Ultimate Craft is great as you will find here anything that you might need for your handicraft…read moreprojects: from simple glue, to stationary, knitting supplies, yarn, beads...seriously anything. What I like about Ultimate Craft is that they offer solid and good quality goods without charging premium prices. By no means, is this a place where they are trying to compete with the yuppie/hipster places on nearby Stoke Newington Church Street. I love coming here as I know that they carry what I need for my current handicraft project.

I feel torn about this place. As I am such a regular client it doesn't feel right to mark it with…read morejust 3 stars and yet the high prices and mediocre service do not encourage me to add a 4th. You can find a whole load of crafts supplies in this shop; it's the ideal place for kiddies supplies or costume materials if you live in Stoke Newington. However if you are willing to shop outside of this area you're better off going to a cheaper store as prices really are very high for low to standard quality supplies. Having said that, my work involves a lot of crafty projects and because I don't have time to source elsewhere I buy from here on a monthly basis. Unfortunately the staff are not interested in looking after their loyal clients and would not even consider a discount when I was buying hundreds of pounds worth of materials. I also had issues with dirty fabric I was told would be fine after a wash... Again, not a commercial effort in sight. In a nutshell, this shop has a wide range of products but is expensive and offers poor customer service.

Do you need a pen? Do you need glue? How about a small box of paper clips? Or paper to clip those…read morepaper clips onto? Look no further than Holloway Stationers. One day I had to go to class at London Met when suddenly I realized I had never purchased a notebook for it. For our written assignment in class, it would have been catastrophic. Holloway Stationers swooped in wearing its Super Man cape to save the day. Turns out I didn't need the notebook and actually didn't take one note the entire semester, but nonetheless the Stationers were there for me! Staffed by some lovely folks, you feel at Stationer home when you enter here. These aren't the type of people who will staple your hand when you aren't looking. They'll staple your heart with joy (still would hurt, perhaps worse). Anyways, definitely hit up Holloway Stationers for your stationary needs around the Lower Holloway area of London. Ignore all competition, Holloway reigns supreme.

Holloway Art and Stationers is a great little store that sells all kinds of art and stationary…read moresupplies. Their main custom comes from London Metropolitan University students as they are in the middle of the Holloway Road campus. Students get a 10% discount which I love. The man who runs the store is very nice, helpful and always up for a good chat. For most of your art and stationary needs, they can provide it at a much cheaper price than some of the Central London shops. If you are unsure about what they may stock, give them a call and they are happy to tell you what they have and what they charge.

Very nicely organized and, of course, all the fibers are beautiful but service is definitely…read morelacking. I browsed here for a LOooonggg time and was never acknowledged except for when I approached the table to pay for my items - I guess someone had to talk to me then! There were only two other customers in the entire shop while I was there and I only heard the two employees talking between themselves. In fact, they turned out the lights at one point without any explanation, then turned them back on when I popped my head out of an aisle to see what was going on. Lots of weaving supplies, of course, plus felting supplies, spinning fibers and equipment, and books. Interesting novelty yarns and blends. Probably not enough quantity of knitting yarn for knitters to be satisfied. Pricey!

In as much as my initial visit here left me feeling a bit *meh*, my return visit left me feeling…read moremuch the opposite. I try to give places the benefit of the doubt and not give up after one failed experience, so I'm glad I went back. Service this time was 5 stars. Both the ladies who helped me were kind and friendly. The one in particular who helped sort me out with a new drop spindle was really lovely. She wasn't at all snooty about me being new to spinning and helped me make a good choice about what to come home with. We had a nice chat about crafting things and wool-related goodness. Kindred spirits exist! Maybe my initial experience was with the less-than-great apple of the staff barrel? I dunno, but I'm happy that this place has been redeemed in my eyes as it really is full of great resources for weaving and spinning and the like.

I'm not an artist but I dapple in art and I like to write. I ventured into this shop in Muswell…read moreHill, to look for a notebook. I was pleasantly surprised to find out this store has everything. Even less politically correct things like spray paint bottles. My inner artist came out to play in this store. I looked at stamps, I looked at pop-up cards. In the end, I just went with my original safe choice and bought a Moleskin Notebook. Next time, I'm back for the stamps.

This poor art shop is looking rather naked at the moment as it was forced to strip off it's Gaudi…read moreinspired façade (think Casa Batllo dragon style) last year due to a feud over planning position fueled by unappreciative residents. This is such a shame as it was famous for being individual and it just goes to show the once bohemian air to North London is ever being lost to the bourgeoisie. Ok, well rant over. This is still a great art shop, specializing in fine art materials over two floors. They also have an original choice of cards so if ever I need a card at the last minute I usually dash in here. Some items aren't very good value, but they often have offers on and I've bought a few very good quality sketch pads here before. The staff are very helpful, although sometimes I've found it to be a little difficult to get hold of one when the shops been slightly busier. Now they have an air of melancholy about them as I think the best thing about Art for Art's sake was the shop front! Hopefully they'll be able to find something equally cool, but that will please the residents. Or, maybe not. Beige anyone?

I doubt very much that this shop has changed since it opened in 1855. I love the fact it hasn't…read morejumped on the arts and crafts bandwagon with new but faddish products. Instead it has strictly remained an artist's haven for the best pigments, oils, pastels and brushes in town. They also have the most beautiful easels. Everything in here is so well organised and uncomplicated and the bursts of colour from the pigment jars and the tubes of paint repeat like one rainbow after another. The inventory is colossal, it'll be really hard to not find the paint you're looking for, and if you can't, then the assistant will be able to tell you about stockists who have even rarer brands. If you consider yourself a budding Van Gogh then you know where to come. You'll have to get the 19th century costume somewhere else though.

Despite their range of art materials, visiting this shop was a depressing experience. The staff in…read moreart shops are normally a friendly, chatty bunch. This tiny emporium seemed to be significantly over-manned and what staff were present specialised in breathing down your neck. That impression of (what shall we call it? a Dickensian petty-mindedness?) was compounded when I returned a little later to exchange a product I had duplicated in error and, after some deferring, was refused by some off-stage managerial presence. Admittedly I didn't have my receipt but I had bought it very recently and they were the only stockist. It took me by surprise but perhaps I'm naive to expect people dealing with artists to be a little bit more flexible.

Kilim is a joy. And I'm going to wreck the thrill explaining why. From the outside, I thought it…read morewas a really kooky junk shop. And it kind of is. Certainly the window display is stacked full of tacky Jesus mirrors and religious memorabilia, jet black mannequins cleary borrowed from somewhere in Africa. I'm loving it. Go in, and there were three old African women at the back. And it became clear that it's a sort of fabric shop, but they sell other stuff as well. It's all piled high to the ceiling. Lots of jewelry. Lots of random stuff. But some beautiful waxed fabrics - and the cheapest that I came across today! They were really friendly and it's quite an experience, just popping in to have a browse. check it

It has been a joy getting to know the JJ Team over the past few years. Their service and…read moreworkmanship are consistently exceptional, making each stage of the framing process an absolute pleasure. The only danger is that their work is properly addictive - I can't get enough of their gesso panels and walnut frames! With the John Jones Project Space and innovative collaborations, they are an invaluable support to the London arts community.

From the owner: John Jones is a global centre of excellence in the preservation and presentation of fine art…read more Our services include bespoke picture framing, art installation, fine art conservation, collection management and artwork printing. We now also offer hand-made professional artists materials via our online store.

This is a Toys R Us for adults! I went on the hunt today for mini cup cake liners and went in my…read morelocal bakery to ask where I should go. Head straight to the source was my thoughts. My baker lady said, "Party Party, just in Dalston market" so off I trotted. As I approached this vast store firstly I was shocked that I have lived here for 3 years and never actually seen this magical place. Down stairs as you walk in you are greeted by sales staff in themed waist coats, this time of year they have pumpkins all over them. The head fella wears a fez - that automatically gave these guys an extra star, it's not often I get sound advice from a fez but this guy knew his stuff. Downstairs there is this wonderful area filled with party accessories, from balloons to costumes (pretty basic but good value for money) and hats, masks, tinsel, tablecloths, candles the lot! But this wasn't the best of it... anyone who loves to bake needs to come here. Upstairs hidden away is a shop that sells cake accessories, from cutters, to edible glue, to silver balls, cake stands, plastic bride and grooms and more. I was in a rush and only meant to spend a few minutes picking up the liners but walked out with 2 silver cake trays, silver edible balls , cake liners, vanilla extra and icing caps. I want to go back and buy more right now. If you are making a cake, you must spot by here, it's everything you need all under one roof!

This place is for all the celebrations, birthday, wedding, anniversary, christening, holy comunion,…read moreballoons, banners, beautiful cakes that you can order and every thing you need for craft. Their balloons are absolutely unique, I didn't see the models anywhere else. The staff is very patient when you have to try or open the different items to see how it will look after.

So disappointing that the sales assistant closed the doors infront of my face on the dot of 16.30…read moreso that i did not get the items i needed. In addition, for some reason the muswell hill shop does not do click and collect so i will have to go in and try and find what i need. I agree with another reviewer, the items for sale are not the most exciting, i would like to see more colourful diaries and notebooks.

I think I have a bit of a problem. I'm addicted to stationery…read more Diaries are dreamy. Pens are my pleasure. Staplers are sexy. Folders make me frisky. Ok, I'm getting a little carried away. I popped into Rymans as I needed some pages for my beautiful, trusty, leather-bound Filofax and was seduced by all of the notebooks, highlighters, post-its, coloured paper, the wall of pens, even all of the desktop accessories at the back! Rymans is a little boring in that it has a lot of basic things in boring colours. Me? I'm drawn to colourful things and notebooks with pretty covers. Anyway, the nearby WH Smith is never very well stocked and this is a handy Rymans for some basic stationery bits and bobs. I would always choose Paperchase over it for something special though.

My favourite go to in Highgate ! They have something for everyone! Wonderful customer service, they…read morewill even wrap for you !!

My nephew back in Germany is crazy about the miniature London double decker bus I gave him for this…read morepast Christmas. So when I walked by this store (on my way to Highgate Wood) this past weekend and I spotted a kid's T-shirt with the London bus featured on it, I knew that this would be the perfect gift for said nephew's upcoming birthday! Walking into the shop, the lady behind the counter greeted my with a warm smile and offered her help. I right away liked how she was very passionate about the T-shirts and other garments made my a local designer. As I didn't have any money on me, she put the T-shirt aside for me and when I came back later in the day, I also bought another T-shirt for my other nephew...they are just too cute! Aside from children's clothing, this shop offers plenty of other gifteable things...the perfect location for anyone who's in need of a present ;-)