This place will have you screaming "YES YES YES" like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally, you know…read morewhat scene I'm talking about. I looooove finding unique bespoke buttons and speaking with the fabulous and passionate staff. They are so informative, helpful and hypeful for your next project. I love these people!!

This is such a wonderful shop! The customer service was outstanding! Found what I wanted and…read morepleased with the friendliness of the staff

Ouch. Bad pun pain. I walked in the door and was met by a sparkly orangutan card. And 'Stairway to…read moreHeaven' belting out over the stereo. I have a bit of a perverse fascination with patchwork stores. I sew other things, but don't quilt, and love the bolts of colourful fabrics piled up everywhere. This store has a bunch out the back of the more modern funky variety which you don't see elsewhere. Odd vintage inspired prints like 1950's illustrations, bizarre cat and poodle prints (good gracious) and enough fluffy fabric to keep my chenille-obsessed mother happy. But to get to them, you have to walk through the much larger scrapbooking section. I'm sorry, but I don't get scrapbooking at all. It's not craft if all you do is paste. And since much of the stuff you buy is self-adhesive, it's not even pasting. Craft for the creatively-illiterate? Really, Martha Stewart cupcake wrappers? There's a whole big world out there ladies.... So, scrapbooking and Led Zepplin. I could feel my brain going a bit fuzzy. Feared impending stroke as the poor overheated organ strained to compute. Walked past busy staffers and crocheted fish. Tiny alphabet stamps and enough ribbon to keep a few maypoles going. I'll be back for the retro prints after I've calmed down...

Adorable little quilt shop in Loftus. Friendly and helpful staff. The store offers sewing lessons…read moreas well as knitting lessons. Bright fabrics including Moda. Had all the little things needed for quilting. Rulers, markers, fabric cuts and by the yard. Embroidery floss, yarn, among other things. Back sewing area for classes. Definitely a cute place to stop in!

I initially came here to deliver boxes of random yarns. Not only did I get help bring ing the boxes…read morebut it was explained that there are many things I can bring in to recycle...including original patterns. AND then I walked into the store....not only was there well sorted recycled yarns, materials etc but new stuff as well

Nicest staff i've seen in a while. Has a very warm welcoming atmosphere with the cheapest prices on…read moresewing items. Sells vintage machine as well for a good price! A lot of vintage 70's-90's sewing patterns for only 2-5 dollars

Bolts of fabric line the walls and cover almost all available floorspace. The further you walk back…read moreinto the store, the further it seems to go on like some strange space-bending time warp. Amongst the truly hideous polyesters and sequinned monstrosities there is a wide range of beautiful shot silks and weird Korean laces that make me wish I was a better stitcher. The staff were helpful, and the prices are reasonable, although having Kyle & Jackie O playing is a definite turn-off for me. There is no excuse for being force-fed Katie Perry under any circumstances. I half expect that next time I go back, the back wall of the shop will have extended further into some weird other dimension. I suspect lime-green sequins will not be cool there either.

I was recommended by a friend who is a dance student to come here for fabrics for my year 12 major…read moreproject. The staff members are very nice and honest, and they have a huge range of bridal fabrics! Much cheaper than Spotlight and better service. I personally like Kyle & Jackie O. A shop with music is better than an awkward one with none... but that's just me.

One of Sydney's newest art spaces. Sew Make Create has been around for almost a couple of months…read morenow. The owner, top Sydney designer Melissa Tan-Lu and Sew Make Create's resident dog Pepper are just adorable. The whole shop is quite funky :) I was fortunate to have been invited (through another blog) to experience their beginners crochet course with Bronwen. I arrived on a Wednesday night at 7pm a little tired yet eager as anything to learn, and learn heaps. My manual dexterity skills deflated me for a while, yet I was amazed with the crochet stitch and getting into a granny square so soon with confidence. The class sizes are rather small which is great. Lindt chocolate balls were provided with water as stunning refreshments, as well as biscuits and tea. This course is also available on selected weekends. Sew Make Create also run a variety of other craft courses. After the beginners crochet course, if you wish to take things further, then the crochet clinic is for you. Instead of yarn, turn that yarn into 'plarn' with a plastic bag crochet course. Sew Make Create is a dynamic arts space that also rents out sewing machines, and hence provides ample working space to design some pretty clothes. Sew Make Create also sell sewing machines and craft supplies. Sew Make Create (from the request of many parents) have put together a fantastic course schedule for the kids school holidays coming up, as at the time of writing this. Beginners crochet is also covered, and kids can also learn cupcake decorating and also learn how to make these adorable felt brooches. Located in Chippendale right near the Broadway Shopping Centre. If you're curious (in more detail) as to how my beginners crochet experience went recently, then follow this link: http://www.weekendnotes.com/crochet-for-beginners-sew-make-create/ For more information on the various courses put on especially for kids these school holidays, then follow this link: http://www.weekendnotes.com/crafty-school-holiday-activities-sew-make-create/ With many initiatives to ensuring that Sydney is an arts and crafts focused city, when is now a better time to learn a new craft? Go on, unleash the craft master within!

From the owner: Sew Make Create aims to encourage learning and creativity through providing the right environment,…read moreassistance and facilities

Open a little less than a year, Sew Beautiful is a welcome addition to the local area. Light,…read morebright and welcoming, this lovely store stocks a range of necessaries and treats for the crafty. The selection is small, but chosen with care, patchwork fabric (mostly in lovely, modern colours), knitting wool, sewing notions (the bits and bobs everyone needs), ribbons and thread. Also available are a selection of locally crafted gift items including some drop dead cute kids clothes, stitched with care and a real eye for design. Opened by owner Yvette who clearly loves what she does and enjoys sharing the simple pleasures of creating with needle and thread. She offers a loyalty program, credit that goes towards fabric purchases and is ready with a smile and a chat anytime. There's obviously a real need for such community based shops as she tells me that the knitting and crochet classes she offers are booked up until next year, and plans are underway to add more workshops for kids next school holidays. Whether you need something specific or just want to pop in for some inspiration, craft is the new cool and this is just the place to get you started.

From the owner: Everyone item is individually made, and stitched with love.read more