We receive lots lovely comments from our customers thanking us for our service or letting us know what they think about our products. From time to time we get some that really make us laugh so we thought we’d share a few of the best with you…

Bliss Apron

“The apron was sent very quickly and she loved it. Her comments were “it’s actually the nicest apron I have ever seen. It’s so lovely in fact that it would make a great dress! (If it had a back of course- a bum hanging out is never a good look!)”.”

Oven gauntlets

“These (I ordered 2 so that neither hand needs to feel deprived or dangerously exposed) certainly provide the jolly splash of colour I hoped for. I like the individual glove rather than single strip mitts design, and indeed appreciate the long gauntlet, as opposed to glove length. Safe, fit for purpose, fulfilling all the padding Health and Safety etc., etc. of oven glovvery.” 

Rooster Bag Saver

“It’s a thing for keeping plastic bags in and that’s exactly what it does, and I like chickens and it has chickens on it, happiness.”

PVC Bag

“I thought you had failed when Mattie the Postman went straight by earlier. Then there was a knock on the door & your parcel, as promised, was delivered by van within the two days.  Now Madam can have her birthday present in a lovely Ulster Weavers bag tomorrow.  Many thanks; you have just saved my life.”

It’s always good to know our products can spread so much joy (and relief in some cases!) so next time you buy something from our website, whether it be a linen tea towel or a cotton apron, drop us your comments and put a smile on our faces. You never know, if we receive enough comments we could make this a regular feature and spread the happiness!

London is welcoming 2012 and the exciting Olympics and Paralympics event with a dazzling fireworks display on New Year’s Eve.

The Major of London, Boris Johnson, has confirmed plans for England’s capital to kick off the momentous year with special celebrations at the EDF Energy London Eye.

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “As we begin one of the most extraordinary and exciting years in our great city’s history, the sky will light up with a dazzling display of pyrotechnic magic. 2012 will open, not with a timid whimper, but a colourful bang, a noisy clarion call to herald one amazing year.

He added: “Londoners know how to celebrate and our fireworks display will be the first in a year long celebration of all things London. From the magic of the Games, to the Diamond Jubilee, to the London 2012 Festival and our own outdoor arts festival, there will be world-class events in every corner of the capital, to create a summer like no other. 2012 will be a year to be confident and ambitious and London will welcome the world with energy and optimism.”

The fireworks display is one of the highlights of the festive season and the New Year period. Join in the festivities and celebrate the Games with Ulster Weavers Olympics homeware range.

It comprises of quality tea and kitchen cosies, aprons, bags and tea towels that are all Olympics-themed; so grab yourself a piece of British history and collate some commemorative memorabilia. 

Image Courtesy of Bart Fields and reused under the terms of the Creative Commons Licence.

We can hear the sleigh bells ringing and the singing of carol singers already and it is no surprise seeing as it is one month today until Christmas Day!

2011 has zoomed round the corner and it is now the time of the year for Brits across the UK to start pulling the dusty boxes down from the attic with all the Christmas decorations inside.

Brush off the cobwebs on the tinsel, baubles and mistletoe and begin ornamenting the home with some festive cheer. Put together the artificial Christmas tree, or go shopping for a real one, and install some sparkling spirit into the house.

After the house is decorated, you may want to start thinking about buying the perfect present for your family and friends. Ulster Weavers has a vast array of celebratory ranges to suit all ages, for men and women. So there is bound to be something to put a smile on a relative’s face when they un-wrap it on Christmas Day.

Avoid trawling down to the local shops to find a gift because we can only imagine that they will start getting hectic and super busy with Britons frantically trying to get organised. Instead, simply check out our site ulsterweavers.com and put your order in nice and early; and have peace of mind that your purchase will arrive on-time.

With everything from glittery vinyl bags and aprons to traditional linen tea towels, you will definitely find some great stocking fillers! And after you have found the perfect present idea, turn your attention to the scrumptious Christmas food and drink that comprises of mince pies, mulled wine and turkey.

Our themed gauntlets and oven gloves are ideal to carry all the hot plates to shun any nasty burns. And similarly, protect your clothing when cooking with our PVC aprons as they will transform a boring outfit into dazzling merriment.

So get started on your Christmas shopping for decorations, presents and food and let the jolly period set off!

Festive Bouquet Double Oven Glove

Enchanted Forest PVC Apron

Christmas Reindeer Gauntlet

Many people choose to get married at the end of the year to have a magical winter wonderland wedding. A wedding in the colder season can be an extremely stylish and enchanting affair; and couples can save a lot of money because service providers are usually cheaper during the quieter months.

Budding brides can go to town creating a fairy-like wedding with snowflakes and frosty backdrops. They can decorate the venue with roaring log fires, tree centrepieces covered in falling snow and use themed frosted colours like icy blues, reds and metallic silver.

Now many Brits ask for varying gifts for the wedding, such as items for the home. Traditionally men and women received presents in the form of kettle, toaster and coffee machines for the new house to which they are moving into. Nowadays many couples already live together before they get wed, so they might ask for money towards their honeymoon instead. But on the other hand, they may be in need of some new homeware to freshen up the home.

Ulster Weavers has some brilliant ideas to suit all budgets. Treat the newlyweds to one of our brand new gift sets that are perfect for a house warming, birthday, wedding or Christmas present. All sets come with matching co-ordinates and the designs vary to suit all tastes. Choose from different animal patterns including beehive, spotty pig, a cat or chicken; that comprise of tea towels, cosies, vinyl bags and much more.

Give the wife-to-be some cute cake tins or china mugs to enjoy life as a proper housewife baking and drinking tea, or offer one or our pretty PVC aprons which will come in handy when cooking for her new husband. Our V&A Strawberry Thief Cosmetic Bag is a lovely gift idea to store all your makeup and essential beauty products.

For him, our delectable men’s apron ranges are great when grilling over the BBQ and many of the designs come in manly stripes, blues and charcoal greys.

So if you know someone who is having a bewitching winter wonderland wedding, purchase them some quality homeware as a present with Ulster Weavers.

V&A Strawberry Thief Cosmetic Bag

Cat Cosy Gift Set

Where There's A Woman Cotton Tea Towel

We all have to tighten our purse strings at the moment, especially in the run-up to Christmas but that doesn’t necessarily mean we have to compromise when it comes to shopping for gifts.

Here at Ulster Weavers we thought we’d give you a helping hand by selecting a range of fabulous products suitable for any occasion all for only £10 or even less!

So if you know someone who is celebrating their birthday this October, don’t short change them of the perfect present; treat them to something extra special and unique.

For her, why not buy a cute V&A Strawberry Thief Travel Card Wallet? It is the ideal accessory to put a passport in if you are going abroad on a winter holiday. Or why not purchase The Rules linen tea towel to decorate the kitchen with which includes humorous instructions such as “The FEMALE always makes THE RULES.”

Is your mum a bit of a style casualty? Have a look at our gorgeous Fashion Victim Medium PVC Bags; or simply treat her to breakfast in bed to show her you care with our Coffee Cups Cafetiere Cosy.

For him, check out our massively reduced gauntlet, oven glove and mens’ apron ranges which all come in masculine colours. Treat your old man to a Union Jack Bone China Mug In A Tin and make him a piping hot cup of tea for his birthday; and if he is fond of agriculture, have a look at our dedicated Gardeners Calendar or Landrover Linen Tea Towel which are only £6.50. Bargain!

For the little monsters, you can still give them a great birthday but without breaking the bank. Our childrens aprons and chef hat ranges are just adorable, so spend the day baking cakes in the home and then blow out the birthday candles.

So select one of our wonderful gift ideas listed above or have a look on the website for the vast array of other ranges on offer all for under a tenner. And have a great birthday this October!

Fashion Victim Medium PVC Bag

V&A Strawberry Thief Travel Card Wallet

The Rules Linen Tea Towel

It can be difficult buying a special birthday present for your mum or friend this September, especially as money is tight and everyone is waiting for pay day.

But it doesn’t have to cost the earth to be able to treat your loved-one to an exceptional gift for her birthday.

A handmade present that requires a lot of effort to make shows you have gone above and beyond this year and that you really care for them. So why not make them some gorgeous new jewellery to wear this autumn/winter?

You don’t have to be a craft professional to make a necklace or bracelet as skill levels can vary from beginner, intermediate to expert. And often the jewellery can be made in as little as 15 minutes, so rest assured if you are short on cash this month that you can still give your auntie, niece or best pal a prezzie for her birthday without breaking the bank!

Jewellery making can range from simple heart pendants, to glass or wooden beads; just let your imagination flow using bits and bobs of buttons and ribbons. Personalise the charms and jewels by including her favourite colours and why not splash out and make a matching set of earrings and necklace to really make her smile?

Check out some of the brilliant ideas below that Ulster Weavers have found for you…

Heart Pendant

Make this simple necklace with seed beads of your choice and finish it in only 30 minutes.

 Instructions

 Turquoise & Lime Ribbon Bracelet

This project only takes around 15 minutes and is simple to make with buttons and ribbon. Why not get colour co-ordinating materials and make a matching necklace?

Instructions

Knitted Jewellery Collection

This collection includes necklace, bracelet and earrings. It is a little adventurous for the beginner, so perhaps practise on other projects and gain skill and confidence before trying this. It will take around 2 hours to make it all.

Instructions

If on the other hand you want to treat her to some gorgeous homeware that is also affordable; have a look at our gift ideas that consist of cute canvas bags, cosmetic bags and linen tea towels!

V&A Strawberry Thief Cosmetic Bag

V&A Golden Lily Small Canvas Bag

Marilyn Cotton Tea Towel

School children up and down the country will be waking up this morning feeling nervous and in anticipation because all the GCSE exam results are being published today and tomorrow.  

Youngsters aged 15-16 who have studied hard and sat their exams will find out what grades they have accomplished and for many, it will mean the difference of whether they can go into further education or not.

Do you have a little brother or sister, son or daughter, or niece or nephew who is receiving their marks? Why not congratulate them for all their hard efforts with an alternative gift idea by Ulster Weavers.

The pupils have put a lot of energy into studying so show them how proud you are but get something different rather than the boring old same present you get every year. We have plenty of suggestions to help you find the perfect gift to celebrate the exam results so let us be your one stop gift shop!

Treat a loved one or relative with some gorgeous giftware for as little as £10 and under; for her why not splash out and buy her a cute new bag which is every girl’s dream; and for him why not buy him a Union Jack Bone China Mug In A Tin? Very British!

And just in case the younger siblings get jealous of the older ones getting all the attention, you can always treat them with a little present such as a Farmyard’s Child’s Water Bottle or Animal childrens aprons for less than a tenner!

So say congratulations in a quirky way with our quality giftware ideas and for all school children awaiting their GCSE results, good luck from Ulster Weavers!

Polly Medium PVC Bag

Union Jack Bone China Mug In A Tin

Farmyard Child's Water Bottle

On this day in 1893 the “Happy Birthday To You” song was published!

According to the 1998 Guinness Book of World Records, the song is the most recognised song in the English language which is no surprise seeing as we sing it every year for someone’s birthday.

It has been translated into at least 18 various languages making it a universal tune.

The melody and lyrics were actually written by two sisters called Mildred Hill and Patty Smith Hill and it was originally intended for a classroom greeting song titled “Good Morning To All”.

The song lyrics were changed to “Happy Birthday To You” and became so popular that their other sister, Jessica Hill, filed a lawsuit in 1934 for the melody. It wasn’t until 1935 that the infamous record was copyrighted and published as “Happy Birthday”.

Celebrate the birthday festivities by doing arts and crafts with the family with the help of Ulster Weavers. We have some ultra-cute PVC Aprons which can be worn to protect your clothing from mess and damage.

Why not make your own birthday cards, bake some birthday cupcakes or make simple bunting with coloured card and paper trimmings for a pretty party decoration. If you are buying a present how about making your very own bag to put the gift in, or save cash by creating your own party favours.

Just wear one of Ulster Weaver’s fantastic Aprons and let your imagination run wild!

Party Scrapbooking Page

Create memories of a party or celebration with patterned papers and embellishments on a scrapbook page.

It only takes an hour to make and is a little bit more challenging for those who are intermediate experienced with arts and crafts.

Make the book and customise it however you want whether it is with glitter, stars, fabric, paint or coloured pens.

Instructions

Butterfly Card

Use pretty papers and flower gems to embellish this butterfly card, and then send to someone special for their birthday.

Personalise to the receiver’s needs and style and try and find make it to match their favourite colour.

This is perfect for beginners and really shows how much you care, as it involves that little bit of extra effort.

Instructions

Glass Bead Bracelet

This is a super cute idea which shows personalisation and creativity!

It is a great gift for the warmer months as she can customise her outfits with the on-going colour trends and makes a perfect present for any mum, sister, niece or aunty!

Although it looks quite complicated, it is surprisingly easy to make and you can use whatever shade beads you want and have it finished in less than 60 minutes.

Instructions

For all the Brits who will be frantically rushing to the shops this Saturday for a last-minute card for their dad for Father’s Day, they will probably not get much choice.

The saying, “the early bird catches the worm”, is true in that the leftover cards may not be humorous or nice or indeed have the envelopes missing.

But you can avoid all the drama of ransacking the high street by simply making your own card! Going to so much effort by creating a personalised card really shows your dad how much you care about him and he will definitely appreciate the hard work that has gone into the art and craft.

Wear one of Ulster Weavers Aprons and use your imagination and get creative by using paints, coloured pens, fabric, glitter, feather and more to make a card that he will store as a keepsake forever. Why not print out a picture of the two of you and stick it to the front cover as a lovely reminder of past memories?

Decorate the card with your dad’s favourite items whether that is sport, beer, DIY tools or food which will put a smile on his face and really individualise it for your number one pa.

Really go to town with a Father’s Day theme such as motoring madness or football fun or try out some of these designs for yourself! But make sure you wear of one our PVC Aprons though to avoid getting your clothes dirtied or messy.

It is Father’s Day this Sunday!

If you have been ransacking the high street in search for that perfect present for your dad this weekend but had no luck then fret no more because Ulster Weavers has some brilliant gift ideas.

It may not be the first place you’d think to go to buy gifts for men but you’d be surprised! We have a whole array of products when it comes to finding the textbook present for all the men in your life.

Whether you are buying for you dad, granddad or great-granddad we have some something to suit your individual home-ware tastes and needs; so show your special man just how much you care this 19^th June with one of our cool gift ideas.

For everything he did for you throughout your childhood from putting food on the table, a roof over your head and clothes on your back return the favour by showering your number one dad with presents from Ulster Weavers.  It is the one day per year dedicated to celebrating all the best dad’s in the country so express how much you appreciate his hard efforts with one of our Aprons, Linen Tea Towels, Double oven gloves and more.

Conventional gifts include brandy, chocolates or slippers but think out of the box in 2011 and treat him to some trendy Cosies; if you’re dad loves to cook then he’ll definitely be grateful for some new but fashionable home-ware.

So go the extra mile this Father’s Day and let your big fella know just how much you care about him with Ulster Weavers giftware.

Cricket Linen Tea Towel

Chambray Charcoal Cotton Apron

Landrover Linen Tea Towel