Fantastic selection of fabrics, haberdashery with a good selection of arts and crafts materials…read more Go support this family run independent shop and get proper customer care and service.

This shop is in Balham London, not in Epsom !!!, I was looking to see what there is in Epsom,…read moreanswer ? nothing !!!if you are looking for wool shops don't go to Epsom !!, who does these lists of shops they need a better map.

This is one of those few establishments that has managed to combine an effective business with…read moreeducation, fun and passion. Simply, it's a place where kids can come and paint pottery. I know they do all that at school but I remember loving it and maybe when your mum/dad is there too you get a bit more attention and praise for your art. But kid's if you're reading this, just don't piss your mum off by drawing her fatter than the sun. Her head can be the size of the sun, that's fine but not her arse. They're not lying about the café bit either. They've got a really good coffee machine and lots of drinks and sandwiches and the like so that you can pass the time pleasantly enough too. Really great way for the kids to have a bit of fun and it's mighty sociable so you'll probably meet loads of the other local mother/fathers too.

I will admit that this review is slightly biases as my very very dear friend Vera works at this…read morecharming spot. I had the opportunity to visit the Potter Cafe while visiting Vera last March. I had a lovely afternoon after my long flight from Chicago, sitting with Vera and Faye, drinking coffee, munching cookies, and painting my bowl. The shop itself is adorable, with a nice cafe up front, gifts to buy, and an open airy studio in back. Faye and Vera are wonderful people and really made me feel welcome and well cared for. They were attentive to all of their costumers and the work space had a friendly, welcoming vibe. I painted a nice bowl, which was a perfect keepsake for my trip to London. Whether you are an out-of-towner like me, or live in the neighborhood, I recommend stopping by and even bringing the kids. Its a nice way to pass an afternoon.

bad bad i went in to shop to buy some ink but was not the right type so i when back to shop ask…read morethem to change them but shop kugan said no but this breaking consumer laws so going call trading standards

Went to this shop as I usually purchase my stationary. I bought 2 printer cartridges. I returned…read moreback home and as I was trying to fit the inks into printer I noticed one of the cartridges has sellotape on the box and it's used. I took it straight back to see the owner. He told me that I was lying. I was totally shocked. I told him to look at the sellotape which indicates not sealed...he told me to leave the shop.Well... that cost me £19 but he lost a potential £50 per month customer. Poor service and horrible attitude

If you need a stationary in Fulham, Perry is the place to go. It is a place where you can look for…read morehours for new ideas and discover different ways of binding, painting techniques, paper quality. I sometimes have a hard time what I actually need and not need. Always ask for student discount. I would not buy their expensive ink cartridges. However, there unique selling point is that you can send a fax! Who would have thought I would use fax in our generation of technology - but that time it was urgent and the only solution. You are also able to do photocopies: both - black & white and colour prints. The owner is very kind - if you need something specific, you could ask him to order it for you, it might take a couple of days but is less hassle. They are specialised in sketchbooks and lots of sketching paper - the worst thing, which can happen to a student running out of paper at the weekends. Note: Perry's is open on Saturdays only!

I don't really come into places like these very often nowadays. I am not a child, an artist or…read moreBanksy. Actually, scratch that last bit, what do you know, I might be. Either way, I just don't really use stationers much now. That being said, I still love their specialism and their smell. This one is a pretty good example of the breed, lots of stock, pretty decent collection of art and graphics materials plus they also sell a bit of office furniture (machines) and computer supplies. Comprehensive and reassuringly busy most of the time.

La Galleria is a cool little art gallery in the Earlsfield area. Not only purveyors of fine,…read morecontemporary and post-modern art, they offer various frames and framing as well. It's a small, friendly atmosphere, and you're welcome to go there at any time of the day for a little bit of browsing some good artwork from the local and international scene. There appears to be two owners, both friendly and professional. You can ask anything about what they have on display and you'll receive a knowledgeable and satisfying answer. Look out for some awesome pieces by an artist called Emma Clark, the perfect addition to any room in your house you may feel is a little bland.

La Galleria is a local art gallery and framers based on Garratt Lane, Earlsfield. It has a great…read morecollection of individual fine art prints, including some really quirky modern pieces, and works by local artists as well. It is very relaxed and you can pop in and browse whenever they are open. I always also use La Galleria for all my framing needs - from old prints to pieces of art to prized photographs, they will take the time with you to choose the best frame, mount and setting. So far, they've done everything from a cheap print that my daughter liked, to a family heirloom in need of some TLC. The owners take the time to talk through your requirements and make sure you are entirely happy with your choices. Great care and attention was paid to both tasks equally, despite the different pieces of 'art' and the finished article was excellent. My daughter loves her first picture on her wall, and our grandmother's painting can now finally go on our wall at home! I highly recommend this gallery and framers.

The best costume shop I have ever seen! Anything you could ever want in terms of costumes or party…read moreequipment is available under one roof, it is like Toys R Us but for slightly more grown up people. This place is like an aladdin's cave of the ridiculous. My friends were holding a pirate party and I happened to find this place at the last minute. There was a whole aisle just for pirate gear. I was in heaven. The staff were really helpful, I guess it has to be a pretty fun place to work, but even so, they were perfectly willing to indulge any degree of craziness, which was a good job in my case. Even if you don't live in the area, if you have a fancy dress party to attend, it is well worth the trip.

You can hire or buy outfits. So so so much to choose from. Male or female, child or adult, you will…read morefind something. The difficulty is choosing which one! From Betty Boo to pirate wench, you name it, they've got it. They also provide party decorations for the whole shebang, or maybe just a plastic sword and pirate hat, what ever you want. Their window displays give great inspiration as well, the last one I saw was for a beach party so had lots of inflatable plamtrees and grass skirts! At hallowe'en they don't just go for the easy option, last hallowe'en they had a Beetlejuice inspired display. Geniuses. Pop in if not just to kill time before your train. Such a fun shop.

I only popped in here to get some buttons but was blown away by what I found: stacks and stacks of…read morereally diverse, different and interesting fabrics. Mostly of the Liberty variety, and similar. Far more inspiring than your average fabric shop on Goldhawk Road (with the honorable exception of A to Z fabrics, though Fabs Galore probably have a better range still). The staff were really friendly and helpful too. Only downside were the prices, which at £6 a metre for plain corduroy and £12 a metre for the more striking fabrics is quite a bit higher than I've seen elsewhere. But given their excellent range, I'll nevertheless be returning.

Coming in from Arizona, I had done a bit of research on the internet about fabric shops in London…read more This store stood out with reasonable prices, exactly what I was looking for, and not far from where I'm staying. I must say the two gentlemen working there were very pleasant and helpful. I will return soon to purchase more providing my suitcase will hold it! Wonderful shop and if you love fabric, reasonable prices and friendly staff, give it a visit!

Ian's Artworks is such a funky cool store. They carry all sorts of prints, both framed pieces and…read moreposters, that you can decorate your walls with. They have your basic iconic prints, like Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' or that Audrey Hepburn picture that you see in every trendy kid's lounge, but they also carry fairly obscure pieces that are pretty much one of a kind. The prices aren't ridiculous either, you can find things starting at £20 and ranging up to around £200. You can also find greeting cards here. Even if you don't want to buy anything, it's worth having a look; it's like a mini-gallery.

Although I was a dissatisfied framing customer, I have given Ian's Artwork 3 stars because of their…read morefriendliness, good customer service and the fact that they aren't just a picture framer but also a small trendy art dealer with a collection worth checking out. If you are seeking a picture framer my suggestion would be to go somewhere else, UNLESS you're looking for a lower-cost custom picture framing job AND you don't mind risking imperfections (which they will gladly fix for you). And, while in their shop I saw lots of nicely framed work. In my experience I brought in a picture that they suggested not dry mounting. (Dry mounting ensures the picture is flat under the frame but can reduce the value for resale if you have purchased artwork as an investment, because the piece is fixed to a board for the rest of its life. Not dry mounting makes the framer's job of keeping your work flat harder.) When they told me it was complete, I went in to pick it up and noticed an obvious smudge on my poster in the lower left corner, a very obvious hair in the top right corner, and a tiny spec of hair in the top left corner. I pointed these out to them and they said, no problem and asked if I could come back tomorrow. Very nice but they should have caught these issues before ever presenting it to a customer. When I came back the specks and smudge (some dust) were gone. I brought it home and upon looking at it the picture was very wavy under the frame. (Additionally, I noticed some issues with the consistency of the stain on the frame and [I had decided not to say anything upon the purchase of the service] but the stain job looked very unnatural.) By this point I had lost faith in their abilities. When I took it back they said they could straighten it but I decided to ask for my money back and try somewhere else. They agreed to my request and handled the situation extremely well, I just have very diminished faith in their framing abilities. I chose Ian's for picture framing because they were local and I didn't want to leave Balham. In hindsight I wish I had taken the time to leave Balham. I had also read a bad review about them from someone who had twice gotten pictures framed there, accepted the work and then complained online that, not only were the frame jobs bad but also her pictures were damaged. Mel, the owner had replied to this review by rightly saying: "In reply to the review would like to say we were quite suprised that you felt you were unable to tell us that you were unhappy with your framing as we do try and accommodate our customers. We are more than happy if you want to bring the picture back and we can rectify the problem even after one month (you wouldn't get that kind of service at Ikea). Unfortunately you were not happy with the frame but we did try and get it to you sooner rather than later. As a family run picture framers we are very busy and believe than communication with our customers is a vital part of the local shopping experience." I respected that and felt just that way about their treatment of me as a customer.