The making of temari is essentially geometric. So we need to subdivide this sphere with evenly spaced points.

This is the step where you may find a flexible ruler useful. I just do it by eye, but you can be more precise if you want.



Place a first pin directly into the ball.

Place another one directly across the center from the first pin.

Place another pair of pins to create a line across the center that crosses the first line at a right angle. See the first picture.

Repeat to complete a set of three-dimensional right angles.

The ball should now look like the second picture.



One of the pairs of pins will be the poles, and the other two pairs will form an equator. It doesn't matter which is which; they are identical at this point.

Subdivide your "equator", halving each section. See the third picture.

Subdivide each of these sections again. See the fourth picture.



Pro tip: This is not the only way to subdivide your sphere; if you're interested in other non-Euclidean geometric patterns, you can position your pins differently. Here are some examples of different geometric base patterns.