Needlepoint Shops in Philadelphia and on the Main Line

Three shops, from a six thousand square foot floor in Center City out to a Bryn Mawr alley.

Philadelphia has one very big needlepoint shop. Rittenhouse Needlepoint runs to six thousand square feet on one floor in Center City, keeps finishers and canvas painters on staff rather than sending work out, and opens seven days a week, which neither of the other two shops here does.

The other two are the opposite in scale and no worse for it. Needle Me has been in Havertown since 1989, and Greystone is a small newer shop down an alley in Bryn Mawr. Between them the city and the Main Line are well covered.

Center City

Havertown

Bryn Mawr

Which one to go to

They are different enough that the choice is easy once you know what you are after.

Rittenhouse for range and for anything involving finishing. Having painters and finishers in the building means you can talk to the person who will do the work, which is unusual enough to be worth the trip on its own.

Needle Me for the long view. The owner opened her first shop in Stone Harbor in 1977, and that kind of memory is the thing you cannot buy online.

Greystone if you are starting out. It is small, it is deliberately beginner-friendly, and you will get talked to rather than left to browse.

Before you go

• Rittenhouse is the only Sunday option. It is also open until 6pm six days a week, which makes it the one shop here you can visit after work.
• The Main Line pair keep short days. Needle Me runs 11am to 3pm and Greystone closes at 4pm, so neither suits an evening.
• Check Greystone in August. They close for a short summer break, and the shop is small enough that it is a real closure rather than reduced hours.
• 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

Which Philadelphia shop is biggest?

Rittenhouse Needlepoint, by a wide margin. Six thousand square feet on the second floor of 1216 Arch Street, in Center City. Most needlepoint shops are a single room.

Can I get finishing done in the city?

Yes, and unusually you can hand it to the people doing it. Rittenhouse keeps finishers on staff and takes drop-offs without an appointment. Read our finishing guide first so you know what to ask and what it costs.

Is there a shop actually on the Main Line?

Greystone is in Bryn Mawr, and Needle Me is in Havertown just south of it. Both are a short drive from Ardmore, Haverford, and Villanova.

Which is best for a first canvas?

Greystone, if you can make the hours. It was built around beginners. Failing that, go to Rittenhouse midweek rather than at the weekend, when there is more time to talk.

New to needlepoint?

If you are heading to one of these shops 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 actually needs to contain.
• Mesh count explained, for the number on every canvas label.
• Thread types, for the wool, cotton, and silk question.
• Finishing, for what happens after the stitching is done and what it costs.

Shop details were checked in September 2026 against each 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.