larger the weight (bond number). A good quality paper is in the range of 16-36, but these are not thick enough.

So what is a good paper for Yubinuki?

A paper that has a weight over 70 is a good place to start. FYI photo paper that is used in a printer is in the range of 24-71 pound, so if you want to buy thicker high end photo paper to then cut up go ahead, it is just an expensive way to get the paper for the core when there are less expensive way.

And what way would that be you may ask? Oh, how about the paper used for a quality magazine, catalog or brochure cover; not the paper inside the magazine or catalog but the cover of it! This paper is classified as 80-100 pound and the coating (a type of clay) that is added to the paper for the printing to stick, helps make it a bit more durable (in case the Yubinuki gets wet). So I save the covers from magazines that I done reading but don't want to keep. I also save the covers from all sorts of catalogs I get; I particularly like the J. Peterman Company catalog covers. Another good paper source is those thick 'card' advertisements that are stuffed in the junk mail. Just make sure you can get at least 4 inches in length.

And what way would that be you may ask? Oh, how about the paper used for a quality magazine, catalog or brochure cover; not the paper inside the magazine or catalog but the cover of it! This paper is classified as 80-100 pound and the coating (a type of clay) that is added to the paper for the printing to stick, helps make it a bit more durable (in case the Yubinuki gets wet). So I save the covers from magazines that I done reading but don't want to keep. I also save the covers from all sorts of catalogs I get; I particularly like the J. Peterman Company catalog covers. Another good paper source is those thick 'card' advertisements that are stuffed in the junk mail. Just make sure you can get at least 4 inches in length.

To find out more about paper weights and thicknesses, refer to the chart from this website

Second item is the lining material.

This material is visible as the inside surface of the Yubinuki.

It is the first layer that is laid down, as part of the making the core and it covers the paper that provides the rigidity. In the picture to the right, the blue material on the core shown below is the lining material.

The fabric for the lining material should be cut on the bias, this is so it can stretch, and follow a curve without causing pleats or creases. The fabric should at least be 28 mm wide. Why? the paper is cut to 11 mm so the fabric has to cover the inside surface and then be folded over and overlap the fabric folded from the bottom; this will make more sense in core making tutorial. The fabric should be cotton, as it does make contact with your skin and it should not be itchy and can absorb hand moisture. The fabric color can coordinate with the thread colors used to stitch the design but going with all black is also a wise choice since it won't show any dirt. You can make your own bias tape and there are lots of information about that out on the web but if you want to cheat, go purchase bias tape from the sewing store but this is a polyester material. If you go this route get a DOUBLE FOLD tape that is 0.5" (12.75 mm wide; when the double folded tape is opened up, it will be 44 mm wide and that is more than enough for making the core.

The third an last item to discuss is the padding or as I call it wadding.

This is what prevents the needle, when being pushed with the Yubinuki, from putting pressure on the finger in one spot. Traditionally this is uncombed silk fiber formed like a sheet and stretch really well so that it's easy to handle and form a suitable padding to the thimble bases. This sheet of silk fiber is what a spinner might acquire. This sheet of silk is not easy to find in the USA but from some spinning supply stores you can find spinning caps and hankies. There are alternatives to using silk that can be used from spinning suppliers and this would be roving - these are fibers that have been carded and aligned to make it easier to spin; look at Tencel, soy, cotton, and bamboo. Other materials such as cotton (embroidery) floss that has had the strands separated and laid down in parallel lines. Cotton balls can be used that are carefully pulled to create a long set of fibers (think of roving) that can be wound around the core. Quilt batting can also be used and can be found easily; it is available in many thicknesses and materials besides cotton such as wool and silk. If you decide to use this, go for the thinnest batting possible.

This picture shows, from left to right - Soy for spinning, Cotton for spinning, Silk Cap for spinning all of which I purchased at various fiber festivals.

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Yubinuki - Tools And Supplies

8/12/2018

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NOTE: The post was originally posted on my personal site
Before you can make a yubinuki, one must have some tools and supplies. I will cover the materials for making a yubinuki in another post. I use the term supplies as those items that are used again and again to make a yubinuki where as materials are those items required to make a specific yubinuki, yet they can be generally detailed.

Here is a list and a description of what/why you need them. Again, this is a list based upon what I have found to be readily available here in the USA.

NOTE: All of these will make sense as you work through the various tutorials.

Tools:

Small Scissors with a fine point - this is for cutting threads especially when working on a yubinuki
Measuring Tape, flexible, with millimeter markings - for measuring a finger, to determine the inside diameter of the yubinuki.
Metal Ruler or Plastic Cutting Ruler - 6" or more in length for cutting paper and the cloth lining for the yubinuki core.
Large Scissors or Rotary Cutter - for cutting paper and the cloth lining for the core.
Cutting Mat - if you use a rotary cutter.
Embroidery Needles in various sizes. Depending on the thread size you are sewing with the eye of the needle will have to be large enough to accommodate that thread. Get a pack of these since having a sharp needle is important.
Threader - So you can easily thread your needle. Some threads are very small in diameter and this will make your life easier.
Pins - preferably "silk" pins as they are sharper and smaller than LARGE glass head pins.
Pin Cushion - for holding needles and pins.
Magnet - this is optional but I use it for finding pins that have been dropped on me or the floor.
Calculator - for doing some math. This is optional, I will show in a tutorial how to make a master division sheet so you don't have to do math.

Supplies:

Fine Tip Marking Pen - For marking the divisions of your pattern, on the core. I use a permanent ink.
Card Stock or Heavy Paper - This is the foundation of the core, this will be discussed in detail in the core tutorial
Tyvek, Plain Paper or Interfacing - For marking the pattern divisions and it should be thin! I like tyvek as it holds up better. Again this will be covered in the core tutorial.
Regular Sewing Thread - This is to sew part of the core and 100% cotton is the best! Color is not as important but you may want it to match the lining of the core.
Padding/Wadding - this is used to pad the yubinuki. This can be cotton from a cotton ball or cotton embroidery thread or wool or silk "top" used for spinning (this is raw fiber).
Double and/or Single Sided Adhesive Tape - used for securing various parts of the core during assembly.
Bias Cut Cloth - this is for the inside surface of the yubinuki which is what is against the skin of the finger. It also is what covers the core.

The pictures below will help you visualize some of the tools you will need. Next time I will discuss the materials that are used to actually make a yubinuki.

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Yubinuki

8/11/2018

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Yubinuki is another Japanese textile art form I have just learned and I have been fascinated with for a while. Last month, I fell down the rabbit hole and bought books from Japan, some supplies based upon what I had read and seen online and started to learn about how to make them since I find the designs wonderful and the technique can also be applied to the obi of a temari.

So what is Yubinuki?
The word translates to thimble ring.

What does that mean?
In most western countries, a thimble is either metal or leather and it is worn on the end of a finger and it is used to push the sewing needle through the item being sewn. In Japan, they wear the thimble ring, worn usually on the middle finger, just above the knuckle, to push the needle.

Plus, as with common with traditional crafts in Japan, this has grown into an art form; people wear them as rings or just make and collect them for the colors and designs.

To be honest, I am not going to go into the details of the history of them as there are lots of posts out on the web about it so I am providing a link to one that has a good explanation. This is a link to a website that is a bit old, but it is in English and there are several posts on how to make a core and more; just reading all the blog posts is very informative.

What you will see in this and future posts are yubinuki that I make including in-process photos and my thoughts on the materials I find and use to make them.

Here are images of my first three. I made the first one using a card stock core, bias tape, interfacing, 6 strand cotton floss for the wadding and 3 strands of cotton floss for the stitching. Since making that first one another temari artist has been giving me advice on how to make them and what types of threads to use. After trading many emails, I made the purple one and then the white/green/brown one.

The third one is based upon a design that was in one of the books from Japan. That design had 24 stitches (and rounds) of the white in the first division. Not having the silk thread that is also thinner than the size 8 perle cotton I was using, I decided to do the math! I found it only took 12 stitches in the perle to fill the division on the core I had made thus I would only need 2 stitches for each of the other bands where the pattern had indicated 4; and it worked out perfectly!

Have fun looking at the pictures below, and watch out for more on this.