Needlepoint Shops in Hartford and Wethersfield

One shop we can confirm, Thistle Needleworks on Silas Deane Highway in Wethersfield, about three and a half miles south of downtown Hartford.

For Hartford, the needlepoint shop we can confirm is Thistle Needleworks, on Silas Deane Highway in Wethersfield, about three and a half miles south of downtown. It is a needlework shop for counted thread, needlepoint, and crewel embroidery, with painted needlepoint canvases, a wide range of threads, its own Thistle designs, and finishing.

If you know what you want, the shop encourages ordering from its online store for pickup in Wethersfield, and it calls you when the order is ready.

Wethersfield

The hours are the thing to plan around

Thistle Needleworks opens from 9:30am to 5:30pm from Tuesday to Friday, and from 9:30am to 4pm on Saturday. It is closed on Sundays and Mondays, so Saturday is the one weekend day. Outside those hours, its site says you can contact it for an appointment.

Before you go

• Call ahead, and leave a message if nobody answers. The shop's number is (860) 257-2718, and its site says staff may be busy filling orders and will call you back.
• Tell the shop before you come to the open classroom. It meets on the first and third Tuesday afternoons of each month and the Thursday mornings of those weeks, and the shop asks to hear from you in advance.
• Bring the canvas if you have one. Thread and mesh have to be matched to the specific canvas, and nobody can do that from a photograph. See our thread guide for what that pairing involves.

FAQ

Is there a needlepoint shop in Hartford itself?

Not one we have been able to confirm. Thistle Needleworks is the nearest, about three and a half miles south of downtown Hartford.

Is Thistle Needleworks still in Glastonbury?

No. By its own account it moved to Wethersfield in September 2015, after thirty-two years in Glastonbury. It is about six miles west of the middle of Glastonbury.

Is it near West Hartford or Middletown?

It is about six miles southeast of the middle of West Hartford and about eleven miles north of the middle of Middletown.

Can I learn here as a beginner?

Yes. Its open classroom takes every level from beginner up, in cross stitch and other counted work as well as painted and charted needlepoint, and private lessons are available by appointment.

Can I get a finished piece made up?

Yes. Thistle Needleworks offers finishing, and its class schedule includes ornament finishing for pieces you have stitched. Read our finishing guide first so you know what to ask.

What is the nearest other shop?

The Needlepoint Nook of Mystic in Groton, on our Mystic and New London page, is about forty-one miles southeast. The Enriched Stitch, on our Fairfield County page, is about fifty-four miles southwest.

New to needlepoint?

If you are heading to the shop for the first time, it helps to know roughly what you are looking at before you walk in.

• 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.
• Needlepoint or cross stitch, for the difference between the two.

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