You ever get that feeling you don't quite belong?…read more When I stepped into Roud Fabrics initially I thought that as I could see no one in the shop, on the door it welcomes you in, saying you have no obligation to buy, but I couldn't help feeling that everything I touched was being added onto some imagenry tab that I would have to pay for before I left. My thoughts on this shop soon changed when the shop assistent(might have been owner or manager... I have no idea!) asked if she could help me, I wasn't quite sure what I was after but somehow I left with a throw for my sofa (yes thats right 'A throw!', I did get my man points back by grabbing a cheeky lunch time pint, I hope). I wasn't sure if I bought something because I wanted it, or if I did indeed feel obliged to as the shop was deathly quiet

This is a brilliant little fabric shop. From the outside it may look quite dated but if you have a…read morelittle look inside you will soon see that it has so much to offer. From you standard carpet off-cuts to larger roll's of beautiful soft materials and silks. I always like to make my room feel homely when I move in, and a few strategically placed lengths of fabric can really help the whole settling in period. The shop is on the whol quite reasonabley priced which is what you get with a lot of the shops in Eastern, so if you want to add something special to an old dress, or just want a throw for a sofa then this is a great place to come.

The strapline of Avon Textiles is: for all fabrics. I spotted a very good selection of quality…read moresilks, satins, cottons, polyesters, fake fur, net ... I could go on. Part of the delightfully eclectic St Nicholas Market, this glorified market stall is bulging, not only with rolls of material, but also sewing accessories, needles, buttons, zips, velcro by the metre.. We have As an avid sewer of fancy dress costumes, I can often be found rummaging through the reels of stuff. Luckily much of it is less than a fiver a metre and the lady running the stall is as helpful-as-can-be. The stall is great for dress-making and home-furnishing as they've started stocking upholstery and curtain fabric too.

A gem of a fabric stall in St Nicholas Market, Avon Textiles is easiest to find if you go in from…read morethe side entrance on High Street, there you'll find a wealth of rolls stacked up against the wall opposite a late night takeaway stall. Avon Textiles stocks a surprisingly large range of materials, from dressmaking staples such as calico, to fake fur, neon stretch lycra and silk. The prices are relatively cheap too, which is always a bonus. The man that runs the stall is also fairly tolerant of students which is a blessing as this is often the destination of choice for those looking to make fancy dress costumes, particularly the animal kind as there are always several varieties of fake fur on the go at any one time. Rolls are stacked somewhat haphazardly so normally you just point to what you want and the man gets it for you. Whilst occasionally irritating, as you don't get to initially touch and feel the fabrics yourself, this is a blessing if you have butterfingers and are prone to Laurel & Hardy style mishaps when handling 3m long polls!

This is one of the few haberdasheries in the centre of town. Unless you've seen it you may not find…read moreit: go to the McDonalds restaurant on the edge of Cabot Circus next to the Hollister store. Rather than go into Cabot Circus turn left and left again and go behind the McDonalds and walk along that road and you will find it. Fabric Land does what it says on the tin. They offer rolls of any fabric you can imagine as well as a well stocked haberdashery offering needles, threads, ribbons etc. The products are sold at a reasonable price, but Fabric Land can afford to be a little more pricey as there are so few fabric stores and haberdasheries around. The service is OK - if a little rough around the edges, but it is a great find as I have not found anywhere else in Bristol centre that still offers this kind of range.

When Fabric Land closed in the centre of town a few months a go I was a bit disappointed because…read moreI'd always thought it was a great store as it had loads of stock, and I didn't realize they were opening up a newer branch. This branch is pretty much in the same location - but just on the opposite side of the road! I saw their new store a few weeks ago and popped in, and I was amazed at how much bigger and better it was, even though the old branch was already pretty good! This new Fabric Land opened up a couple of months ago and looks brand new and modern inside. All their fabrics are really neatly presented, and all the different sections are clearly set out so you can find what you're looking for pretty easily. This store has a massive selection of different fabrics available which is great. I have always loved Fabric Land because it's reasonably priced, has some good quality products, and the staff always seem very happy to help - and the same goes for this branch. I dabble in the odd bit of textiles making at home and I now get my supplies from here, I'd also say that if you are a student then it's a brilliant place for fancy dress, you can grab some leopard print material for under a fiver and do a make-shift cave girl outfit pretty easily! Saves you some pennies too!

A fantastic place like an Aladdin's cave of fabrics and many other craft items. I can often spend…read morehours there and always want to sjpend a lot of money. The courses are very good too.

An amazing shop, like Aladdin's cave! They stock a massive range of fabrics, in almost any pattern…read moreyou could think of, including those for seasonal projects, uphostery, dress-making and child-themed fabrics. The prices seem ok to me not as cheap as I've seen (but then the quality is good) but in line with most other fabric stores I've visited and cheaper than some! I visited yesterday as every January they run a sale with 20% off, which makes the prices much more competitive. The staff at Hansons are knowledgable, friendly and helpful and don't treat you like an idiot (even when you feel like one, for asking 'silly' questions!) I bought my sewing machine from Hansons a couple of years ago and the lady in the sewing machine department was so helpful, showing me the different functions of the machines and really tailoring her suggestions to what she felt my need and experience was. I have since returned on a couple of occasions for fabric and sundries and I'm sure if it was closer to where I live, I'd be there all the time! My only criticism, which isn't even that really, is that they pack so much in there that one often has to tuck in for passing customers as the walkways are very narrow, often shoving rolls of fabric back in whilst they pass!

This shop is the perfect place to go for wannabe dress designers, parents who need to entertain…read moretheir children or anyone who is looking to spruce up their home. This tiny shop offers cheaper than cheaper fabrics in a range of colours and materials. What they get seems to change month on month so you never know what you're going to find in the treasure chest of fabrics. The lady who runs the shop is extremely friendly - so if you've got any questions about the materials she sells, or sewing in general, she'll be happy to help. A fun haberdashery if you're looking to get a bit creative!

Believe it or not, I've been here a fair few times with my former housemate, as she took great…read morepleasure in fashioning her own clothes and accessories like bags from the huge range of fabrics carried at this store just off the main drag in Bath. While in there, she would go up and speak to the hugely helpful staff about her latest project and asking them what they would recommend, while I would go around touching all the fury and other unusual fabrics. Once I bought a faux leopard skin bit of cloth to make a crazy notebook, which I still have. Recommended.

Two awful grumpy old men serving today, couldn't be more disinterested in me as the only customer…read morein the shop ! Customer service was non existent didn't acknowledge me, no please or thankyou and talked about another customer in such a rude and disrespectful way that I was pretty peed off by the time I left there. Avoid this place at all costs, they don't deserve to survive in business.

Fabric shop which is predominantly curtain material, ready-made curtains and blinds. It is a big…read moreshop and has lots of rolls of fabric with some interesting choices, but nothing very fashionable or brand new. Perfect for traditional upholstery perhaps but not a fabric shop for modern dress-making. The counter is always busy and, maybe because I look young, I find it hard to get served. The location - tucked away in a square which in itself is in a suburb of Bristol - probably means that it relies very much on local and repeat customers but I never seem to have been treated like a potentially new loyal customer. However it does have all you need for dressing up windows and I have found everything I needed when I moved into a blank house nearby, including dealing with some awkward shaped windows.

The premiere fabric store in Keynsham, and very popular with proffesionals and amateur designers…read more The shops range of products include a vast selection of pure cottons for patchwork/quilting, calicos (whatever they are/is!), waddings, and quilting accessories. For those who fancy a do it yourself wedding dress they have bridal fabrics and evening fabrics. For the home there is net curtains; knitting yarns, knitting patterns and knitting accessories; plus a large range of haberdashery. Pretty much anything you are after they have in stock, and if they don't have it I am sure they would order it in... oh, and any order over £50 has free delivery!

This could be a great shop. It's large and stocks a lot of sewing and knitting supplies especially…read morequilting/patchwork fabrics. They have dressmaking patterns although not many dressmaking fabrics. What really lets it down is the attitude of the staff - I've been in quite a few times and found them to be mainly unfriendly and unhelpful.

A great little shop full of everything you need for knitting, crocheting, sewing and general…read morecrafting. Phasepatch's friendly owners stock everything from safety pins to embroidery skeins. They've just opened another premises that sells fabric too. A great addition to Chippenham's high street.

I'm a sucker for arts & crafts and creativity in general and Craft Works ticks all the boxes. This…read moreshop is one of the most comprehensive of its kind and one of the best in Bristol if you discount the likes of Hobbycraft. From the outside you might be forgiven for thinking this is a frivolous, girly shop for bored housewives and old ladies but oh how wrong you would be! There is a large selection of sketchbooks, drawing paper, paintbrushes and Daler-Rowney paints - all essential for art students and established artists alike. The store itself is lined with cards and displays that have been created using products from the shop, such as decopache kits, rubber stamps, ink and stencils. The only thing that limits the possibilities of the products in this shop is your own imagination. Price are reasonable and there is also a framing department at the back of the shop where you can take in your masterpieces to hang with pride.

Craft Works is probably the largest shop of its kind in Bristol. Stocking everything you can…read moreimagine, (and then some), for those with handicrafts in mind. Reasonably priced with knowledgeable staff on hand to explain what everything is for, Craft Works is creativity made easy. They even host workshops in the evening. They also stock resources for those of us who can't quite decide what hobby would suit us best, or for those of us that would like to be a bit more creative but aren't exactly sure how. A full range of magazines is available with comprehensive advice on hand. And just for the record: I'm in the market for a knitted toilet roll cover with a Cindy-type doll miraculously emerging from the middle. There's a commission in for anybody who can master the skills required to make one. I'd like it in shocking pink. Get enrolling now!