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

Her Majesty The Queen is nearing her real birthday!

The Queen of England actually has two birthdays to celebrate, simply because she is the Queen and can do. Her ‘real’ birthday is on 21^st April and is celebrated privately however her official birthday is on 12^th June.

The tradition of the two birthdays began with King Edward VII when he decided to create a second birthday for himself in June. And now the tradition has continued and Queen Elizabeth celebrates two birthdays every year.

The official birthday in June, which is rejoiced publicly, has a traditional 21-gun salute and the first cannon is fired at midday at Windsor Castle.

Queen Elizabeth’s official birthdays were on the second Thursday of June for the first seven years of her reign but it is now normally celebrated on Saturday.

If you want to show patriotism for your country and give Queen Liz a present (not that she hasn’t got everything she needs already) why don’t you knit her some Tea Cosies for either or both of her birthdays?

Cosies are a brilliant idea for a royal, as the pastime of drinking tea stems from only the highest members of society getting involved.

And with Ulster Weavers fantastic ranges, you could even save time and cheat by purchasing one of our fun and quirky tea and cafetiere cosies to suit Her Majesty’s taste; they will definitely keep her royal tea toastie warm!

Union Jack Cafetiere Cosy

Union Jack Blue Tea Cosy

Union Jack Tea Cosy

For those of you whose birthday is in January, it can either be a positive or a negative.

On one hand, as everyone else is over the Christmas period and its celebrations; you still have a reason to party.

On the other hand though, you get all your presents around the same time of the year and therefore have to go pretty much a full 12 months before you get any more gifts.

Whoever’s birthday you are buying for, it can be tough with post-Christmas spending leaving little cash in your pockets.

But this doesn’t mean you can’t give a really nice gift for your friend or family loved-one. Making home-made arts and crafts is a fantastic way to get the whole family together, to have fun and enjoy each other’s company; as well as create that perfect present.

Sometimes receiving a home-produced offering can really brighten up someone’s day, as that extra effort has been put in. And for those family members that you never know what to get, here are some great ideas.

So grab on your PVC Aprons and read some of Ulster Weavers top birthday arts and crafts!

Stone Paperweight

This is a brilliant gift idea for your dad, who let’s face it is the most difficult person to buy a birthday present for!

It is really easy to do, as you only need to be a beginner and you can decorate it however you want, with whatever colours you want. Just nip down to the bottom of the garden and find a large flat stone to use.

Why not personalise it with the person’s name or a little message from you?

Square Cake Frame

Want a perfect birthday gift that also captures your memories?

This frame is super cute and you can fill it with a picture from the birthday party celebrations or past events from the year.

Really get imaginative and use colours, glitter and bits and bobs to decorate it; or stickers, ribbons and sequins.

Just be careful the frame is definitely dry before trying to wrap it!

Pot Pourri Set

A special gift idea for your special mum!

All mums love nice, smelly presents and what is better than a gorgeous pourri set.

Why not try using lavender for its soothing fragrance?