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.

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.

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.

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.

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...

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.

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.