The Year of the Fire Horse has long carried a reputation for being “a bit much”. In parts of East Asia, families once actively avoided having children during Fire Horse years, believing the temperament associated with it was too independent, too expressive, too difficult to contain. This piece explores where that reputation came from — and why creatives, in particular, tend to recognise it instantly.

If you watched the first episode of The Great British Sewing Bee Series 11 and muttered, “Why would you use that ribbon?” – welcome, friend. You’re in good company. Not all ribbons are cut out for the job. If you’re sewing something that’s going to be tied, tugged, or worn all day, you need to choose your ribbon like you’d choose your shoes – for looks and for function.