Shop • Learn • Share

December 7, 2025
10 AM - 3 PM

Guelph Studio Space
77 Suffolk Street West

Strings + Things: A winter market celebrating creativity and community.

Browse for unique Christmas gifts, meet our makers, and enjoy the atmosphere of a space filled with creativity and conversation.

Alongside the shopping and festive atmosphere, this event is also a chance to learn more about the fibre arts in Guelph and take part in building a knowledge-sharing collective. 

Meet the Vendors!

Gossling Organics

Natalie Goss

Natalie Goss is a textile and fibre artist creating organic hand embroidered accessories and art. She explores a variety of hand embroidery techniques on functional home décor and personal accessory pieces. [I’ll add your picture from your website]

Gossling Organics, the brand under which Natalie creates, is about returning to a simpler way of life, and about how we can use natural materials and simple tools to create classic products to better our lives. Small batch, hand crafted textiles, mindfully made. 

At the Strings + Things Market, Natalie will be showcasing her Holiday Collection and demonstrating hand stitching tiny trees and fabric mushrooms. She will also have a small collection of her favourite embroidery tools and thread for sale along with many of her hand crafted textiles.

Check out Natalie's YouTube channel, shop her work here, and follow Gossling Organics on Instagram.

  • Erin Project Bag

    Say hello to Erin. The perfect bag for all your crafty projects. She's tough with a touch of playfulness. We just loving using our Erin project bag for our embroidery and knitting wip! 

    Shop the Erin Project Bag 

  • Wanderings Collection

    Wanderings in stitched form through different areas of Ontario. Hand embroidered using wool embroidery thread on organic cotton canvas. Now taking pre-orders for Downtown Guelph, Ontario.

    Shop the Wanderings Collection 

  • Andie Hipster Bag

    Made to order! The Andie Hipster is made with 100% organic cotton canvas, metal zippers, and 100% organic cotton canvas interior. A very sturdy, long lasting bag.

    Shop the Andie Hipster Bag 

Just a Critter Crochet

Lisa Klonikowski

Lisa Klonikowski is the creative heart behind Just a Critter, where whimsy meets a touch of nerdy charm and cottage-core coziness. Specializing in amigurumi and floral-inspired crochet, Lisa brings personality and life to her work through thoughtful details and playful imagination.

Just a Critter began with Lisa’s belief that even the smallest stitches - and actions - can create big, beautiful ripples of change. Each of her crochet pieces is made by hand, one at a time, often with one-of-a-kind colour palettes.

You can find Lisa’s creations locally at Benjamin’s Bodega and Harrison’s Handmade Pop-Up, or catch her at one of her many market days.

At Strings & Things, Lisa will be showcasing her largest and most technical creations, as well as some creations she designed herself!

  • Meet Lisa Klonikowski!

    Lisa is a fibre artist focusing on amigurumi and floral style crochet, and founder of Just a Critter!

  • Holiday Baubles!

    Here are some of the makes you can look forward to shopping at the Strings + Things Market.

  • Daffodils, anyone?

    Lisa specializes in floral-inspired crochet, and you can look forward to shopping some winter bouquets of delicate spring flowers.

See more "Just a Critter" on Instagram!

    Blanket Hugs By Kate

    Kate Kelly, the creative mind behind Blanket Hugs By Kate, is an elementary teacher who likes to get "out of her head and into her hands."

    Kate stumbled across hand knitting and taught herself the art of knitting with her fingers. No needles needed. The calming effect and beautiful product made her want to keep knitting. The yarn is so soft and there are so many designs and stitches to try.

    Kate is now a vendor at local markets so she can share my "blanket hugs" with others. 

    Favourite customer quote: " I had to get another one because my family fights over this blanket."

    You can reach Kate by email (BlanketHugsByKate@gmail.com), check out more of her work on her Facebook page and Instagram profile!

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    Meet the Makers!

    Ruth Haley

    Three_Little_Ninjas

    Ruth is a teacher by day, self-taught sewist by night. She sews beautiful clothes for herself, and her three children, just for the joy of it. 

    Ruth is also active in the indie sewing-pattern community as a tester, helping ensure patterns are accurate, well-fitting and clearly written. As a pattern tester, Ruth understands pattern anatomy, sizing and fit variations, and how fabric choice affects the outcome. She has hands-on experience with both creating finished garments and working to improve the instructions/process. 

    At Strings + Things, Ruth will share her knowledge of sewing, fabrics, and patterns from the inside, helping you recognize quality patterns, choose suitable fabrics, and make adjustments so your creations work for your unique body and style. She'll also share how the pattern testing process really works!

    Check out some of Ruth's makes, below.

    • Panorama Pullover

      The Panorama Pullover + sweatshirt fleece + matching ribbing = the perfect coziness for cool Fall days.

      Both the pattern and the fabrics are from one of Ruth's favourite small Canadian shops -@brightsidefabricco🍁

    • Fall Capsule Wardrobe

      @lowlandkids Ruffle peplum
      @lowlandkids Hoodie (modified to add elastic waistband and lined hood)
      @littlelizardking Hadley
      @sinclairpatterns Twinberry leggings

      All fabrics (except cream floral) are bamboo cotton blend jersey & french terry from @brightsidefabricco.

    • PJ Sets

      Sometimes you just need to update the basics! Ruth's kids were ready for a bunch of new pjs, which she made out of bamboo cotton sootheknit. Sootheknit is from @brightsidefabricco. Tried and true Lassen pajama pattern from@littlelizardking
    See more of Ruth's makes on Instagram!