Needlepoint Shops on Cape Cod and the Islands

Two shops on the Cape and two on the islands, in a part of the country where needlepoint has deep roots.

Cape Cod, Nantucket, and Martha's Vineyard are needlepoint country in a way few places are. The craft has been part of coastal New England life for generations, and it shows in the canvases: lighthouses, harbor scenes, quahogs, island maps, and belts covered in whales turn up in shops all over the region.

There are four shops worth the trip. Two sit in Mashpee on the Cape, a few minutes apart, and the two island shops share an owner.

Cape Cod

Nantucket

Martha's Vineyard

Planning a visit

Two things make shopping here different from the mainland.

Seasons matter more. Island and Cape businesses often shorten their hours or close entirely outside the summer season. A shop that is open seven days in July may be open two days in February, so calling ahead is not optional here the way it nearly is elsewhere.

The ferry is part of the trip. Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard are reached by boat or plane, so a shop visit is a day out rather than an errand. Worth building the rest of the day around, and worth knowing the shop's hours before you book the crossing.

If you are on the mainland side of the canal, the shops in the South Shore and South Coast are closer.

A note on yarn shops

Search results in this region often mix needlepoint shops together with yarn and knitting stores, and the islands have several good ones. They are not the same thing. A yarn shop serves knitting and crochet, and while some carry a little needlepoint, they will rarely have canvases or the fiber range a needlepoint project needs.

The four shops on this page are needlepoint shops proper. If you are not sure which you are looking at, our guide to needlepoint and its neighboring crafts covers what separates them.

New to needlepoint?

• How to start needlepoint, for what a first kit needs to contain.
• Mesh count explained, for the number on every canvas label.
• Thread types, for the wool, cotton, and silk question.
• Christmas stockings, which are a regional staple and a bigger project than they look.

FAQ

Are these shops open year round?

Hours vary a great deal by season on the Cape and the islands, and some businesses close for part of the winter. Always call before traveling, particularly if a ferry is involved.

Is there a needlepoint shop in Hyannis, Chatham, or Falmouth?

Not a dedicated one. Both of the Cape's needlepoint shops are in Mashpee, within a few minutes of each other, and they are in reasonable driving distance of most of the mid and upper Cape. Falmouth is the closest of the three towns.

Can I find Nantucket or Vineyard designs to stitch?

Yes, and they are a specialty of the region. Island maps, lightships, harbors, and whales are all common motifs, and the island shops carry designs you will not easily find elsewhere.

Do the island shops ship?

Erica Wilson sells online as well as in the shops. For a hand-painted canvas it is still worth buying in person if you can, because color and thread pairing are hard to judge from a screen.

Shop details were checked in August and September 2026 against each shop's own listings. Hours change seasonally in this region more than most, so please call ahead. If something here is out of date, or your shop is missing, tell us and we will fix it.