What an amazing shop. Such friendly staff and some lovely fabrics. So many patterns to choose from…read more I could spend all day in there

From the owner: Sew Wardrobe is a one stop shop where you can purchase patterns, fabrics and haberdashery to create…read morea complete me-made wardrobe. from bras and corsets, to tops and jeans, the LBD and winter coats. The concept behind the shop is the vision of Alison Smith who is renouned for the School of Sewing and The Sewing Book. The shop stocks indie patterns from around the world. Fabrics are arranged in colour palettes to help making those important decisions.

I only came across this place whilst working in Nechells and it's a hive of activity. If you are…read morelooking for furry fabrics, black out, sparkly vinyl or fun coloured net then you will surely find the colours you're after in here. KBT is a family run business that sell a lot of stock internationally, and because of the safe, high quality of their fabrics schools and education establishments buy a lot of stuff from them. If you live locally and work for a school or third sector organisation they do scrap bags of off cuts super cheap, which is always great for art projects. The guys here are really helpful at finding the fabric you are after or making suggestions with regards to price and alternatives. You can always take a swatch away with you which has all the pricing of the fabric you were looking at. They stock a wide range of spray and fabric paints as well as velcro and cutters. If you plan on visiting you can't access KBT directly off the round-a-bout it faces but via Nechells Place.

KBT is another great secret of mine. You wouldn't come here for dress fabric, or for luxurious…read morefabrics - but instead you'd come here to browse their giant bolts of blackout fabric, their rainbow colours of velvet and velour, their sparkly vinyl on the roll, the huge range of felt and netting, and then a range of 'fun' fabrics besides. A number of their regular clients are from education - schools and nurseries - who come to get fabrics suitable for kids to work with, or who need cheap fabric to create backdrops and costumes for school productions. Because of this, they sometimes sell special binbags full of offcuts for very little money which could be full of loveliness, or could be full of boring beige (one bag I bought had some lime green pleather in it - fab!) Alongside the practical fabrics they have a fair amount of upholstery fabric, and also a big range of fabric paints, spray paints and other textile-related products in cans and jars and pots. It's definitely worth having a mooch around!

I was introduced to Barry's by a friend and my magpie nature meant I wanted all of it!! It isn't by…read moreany means the biggest selection of fabrics but they stock anything from classy liberty to fake furs and sparkly badness. It's amazing. They regularly discount ends of rolls and seasonal stock, which is great for a bargain you'll buy and probably never make anything with. The out of season liberty stock and some of the wools are the reason to come here, expect to drool and a pinch in the pocket. Yes the staff can be grumpy, but also helpful. If you are prepared for this in advance and except it then it makes the shopping trip that much more manageable.

Bargain fabrics in one big warehouse…read more Whilst Barry's doesn't offer the same range or quality as the Fancy Silk Store does, it can offer unexpected gems - such as discounted Liberty fabrics or out-of-season reduced wool. The staff are knowledgeable, but often come across as harrassed and grumpy. That said, the fabric is so cheap I just don't care! Same as Fancy Silk Store - they don't stock many notions, so you'd need to go to the Rag Market for those.

As an artist who is into granny hobbies and crafts, this might be one of my favourite places to…read morevisit. It isn't very packed, but somehow you still find what you're looking for. The quality is great, and the prices are very reasonable, which is like the best of both worlds in this economy, isn't it? The staff is very polite and is eager to help you out in any way they can. I usually go there for yarns and embroidery threads, etc., but the urge to buy everything there is so real!

Out of all the stalls on the indoor market, this is the one I visit most frequently. If you enjoy…read moremaking costumes like I do then this stall should definitely feature on your shopping list. They sell pretty much everything related to sewing and knitting, barr machinery and large fabrics but there are plenty of fabric stalls nearby anyway. Everything is reasonably priced. I usually head here to purchase marabou, zips, coloured felt and strong threads. They give you a little pot to put your items in like at the sweet shop. I always feel like a little old lady when I come here but I am 30 in less than a month so I guess I am ; )

Don't be confused by the name - yes, they sell silk - but SO MUCH MORE besides!…read more The shop, covering 4 floors, is like a cave made of fabric - with the walls almost boughing in under the weight of bolts and bolts of fabric - tweed, wool, silk, cotton, draperies, netting... anything you can imagine, they will have. It can feel overwhelming - particularly if you visit to get some inspiration, as you just don't know where to start! The staff are helpful and will try to figure out what it is you're after - even if you're not entirely sure yourself (as is so often the way with my amateur dreams of fashion grandeur..) though they don't have much in the way of notions - eg. threads, fixings etc. To be honest, you're only a few steps away from the rag market though so you can easily pop in there once you've grabbed your fabric haul.

This store has three floors of every type of fabric you can imagine, including some great…read moreretro/vintage fabric. Majority of the fabric is priced reasonably and the staff are happy to help. The store has its own library of Vogue designs which you can browse through for ideas - a great idea! Located ideally in the city centre, near the bullring and opposite the market, so convenient if you frequent the city. The store is somewhat crowded and even more so if there are more than 10 or so customers in the store. Some fabrics are pricey.

This shop is well stocked and the curtains we had made, were very good. However, the big issue is…read morethat they never answer the telephone, which is frustrating as we need to reorder one element of the product as the measurement isn't quite right. Please answer your phone!

This is a really great shop if you like making things. I usually visit here to get my crochet hooks…read moreor knitting needles if I come across a pattern which I don't have the correct size for. They have an extensive range of yarns as well, but like all wool now it's proportionately much more expensive than it used to be - so sometimes you have to think hard if that Aran jumper is the best present for your nan!! This place stocks materials for loads of other crafts as well, if you like making cards or soft toys or your own clothes you will find something useful! It's a really fun place to browse if you like little bits and bobs for making things and would be a great place to take kids and get them interested in creative activities. If you don't do any crafty stuff you could still go in and talk to the staff, they're always ready with very helpful tips and advice.

If you're a crafter, you'll be in hog heaven here. The place is wall to wall with wool, ribbons,…read morebuttons (natch) and other crafty accoutrements, and the staff know what they're talking about. They're always willing to order stuff in too, in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for. A lovely gem - as sparkling and brilliant as the jars of sequins that they stock.

Patricia Ann is where I go to indulge my worrying ribbon addiction. It is also where I go to…read morerestore my faith in independent retail. I get easily bored with twee craft emporiums flogging over-priced tat with birds stuck on it. Patricia Ann is an oasis of unhip haberdashery. Let me explain: I walk in and see shelf-upon-shelf stacked with plastic storage boxes. To say that the place is cluttered is an understatement. But it all makes sense to Patricia. She is sitting at her chair, normally reading the bible or knitting. A gas heater blazes away in the corner, filling the space with a cosy heat and a smell that reminds me of camping. I ask for a bodkin and she smiles, she puts down her bible/knitting and locates the bodkin box. She then charges me some ridiculously low price, says "god bless" and I leave thinking "Woah, that was one cheap bodkin". This shop sells all sorts of knitting and sewing paraphernalia. I think it is wonderful, but I do tend to get excited about things that other people think are a bit rubbish (I once declared Gossip Girl the "definitive TV show of a generation"). Go there at Christmas to stock up on ribbon - it is ridiculously cheap and there is a huge choice.

Best dress fabric shop outside manchester. Staff really knowledgeableread more