Kimat Fall Stitch Day

Yesterday Poppy and I carpooled (Poppy drove) to the Lemonville Community Centre for Meagan and Kim's stitch day.  

Meagan and Kim had their pop-up shop at the far end and Tiny Modernist, being our featured designer had the setup on the right. 

The hall is very well lit. Most of us didn't even need to use our lamps.

We each received a cute, Hallowe'en chart from Tiny Modernist - exclusive to our stitch day.

Cheryl passed around the model that had been photographed for the cover of the chart. The wooden hangers, made fairly locally, are available for sale at Kimat Designs.

A light, late breakfast was served, then lunch plus refreshments. Being Hallowe'en, there was lots of candy available for us.

It was nice visiting with stitchers that I customarily see at this event. 

I got another tree and some more of the band stitched on 'Merry Christmas'. I forgot to bring my iPad so I could use Markup R-XP to keep track of my stitches so I had to stitch from my iPhone - very 'squinchy'.

And I finally finished the moth on long-languishing 'Newcastle Bouquet'.

I think it was the frequent colour changes that caused such a delay in its completion. So glad to have the *^%$ thing done.

I didn't purchase anything from either Kimat of Tiny Modernist. I am really trying to stitch down my WIP/UFO pile.

Back at home, I started a red scarf for the local Red Scarf Project. In the month of November knitted or crochet red scarves measuring at least 6" x 60" can be dropped off at our central library. On Nov. 27 they'll be collected, tags will be attached, and the scarves will be placed in prominent outdoor areas downtown for anyone needing or wishing to take one.

I remembered that I had a couple of balls of red Mary Maxim DK yarn in my stash and was actually able to locate them quickly. 

Although a double crochet scarf would make up quite quickly, I decided instead to do a linen stitch scarf using this pattern, Linen Scarf by Heidi Cantaway. It's a free pattern on Ravelry.

It's crocheted longways. It will take me a ball and a half of the yarn to make one wide enough but this is how far I got with a 4.5mm crochet hook - about 7/8" wide and used 20g of this 100g ball.

I remember buying several balls of yarn with the Red Scarf project in mind over a decade ago and used a couple of the balls to weave scarves for this project.

photo from November 2015

I haven't had the heart to fix the mistake I made on the Spring Courier. I miscounted by one column and it has screwed up the bottom right corner so I need to adjust the pattern before I proceed.

In the meantime, I keep on working on the other more satisfactory projects and do more crocheting.

After being out all day, I kicked back and warmed up some leftover chicken quesadillas for supper. I was lounging comfortably until I realize it was Hallowe'en and didn't have the outdoor lights on. Good grief. So at 7pm, I started handing out treats; double what I ordinarily would dole out because I didn't want to be left with a bunch of chips and mini chocolate bars. I turned the lights off again at 8:30. 

I watched the most recent season of 'The Diplomat'. Holy cliffhangers! If you haven't watched this series on Netflix I recommend starting right at the beginning to get caught up. Now I can't wait (again) for the next season.

PS. Crepes in my new, non-stitck, Canadian-made fry pan were delicious this morning. 

Some Things That Gave Me Joy Today

I retrieved my oboe from the oboe hospital today. It needed a complete overhaul, understandable since I don't remember if I'd ever had it serviced in the 54 years I've owned it. 

Pro-rated - $26.85 isn't a lot to pay per year to keep the thing working properly. All the pads and corks were replaced. He even used silver solder to repair a key with a crack in it. The repairer, Alessandro, was very surprised when I told him how long I had owned it. He was also surprised when he learned how old I was. He thought I was younger than my actual age. The compliment and repaired oboe made my drive into The Big City well worth it.

On my way home, (avoiding the DVP) I stopped in at Michaels in Pickering to get the last 5 colours I needed for my Painted Flowers project.

I haven't decided when I'll start it as I'm quite happy with my progress on 'Merry Christmas'.

The band below the trees has been easy to stitch while watching TV. The rest I do with Markup R-XP on my iPad just to keep track of things. I did find one mistake on the pattern which I'll let the nice people know about at Hobby House Press. Will check first to see if it's on an 'errata' list.

Perhaps 'Painted Flowers' will be my start when I attend the Toronto Guild of Stitchery's retreat at the Nottawasaga Inn next month.

Further along my way home I picked up tacos from Cocodrilo, the food truck in front of the Ajax Canadian Tire at Salem and Kingston Rd. They're the best tacos I've had north of the Rio Grande Valley.

I ate 3 and froze 3 for a future meal.

Also, while at Canadian Tire, I purchased a new, non-stick frying pan that I'd been coveting for a while. Gratefully, it was on sale for 30% off.

It's the one with the raised stainless steel grid to create a non-stick surface, not the chemically-treated non-stick one.

The added bonus is that it is manufactured in Canada - in Charlottetown PEI

My easier, less traffic-y drive home was enhanced even further by sunny skies and stunning leaf colours. 

Crossing the Rouge Valley provided breathtaking vistas. I would have taken some photos had I not been driving.

After all that activity, I'm going to take it easy for the rest of the day. 

Tomorrow is a Kimat Designs sponsored stitch day, then tomorrow night will be busy with trick or treaters coming to my door.

Hallowe'en Concert

On Sunday, the Pickering Community Concert Band played a Hallowe'en Concert at the Pickering Museum Village's Hallowe'en Event.

We were instructed to either wear black or orange or Hallowe'en costumes.

I had snagged these kitty cat ears at music camp in the summer, thinking they'd be great for a Hallowe'en costume. I just wore black, donned the ears and drew a kitty cat nose and whiskers on my face with eye liner.

It was Ernest's turn to get in on the action. 

Our conductor, Giancarlo Binetti, dressed as Sorcerer Mickey - in keeping with the theme of the day and since we played selections from 'Fantasia'.

For 'The Addams Family' , Giancarlo distributed noise makers to the children (mostly) in the audience. During our performance, my Apple watch often informed me that the noise level was harmful to my hearing.

Dunc was strongly discouraged by his family not to dress as a blind referee (something about not being politically correct) so instead, ordered the skeleton costume from Amazon - into which he sweated profusely. Sorry if that's TMI but that's what he announced.

Again, it was a beautiful fall day - perfect for folks to wander around the Museum Village and listen to scary music. 

It was a fun program to play and I was thrilled I got to wear my understated kitty cat costume. The woman at Subway (where I had a pre-concert lunch) even said I looked cute.

Sadly I'll be out of town for our town's Christmas event and later the band's Christmas concert. I will, however, be able to make it to the spring concert but will again, have to leave a stitching retreat (Elim) on the Sunday morning to get there.

Stitch North Fall 2026

On Friday morning, MaryK and I carpooled to the Delta Marriott in Markham for this fall's Stitch North retreat. Barb and Poppy had arrived before us and grabbed a table for the four of us, Clare Burns (whom I had met at the Spring Stitch North). We were joined by our two new stitcherly friends from out west, Taylor from Vancouver and her mother, Jeanine from Calgary. 

The featured designer was Theresa Venette 'Kitten Stitcher' of Shakespeare's Peddler. Stitchers were in two ballrooms, one above the other. Evertote had a large vending area at the end of our upstairs ballroom. 

Many of Theresa's patterns were available for sale as well as lots of Roxy floss packs - the colours converted from Theresa's designs. There were other vendors in a room down the hall and in the downstairs ballroom.

Theresa gave a talk on Friday afternoon about how she selects heirloom samplers to chart. 

This was the original of one she purchased.

and her charted and stitched model.

This was the Stitch North Fall 2026 exclusive.

We also got to see the stitched samples she designed for this year's Jingle Ball - 'Christmas Postcards'. The 'stamps' on perforated paper/vinyl were very cute.

MaryK worked diligently on her Santa ornament, put in the finishing stitches, and got to honk the horn.

I had admired this Shakespeare's Peddler design for over a year (this model was someone's on the Brag Table)

and decided to purchase the pattern and some hand-dyed Roxy fabric - 40ct 'Dusk'.

After a day of stitching, we got comfortable in our room upstairs.

Of course Poppy's 'Daphne', Barb's 'Charlotte and Roger', my 'Thomas, Veronica, and Ernest', and MaryK's 'Violet' were featured prominently on our table.

MaryK overheard Jeannette Douglas speaking to someone about her 'Alphabet Garden' sampler. MaryK mentioned she had stitched it over one on 36ct. This shot is of Jeannette asking MaryK to send her a photo of the finished piece. I'm not sure which was the fan girl.

These were some of the items in our swag bag.

We also received an 8m skein of hand-dyed floss by Rolanda. Mine was 'Candy Apple' which I deemed perfect for my Hobby House Press 'Merry Christmas' sampler. I also purchased a 25m skein of 'Candy Apple' for future stitching. 

After the smalls exchange (in which I didn't participate) folks dropped off items they wanted to destash. I snagged this complete (yet unopened) kit. It would make a sweet wee sampler or cover of a needlework folio.

JBW chart and little star charms,

an Erica Michaels folder of Berry finish templates and instructions, 

and a couple of blackwork designs which would work for some triangular scissor cases.

We posed for our table's group shot. Back row: Barb, MaryK, Geri, Taylor, Jeanine. Front row: Clare and Poppy. 

I had to leave on Sunday morning to get to Pickering Museum Village for the band's Hallowe'en Concert. 

Stay tuned for that.

Northumberland Hills Stitchery Guild Stitch Day and October Trillium Meeting

Last Wednesday, MaryK and I headed to the Elmhirst Resort on the NE shore of Rice Lake to attend the stitch day sponsored by the Northumberland Hills Stitchery Guild. 

It was yet another beautiful fall day. Upon arrival we located ourselves at a table near the windows overlooking the lake.

I'm guessing a lot of summer weddings take place down on that deck under the pergola.

There was a Show and Share table.

These Altoid tin critters were adorable in their little beds with a pillow, quilt, and scenery. Both are designs from past CrossStitcher magazines.

The woman beside me painted this beautiful watercolour

then was rendering it in silk appliqué.

Our day wasn't over yet. After returning to our respective homes, we had supper then attended our guild's October meeting that evening.

There was lots of Show and Share as well.

Siobhain's 'Joy' by AuryTM Designs

Cathy's wool felt appliqué 'Midnight Garden' designed by Karen Yaffe. 

Cathy also displayed a wool felt appliqué scene of Port Perry by Crane Designs.

Bev's spool stitchery (original designs) on Ribband perfectly fit the spools purchased from Richard Pikul at our October stitch day; and a biscornu designed by Embroidery by Olga.

MaryK's Mill Hill 'Floral Blue 1' - a Buttons and Beads kit designed by Debbie Mumm.

And her 'Christmas Folk' by Hands On Design from Jingle Ball 2024.

Jeanette's embroidered winter sheep scene from 'After the Snow', part of the 'Postcards from England' series by The Stitchery. 

Mary K's iconic 'Canada Sampler' designed by Stitchrovia.

And also from MaryK: little pillow with Jeannette Douglas' 'Autumn Bouquet' design; 'Float' by Plum Street Samplers; 'Sevillian Tiles' biscornu designed by SunStitchStudioShop; 'Sting Like a Bee' by Heartstring Samplery; and Tiny Modernist's 'Mouse's Pumpkin Pie'.