Tucked down a side street from RMIT's maddening architecture, Melbourne Artist Supplies can feel a…read morelittle like a bat cave. The artificial light contrasts with the sunshine streaming in the roller door, so your eyes may take a second to adjust to the wonder that awaits. All manner of art and craft supplies inside, with friendly staff who know what they're talking about. The prices march the quality, and every now and again a sale will have the place crawling with crafty types.

Cheap art supplies, with staff that can advise, arts classes that are affordable, and have I…read morementioned cheap art supplies. I went there looking to take up soft pastel art as a hobby. I'd discovered it recently as something that can be made to look pretty despite having no technical art talent whatsoever. The stock is mostly Mont Marte, which one can find in most $2 shops. I don't know whether it's a good quality product or not, but it works for me. And if you're not especially fussy/doing it for money, then what's the harm? Great for beginners, and great for people who want to paint a large canvas like a tardis for a costume.

I am gobsmacked!! I ordered 6 Holbein watercolour paints yesterday. I live in country Victoria and…read moreThey arrived next day beautifully packed, no problems. Great online art shop and I will certainly be buying my art supplies here again. Prices were not over the top either. Avril Widdess.

As a child I was not allowed near scissors. Not even the plastic safety ones. Not because of the…read moredanger aspect, it was because I held them so awkwardly that it drove my Mum insane. "How is it that you were smart enough to read and write at 4 but still can't cut paper?!" she would lament. Ok...so I'm not crafty. I still can't cut or sew a straight line to save myself. I didn't get that gene passed down from Mum. So she's the real reason why I come here. This place is like craft-mum-crack. She can't get enough. Yarn, ribbons, thread - I see 10 types of string and Mum sees all the possibilities for the beautiful things she could make. For the grandkids that I also haven't produced for her (sorry Mum!) Still, I can see that the things here are beautiful and unique. Having been invited *cough* dragged *cough* to visit many a craft store in my day, none have been filled with so many vintage knick-knacks and girly delightful things. So if your Mum gave you the craft-gene or you're present shopping for something unique, navigate your way through the Nicholson Building and check out L'Uccello.

Where do I start? If you are in to any form of craft,…read moresewing, fabric or paper design - you need to pop in to this place. Head up the stairs in the Nicholson Building on Swanston, you will not be disappointed. L'uccello stock a huge range of goodies from Liberty, Winterwood, and real vintage Parisian markets / couture suppliers. Everything here is beautiful as well as useful, you will not leave empty handed - You have been warned!

Sticky is an artist-run and focused initiative that facilitates and promotes zine culture in this…read morecity. It's an amazing concept: you can go in, use their resources, pick their brains and be blown away by the wealth of incredible artists and artisans working in the zine realm. Sticky have a lucid idea of who they are as a collective. Their mission statement says: "By bypassing the conventional gallery system, Sticky redefines the notion of a retail environment as a non profit arts space dedicated to Australian and international zine culture." And in doing these things, the institute allow the proliferation of this otherwise underground and often off-kilter art practise -- a great thing for any city. Any gripe with the place would be that it is cramped and can feel a bit exclusive at times. I've had slightly mixed experiences with staff, but they're mostly volunteers, so there's no shortage of passion.

Zines, the DIY behemoth that excites photocopiers, writers and artists alike has a home in…read moreMelbourne. Situated beneath Flinders st as one enters the train station, one will find every surface adorned with self-made paraphernalia, complete with badge machine, stapler and photocopier for the budding Zinester in all of us, Sticky is an institution.

Senior Art Supplies is the ideal place for anyone interested in art. It doesn't matter if you are a…read morepracticing artist, or someone who's looking at taking some drawing classes, Senior Art Supplies is a great place to either stock up or get some inspiration. Inside you'll find sections devoted to mediums. I personally love browsing through the pastel range with tiny little pencil-sized tips to the large chunky oily pastels. The pencil section is enormous and like the pastels, features every colour you could ever think of. Towards the front you'll find the paintbrush section, which again has a huge range, and the canvases at the side come in all different shapes and sizes. It's easy to get overwhelmed in a place like this, especially if you are new to the store. Have a chat with the sales assistants (the counter is in the middle) and they'll work through the store with you.

I went in here to see if I could find some hanging alternatives for works on paper that I was…read moreexhibiting. I didn't want anything that would damage the paper and I didn't want to leave the paper unframed yet somehow attached to the gallery wall. That might sound like a difficult request but it wasn't for the staff here. They stocked a magnetic hanging system that was perfect for what I wanted as the powerful magnets would hold the paper to the small metal plates attached to the walls without leaving a mark on the paper. This many not be the largest art supply store in the city but they do have a good range of quality materials and the staff are very helpful. They are also conveniently located on the ground floor of the CAE building so if you run out of art supplies before your class.

I needed yarn, but I was new to the city and didn't really know my way around. So I consulted yelp…read moreto see if there was a yarn store within walking distance of my house. There was. The yarn barn. So i walked there. It's located in a residential area on Reynard so you have to be looking for it. You can get decent quality yarn for a fair price and there's a good selection of textures and colors. My crocheting looks so much nicer using this quality yarn. Note: they ONLY sell yarn.

Needed a strap and buckle solution for my camera pouch and was wrapped that I went to Lincraft…read more Ashley was amazing and the guy that took my call and understood my needs was great too. I'll be back great friendly service good range.

I am just learning to knit and the staff was so welcoming and helped me find all of the supplies I…read moreneeded.

Morris and Sons are a bit of a one-stop-shop for your yarn needs. They do have one of the most…read moreextensive ranges of Noro yarn around. The upsides of Morris and Sons: - great sales! You can get some real bargains - great membership program - knowledgeable staff The downsides: - city location doesn't have a cozy vibe - they can get super busy so you may need to wait for advice - some of the yarns are pretty pricey - wait for the sales! They have a new updated website that offers online shopping too!

If you're into homewares and colour, mud is definitely one to go and check out. Australian made…read moreceramics, they are rough and textured out the outside with super high gloss on the inside in a bunch of amazing colours. I love bright things around the house, so I came across mud when admiring some of their gorgeous mugs and plates. Unfortunately...a cup is going to set you back in the realm of $40-$50. Each. Ouch. I was too scared to look at the rest as this falls out of my price range. BUT if you have some cash to splash or are looking for a special present for someone, this high end range of crockery is gorgeous. I don't know how much the going rate is for nice crockery because I am clumsy and too scared to buy anything more expensive than IKEA for fear of destroying it. So while I may not purchase something here for myself, it is a lovely spot to look at and a great pick for a list of lovely mum gifts. The service is helpful, the displays are pretty and if you don't find something in the colour you want let them know so they can source it for you.

I am a sucker for ceramics and porcelain so when I came across the Mud store in Gertrude Street, I…read moreknew it would be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. This is a brand that we can be proud of; Mud is made in Australia and has some beautiful colours including duck egg blue and soft coffee shades. This Mud store stocks Kobo candles as well (yay!). The setting is minimalist and sleek; the focus is all on the beautiful plates, bowels and cups as they sit on top of the surfaces. Like I mentioned before when I visited another ceramic store - take your bag off your shoulder and carry it low and steady, you really wouldn't want to knock anything off here. I thought the service was really good - the sales assistants were very friendly and happy to walk me through the products and give you some information about Mud.