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Best Arts & Crafts Supply Stores In Sacramento

The capital city is home to unique artisans who work in every imaginable medium, from ceramics, calligrapher's ink, magnets or baby yak yarn to paint, vintage jewelry findings, fabric and repurposed record albums. While creative minds and imaginative souls are clearly paramount to the process, every artist and crafter still needs to find the tools, supplies and other tricks of the trade. These are some of the best spots to shop for such things in the Sacramento region.
Hancock Fabrics
2711 El Camino Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95821
(916) 484-7751
www.hancockfabrics.comSacramento crafters love Hancock as much for the frequent sales, special deals and coupons as for the high-quality tools and materials. "Our shop is great for fabric," says Guenhwyvar Kelly of Hancock, and "customers appreciate being helped by people who are avid crafters themselves." And while fabric is part of the company name, cloth, sewing machines, patterns and notions are just the tip of the iceberg for shoppers. The store sells everything from glitter and glue guns to calligraphy pens, yarn, feathers, handbag kits, stencils, faux fur, mask forms and rolls of flexible magnets. Prices are better than at many other places, and the shop is fun and well organized.

Related: Best Local Poets In Sacramento

ReCREATE
8417 Washington Blvd., Suite 135
Roseville, CA 95678
(916) 749-3717
www.recreate.orgReCREATE is a green nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping recyclable items out of landfills. The ReUSE store offers artists and crafters a multitude of items with which to express their creativity. An ever-changing selection of fabrics and paper are perfect for scrapbooking, sewing and other projects, but there is no reason to limit your repurposing to traditional materials. Tiles, architectural and construction samples, corks, record albums and manufacturer's overruns are just a few of the diverse and plentiful options. Best of all, prices are extremely low and help to fund ReCREATE recycling and education projects.
U Bead It
2525 Yorktown Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95821
(916) 488-2323
www.ubeaditsacramento.comCreating unique jewelry is a true art form, and U Bead It may be the first and only stop needed for Sacramento crafters needing supplies. The popular shop is known for having an extensive selection of bead styles and tools, and the staff is both knowledgeable and happy to help. Vintage findings, pearls, sterling silver, lamp work and pieces are available, as are numerous sizes of Japanese seed beads. Jewelry-making books can be found as well, and there are kits, beads and findings from Peru, China, Japan, Germany and the Czech Republic.
Babetta's Yarn and Gifts
4400 San Juan Ave.
Fair Oaks, CA 95628
(916) 965-6043
www.babettasyarnandgifts.comBabetta's is the perfect vision of paradise for fiber artists of all levels of expertise. Beginners can take classes to learn or develop their skills at knitting, crocheting, spinning or weaving, and the average cost for individual or small-group instruction is only around $20. The selection of unique, quality yarn, wool, patterns, buttons, notions, needles and gifts is amazing, and available rovings include mohair, silk, alpaca, linen and baby yak and camel hair. Crafters are welcome to hang out on weekends to knit, crochet and swap ideas with others, and to enjoy coffee and baked goodies at the shop. Babetta's is a collection center for knitted or crocheted pieces for "Warm-Up America" – a nonprofit that distributes afghans and other items to people in need.
Alpha Fired Arts
4675 Aldona Lane
Sacramento, CA 95841
(916) 484-4424
www.alphafiredarts.comAlpha is a great spot for those seeking tools, training and supplies for ceramics. Paintable bisque figurines are available for children and adults, and there are many kinds of glazes, clays, wheels, colors, brushes and mud tools available. Fans of hand-molded Japanese pottery will appreciate the raku supplies, and artists can fire their pieces at Alpha as well. Kilns, wheels and other similar products can be purchased through the store and studio.

Related: Top Arts & Crafts Activities For Kids In Sacramento

Valerie Heimerich is a freelance writer out of Sacramento. She typically covers animals and community issues. She has volunteered and worked for many organizations helping animals and people.
Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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