Late last year I bought a sewing machine for the first time from this place. After a great deal of…read morehelpful information the guy behind the counter convinced me into buying a brand new Janome, (I am sure there should be some model description I should include here but that is a bit out of my league); I have no idea about sewing, I did some in high school home economics but I think I may have skipped a few to many classes or perhaps the info has fallen out of my head along the way... The guy here was great, not necessarily all smiles and bubbly (thankyou, leave that to the barsita's), he was heaps helpful with the purchase and also the knowledge about the basics of how to use the machine. He also offered for me to come back in if I have any trouble. They had a sign about classes but there was none running at the time. For the hobby enthusiasts, well, you probably already know about this place I am guessing, they stock a large range and can help with accessories and or machine parts too.

My friends and I were only visiting Auckland for a short stay and HAD to purchase New Zealand yarn…read more (You know how it is. ;) This store had it all, yarn, notions, tools, patterns, and most important, knowledge! In a short time we had everything explained to us, purchased, and were on our way. It's well worth a visit!

An excellent range of NZ yarns, including Outlaw Yarns, Zealana and plenty of merino wool, possum…read moreand local alpaca blends. Heaps of NZ designed and themed quilting fabrics, if you're into that kind of thing. Great to have a place in the city to buy thread and other goodies, too!

YAY Kraftbomb! It's the last Sunday of every month at the Grey Lynn Community Centre on Richmond…read moreRd. This is where you bring your friends and pass some time appreciating local crafty goodness. This market is filled with all sorts of amazing and quirky crafts that are all made by the people selling them. This is where you should be spending your money people - buying things direct from the makers! Support local crafty peeps and do all your gift shopping at places like this. Parking is on the street so you may need to take a bit of a stroll. Bring cash, although there is eftpos available at a central location for the whole market. There's usually amazing cupcakes and lemonade to satisfy your hunger and thirst while you ponder over which superhero necklace you want. And there's a playground outside that you can distract your children with so you can look around without risking them touching and breaking :)

This craft market takes place on the last Sunday of every month at the Grey Lynn Community Centre,…read morewhich is right on Richmond Rd. I got a bus there when I last went. The centre was full of stalls, all selling handmade products such as jewellery, candles, cupcakes, clothing, and a heap of generally good gift ideas. Eftpos is available at the market which is always a win, especially for people like me who hardly ever carry cash. I purchased some ceramic ornaments as a birthday present which were well received. It's great finding lovely gifts and supporting someone local. There is lots of different and unique stuff here too; things that you just don't find in regular shops. If you fancy a crafternoon, you could buy a cross stitch kit that when finished would read "beards are the new black" and other such words of wisdom! If you would personally like to sell something at Kraftbomb, you can apply on their website.

This gorgeous little space very recently opened up in St Kevin's Arcade on K-Road, across from the…read moreAlleluya cafe. It's a crafting space/cute sewing supply shop, run by the lovely Sarah and her intern, Rosie. Maybe you want to use a sewing machine or an overlocker for a few hours, maybe you want to cut out some patterns, or do some handstitching. Maybe you don't know anything at all about sewing, but you'd love to learn. Or maybe you just want to pick up some gorgeous vintage fabrics, notions, or handcrafted items from local NZ craftspeople. You can do all of these things here, and if you need a helping hand, Sarah and Rosie are more than happy to give you a few pointers. Everything inside is reclaimed/recycled - the machines, the tools, the fabric - everything! The decor is really cute and cosy, with the mismatching stools, and the lovely sewing decorations hanging everywhere. They offer classes on how to start sewing, or how to make skirts/tops, or how to mend clothes you already have, and refashioning stuff from your wardrobe! They also offer knitting classes, all at very reasonable prices. If you order coffee from Alleluya, they'll even bring it over to you in the cafe!

Since when did craft fairs become sooo cool? I'm pretty sure that back in the day craft fairs were…read morejust full of knitted jumpers and painted eggshells. Well, that is certainly not the case these days. At Crafternoon Tea specifically, you'll find cool terrariums and succulents, beautiful prints of pencil drawn animals (look at the photos), modern jewellery and these adorable woolen hot waterbotttle covers (ok, so that's sounds a little nanna-ish but trust me, they're cool). The fair runs one Saturday a month from 10am - 2pm in the old church at the top of Bond St. Head along first thing and then stop in at one of the many cafes nearby to refuel. Perfect Saturday morning activity!

Crafternoon Tea is such a good market to visit. It's held in Kingsland in the Trinity Methodist…read moreChurch Hall in Kingsland, a great hub for lots of creative and crafty people. It's usually packed with loads of stalls and people milling about them. There's everything from soap, to clothes, cupcakes, jewelry and more. And the best thing about it is that anyone can have a stall for around $30. However, they stress that it needs to be handmade or retro and nothing imported can be sold. I think this is such a good idea to keep the market, well, a market. It's so great to see local people using local resources to create awesome Kiwi products. They also have lots of tutorials on their website that show you how to make some of your very own handmade delights.

Annex is the kind of store I love going into. Everything in there is just beautiful. They stock a…read morerange of different products from clothing, to homeware, to gifts. I absolutely love the clothing range they have in store. Everything edges on the side of being a basic and because of this you know they will be classics in your wardrobe for many days to come. And when you feel the fabrics they are of the best quality. Top cottons, merinos and great patterns. Their products would be a perfect present for your mother-in-law for her birthday. The staff are really nice, lovely women who are helpful when necessary but leave you alone when you just want to be alone. The store definitely edges on the expensive side, they are in Ponsonby after all, but they do have great sale racks that are definitely worth hitting up. Especially around Ponsonby Market Days.

I recently fell over this divine little store on Ponsonby Rd tucked in between Macy Home and Jane…read moreDaniels. It's a hybrid of homewares, including crockery, candles, clothes shoes and French hair accessories, The beautiful items though, are the handmade crystal earrings and gorgeous (also handmade) Italian glass rosary beads. All in various colour variants and combos. All so swoon-worthy I'm not sure whether I'd wear them or find a very stylish way to display them in my home! A treasure trove without being remotely bric a brac! And lovely helpful sales people.

Super helpful staff, a great array of things that you just don't find anywhere else. Takes me back…read morein time which is fun. Always my first choice for materials, wools, sewing notions, so the list goes on. I am a repeat customer and will stay that way. Cheers to Ikes! Lin.

Sure they sell a wide range of homewares, sewing supplies, dress up costumes and everything in…read morebetween. Ikes used to be the place to go if you needed a proper sized flag of your home country. For $10 they had a huge selection of international flags behind the counter. When I was there last week I couldn't see any indication they were selling these anymore. The place looks quite run down and messy, I'd rather shop at the Look Sharp Store in Albany for costumes, party & craft/sewing supplies.

Ali Davies is a recently opened boutique fabric store located on Garnet Road in Westmere…read more Unfortunately every time I have passed this store I've been on my way to work, and then when I finally had the time to go inside the store was closed. However, that didn't stop me from having a peek in the window. Doilies, beautifully patterned fabrics (many of which depict classic New Zealand icons like the pohutukawa flower), organic products, crochet cushion covers, great artwork created by local artists and an amazing, bright, vibrant rug made of woven fabrics - everything in this store was gorgeous. What a gem! As well as selling fabrics by the metre, Ali Davies also offers organic waffle cotton tea towels for $10 each and table napkins for $12. The entire store gave off a really homely, kitsch, trustworthy vibe, and even though I didn't interact with any shopkeepers, if their personalities are anything like the atmosphere of the store - Ali Davies will be the complete package! Tip: Thought not officially open on Mondays and Tuesdays, if you contact Ali Davies you can shop there by appointment. A little aside: As I was about to leave I noticed a little Hungry Caterpillar book hanging from the handle of the store's door. I'm not sure whether this was supposed to be there or not- it was a bit strange - but it just fit with the homely, cute and cosy vibe of Ali Davies and made me like this place even more!