Craft NI urges Belfast shoppers to support local makers this Christmas

Exquisite pieces of Northern Ireland in your home

No matter if you are gifting for people near or far, it’s always special to have a little piece of Belfast in your home.

Craft NI, the body supporting the promotion and development of the craft industry in Northern Ireland, is urging local people to ‘Buy NI Craft’ this Christmas and cherish it forever.

Belfast’s designer-makers provide a wide range of products which are handcrafted and built to last – and with designs often inspired by Northern Ireland, they can make the perfect Christmas presents for people living here and away from home too.

From beautifully handcrafted pieces of jewellery to bespoke textiles inspired by local landscapes and unique, personalised Christmas decorations that add luxury to your home, there is something truly personal to be found in purchasing a one-of-a-kind gift this year.

Belfast shops stocking work by local makers include, Ulster Museum Shop, The Steenson’s, Craft NI Gallery, Wrapped Up and Maven.

Meanwhile, Belfast Potter’s Market returns on Saturday December 10 from 10am-6pm in a new location at 2 Royal Avenue in Belfast.

The market will include live demonstrations, free classes, festive music and mulled punch for visitors to enjoy as they browse the stunning handicrafts.

Craft NI Director, Katherine McDonald said: “A major advantage of doing your Christmas shopping with a local maker is the fact that the items are original designs, meaning they will make the most unique and thoughtful gifts for your friends and family.

“We find gifts of this nature can be much more meaningful to the receiver as they show you have taken time to really think about something special and unique.

“These pieces are often timeless in their design and, if treated well, should really last. There’s no comparison between a hand-made and  mass-produced item, they are usually made with minimum waste and are sold close to where they are made, with the skill and care of the maker in every step of the process.

“We always encourage people to support local businesses, but this year particularly with people making careful spending decisions, the message is more important than ever.

“To take the stress out of shopping, many of our makers have online outlets where you can view their range and buy directly from them. You can also seek out your nearest craft retailers through Craft NI’s online Directory. And of course, this time of year sees many councils and private venues offering craft fairs  – a great way to meet makers directly and get to know them and their work.”

Craft NI has hand-picked some items from Belfast makers which would make a perfect Christmas gift for loved ones.

Helen Faulkner Ceramics

• After studying general crafts in university in England and then at the Design and Crafts council of Ireland’s Pottery Skills course in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny, Helen returned to Belfast to continue making. This mini milk and sugar set is a lovely gift for the foodie in your life. Each piece in the collection is made with a warm toasty terracotta clay which is left exposed at the base to contrast beautifully with the smooth turquoise glaze.

Shannon McShane

• Since graduating from the University of Ulster in 2011, Shannon has set up her own studio and business in Belfast. Shannon creates conceptual pieces for exhibition, ready to wear ranges and bespoke commissions. These Rippled Medium Drop Earrings emulate the lapping tide upon the shore. Made from sterling silver with a process that creates a unique texture each time, each piece is made individually by hand finished in soft satin or contrasting oxide.

Deborah Toner

• Deborah Toner has a background in architecture. She uses her architectural drawing skills to create beautifully embroidered pieces for the home. All pieces are machine stitched on locally woven Irish Linen. This scarf is made from Dark Grey Irish Linen. It features a small Flax Flower in bloom and is worked in a range of green, purple and blue threads reminiscent of the flax flower colour.

Sue Cathcart

• Sue has been working in mixed media for 30 years; she works primarily with paper, particularly papier mache and makes collages and 3D pieces. Sue is a self-taught practitioner and would call herself a Folk or Outsider Artist. Taken from an original collage constructed from scraps, Mr Papers Big Pudding Christmas card sums up the true meaning of this special time. 

Duncan Legate

• Duncan Legate is a designer and furniture maker, specialising in handmade, live edge furniture. He only works with locally sourced and native species of timber as the sustainability of his work is of paramount importance. Each set of coasters is cut from the same piece of wood, known as book-matched cutting, this means the grain pattern will run from one coaster to the next and that they will stack perfectly.

Meanwhile, Craft NI has launched a series of seasonal Craft Gift Guides this year to help you navigate your way around the many different gifting options. The series has already focussed on gifts for those far away, table setting inspirations as well as jewellery guides to suit a range of budgets.

Look out in the gift guides for stocking fillers and Christmas baubles to surprise and delight or check out Craft NI’s wide selection from local makers in their Belfast gallery at Royal Avenue. The Big Bauble Showcase, Craft NI Gallery’s festive event of the season, will run until end of December. Every year, the gallery carefully selects handcrafted unique baubles from contemporary local makers, in varied mediums such as ceramic, glass or textiles.

Don’t forget to check out Craft NI’s Maker’s Directory and also find your nearest craft retailer. To sign up for the gift guides and to find out about upcoming events visit www.craftni.org.

You can follow Craft NI on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.