What Patreon content do temari subscribers value most — pattern charts or division geometry documentation?

Temari Patreon subscribers value pattern charts and division geometry documentation equally and together, because neither is sufficient without the other. A pattern chart without division documentation leaves the patron unable to establish the accurate geometric foundation the pattern requires. Division documentation without a pattern chart provides method but no project to execute. The highest-retention content for temari creators combines both: a numbered division sequence (how many great circles, what circumference measurement triggers each pin placement, what accuracy tolerance is acceptable) alongside the stitch count and thread weight for the embroidery pattern. Patrons who are actively working on a temari from a creator's pattern chart have low cancellation rates during the stitching period. The division setup step — measuring, marking, and verifying the geometric framework on the sphere — is where most beginners make errors that ruin the final pattern. Creators who document this step photographically at each sub-step, with millimeter measurements, retain patrons through the difficulty of that setup far better than those who assume the patron already knows it.

What is the difference between simple 8-point division and C-division in temari, and how does each affect pattern design choices?

Simple 8-point division (S8) and C-division (also written as combination or kagome division) produce fundamentally different geometric frameworks on the sphere surface, constraining which pattern families are possible on each. Simple 8-point division is established by placing 4 great circles at 90-degree intervals, producing 8 evenly spaced poles where the circles intersect. The geometric figure on the sphere surface is a spherical octahedron: 8 triangular faces, each with 3-fold rotational symmetry, 12 edges, 6 vertices. Patterns on S8 division are built on triangular geometry and tend to feature triangles, diamonds, and 6-pointed star forms. The division setup requires marking the circumference, dividing it by 4 to establish the 4 quarter points, placing pins at all 8 intersections of the 4 great circles, and verifying that the 8 poles are equidistant (each approximately 1/4 of the circumference apart). C-division establishes 6 great circles that produce 12 pentagonal faces arranged like a soccer ball (dodecahedron geometry on the sphere surface). The 12 faces have 5-fold symmetry at each pole, and the 20 vertices at triangle intersections have 3-fold symmetry. C-division setup requires a different measurement sequence: the circumference is divided to find the equatorial obi, then pins are placed at calculated 72-degree intervals around the equator before the polar circles are placed. C-division patterns produce 5-pointed star and pentagon forms that are geometrically impossible on S8 division. The documentation requirement differs: S8 division can be shown with 4 sequential wrapping steps; C-division requires 6 great circle placements with angular accuracy that must be verified at each step before proceeding. Errors introduced at the first C-division great circle compound through subsequent circles, so per-step accuracy verification documentation is more important for C-division tutorials than for S8.

Explainers · 2026-07-09

Patreon for temari creators: Japanese thread ball division geometry, mari wrapping layers, silk thread embroidery mechanics, obi marking accuracy, iOS rates, and the Apple Tax in 2026

Q: How does the Apple Tax affect temari Patreon creator income?

Temari creator iOS rates vary by platform: Instagram temari photography (finished ball photography, detail shots of geometric patterns, work-in-progress division marking) 72–82% iOS; Pinterest temari and Japanese craft content 74–84% iOS (Pinterest's visual-primary audience is heavily iOS); YouTube temari tutorial videos 62–72% iOS. Starting November 1, 2026, Apple takes 30% of every Patreon subscription processed through the iOS app. At $150/month with 70% iOS: approximately $31.50/month ($378/year). At $250/month with 74% iOS: approximately $55.50/month ($666/year). At $400/month with 78% iOS: approximately $93.60/month ($1,123.20/year). Enable Patreon's web-only billing toggle before October 31, 2026 and update all subscription CTAs — Instagram bio link, Pinterest profile link, YouTube description URL — to the direct Patreon web URL. Verify with a test subscription from Safari on iPhone before November 1. Creators who want a fully self-hosted membership page with no platform fee can use KeepTier.

Temari Patreon retention depends on the technical documentation layer that finished-ball photography cannot carry: sphere division geometry (circumference measurement, great-circle placement sequence, accuracy tolerance per division type), obi band positioning, silk thread weight selection relative to mari size, and per-step stitch count documentation. Temari audiences are Instagram and Pinterest-primary with consistently high iOS rates — Apple Tax exposure begins November 1, 2026.

Creator subtypes and tier structures

Temari practice covers several approaches with different documentation needs and audience types.

Traditional Japanese temari makers produce temari following the established Japanese patterns and division conventions documented by the Japan Temari Association and regional temari guilds. Traditional temari use rice chaff (momi-gara) or compressed polyester fiber cores wrapped with cotton embroidery thread or yarn base layers, a smooth wrapped outer layer (tamamaki), and silk embroidery thread for the pattern. The documentation emphasis is on precision: the circumference measurement of the completed mari (typically 24–40 cm), the number of great-circle divisions, the marking thread weight and color relative to the silk embroidery thread, and the stitch count per pattern element. Tier examples: Pattern Tier ($10/month) — monthly pattern chart with division type, circumference, silk thread color palette by number (DMC or Anchor equivalent), and stitch count per row; Technical Tier ($28/month) — monthly pattern with complete division setup photography, per-step measurement documentation, and troubleshooting notes for common errors at each division type.

Contemporary Western temari artists adapt traditional Japanese temari structure for Western craft audiences, often using polystyrene balls or compressed foam cores instead of rice chaff, and pearl cotton or metallic thread in addition to silk. The documentation emphasis shifts toward material substitution: which polystyrene ball sizes correspond to which traditional mari circumferences, how tension applied during wrapping differs between foam and rice-chaff cores (foam compresses less, so outer layer tension builds differently), and how Western thread weights map to the traditional Japanese thread sett system. Tier examples: Modern Temari Kit Tier ($15/month) — monthly pattern with materials list using Western thread and core equivalents, marking instructions for foam core, and notes on thread selection for pattern density; Fusion Tier ($35/month) — original pattern combining traditional division geometry with non-traditional thread materials, full setup documentation, and variation ideas.

Temari pattern design and education creators develop original pattern designs, teach division geometry, and document the mathematical structure behind temari pattern construction. The temari surface is a sphere, and pattern design on a sphere is a constrained geometric problem: patterns must close correctly around the sphere surface, pattern repeats must tile the spherical geometry without gaps or overlaps, and the stitch count must scale proportionally with the mari circumference. Educators who can explain why a pattern designed for a 36 cm mari requires recalculation (not simple resizing) for a 24 cm mari—because the arc length of each division decreases non-linearly with circumference—produce content that builds patron geometric understanding and pattern-reading skills. Tier examples: Pattern Library Tier ($12/month) — 2 original pattern charts per month with division setup documentation; Design School Tier ($40/month) — monthly pattern plus an original design walkthrough showing how the geometric framework was established before the embroidery pattern was developed.

Mari wrapping, sphere division mechanics, and pattern execution

Mari construction: the core (rice chaff compressed into a sphere, polystyrene ball, or firm foam ball) is wrapped in successive layers. The first layer is loosely wound to fill any surface irregularities; subsequent layers increase compression. The final smooth surface layer (tamamaki) is wound in a figure-8 pattern that creates a regular fiber matrix across the entire sphere surface—this is the substrate into which division marking thread and embroidery thread are anchored. The smoothness and consistency of the tamamaki determines how cleanly the division lines lay and how well the embroidery thread tension holds without puckering. Document the thread weight used for each layer (a heavier yarn for base layers, a finer cotton or silk for the tamamaki), the direction of each layer’s winding, and the approximate number of layers before the surface tension feels consistent.

Sphere division geometry: the circumference of the completed mari is the primary measurement for all subsequent division calculations. A 36 cm circumference mari has a diameter of approximately 11.5 cm (C = πD). The circumference is divided to find obi band placement and great-circle positioning. For simple 8-point division (S8): the circumference divided by 4 gives the quarter-point distance—at 36 cm circumference, quarter-point = 9 cm. Pins are placed at the north and south poles, then 4 pins are placed at equatorial positions 9 cm apart (measured along the mari surface, not straight-line distance). Four great circles are then wrapped through the poles and through pairs of equatorial pins. Accuracy tolerance: the 8 pole points should each be 9 cm from their 4 nearest neighbors, measured along the surface. Deviation > 1 mm produces visible geometric asymmetry in the finished pattern. Document the measurement tool (a fabric tape measure, not a rigid ruler) and the verification step at each pin placement before wrapping the great circle.

C-division (combination division) setup requires 6 great circles. The obi (equatorial band) is established first from the circumference. The circumference is divided by 5 (not 4) to establish the 5 equatorial pin positions (each 72 degrees apart, since a pentagon has 5 vertices at 72-degree intervals). At 36 cm: 36 ÷ 5 = 7.2 cm spacing between equatorial pins. The great circles through these equatorial pins and the north pole establish 5 of the 6 required great circles; the 6th great circle runs around the equator as the obi band. The resulting 12 pentagonal faces are the foundation for 5-pointed star patterns, sakura flower forms, and traditional C-division geometric patterns. The critical documentation step: after placing the first 5 equatorial pins, verify that all 5 inter-pin arcs measure 7.2 cm (±0.5 mm) before placing any great circles. A single mis-placed equatorial pin cannot be corrected after the great circles are wrapped without unwrapping and re-doing the entire division.

Silk thread selection: traditional temari embroidery uses silk thread for the surface pattern. Japanese temari silk is sold by weight (habutai weight #5 is the most common for pattern embroidery on a standard 28–36 cm mari; #8 is finer, used for detail on smaller mari; #3 is heavier, used for bold graphic patterns on large mari). Western equivalents include DMC Diamant metallic and silk blends, YLI silk floss, and Au Ver à Soie silk—document the specific thread name, weight or strand count, and how many strands are worked together for each pattern element. Thread sett: the number of thread widths that fit per millimeter of pattern area determines whether the pattern density is correct—a pattern designed for 2-strand habutai #5 will look sparse on a 6-strand pearl cotton because the thread width is different. Document the strand count and thread weight together so patrons can substitute accurately.

iOS rates and Apple Tax

Temari creator audiences are visually driven and heavily iOS. Instagram temari photography—finished ball detail shots, geometric pattern close-ups, work-in-progress division marking—tracks at 72–82% iOS. Pinterest temari and Japanese craft content tracks at 74–84% iOS (Pinterest’s visual-primary, inspiration-mode audience is among the most iOS-concentrated of any platform). YouTube temari tutorial videos track at 62–72% iOS. Starting November 1, 2026, Apple takes 30% of every Patreon subscription processed through the iOS app.

At $150/month with 70% iOS: approximately $31.50/month ($378/year). At $250/month with 74% iOS: approximately $55.50/month ($666/year). At $400/month with 78% iOS: approximately $93.60/month ($1,123.20/year). Enable Patreon’s web-only billing toggle before October 31, 2026 and update all subscription CTAs to the direct Patreon web URL.

KeepTier is a self-hosted membership page for creators who want 100% of their tier revenue and zero Apple Tax. Plans from $9/month.

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