I usually hate picking cards. There is simply too much choice in those massive card shops that you…read morefind in town centres. What you really want is not twenty-odd types of jam but about six, as that experiment goes. Because otherwise you will be flummoxed by too much choice. So, with a cardshop you want a well edited selection as you have in Archie's instead of every card ever printed in the North West. Also, come here for cheap wrapping paper. Wrapping presents beautifully is a lost art, I think. It is so insulting when someone just bangs your gift in a gift bag (sticker still on the bottom and everything). Here they have paper and bows and that thin ribbon stuff that you can wrap round to make people feel special. You have given up 5 minutes of your precious time to make their gift look nice. The gift may possibly be one of the silly things they sell here, I wouldn't necessarily buy any of these don't get me wrong. Maybe it is because a shop I used to work in was a gift shop that had outgrown these roots yet still wrapped every in tissue paper. Still.

As a pedestrian, there is a small part of the walk that is not pedestrian friendly, which is why I…read morewas a little shocked that there was no pedestrian walk connecting this shopping area with the B&Q. Anyway, it is quite a large store... I didn't even make it upstairs because I had already spent so much time downstairs. There are a couple of clearance sections starting on the right wall near the tills. And... fortunately the first clearance section is yarn (or knitting wool). Unfortunately the yarn isn't labeled properly so it is difficult to figure out how much the yarn costs. That wouldn't have been a problem if there had been some staff to help, but there was only one lady on the tills who may have been training and I'm not sure where everyone else was. One of the reasons I took off a star. However, the selection for any craft you happen to be undertaking is amazing. They have supplies for baking, knitting/crochet, model building, felting, cross stitch, sewing, art supplies, etc. This could be a very dangerous store for my wallet ;). The other reason I took a star off is that the yarn section was a bit bare. It looked like a 3 for 2 sale, so probably why the shelves were bare, but still it didn't provide much for variety. And it was difficult to figure out what was part of the 3 for 2 sale, but again, there was no one to ask. However, the one item that I was quite impressed with and will have to investigate on another visit is the "yarn" made out of jersey material called Boodles. They also had a nice selection of books/magazines for crochet. Typically there are loads of books/magazines for knitters, but not crocheters... so this was a nice surprise. However, there were not a lot of choices for crochet hooks, especially for Tunisian Crochet, but I will probably inspect the online inventory to see if I can order some of these. When I did go to check out, they had added another staff member to the tills because there had been a line and what I really appreciated was when the staff member checked the lot numbers on my yarn and asked if it was ok that the lot numbers were different. Those of you who crochet or knit know how important lot numbers can be, however, because this was off of the clearance shelf and I did have a look and as far as I could tell there wasn't a huge amount of difference, but it is a variegated yarn so I think the changes in the colours will actually be hidden. Overall it is a great stop for crafters!

Not a bad shop for craft-related materials. Let's start with the positives: there's plenty of…read moreparking, a fairly wide range of stock, and the prices are competitive (by and large). The downside from my visit was the customer service; there was huge long queue at the check-out and two assistants standing chatting to each other for seemingly ages before one of them showed the initiative to open another till. Perhaps I just caught them on an off-day but it didn't make for a happy customer. All in all -- OK, but nothing special.

Incredible art store. I was blown away by how well stocked the store is. I loved the top floor with…read morecool crafts and unique art gifts to purchase. The second floor had every art supplies I could dream of, and the bottom floor was an amazing selection of paper and canvas. Truly a great art store for all

Incredible place, but dangerous at the same time as you could easily spend a lot of money in here!…read more The first time I popped in was when I needed a few items for an event and I thought I'd gamble on Fred Aldous having the stuff I needed - they did! Anything you need for arts & craft or decorations they have it and with some good choice! I've now been in a few times when I need to pick up bits and bobs or essentials for work i.e. scissors etc. Loads of interesting present and gift ideas in here as well so if you're out and about birthday shopping or it's coming up to christmas - I'd say Fred Aldous is a great option with some similar style stuff to Oklahoma! Most of the stuff here is well priced and I've always been fairly surprised that my total wasn't higher when purchasing as I think the interior and style gives off an expensive vibe but really it's good value for money! A short simple review for a top NQ shop!

I remember this shop from when I was little too, My grandma use to take me in as she loves to knit…read more I think the hobby rubbed off onto me as some of the wool in here is lovely and I have made some wonderful fashionable scarves. This is the kind of shop Gok Wan goes on about in his programmes, he talks to us ladies and tells us about customizing our old clothes for a new look. This is the ideal shop for all that. Whether it be decorations or buttons. It is great here and worthy of a rummage in. You will no doubt let your imagination run wild like I do. There is tapestry and decorations for clothes, absolutely all sorts!

Fab graphic tee-shirts? Tick Cool design books? Tick…read moreIncredible photography and art books? Tick Huge style bibles? Tick Quirky hand-made badges and zines? Tick Ace cards, stationary and wrapping paper? Tick Thanks to Magma, I was able to buy lots of unique and arty Christmas presents in one go. Wait, I forgot to get something for myself! How about the new Yoshitomo Nara book?

I'm not much of a shopper hence why I've only just become aware of Magma's existence but I will…read moredefinitely be popping back! I was about 3 feet into the shop before I spotted a load of books I would like (guide to house plants, for e.g.!) but sadly I was not gift shopping for myself but my non-book-loving bf so he got an ice ball tray (which he loved).Looks like there's a v impressive magazine selection as well. Definitely a place to stop by if you're looking for a taste of the NQ.

If you can't afford the outfit you want from Retro Rehab, Oxfam Originals or American Graffiti -…read moreyou can always get your ass over to Abakhan Fabrics, buy a couple of yards and make your own! Spread over two floors, it's a fabric paradise with dozens of crates filled with off-cuts, cheap rolls and unusual fabrics. As well as kitsch, quirky and colourful cottons, there's fake fur, nylon, denim and all kinds of material. Upstairs and in the room at the back of the shop, they also sell patterns, buttons, zips, rolls of cotton and everything you'd need to make your own cat-suit or hot pants! Even better, almost everything they stock is cheap as chips.

If your an art student, into arts and crafts, fashion, sewing atc this is the place for you. Huge…read morevariety of fabrics and cut offs. A word of warning: make sure you know what your looking for or have a vague idea otherwise you will spends hours sifting through what looks like a little bit of a jumble sale. Prices are really decent and staff are really friendly and willing to help you choose/ measure any number of rolls/ cuts.

Gorgeous creative space with 20 plus studios bursting at the seams with unique, one off pieces…read moreranging from jewellery to artwork. I LOVE this place, they showcase a lot of local talent. There is a cute coffee shop that sells the usual tea, coffee, cake and small plates so it's perfect for a coffee and a browse. Fun Fact: Back in the day this used to be the local fish market, the original features including the tiles still remain in tact. On some days I swear you can smell residual fishiness but that could just be my mind playing tricks on me!

Angela's absolutely right, this place is so easy to miss. When I first happened upon this place by…read moreaccident, thankfully after I'd hauled Lex G all over the Northern Quarter in an attempt to locate Teacup she still had the energy to spot this gorgeous, adorable building and say, 'What's that?' Me being the investigative yelper that I am said, 'I have no idea. Let's have a look.' Thank goodness we did, because I thought places like this only existed in small towns, at Cedar Farm (a beautiful little crafts-driven farm with shops in Mawdesley that I highly recommend... ahh, my rural homeland radius) or in Brighton. Literally, I felt like I'd stepped into somewhere along the seafront in my brother's resident city, because the last time I saw open studios and handmade jewellery for sale, I was indeed in that picturesque place by the sea. From the outside the building is pretty, but when you walk in it really takes your breath away. Delightful little exhibitions, artists at work... I instantly made a mental note to bring mothers here, mine or in-law, the next time they're in Manchester as they love places like this. The centre has such a lovely quaint feel to it, and goodness me, tranquil? I couldn't have felt more tranquil had you tipped a load of Kalms tablets down my throat and given me a Slanket and a chocolate Horlicks. And whether you're naturally a chilled out person or slightly neurotic and over-organised like myself, no doubt walking in here will instil in you a sense of calm that you'll struggle to find anywhere else in Manchester. The work for sale is exceptional, and I myself was instantly attracted to the wall hangings comprising of collages of iconic Manchester photographs, such as street signs, buildings, bands, restaurants and so forth. I could have stayed in here for hours.You're bound to come home with something special and unique here gifts-wise. Cafe Aromat has its own website and looks absolutely mouthwatering, so I promise that when we pop in again I'll get some munch there and let you know how it is. I know, I suffer for my art don't I. *Winks.*

Ryman in Bury, is a fairly small store yet they still manage to pack a lot into the store, mainly…read morethrough making use of their large and tall walls, which is both a good and bad thing, perhaps good they manage to pack a decent product range into a large space and bad because some people might struggle to reach the higher shelves because of how they have utilise and packed the space. The staff didn't stand out as much on my visit, as they have done previously such as at Ryman in Newcastle, but they seemed much friendlier than the rude staff I've seen at other branches of Ryman such as Manchester Arndale and Oldham, which were the two branches which accused me of breaking their products to return them, when there was an obvious fault which made me feel quite shocked and sad, however I won't let this affect the review for this store as it is down to a different branch of the chain, of course not this one. The location of this branch of Ryman is okay, it is away from the main part of The Rock, yet it is still classed as being a part of it, it is much closer to the likes of Natwest, RBS and the Millgate Shopping Mall than the central part of The Rock, which includes a VUE cinema, Marks and Spencer and JD Sports, to name just a few shops in the shopping complex. Once again I'm struggling to determine a fair rating for yet another store, this isn't the best or worst branch of Ryman I have visited and for me it is basically average, and it also is average in terms of a store of its' kind, I'm in the tricky situation where a three star review would be too generous and a two star review might be slightly undeserved, yet sadly due to nothing about this place standing out and yelling "excellent" at me, I feel it is so high up the two star ladder yet not worthy of a three star rating yet, hopefully this will change on a future visit to this store.

I remember girls being obbsessed in this place when I was younger…read more Situated on the 1st floor of mild rebellion central, Afflecks Palace The Bead Shop specialises in beads (don't) & jewellery making supplies. Not only that, they also run beading classes for all levels throughout the week & stock a wide range of beading kits, semi-precious stones & Sworovski Crystals. So much like cracker dealers, they lure people in, get them hooked, then simply cater to demand. "C'mon man, just a few more pink flower beads...." "I think you've had enough." "Dammit I'll tell you when I've had enough!!"

This place is wonderful. I remember coming here at the age of 13 and thinking this shop was the…read morefuture. Obviously others thought the same thing as its still going strong. The concept: spend hours choosing coloured beads, choose a lace/string, make a fabulous and unique necklace/ bracelet. I have to stay away from this place as a grown adult now to avoid walking out of the shop looking like I am polly pocket. Not to say you cant make stylish pieces for grown-ups it's just my tastes in beads seem to be similar to that of a ten year old!