Peel Stitch-In May 2026

Barb, Judy, Jeanette, and I attended the Peel Stitch-In yesterday. We carpooled with Jeanette as our capable driver.

We all were pretty excited for another stitch day.

Since the usual venue in Port Credit is under renovation, the next couple of Stitch-Ins will take place at the Meadowvale Village Hall. 

I'm sure at one time Meadowvale Village was a quaint little hamlet on the 2nd Line near Mavis Road in Mississauga,  but now it's a very chi chi poo poo community of enormous, stylish homes. It was very easy to get to from the 401. 

The start time was 10am and we got there well ahead of time. As is her custom, Barb got a spot near the front of the lineup so we could be among the first to get a good table.

Once inside we got set up. Roger and Charlotte supervised Barb's stitching.

We were in the back corner (front right in this photo), adjacent to the hall leading to the back room where the vendors were; Kimat Designs, Tiny Modernist, and Hand Dyed by Rolanda. There were two accessible washrooms by the front door.

I did have a moment of panic, though. When I started getting my spot organized, I couldn't find Ernest. I went back out to the parking lot and sure enough, he was lying face down beside the car. Poor little guy! I picked him up, dusted him off, and took him inside to be reunited with Thomas. Crisis averted. 

Ernest and Thomas kept me on task. We were beside the huge windows so the light was so good we didn't even need our lamps.

Those of us who didn't pay in advance by eTransfer were able to give the $10 cash to the organizer, Cathy. Each of us (humans) were given a door prize ticket for later.

A 'show and share' table wasn't originally planned but a few folks did bring items for display.

As well as the Tomato Tomahto project I'm working on, this one by Hands On Design was on display and ended up being one of the door prizes! I just might have to acquire this pattern, too.

Two of these 'Little House Needleworks' pieces were on display.

This was someone's Round Robin piece from the Toronto Guild of Stitchery. A round robin is started by a participant and is passed around monthly to other interested stitchers. The originator decides the format, and colour scheme. Each subsequent person makes a contribution using those parameters.

This piece was HUGE; 365 stitches x 429 stitches or about 23" x 27" on 36ct fabric over two threads. A Google Lens search tells me it is 'Pandemic' by Long Dog Samplers. Understandably, it was released during the COVID-19 epidemic as a large-scale pattern for stitchers worldwide. 

Everything had to be cleared out of the hall by 5pm sharp so we decided to head for home by 3:45. After realizing the 401 was too slow, we made our way up to the $$$407$$$ for a much more enjoyable drive home.

I stitched most of the time but looking back I didn't accomplish a whole lot; lots of gabbing, I guess. On stitch days like this, I do try to get a bit done on two of my long-time UFOs.

I did a wee bit on the turtle's flipper. I started this project in the fall of 2020. It came with 16ct Aida fabric but I'm doing it on 30ct antique white linen.

There are a LOT of blended colours on this project so I picked a colour that wasn't blended - the dark purple on the lower edge of the flipper. I'm using 2 strands over 2 threads. The grid lines are done with sewing thread that will easily pull out when I'm done. Grid lines are so helpful on big projects like this with so many colours.

I also like to do a bit on my 'Newcastle Bouquet' on stitching or retreat days. Yesterday I completed the 'S' and began the red flower. This UFO dates back to when I started it in the summer of 2020.

I finished the grass on the 'Over the Garden Gate' project, did some brick work, and started a couple of the flowers. I substituted a brighter green for the called-for colour. I also added more 'structure' to the greenhouse as it looked somewhat incomplete to me. 

I was very happy to have this activity on my calendar yesterday to give me something fun to do on the second anniversary of Skip's death. I really appreciated all the kind messages I received. 

This morning my neighbour, Pam, treated me to brunch to honour Skip and her husband, Kees, who died exactly one year to the day before Skip did. We enjoyed a nice meal, pleasant conversation, and made a toast with our coffees to our beloved guys who will be:

Always missed.

Always loved.

Always with us.

I Don't Do This For Just Anyone

After seeing the cuteness of Thomas, 

Barb asked me to knit her kitties to match her ginger kitties, Charlotte and Roger. She provided me with the yarn and very specific instructions about the features she desired.

I knit them on 2.75mm needles so they were proportionately smaller than Thomas who was knit on 3.25mm needles with the same weight yarn.

Of course, I had to have some fun with ChatGPT and created a photo of them going for a walk,

then sharing a plate of spaghetti in the style of 'Lady and the Tramp'.

Then a Blue Jays Fans photo was requested.

The designer Esther Braithwaite has created many patterns of animals:

Fox and Wolf,

a bunny you can dress, (I just might have to buy her 'Dress Me Teddy' pattern)

a mouse and chipmunk,

Pasture Pals cow and horse,

Pen Pals sheep and pig,

Jungle Buddies tiger, monkey, elephant, and zebra,

more Forest Friends with badger and owl,

Most of her patterns are $3CAD. So much fun for so little money! 

Any weight yarn is fine as long as the whole critter is the same weight and needle size. It is recommended to go down a couple of needle sizes than usually recommended for a tight knit and so the stuffing doesn't show through.

These little guys fit nicely in anyone's hand, pocket, purse or backpack. I imagine any little kid would love any one of them, too. I believe the easiest ones to knit are the kitty cats and tiger as they're just a tube, grafted at the top. No ears to knit and add. No shaping for the head.

Have fun!

Scarborough Needlearts Guild's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Members of the Trillium Embroidery Guild were invited to the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the Scarborough Needlearts Guild held at Scarborough Bluffs United Church on Kingston Rd at Scarborough Golf Club Road. It was a stitch day which also included a catered lunch. Many of our Trillium members also belong to the Scarborough guild. 

Several of us attended: Marilyn, MaryK, Jeanette, and Bev from the east of Durham, and Judy, Barb and I from the west of Durham. We carpooled and all arrived at about the same time.

I didn't get any photos of people - just the displays.

This is 'Cotton Quartet' designed by Mary Corbet. I'd seen Jeanette's made into a needle roll and after my Why Not Stitching intro piece, I'm really inspired to stitch this myself.

Trillium Challenge

Alphabet band samplers. I have one half finished somewhere - abandoned at about 'q r s t u'.

Punto antico by Marion.

This collaborative banner depicts many 'Scarberian' scenes from the past and present.

Deputy Mayor Paul Ainslie was present to present this certificate to the guild.

There were also archivists from Scarborough and the city of Toronto who spoke of the importance of maintaining archives for the research for future generations.

Of course, Thomas and Ernest joined me and supervised my stitching. Because my birthday was closest to the celebration day, I got to take home the begonia against which Thomas and Ernest are propped.

Judy safely got us home at the beginning of rush hour traffic.

We all enjoyed a very fun day of stitching and celebrating.

Stitchin' on a Rainy Day

Yesterday MaryK, Judy, and I met at Farm Girl Quilting near Beaverton for a Hand Stitching Day. We only decided to attend the day before and fortunately got three of the last four spots available.

The vendors were Kimat Designs, Pansy Patch Quilting and Stitchery, and Blueberry Ridge Design.

The venue is a large out-building on Laura and her husband's dairy farm. It's perfectly set up for events such as this. At the far end is the ever important snack table, microwave oven, and fridge, with the bathroom beyond that. Laura also manages the Farmer's Wife Retreat House just down the road.

I carpooled up with Judy

and MaryK met us up there and saved our seats.

It became a blustery, rainy day so we couldn't think of a better way to spend it.

Of course, Thomas and Ernest came to check things out and supervise.

We had a bit of a photo shoot amid the Pansy Patch and Blueberry Ridge displays. This greenhouse piece 'Over the Garden Gate' really appealed to me so I had to have it.

Thomas posed before the Pansy Patch 'Autumn Quilt Barn'.

The guys posed in front of 'The Postmouse's Christmas Delivery' by Blueberry Ridge. This was a VERY popular design last fall.

The guys prefer designs with animals in them. This Blueberry Ridge design is called, "The Postbunny's Easter Delivery".

From Kimat Designs, I purchased 'Tomato, Tomahto' from Needle & Moss. The chart for the sampler in the background is also included.

I have stitched Annie Beez' 'Christmas Pears' and Stacy Nash' 'Ginger' on a piece of Aztec Red linen and have just enough left to do the 6 sides of the Tomato-Tomahto. I also have some appropriate silk floss for the project, left over from the Christmas Pears.

The day seemed to really go fast. 

It was still pretty blustery when I got home so I thought a nice fire would cozy things up.

I spent the rest of the evening, knitting Charlotte and Roger's tubes and watching ER episodes on Netflix.

Tomorrow a bunch of us will join the Scarborough Needlearts Guild for their 50th Anniversary celebration. It involves a stitch day and a catered lunch; two of my favourite things!

I remembered to sign Judy and myself up for next Saturday's Peel Stitch-In and got in just under the wire. Barb didn't get in right away but was first on the waiting list. Shortly thereafter she texted me to say someone had registered twice so she got their second spot. 

I may have to kit up one of my new projects to take to all these stitch days.

I'm so pleased to have so many fun activities to do with such fun people. 

Summer is just around the corner.