Bottoms Up

How embarrassing. It's been so long since I've written anything on here, but I've been ever so busy setting up a Women's Institute in Hebden Bridge. The photo shows our first meeting which took place on 18th April... a cocktail making and tasting session at Moyles. The fabulous Apo, General Manager of the hotel and restaurant in Hebden Bridge offered to host our inaugeration celebration and I jumped at the chance to get the women of the institute boozing. We plan to have loads of fun.

Loving Valentine's

I'm too embarrassed to call this heart decoration a craft project, as all it requires is some lovely felted hearts, bead and a length of ribbon. I guess you could do the felting yourself if you had the time, equipment and inclination... but to be honest, these hearts have just landed in Ribbon Circus and have made my life so much easier.

All you do is thread the ribbon through the felted hearts and randomly place beads and knots in between. It really is that easy. Perfect for a last minute gift of love.

The Best Muff In Town

Bring back the muff. Not only is it the only thing keeping my hands warm at the moment, but the endless innuendos are keeping me laughing. The photo shows Jack with his face in my muff. See what I mean? Endless fun...

Wire Hearts

There's no getting around it. It's nearly December. Which means it's nearly Christmas. Which means I should have started panicking weeks ago about making stuff. So... here's an easy solution to a number of Festive craft needs: Wire Hearts.

Get some wire (fuse wire, jewelry wire, whatever). Thread buttons on to it. Twist the ends together. Shape into a heart. Ta da.

Make small ones to put on presents, make an enormous one as a door wreath and anything else inbetween. Hang them on a lovely bit of ribbon and there we have it in all its glory, fantastic craftiness from bits and bats lying about the house.

Chicken Jumpers Rule

Ribbon Circus held its second Chicken Jumper Knit In on Sunday. "What on Earth are you taking about?" I hear you cry...


Well, lots of lovely people come to the shop, drink tea, eat cake and knit a jumper that will be given to a recently liberated hen from a battery farm. We're knitting for a good cause, but we're going to have fun doing it.

Some hens leave the battery farms a little worse for wear and lose their feathers. They make a full recovery, but in winter need a little help keeping warm and this is where a teensy jumper can make all the difference to a bald chicken.

Chicken jumpers are great for knitters of all abilities. Beginner knitters can learn to increase, decrease, make buttonholes and shape a neckhole. Advanced knitters can use up their leftover yarn or just pick up a jumper inbetween more complicated projects. And then there's those of you who knitted many moons ago and want to get back into it, but have lost confidence. Chickens jumpers, they're perfect for everyone.

I give out free patterns and yarn at Ribbon Circus for anyone wanting to knit a chicken jumper. Pop in and see me.

Citrus Pomanders

The autumn chill has descended upon us and my instinct at this time of year is to prepare for the festive season. Some people will panic and think "That's months away" whilst others will be saying "I've had everything organised since June." I think the World can be split into how you prepare for Christmas... months in advance or totally last minute. I don't believe it's a split of the sexes either, it's not that easy. Anyway, I digress, pomanders need to be made at about this time so they can dry out in time for filling the home with their spicy aroma for Christmas celebrations.
Pomanders have been used around the house for centuries. Whilst I'm making them I feel as though I'm touching the past, knowing that millions of women before me have done the same to keep wardrobe beasties away from textiles and clothing.

These are so easy to make - all you're doing is sticking cloves into an citrus fruit, but there are a few pointers that will the process much easier. The best thing about making pomanders is the gorgeous mingling of orange, clove, cinnanmon and nutmeg smells that can instigate a aromatic trance.


What do I need?
Citrus fruit(s)
Rubber bands
Whole cloves
Tablespoon of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves for each fruit
A paper bag for each fruit

What do I do?
Put two elastic bands around the fruit in a cross - you can use any citrus fruit, although orange is my favourite. This is where you'll put the ribbon once the fruit has dried out, so if you're going to use a wide ribbon, leave a wide gap. If you're not going to hang the pomander up, but fill a bowl with them then leave this bit out. Now, all you need to do is fill the the outside of the fruit by pushing cloves into the skin. The cloves need to be close together, but not touching. Put a tablespoon of cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves into a paper bag (don't, under any misguidance use a plastic bag). Some people add a few drops of sandlewood to the spice mixture to help preserve the fruit, but to be honest I don't bother and let the cloves work their own magic. Pop the cloved fruit into the bag with the spice mixture, give it a good shake so the fruit is completely covered in spicey loveliness and then leave in a dry place. Shake the fruit in the spices every day for a week (if you can remember, I often forget and there's no big disaster) and leave it to fully dry out for about 6 weeks. If the fruit goes mouldy, throw it away, we're not undertaking a study of penicillin here. You'll know it's ready when it feels light and looks like dried out fruit (amazing, I know). When your fruit has magically turned into a pomander, shake off the remainder of the spices, tie a ribbon around it and hang it up wherever you please. Christmas jolliness will ensue.

Rag Market Blitz

Yesterday's monsoon weather triggered the flood warning system here, which sounds just like a WWII air raid siren. It was a bit eerie at the first Rag Market in Hebden Bridge Town Hall, as I was dressed the part, complete with 1940s hairdo and vintage haberdashery apron.

It was grand to see so many people brave the storm to visit us and hopefully pick up a bargain or two. All the panic didn't stop me scoffing three cakes from stall opposite, including the scrumptious beetroot and chocolate. Yummmmmm.

Alpaca Kiss

The alpacas came to Ribbon Circus yesterday, culminating children from 1 year to 72 years old getting rather excited... and I was one of them. I've been stocking alpaca yarn from a local herd for a few months, but I was so lucky when I suggested they bring the alpacas to the shop for a day, Julie and Shuan didn't bat an eyelid, didn't even suggest this was a strange request, just asked "When shall we do it?"

And so 4 beautiful camelids arrived on Saturday morning and enchanted Hebden Bridge, making people late for work, creating a few parking tickets and causing a hub-bub as people debated which was their favourite baby alpaca (how could you choose?) If you've got a spare half an hour or so on a Saturday morning, I can highly recommend sinking your hand into the soft fleece of an alpaca. Oh! the joy.

The history of the alpaca in Yorkshire goes back to the Victorian era, as the wealth of Saltaire was founded on the animal when Titus Salt bought some cheap bales of their fleece, and then discovered what an amazing cloth it created. Now, knitters go mad for alpaca yarn... not only is it incredibly soft, but because it's hollow, the yarn is light and warm. Interestingly, even people allergic to sheep's wool can wear alpaca. Why aren't we all alpaca mad?

Knitting For Chickens

A customer popped into Ribbon Circus the other day and asked if I would help encourage people to knit jumpers for ex battery hens in the area. How could I refuse? When battery hens are first released from thier terrible prison-like conditions they are featherless and it takes a few weeks for them to grow back. The little bald chucks feel the cold, particularly in winter, and a little help is required to keep them warm.

I got on the magical internet, found a pattern and started to knit. It's a brilliant little project to do as a breather between more difficult patterns, or if you lack the confidence in your knitting it's a great practice piece. You can let your creativity run wild and get really inventive (if you want to).

To help get everyone into the spirit, I'm organising a knit in to make jumpers for chickens on Sunday 23rd May 2010 at Ribbon Circus, 8 Albert Street, Hebden Bridge. Drop in any time between noon - 5pm. And there's no excuse if you can't knit, because we will teach you. If you can't make the knit in, pop into the shop and pick up a free pattern for you and your friends to do in your own time.

And finally, if you have any spare yarn you'd like to donate, please bring it along to Ribbon Circus. Even the smallest oddments of wool can be incorporated into a chicken jumper, so we'll happily accept your fairy sized end balls of wool.

Happy knitting.

Winter Warmers

The snow's still laying on the ground, resolutely refusing to go anywhere. Whilst the dark evenings and icy air infringe on our social lives, it's time to get knitting. This 100% virgin wool has no dyestuffs or chemicals added in the manufacturing process, which makes it perfect for those with delicate skin. This yarn looks (and feels) seriously cosy and would be wonderful to wrap around anyone feeling the cold.

More interestingly though, I've been reliably informed that this wool felts wonderfully. I'm going to experiment with this and invent a little bag design to felt. If it goes well I'll get down to some serious needle twiddling and break the back of Christmas 2010 presents... well, I can dream.

Wooly Nice Time Of Year

The unrelenting snow up here in Hebden Bridge has proved to be the perfect time for Ribbon Circus to start stocking wool. What's more perfect on these icy days than staying in to knit a temptingly warm garment... either for yourself or for a loved one?

We're starting small but selective with our yarn selection and featured here is the 100% Pure Luxury Merino DK, which (amazingly) is machine washable, so perfect for baby knits as well as delicate cardigan for a grown up.

I'll feature some other wools you'll find in Ribbon Circus over the coming days. If you've always wanted to learn to knit, now's the time to start and a scarf is the ideal project, simple but ever so practical... especially at the moment. Go on, give it a go.

Dogs Love Wool Too

Yesterday was the first Sunday of the month, which meant that is was time for Purls of Wisdom, the knitting group at Ribbon Circus to meet. Very excitingly, we had a couple of firsts to put on the list.

Harold became the first dog to join the knitting group. He was a little overwhelmed with amount of tea drinking, cake eating and chatter (as well as knitting... obviously) taking place, but he managed to cope quite well with all the head patting and ear scratching.

The other first was that we fitted 22 people into the shop AT THE SAME TIME. If you've ever visited Ribbon Circus you'll realise this is some achievement. There was a lot of careful needle management so as not to drop any stitches, but everyone coped like real stars.

I hope the squash was worth all the new friends we made, with 7 brand new people turning up for the fun. See you all next time.

Magical Visitor

This morning we were greeted by this jolly fellow on the windowsill of the shop. He was a bit worse for wear, so we took him inside, plied him with coffee and let him recuperate in the Ribbon Circus sequin drawer. We are very pleased to report that he's made a full recovery and has now popped for a hair of the dog. Hopefully he's spreading a little magic around Hebden Bridge somewhere...

Kitted Up For Crafting

This has been the summer for enjoying small craft projects. Everyone seems to be having babies, so there's been personalised bunting coming out of Ribbon Circus for the past few months.

The best craft project of the summer has been the design a bag craft kit from Blueberry Park. The kit comes with a ready made bag, embroidery silk and all the trimmings you need to make it look beautiful. Without the pressure of trying to work out whether you've got everything you need, your mind can concentrate on the design. Oh, what fun!

And if you like the idea of personalised bunting for new babies, birthdays and celebrations, Blueberry Park also does a mini bunting kit... although if you want to get totally creative and choose your own colours, trimmings and embellishments, everything is available from Ribbon Circus. As well as having the fun making the bunting, your friends will be forever grateful.

On The Button

At last, Ribbon Circus has started its button collection in earnest.

We've been thinking about it for months, and finally we've done it. To be honest it was a trip to Paris and the wonderful La Droguerie trimmings shop that reminded us of the joy of quirkiness, not to mention how it helps get the inspiration flowing. We've always tried to resist the boring haberdashery display stands, but their practicality sometimes wins out... not in this case though, as we're stashing our button collection in old jam jars. If you've got old jars you want to get rid of, bring them down to Ribbon Circus and they'll be lovingly recycled.

If you're on the hunt for interesting buttons, but don't live near Hebden Bridge, you can always try our online shop. We promise to keep the website up to date with our new button purchases as the collection grows and grows.

Hats Ahoy

Ribbon Circus is recovering from Hebden Bridge's first Fabulous Fifties Weekender... and what a fabulous weekend it was. There was dancing from Friday right through to Sunday evening, wonderful live bands (our favourite was TC and the Swingcats), amazing clothes both on people and to buy at Lucy and the Caterpillar's Vintage Fair and a seriously impressive 1950s beer festival at The Hole Int Wall.

The forementioned TC and the Swingcats should win an award for the most dedicated musicians, as they continued to perform through the pouring rain on Saturday afternoon in St George's Square. They were so enticing that the crowd was happy to get drenched just to stay and watch them perform... and I've never seen so many people dancing under umbrellas before. Hilarious.

Watch out of the next one.

Wrap a Ribbon Round It

Lucy Locket lost her pocket

Kitty Fisher found it

Not a penny was there in it

Only a ribbon round it.

On rainy days Ribbon Circus finds itself searching the internet for interesting indoor projects, and the Victoria and Albert Museum website often comes up trumps. Our latest find is a section on the history of pockets, which includes pattern ideas from the amazing V&A textile collection. So, if you've found yourself stuck indoors hiding from the rain, collect together your scraps of fabric and make yourself a pocket, and don't forget to wrap a ribbon from Ribbon Circus round it.

Hep Cats Weekend

Having recently returned from the July Hep Cats extravaganza, Ribbon Circus can highly recommend the September weekend for the best fun you can have whilst dressed in your finest vintage get up.

Hep Cats is a time machine that transports you back in time for the weekend... it's in a holiday camp that has retained it's 50s charm, there are fabulous vintage stalls, excellent Lindyhop teachers, brilliant music and amazing bands. If like Ribbon Circus, you are in constant search of inspiration, treat yourself and get booked up before it's too late.

You will return home with hundreds of new friends from all over the world. It's too brilliant an opportunity to miss.

Check out the Hep Cat Holiday website for all the information.

Fabulous Fifites Weekender

Ah, the smell of vintage clothing always gets my heart racing. I'm so excited that Hebden Bridge is celebrating the Fifites with classic cars, a vintage fair and dancing... swing, jump jive and rhythmn & blues. Looking for inspiration? There'll be a whole weekend of it here in Hebden Bridge from 29th July - 2nd August.

They'll be a live western swing band and jive dancing in St Georges Square on Saturday afternoon and a fabulous vintage market in the Hole Int Wall on Sunday afternoon. Ribbon Circus will be open for the duration, celebrating with delicious fairy cakes... and we could be pursuaded to show you how to make some vintage inspired ribbon brooches. Come and pay us a visit.