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Investigating Wrapped Bands on a C8

This design uses bands wrapped along the marking lines of a C8 division to completely cover the mari. In the original pattern a different color is used on each side of the line and the bands are wrapped from the outside towards the middle. My source for the original pattern is Temari from Kii (ISBN 4-8377-0393-3) color picture on pg. 1 ball #1, design on pg. 44.

The Basic Pattern

1. Wrap a mari and mark a C8 with inconspicuous thread. The marking lines get covered in the design; they can be a contrasting color but should be thinner and flatter than the design threads so that they can be wrapped over. Because of the way the bands are laid on this all-over design, there is little room for fudge factor. Try to have as regular a division as possible.

2. Pin mark the center of each small triangle. It is the point that is the same distance from all three sides. You can eyeball it fairly quickly and use a small measuring tool (like the length of the eye of your needle) to check yourself. These pins will give you the starting place for your bands.

I pushed the pins all the way into the ball and just lifted the ones that I needed for each row a bit when adding it. It is tempting to leave off the pins and try to lay the threads by eye for the first round but I found it difficult to do accurately even after doing the pattern many times. The pins also help to hold the first round in place until the second round covers it since the bands are wide.

3. Decide on a sequence of colors to use so that you are consistent in each round. You may want to write it down.

4. Pick a division line to start with. Do one wrap on the inside of the pins on each side of the division line. The diagram shows bands for only 2 of the division lines and the picture shows the lines for only this step, but you will be doing bands on both sides of all division lines (see picture on next step).

5. Repeat for each division line. Use a different color for each side of the division line.

6. For each subsequent round, wrap one wrap on the inside of the previous row, going toward the division line that will be in the center of the bands. Make all of your starts and stops near the division lines in between other bands so that they will get covered as the bands fill towards the center. Remove the pins at the center of the triangles when you are comfortable the lines will not slip. I did it after the second round.

7. Continue to do rounds with one wrap on each band until all bands are filled in.

Variations

Working the bands out instead of in

Instead of working the bands from the outside in towards the marking line, start at the marking line and work out until all bands meet in the center of the triangles. The outer wraps on the bands are not held in place by later rows so I added the black outlines to keep them from slipping. This is the only variation I tried where the bands were worked from the middle out. All the others are wrapped as described in the master pattern.

Butterflies with striped background

Use two tones of color alternating for the background. Use a single bright color for the butterflies. The order to wrap the bands is:

1. diagonal lines on squares at N pole (background colors),
2. diagonal lines on the squares at the obi (butterfly color),
3. straight lines on squares at N pole (background colors),
4. then the obi (background colors).

When there are only two rounds left to go, finish wrapping the butterfly bands completely. Then do another set of background wraps and finish with a contrast wrap on the straight lines of the N pole square and the obi. The butterfly bodies are done with straight stitches of doubled thread. Split the two strands around the background wraps in that area.

Two toned butterflies

Use two shades of color for the butterflies. You'll wrap one color on the top side of the diagonals on the squares at the obi and the other color on the bottom. You can do a solid color background or a striped one as in variation 2.

Bugs

This one is done with three colors, iridescent ribbon floss for wings, wool/silk blend for the body, and #8 perle cotton for background. Because the fibers are different widths it was necessary to adjust the number of wraps per round so that they matched up: I needed 2 rows of silk/wool for each row of ribbon floss and 4 rows of #8 perle for each row of ribbon floss. I used black french knots for the eyes but small beads would work nicely too. Wrap in this order:

1. wings on the diagonals on the obi squares,
2. body on the diagonals of the N pole square,
3. background on the straight lines of the N pole square and the obi.

Multicolored squares and rectangles

This design is done in four colors with a coordinating mari wrap thread. It is not an all-over design the way the others are. Mark with an inconspicuous thread. Each color will be wrapped on both sides of the diagonal lines of the squares on the obi working from the outer edge of the band towards the division line. Outline the rectangle and square shapes with metallic when finished. Embellish negative space as desired.

Other variations using color that were planned, but not stitched out yet

Use only 2 colors or stripes, one on S4 and obi lines, one on all others.

Use 9 colors, one on both sides of each division line.

Use 4 colors. Background on S4 and obi lines, design colors on diagonals.

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