What a gorgeous weekend! Yes it was a little on the warm side but we didn’t get rained out like the past two years.
I went up last Wednesday to drop off the booth and make sure hat the site would work out well as this year I took on a full size lot. I came back Thursday evening and set up the product.

Friday was quiet during the day as other vendors were setting up. The Ontario constabulary also made their presence known.



Fergus Pipe Band parading on the golden mile.


A member of the clan Wallace visited my booth on Saturday all decked out.

Early Sunday morning I did a quick tour of the grounds


I also got to meet members of Clan Clause Wonderful folk

The weekend went well I meet a lot of my loyal customers and of course some new ones. Sold a number of leather kilts sporrans, kilt belts and sporran belts and of course hemp kilts. Very pleased.
I also received a link from an interview I did with NCPR whilst at the Glengarry Highland Games.

http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/16133/taking-kilts-into-the-21st-century

The ranger belt has proven to be the most popular accessory to the RKilt. I’ve also had requests to make them as a stand alone item. Ranger Belts have been around for sometime now but I first was acquainted with it at a Highland Games in Kincardine a number of years ago. A customer was having problems getting one and asked if I could make him one. Having made one I soon discovered that it also looked good on the kilts I make.
Today I needed to make a few to fill some orders. With a strap cutter I cut a number of lengths of leather for the base of the belt.

I then stamp out the tongue and receiver.

Also have to make the keepers and I skive them down so they aren’t too bulky on the belt

I bag punch the receiver to accommodate the buckle.

I tip the ends of the belts with an English point on the front and a square tip on the back.
I also have to bag punch the strap at one end as well as the rivet holes to allow the buckle receiver strap to be attached to the belt. This is all done with the aid of this foot press. I switch out drivers and dies to do each operation.

Once all the pieces are cut and the edges dyed I then top stitch the leather with Thumper.

I assemble the leather keepers

Then to another machine to sew the receiver and tongue to the belt

The receiver is also riveted to the belt with a leather and metal keeper in place and the buckle installed and riveted in place.
Here we have the finished product. The two brown ranger belts will be fitted to the kilt before the tongue is sewn to the belt.

Another wonderful day in Stratford.

Stratford Summer Music is in full swing as bands are playing on the barges on the river.

I started the morning working on pockets.




The kilt is near completion as I have buckles, straps and belt to add to this one.

A number of people visited the shop today so I wasn’t able to finish it. Possibly on Tuesday it will be complete.

The shop is somewhat back in shape and now I’m building a British Rebel Tan leather kilt.
This kilt is destined to New Zealand and should be complete by early next week.
A lot of traffic in the shop today and a number pf people were treated to a demonstration on how this kilt will be built.
Leather waslaid out prior to cutting to length.


Then I lay out the pleats on the pieces of leather.


Tomorrow top stitching will begin and assembly of the swish component of the swing.

I have just returned from the Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville. I had a good weekend but now I have to get my shop in order.
I headed to the games last Wednesday. Loaded up the trailer and car and headed west to Maxville.

Spent a night in a provincial park and then set up on the Thursday.
While I was setting up bands were practicing in the circle behind me.

There were impromptu circles happening throughout the day and into the evening


Friday morning finishing touches to the grandstand area, for the opening ceremonies later that evening as well as the heavies during the day.
Vendors were also coming in for a last minute set-up.


They start them young for competition.

Dancing competitions were also happening Friday Morning both on the field and in the beer tent.

I only had a short time to wander around and very briefly got to see some action in the heavy events.

Later in the morning we had some rogue sheep running through the vending areas, but by the time I found my camera they were being rounded up by a dog back to the grandstand area. It was rather fun to watch.



Through out the day bands paraded in front of the booth.

At the opening ceremonies during the singing of the National anthems, instead of raising the flag on a pole, the flags are delivered from the sky.




On Saturday I had the pleasure of seeing a good friend Brent McLaren and his wife Shelly. He’s a town Crier and added some colour to the booth for a brief time.

I was rather busy on Saturday so didn’t get to take many more pictures, so I will finish with a final one of another band outside my booth.

The next Games will be in Fergus, Aug. 13th-15th. If you have a chance please stop by.