This week is National Allotments Week!

From Monday 8^th to Sunday 14^th August 2011 allotment holders in the UK will be rejoicing in how much fun allotments can be and opening them up to the general public to share.

Now is no better time than ever to gain first-hand experience of an allotment plot and to celebrate with Ulster Weavers My Garden range.

Fundamentally, an allotment is a plot of land made available for individual, non-professional gardening for one to enjoy growing vegetables, fruits and herbs.

Use this special holiday to sell the produce to citizens in the local area and show people what the allotment is all about; so they can learn how they can have an affordable supply of fresh fruit and flowers.

Owning an allotment isn’t easy work but is definitely worth the effort- so why not treat yourself to a Gardeners Calendar linen tea towel or a My Garden PVC Aprons so you keep your clothes clean and mud-free when sowing seeds.

Celebrate the unique recreational activity and be inspired to be green; it is the perfect time for all allotment holders to display all the hours of hard work. Demonstrate to the world what gardening is all about and how it can be a brilliant way to de-stress and relax after a stressful day at work!

Ulster Weavers has a vast array of cute garden ranges that consist of gauntlets, pot mitts, PVC bags and more. Become one with Mother Nature this week with the help from our fantastic textiles!

Gardeners Calendar Linen Tea Towel

My Garden PVC Apron

My Garden Gauntlet

Tea towel calendars are an adorable accessory to add to your home or office or as a gift to your family and friends. Not

Charlotte 2011 Calendar Linen Tea Towel

 only is it a decorative piece of art that you can hang up, it is also a functional calendar that can be used all year long.

There are many home interior stores that sell decorative tea towel calendars, however why not consider adding that personal touch by making one of your own? It isn’t hard to do and could potentially save you a bit of money if you decide to make a few to hand out as gifts to your friends and family this Christmas.

Things you will need

1. Straight Pins
2. Needle and Thread
3. Flour Sack Towel (tea towel)
4. Iron
5. ¼ inch dowel cut to 18 inches long
6. Two iron-on transfer sheets for use in a printer
7. String

• Get your tea towel and fold the top down to create a 1-inch hem. Pin it in place with straight pins.
• With your needle and thread sew along the pinned hem. Don’t sew the sides too close to the hem. Each of the open sides is used to slide the dowel through so you can hang your tea towel at the end.
• Iron the tea towel on a low setting so that it is completely smooth.
• Using your computer’s word processing software design your own calendar or alternatively search online for a printable calendar.
• With your printable iron-on transfer sheets, place them into the printer, and then print the design that you have chosen for your calendar.
• From here, place the printed design face down onto the tea towel. Run over the design with your iron which should still be on a low heat. Press firmly with the iron and then hold the fabric and paper with your other hand to keep the paper from moving and smudging the design.
  

  Birdsong 2011 Calendar Linen Tea Towel by Ulster Weavers

• With the remaining three sides of the tea towel, hem them down with a needle and thread. If you like the tea towel and how it looks before it is hemmed then you don’t have do it at all.
• With the dowel rod, slide it through the hem that you created at the top of the tea towel.
• Get your string and tie it around an end of the dowel rod, and use the slack to hang the string over a tack or nail on your wall. And hey presto your calendar is complete.

If arts and crafts really aren’t your thing but fancy having a calendar tea towel in your home or office then why not head down to Ulster Weavers the online home textiles company that has a fantastic collection of 2011 tea towels that are sure to catch your eye.