India apparently has a hobby and craft store! It's in Mumbai, called Hobby Ideas and is a venture of Pidilite Industries. I found this out by accident today when I spied a tube of fabric glue in a shop while looking for buttons. Now two of my bags which were languishing while I dithered over hand sewing are sporting linings (drying as we speak). Look ma, no needle and thread!
The tailor refused to sew them in and I was much distressed and girdling my loins to start the task, when I went in to buy buttons and just before I handed in my cash, I spotted the tube of glue. Whoda thunk it? So obviously I grabbed it and tossed over the extra Rs 15 (small price to pay for the pleasure of no-sew – no, not Mary-Sue). Came home and sat down with scissors, bags, cloth, iron and got down to work). Remind me not to keep more than two bags in line for lining. In other words, line as you go, sweetums, or liningless forever you shall remain.
Anyway, as I was saying, with my google fixation, once the gluing was finished, I tripped over to the net and looked up the manufacturer (whose products I use regularly, but hadn't thought to google before). And lo and behold, I find the said store has been in existence since last year. When can I go to Bombay, please?
The craft store has all sorts of things for candle making, glass etching, clay moulding (even has Fimo!) and a spool knitting kit. But that last product is as far as it goes, nothing else remotely related to crochet or knitting was advertised (except this book). Ah well, it's something to even have a craft store in the country. We might still progress.
swakrta.com 
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June 26, 2006 at 6:01 pm
Deneen
Swapna-does anyone do any type of arts/crafts in India at all? Where do most get their supplies?
June 26, 2006 at 9:59 pm
desiknitter
To pick a bone with you: why must a big craft store be progress? So many women knit and crochet and make up their own patterns in India; I’ve seen busloads of aunts in my extended family and beyond who make up their own patterns and create wonderful garments for their families. They aren’t tied down to written patterns and their supplies come from small local stores. It’s worked for them for many generations, and given that winter isn’t such a big deal in large parts, it’s a seasonal business. Samrat, the store in Pune and lots of stores in Delhi are abuzz with business in the winter but hardly anything the rest of the year. In Delhi all winter long you’ll see aunties in buses and markets, fingers flying with needles. There are lots of small craft stores, but they’re in older parts of cities, without the “branding” or “new economy” feel about them. When you’re in Pune next, check out the lanes in Tulshibaug.
Here in the US, aside from weather reasons, yes, you can go to lots of enormous chain stores to get one small needle, but this consumer-driven economy also survives on economies of scale. Consolidating crafts under one roof has allowed these big chains to expand and in many large stores, yarn has become a big thing only in the last five years: otherwise it was some acrylic yarn and a measly afghan or baby blanket pattern. Knitting became a cool thing for young women after 2001, and it’s only after that time that yarn stores have exploded and the big chains are now introducing more yarns. Then it was crochet. Already many of those who rode this wave are worried that people have moved on from knitting and crochet and are worried that “the next big thing” will not have any yarn involved and then affect the new businesses.
June 26, 2006 at 10:01 pm
desiknitter
Oooooops, I’m really sorry, didn’t mean to make that so long. Got carried away as I was typing…
June 28, 2006 at 7:56 am
Lucy
Is the internet your only option for supplies? What a bummer! As creative and talented as you are, you would go crazy crafty in the US. As for the nasty reply from the Indian Co. in the last blog….that is so unfair of them to judge you by what happened with someone else. I don’t blame you for being upset.
June 28, 2006 at 3:37 pm
Woolly Wormhead
DesiKnitter does have a point, although I can see why you’re excited too!
We have the chain ‘HobbyCraft’, which has gone some way to popularise some crafts. Mind you, they are not specialists, and cater for the mass market (which means lots of card making materials, scrap-booking etc) Their selection of yarns is poor (as if there wasn’t enough acrylic in the world) and I only really go there to get emergency Fimo supplies.
Still, this new store has got to be worth one visit at least, no?!