The 2012 London Olympics is less than six months away, so one would imagine that all of the athletes from around the world are training hard in anticipation.

Many sportsmen and women will have their own regimes and practices that they carry out to ensure that they are in the best shape for the Games.

Some will exercise for hours every single day, others will eat a strict diet, and some participants will have weird traditional customs that they do for good luck.

However, one British team player has confessed that she prepares for the Olympics by spending quality time knitting and reading.

Rachel Cawthorn, a leading sprint canoeist, has admitted that she relaxes in her free time by immersing herself into Harry Potter books as well as getting the knitting needles out.

Cawthorn perhaps may be onto a worldwide trend because knitting really does have its benefits of calming the mind and body which is important just before a huge sports event. A competitor needs to be comfortable and stress-free to be able to go into a sporting race without any other worries and fundamentally, have their eyes on the prize.

But that doesn’t mean that only sportspeople can enjoy knitting as a hobby. If you have come home from a demanding day at work; put the kettle on, put your feet up and let your anxieties melt away by knitting a scarf or jumper for the little ones.

Ulster Weavers bone china mugs are perfect to drink out of when engrossing in some good old weaving and better still, treat yourself to a scrumptious piece of cake afterwards that has been stored decoratively in one of our gorgeous cake tins.

Our cute cosies will keep the pot of tea piping hot so fret not if you become so consumed into knitting that you forget about your brew- Ulster’s tea cosies will keep it lovely and warm.

Check out Ulster Weavers.com today to see how we can make your past-time that little bit special…

The handiwork of a great-grandmother in Leeds has gone worldwide. The knitting skills of Lillian Phillips from Yorkshire have reached every corner of the planet.

The 92-year-old started knitting scarves 20 years ago which is a great hobby to enjoy whilst sipping on some piping hot tea in Ulster weavers china mugs.

However, her quest to get one of her creations to every country of the world has been successful and now hundreds of people in over 130 nations have received her homemade accessories.

In appreciation of her handicraft, the OAP has been given lots of gifts and letters including a prayer book from the Dalai Lama’s monastery. The lady, who is now nearly blind, cannot read conventional patterns and therefore she uses a pattern from her memory that had been passed on to her by her late sister.

The lively pensioner takes three hours to complete each scarf when she is working flat out. Here at Ulster Weavers we think the retiree should have a rest and put her feet up and enjoy a lovely brew. And our tea and kitchen cosies will keep the pot nice and hot.

But Lillian is now using her knitting skills to raise cash for a Leeds-based charity and has so far raised over £1,600 for the heart charity ‘Take Heart’ by making 145 scarves. Her handiwork is on sale at the Leeds General Infirmary.

Fancy putting your creative abilities into action? Knitting can be a great stress relief past-time. But ensure that you reward yourself for all the hard efforts and wash the work down with a nice cup of tea in Ulster Weavers.com delectable mugs. 

January 2012 is especially dedicated to being Hot Tea Month!

The unique event has been created to encourage Britons of all ages to branch out and try new types of tea.

Nothing beats a good cuppa on a cold wintry evening, so sit back and relax this New Year and dependent on your taste and mood, try a different cup of hot tea.

There are a plethora of varieties available to drink from green tea, chai tea and traditional English breakfast tea. Why not take advantage of the devoted month to expand your horizons and explore the endless tea possibilities?

But whatever tea you try sipping, make sure you keep the pot nice and toasty with our tea and kitchen cosies.

Nothing is quite as unwinding and satisfying as drinking a piping hot cup of tea. Having a brew in the morning is the best way to start the day as it can really wake you up and give you that kick-start to get out there and get ‘em!

Whether you like it with sugar or without, milky or strong, a nice cup of tea somehow relaxes you and makes all your troubles melt away.

Ensure your pot stays perfectly heated with our fabulous cosies and drink out of Ulster weavers china mugs for the perfect beverage this January.

Don’t drink a delicious brew out of a boring cup in 2012; check out Ulster Weavers gorgeous homeware range that is a brilliant addition to any family home. Stay warm and cosy by wrapping your hands round a cup of tea and be adventurous every day with a different variety.

Bliss Cafetiere Cosy

Union Jack Tea Cosy

Cakes Bone China Mug

Keep warm this winter by snuggling up on the couch and drinking piping hot cups of tea and hot chocolate with the help of Ulster Weavers.com!

The cold weather front is drawing itself onto the UK and with the blustery winds reaching record levels, there is no better time than now to stay toasty by wrapping your freezing hands around an inviting bone china mug that is full to the brim with gorgeous drinks.

Put the kettle on and treat your friends and family this festive season with some tea and cakes served on your best china.

Ulster weavers china mugs are the perfect addition to a homeware range and they also come with matching textiles so you can keep the pot of tea warm with a fabulous themed tea cosy.

Our vast collection of bone china mugs is so extensive that there is bound to be something to suit your taste from the ‘Domestic Goddess’ range, the ‘Queen’s Diamond Jubilee’ range or ‘Tea Party’. Put your feet up this festive holiday and enjoy each other’s company by reminiscing about old times over a lovely brew.

Most often or not the whole world is moving so fast and everyone is running around living their lives that we forget to just stop and take everything in. Why not pause and reflect on the past 12 months that have occurred over a cup of hot chocolate with yummy marshmallows!

Make 2012 a year to remember and write down your New Year resolutions over some afternoon tea. One of your New Year resolutions could be to make time to relax and catch up with close friends once a month.

So sit back this season, have fun scoffing scrumptious biscuits and sipping tea with the help of Ulster Weavers gorgeous homeware. 

Tea Party Bone China Mug

Queen's Diamond Jubilee Traditional Bone China Mugs

Domestic Goddess Bone China Mug

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

Remembrance Sunday, which takes place annually in the second Sunday on November, is the day traditionally put aside to remember all those who have given their lives for the peace and freedom many Brits enjoy to date.

Britons all across the nation pause to reflect the sacrifices the brave service men and women made; and you can do the same by showing your patriotism and installing some British-themed homeware in the home.

Every year the National Service of Remembrance ceremony occurs at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, Westminster, in London and is a unique expression of national homage devoted to those who gave their lives in war and service to their country. 

The wreath laid by Her Majesty The Queen and the other tributes placed on the Cenotaph are dedicated to all who have suffered or died in wars, past and present. Wreaths are also laid by representatives of the Armed Forces, Merchant Air and Navy and Fishing Fleets, as well as former Prime Ministers, the Mayor of London and Members of the Cabinet.

The service is organised by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport but home owners can get involved too with Ulster Weavers fabulous British Cats and Union Jack ranges.

Fly the flag, metaphorically, by using British themed bone china mugs, oven gloves and tea towels in the kitchen. Don one of our vast arrays of British themed aprons and bake some cupcakes, decorating them in colours from the British flag.

Showcase your loyalty to the country with Ulster’s Olympic textiles and giftware and choose from a wide selection of Team GB gauntlets and canvas bags.

And our gorgeous Queen’s Diamond Jubilee ranges are now in stock so if you love spending time cooking and showing off your culinary skills, then you can do so whilst displaying some nationalism. 

British Cats Linen Tea Towel

Union Jack Double Oven Glove

Tourist Icons Gauntlet

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

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

Everyone loves the very first cuppa of the day and nothing beats putting the kettle on and brewing a nice hot cup of tea to wake you up on a Monday morning.

But would it make much of a difference to tea-lovers across the nation of using a pill rather than loose tea bags?

A tea pill has been invented by some graduates from Kingston University in London, England. Dubbed Rosy Lee’s Remarkable Remedy, it is a range of soluble tea pills that allow for a quick release in the form of soluble tablets that will dissolve in boiling water to create a relieving brew.

Tea often relieves the stresses and strains of everyday life and the creators Kylie-Ann Homer, Senwelo Foster and Sadie-Marie Dedman say that it illustrates the medicinal qualities of tea. The tea pills come in varying strengths to suit different needs and the coloured dot on the packaging signifies the strength of the tea.

Some might argue a pill for tea isn’t quite the same as a cup of Yorkshire and brew-drinkers associate pills with medical use. Here at Ulster Weavers we say stick to what you know and good old tea bag dunking!

Brew a piping hot pot of tea with the traditional tea bags and keep it nice and toasty with our cute tea cosies. Our cosies come in a galore of shapes, sizes and colours and all come with matching items that are perfect for hosting tea parties or giving as gifts.

And once you have brewed your lovely cuppa, drink it only from the finest quality bone china mugs with Ulster Weavers!

Tea Party Bone China Mug

Tea Pot Shaped Tea Cosy

British Cats Bone China Mug

This July Marie Curie Cancer Care is encouraging all tea lovers across the UK to pop the kettle on and host a blooming great tea party to raise money for charity.

Thousands of people up and down the country will be trying to generate as much money as possible for terminally ill people with cancer and other illnesses in their local areas.

And what do you have to do? Simply don some aprons; get your tea cosies at the ready and gather the girls round to have a natter over a brew- it couldn’t be easier!

No matter what size the tea party is whether it is just a few women or the whole street round, have a good old chin wag  and gossip whilst drinking tea and raising cash for a good cause.

Last year the hosted tea parties raised enough money to fund over 30,000 hours of care and every £20 raised will pay for one hour of nursing care for ill people who spend their final days at home. So let’s beat the record and raise much more in 2011 by putting out cosies and getting immersed in the cancer mission by drinking tea.

You can even go the whole mile by making cheese and crackers and biscuits to eat, becoming ladies that lunch. With Ulster Weavers fantastic homeware ranges that include coasters, placemats and trays you can present all the delicious delights beautifully! But don’t worry if there is any food left over as our cake tins are perfect to store all sorts of buns, biscuits and cakes. And you can drink out of our delightful bone china mugs!

Make it the social event of the season; for more information on how to get involved and get a free fundraising pack simply go to mariecurie.org.uk. 

Cassandra Rose Small Tray

Flower Pot Shaped Cafetiere Cosy

Victoria Bone China Mug

Every little child has their own favourite toy that they love playing with. Many teddy bears and blankets are stuck to the hip of young boys and girls as a security concept to keep them company whilst they sleep.

What is more, all kids love to attend parties; to have fun with their friends, run around and eat lots of food. So what better way to combine the two than to throw a teddy bears picnic this summer with the help of Ulster Weavers!

A teddy bears picnic is simply a party intended for young children which involves a picnic to which teddy bears are brought. They make a great idea for birthday parties as they get the little monsters outside in the sunshine and allow for their creativity.

As well as using our fantastic picnic homeware, you can play the song “Teddy Bears’ Picnic” whilst the festivities take place. It is a song consisting of a melody written by American composer John Walter Bratton in which the lyrics were later added in 1932 by Irish songwriter Jimmy Kennedy. It remains a super popular child’s song decades later!

Ulster Weavers homeware range includes everything from trays, coasters and placemats, bone china mugs and cake tins- all that are essential when hosting a fun picnic. The colourful trays are perfect to put little cucumber sandwiches on and the cake tins are ideal to store all the biscuits, buns and cakes.

And to make the kids feel all grown up and special, let them drink their juice out of our quality bone china mugs- we even have the specific range Tea Party.

Don’t worry about transporting all the homeware though as our canvas shopping bags are great to carry all the food to and from the picnic hotspot!

Tea Party Bone China Mug

My Garden PVC Packable Bag

Cassandra Rose Cotton Packable Bag