Easter is on its way.  It’s the time of year for indulging in our favourite chocolate eggs, hot cross buns and steaming cups of tea, and maybe even making an egg hunt for the kids. It is also the time of year that tells us winter is over… and that is reason enough to celebrate!

There are so many different activities you can do over Easter. Egg painting for one, keeps the kids happy and away from chocolate for a short time! Once the eggs have dried you can keep them cosy and warm with our gorgeous egg cosies. We have shaped egg cosies in different animal designs – Bunnies, Chicks and Owls to name but a few and they all come in very handy packs of 4.

After an exciting morning of egg decorating and Easter egg hunting you may be ready for a steaming cup of tea and some relaxation time. So have our tea cosies at the ready to keep your tea pots toastie warm.

With the onset of spring and the thought of the dreaded spring clean looming, why not jazz it up with our funky, shaped aprons to make you feel that little bit more glamorous as you clean. Our gorgeous floral PVC aprons will help keep you clean and dry.  If you’re doing a massive spring clean you might be thinking of re-decorating or updating your style – why not share your tips with us…? We’d love to hear about any great home improvement ideas you may have.

As it’s almost Easter we thought we’d share a classic, favourite recipe with you that kids will love.

Easter Chocolate Krispie Chick Recipe

Ingredients:

For egg:  175g Milk Chocolate  (add a little extra for decorating)

50g Rice Krispies

To Decorate:

2x50g Mini egg bags

2x White Chocolate Buttons

250g White chocolate (melted)

50g Golden Marzipan

Method:

• Break chocolate into pieces; melt in bowl over pan of boiling water. Stir until smooth and take off heat. Stir into the Rice Krispies.
• Put ½ mix into each egg mould, the put in fridge for no more than 5 minutes.
• Carefully take the rice krispie mix out of the moulds and stick together with melted chocolate. Leave to set.
• For the eyes of your Krispie Chick, paint chocolate circles onto the white chocolate buttons and stick onto egg with melted chocolate.
• Spoon melted white chocolate into a pipping bag and decorate wings and a beak onto the chick.
• For the chicks feet roll marzipan onto a sheet of greaseproof paper and cut out feet, big enough for the egg to sit on. Place the chick on top of feet.

Enjoy!

It’s that time of year again when dogs arrive in their thousands to show off their tricks, obedience and presentation. Owners bring their dogs from as far as Canada, Chilli and Thailand, for a chance to take part in the World’s most renowned dog show.

For the last few years running the Golden Retriever has maintained its position as the best represented breed of the show. Entries for the 2012 show have shown a big increase in the Japanese Akita Inu and the biggest decrease with the Irish Water Dog. This year has been the highest entry of dogs to Crufts with a massive 28,000 dogs heading to the NEC in Birmingham on the 8^th-11^th March.

For all those dog lovers out there who will be avidly watching Crufts and wishing they had the time to train their dog that well or groom their dog so beautifully. We have a few treats that may just cheer you up.

The perfect accessory to help you wash your dog in the bath, try our Dog and Bone PVC apron, this will help keep you dry even when your dog needs to have a good shake.  Or if you just love the design you can complete your set with the Dog and Bone tea towel and PVC bags, helping you carry your doggy treats.

Or if you’re a fan of the Dachshund who won the Crufts Junior Warrent Competition last year then you will love our new range ‘Hot Dogs’ with a range from cotton aprons to Linen Tea Towels to tea cosies.

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…

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

Do you often find that you get bored over the Christmas holiday and crave to get back into work to do something?

Do you love the time off work to relax but then need something to stimulate the brain?

Most people decide to take up the art of knitting over the festive season.

Only recently, a group of 1,805 knitters in Taiwan set a new world record for the ‘most people knitting simultaneously in a single location.’

According to the World Records Academy, the students and community volunteers in Fengshan, Kaohsiung broke the existing record of 1146 participants in Ireland. The record-breaking knit-athon produced thousands of scarves which were given to under-privileged groups including senior citizens living in nursing homes, the disabled and single-parent families.

Why not try your hand at the craft and make some woolly jumpers for the kids for next winter? Or make yourself a tea cosy to keep the piping hot pot of tea warm? And if you do find that this is slightly too advanced, you can cheat and purchase quality tea and kitchen cosies from Ulster Weavers.

Knitting can be very therapeutic and regardless of the stereotypical image, knitting has become very popular with young Brits as of recent years. A hoard of celebrities have been photographed enjoying some gentle past-time and knitting including Sarah Jessica Parker, Geri Halliwell, Julia Roberts, Madonna and Uma Thurman.

So join the plethora of famous people and knit with the stars as your hobby this Christmas. And why not quench your thirst whilst doing so with a lovely cup of tea in Ulster weavers china mugs.

Merry Christmas everyone and have a fantastic New Year!

A tea company in Portsmouth in the UK has broken the world record for producing the largest tea bag.

‘All About Tea’ has set a new Guinness world record for a 120 kilogram tea bag that is 8ft tall, weighs 19 stone and can make more than 50,000 cups of tea.

According to the World Records Academy, to date the largest tea bag has weighed 68.49 kilograms and was unveiled in Los Angeles, in California, in America. However, that record has now been smashed by the English tea firm.

The world’s biggest tea bag has been proudly hoisted for public display on the deck of the HMS Warrior; an iron-hulled, armour-plated warship built for the Royal Navy based in Portsmouth. Apparently, tea first came into Britain through Portsmouth.

The company’s owner Andrew Gadsden, who is a former Royal Navy officer,  spent four days stuffing the needle-stitched bag with a blend of Indian Assam and Kenyan tea he’s named Portsmouth Tea. 

The 35-year-old said: “The previous record was held by the Americans but I thought the record for the largest tea bag ought to be a British record because Britain is well-known as the biggest tea drinking nation in the world.”

Similarly, the world record for the largest tea cosy knitted by members of the public is also hosted by Bupa care home residents in the UK.

Check out Ulster Weavers today for gorgeous tea and kitchen cosies!

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

Wrap the winter season up this year with sparkly aprons, festive tea towels and Christmas cosies!

Install some jolly spirit into the home and deck the halls with themed textiles to really put a smile on the little ones’ faces.

Top Decorations

• Tinsel
• Holly Wreaths
• Snowmen
• Robin
• Angel/fairy
• Lights
• Mistletoe
• Snowflakes

Go to town with snowflake décor, some colourful tinsel and let the creativity flow. Use your imagination to adorn each room with snowmen, robins and holly wreaths and don’t forget to put an angel/fairy on top of the Christmas tree.

Mistletoe is a traditional ornament to hang just above the doorway and you can spoil the kids by giving them an advent calendar filled with delicious chocolate to eat each day. Suspend twinkly Christmas lights at the front of the house and play old-style carol songs inside the home for the family to sing along to in the evening.

Many people just decorate the house but why not go the extra mile this year and purchase some merry homeware to serve alongside the Christmas grub?

Before you start cooking, protect your clothing in one of our enchanted forest PVC aprons so you can whisk the apron off when finished and look gorgeous on the special day without having to get redressed. And the youngsters can help you cook the feast too by mixing and stirring in matching kids aprons.

Serve your roast potatoes and vegetables with an Ulster Weavers festive bouquet gauntlet or oven glove to ensure your hands don’t get burnt, and wash down the scrumptious Christmas dinner with a piping hot pot of tea in a co-ordinating tea cosy.

However you decorate the home this Christmas, make sure you have a jovial holiday with quality homeware and textiles by Ulster. And as evidence to our commitment to quality, Ulster Weavers Ltd. has held the royal warrant as suppliers of kitchen textiles to Queen Elizabeth II since 1995.

Festive Bouquet Double Oven Glove

Enchanted Forest PVC Apron

Christmas Reindeer Tea Cosy

With everything from sparkly bags and aprons to traditional linen tea towels, you’re bound to find some great stocking fillers at Ulster Weavers.

Choose from any of our merry ranges including the Festive Bouquet, Christmas Reindeer and Enchanted Forest and with the designs varying considerably, you will definitely see something to suit your décor taste.

From Christmas cosies and Christmas tea towels, we have all you need to put a bit of festive cheer into the family home this wintertime. And many of the designs have matching co-ordinates so you can deck the halls (home) with gorgeous identical homeware. 

Our Christmas Pudding Tea Cosy is delightful to decorate the table with on Christmas day, to enjoy a lovely piping hot brew round after Christmas dinner. And our Christmas Reindeer range is just perfect for parents with little kiddies, as the characters are adorable.

Whether you want Christmas homeware that is quite classic and traditional, or fun and quirky, Ulster Weavers have it covered! If you prefer a simpler and chic style, our Festive Bouquet range is just for you; whereas the Enchanted Forest range by Linda Edwards is beautiful and sparkly to glitz up the festivities.

Every household should have at least one Christmas tea towel so add a bit of festive spice with a huge choice from our linen and cotton tea towels from sleeping santas and polar parade, to snow buddy and Christmas stable.

Check out the fantastic Christmas stock at Ulster Weavers now!

Enchanted Forest Cotton Tea Towel

Christmas Pudding Tea Cosy

Christmas Reindeer Gauntlet

Festive Bouquet Cotton Apron

Angel Folk Linen Tea Towel

Enchanted Forest Small PVC Bag

This weekend Music Day is taking place!

Saturday 8^th October has been founded and dedicated to encourage all people everywhere to rejoice on music.

It is one day set aside a year to inspire Brits to claim and reclaim in one’s ability to sing and make music.

Now if you are like us here at Ulster Weavers HQ and you cannot hold a note or even sing in tune, you can still celebrate the day with the help of our fabulous musical cat homeware range.

We have a vast collection of home essentials that are music themed so if music is a passion of yours install some rhythm into the kitchen. Look no further than our beating Musical Cat range that comprises of matching tea towel, shoulder bag, aprons, pot mitt, oven glove, gauntlet and tea cosies.

Create some soul into your cooking with harmonising homeware and get the complete set so the kitchen is nothing but singing in gorgeous textiles. Whether you like listening to rock and metal, opera, country-style or pop music when practising your culinary skills, make sure you look the part this weekend.

Sing along to your favourite song and hum to your much-loved tune and cook up a melody in 2011. Become the “singing chef” of your home, with Ulster Weavers. And rest assured, it really is common to cook and sing at the same time, as singing waiters and chanting chefs can be hired for parties, events and even weddings!

Musical Cat Linen Tea Towel

Musical Cat Tea Cosy

Musical Cat Cotton Apron