Midtown Makers Gift Shop - BLOG

During the 400 years that Ballymena began its growth from a simple ford to an industrial town, businesses and their craftspeople have come and gone. We have been looking at the forgotten crafts and trades that have disappeared because of time, change and industrialisation. So, as a last part of our Linen Trade pieces, we have researched the documents that are available and have not only discovered the jobs that are no longer used but that are also forgotten. While in the proc

In the early 1700s, across the green fields of Ulster, the growing of flax was more than farming — it was a way of life. Long before factories filled the valleys with the sound of machinery, families planted, tended, and transformed this delicate, blue-flowered crop into one of Ireland’s most treasured materials: linen.

I thrive on keeping busy so after a 3am to 11am start in my full-time job at Belfast International Airport I go home nap for a bit and then make chutneys, salsas & preserves in the heart of our home.

I remember, when my kids were young, they always wanted me to put them to bed, because I was better at reading and telling them stories, with the different voices of the characters. Either reading or a made-up story, was looked forward to with a certain joy, when I created a world for them, that they enjoyed and so this week, as my eldest son’s Birthday falls, I decided that why not make it Book Week, he always a good story. So here in Midtown Makers it’s Book Week.

The year 2025 was exceptional for Midtown Makers Gift Shop. We hosted a range of creative workshops, supported emerging and small local businesses, and revamped both the shop and our website. Additionally, we became the Visitor Information Hub for Ballymena. It was an eventful year, and we want to express our gratitude to all our members, customers, and supporters for keeping Midtown Makers a lively and creative spot in Ballymena.

This month we talk to Catriona McCarte of Crafty Treasures. Catriona shares her crafting day and what goes on behind the scenes of faux flower wreath making.