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How to Make an Otedama - Full Tutorial
Tsubaki, Lilly
Tsubaki, Lilly
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Abstract
Lilly Tsubaki shows the world how to create Otedama - a bean bag from her childhood - for the purpose of passing down knowledge and fun.
Description
Otedama (御手玉) ／beanbag
Japanese beanbags are made of colorful scraps of cloth and usually are filled with red azuki beans or rice. They are round and small enough to fit into the palm of a child's hand; some have bells attached. The beanbag game, traditionally played by girls, uses a set of five, seven, or nine beanbags. The complexity of the game ranges from simply juggling to performing various maneuvers with one or more of the other bags while one bag is in midair. An ancient game originally played with pebbles, it assumed its present form around the 17th century.
Source: Kodansha Encyclopedia of Japan (1983)
Step 1: Measure & Cut (00:34)
1) Cut out 4 pieces of 2" x 4" rectangular fabric with 2 contrasting patterns
2) With a pen and a ruler, measure 1 3/4" from the edge of the cloth and make a mark
3) Turn it around and again measure 1 3/4" from the edge of the cloth
4) With a scissor, snip about 1/4" on the markings you just made
5) Do the same on the other one
Step 2: Pin to Shape (01:50)
1) Pin the corner together
2) On the slit, pin the fabric by the slit diagonally
3) Turn the cloth 90 degrees and match the slit to the edge of the cloth 1/4" in
4) Pin diagonally again
5) Turn the cloth 90 degrees to make a square
6) Pin the corner diagonally
7) Pin another one on the corner diagonally next to the square slit
8) Pin the other corner as well. Pin on the corner diagonally next to the square slit
9) Adjust if it doesn't fit quite right
10) There should be 6 pins in total and 4 corners that are pinned
11) Do exactly the same to the other two pieces of the cloth
Step 3: Sew the Pieces (04:39)
1) Start somewhere on one of the edges and sew a 1/4" seam by hand
2) Make a couple of small stitches and go back one stitch
3) Make sure the seam comes to the corner
4) Backstitch on the edge of the corner
5) Turn the bottom cloth 90 degrees
6) Make one stitch and go back one stitch again
7) Sew around the seam until the edge
8) Tie a knot and cut the excess thread
9) Do exactly the same sewing method as before to the other one
10) Tie a knot and cut the excess thread
Step 4: Iron the Folds (08:22)
1) Fold the cloth towards the print side
2) Iron on the right side up with the cloth folded towards the patterned side
3) Iron the other side with the cloth folded towards the patterned side
4) Fold the top along the seam and iron
5) Do exactly the same as before to the other one
Step 5: Measure and Cut (10:14)
1) With a pen and a ruler, measure 1 1/2" from the seam or 1 3/4" from the edge, to make the corners
2) Measure the other side as well
3) Do exactly the same as before to the other one
4) With a scissor, snip about ¼” on the markings you just made
5) Do the same on the other one
Step 6: Pin into One Shape (11:11)
1) Pin the two seams together so they line up to form the center
2) Pin the (soon to be) corner diagonally
3) Do the other side as well. Pin the corner diagonally
4) Rotate the fabric 90 degrees at the seam and pin diagonally
5) Pin the rest of the corners like you did previously
6) Adjust if it doesn’t fit quite right
7) Pin the other two seams together so they line up to form another center
8) Pin the rest of the corners
9) All of the corners should form a square slit with two pins on the sides
10) Pin it all together to form a small bag
Step 7: Sew to Form a Bag (13:51)
1) From one of the centers, make a ¼” seam along the edge
2) Make a couple of small stitches and go back one stitch
3) Sew all around the seam of the bag except for one side to put the beans in
4) Make one last corner before the opening
5) Sew at about 3/8”, a little bit closer to the edge. Make one stitch and go back one stitch
6) Tie a knot and cut the excess thread
Step 8: Iron the Edges (17:10)
1) Fold and iron the opening and the section next to it inwards
2) Iron one section at a time, folding towards the bag
3) Iron the rest of the seams
Step 9: Turn it Right Side Out (18:20)
1) Open the hole and get the center of the other side with a needle
2) Lift the center of the other side through the opening to reveal the right side up
3) Use your finger to find the corners and push a little bit to form a more prominent corner
4) You can also use a needle for this
Step 10: Place Beans & a Bell Inside (19:28)
1) Use whatever is available to you (rice, beans etc). We used split peas to fill the otedama
2) If using split peas, dry them in a frying pan for preservation and for a better sound
3) Use a scoop or a spoon to transfer the peas to the bag through the opening
4) Optional: Place a small bell inside for a greater effect
Step 11: Sew the Opening Shut (20:59)
1) Close the opening by sewing it shut
2) Tie a knot and cut the excess thread
Instructor/Demonstrator: Lilly Tsubaki
International Collections at the University of Kansas Libraries August 10, 2016
Date
2016-08-10
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Center for East Asian Studies, University of Kansas
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Keywords
Otedama, Japan, Beanbag, Culture, Craft, Sewing, Ball