Novella Needlepoint
Orlando is a funny little city. The circles are small, the points of separation are few, and something as uneventful as a nail appointment can introduce you to a quick connection that you reconnect with years later.
That’s how I met Faison, owner of Novella Needlepoint. We both got our nails done at a local nail salon, and our appointments kept coinciding quite often. At some places, people ignore other patrons and just talk to their nail tech, but at Nail Alchemy, we mostly all talked as a group at points. Faison was bubbly and sweet, complimented me on my overalls, and had her sweet baby girl in tow. It was a simple connection, but those often last.
Years later, upon discovering a local needlepoint shop in Winter Park, I learned it belongs to Faison! From blogger to professional photographer to mother to needlepoint business owner, Faison has been covering all the bases since we once sat side by side. She now has a viral shop under her belt and a community to bring together, as we all vow that 2026 will be the year we are online less. She’s getting many locals engrossed in a passion she has had since she was a child - needlepoint.
Novella Needlepoint is located in the Hannibal Square area of Winter Park (right across from JAM Hot), and I expected the shop to be somewhat empty when I entered on a weekday morning. I was hugely mistaken as I walked into the long corridor of crafts, barely able to get to Faison amongst all her needlepointers. We sat in the back area on a comfy pink couch and reconnected as she told me all about her burgeoning business.
Novella Needlepoint opened in 2022, but Faison has been engrossed in needlepoint since around the age of 6. Both of her grandmothers were avid needlepointers, and what was given to her as a distraction one summer became a lifelong passion. Many needlepoint shops are named after family members, reflecting the craft's personal, traditional, and community-focused nature, and Faison’s is no different, being named after her paternal grandmother.
Later in her life, through life changes and big moves, medical issues with her daughter, to COVID, needlepoint was a helpful creative outlet for her. It also helped connect people together during lockdown over a Needlepoint Zoom called "The Stitch Happy Hour".
Fast forward to opening her own shop, just as her late grandmother Betty had suggested she do, she has watched as Novella Needlepoint has become a hit with people of all age ranges.
“In 2019, we had that big ' grand-millennial ' push,” shared Faison, “and that started getting new people into it, and then COVID hit, and it really ramped up, and the retention rate stayed. Then TikTok picked it up at the end of 2023, and that’s when we started seeing girls come in because that’s where they had seen needlepoint. Now, 25-30% of my customers who walk into the store are new stitchers. Stitchers range in age from six to ninety-two, but we really see moms of school-age kids who want to make memories and college students. Once people start, they get addicted and want to come back and grab a screen that they saw on their last visit.”
The shop is bright and airy, with walls covered in screens of all sizes. There is a table at the front where you can search by categories such as food, animals, characters, and more. Other areas of the shop are rainbows of different threads, and other needlepoint tools and accessories.
When you go, be prepared to spend time looking through all the screen options because they are plentiful, and there are screens everywhere, so make sure you look through them all. For my first one, I wanted something simple to start with, but there are so many different types of screens that it was really hard to choose. Once you’ve made your selection, you can pick out the thread colors and types, and Faison and her team will make sure you get everything you need to start stitching. If you are a first-time stitcher with very little knowledge like me, Faison has a “Learn to Stitch Card " to help beginners, but she and her staff are as hands-on as possible.
Regarding instruction, she recommends looking on YouTube, but if time allows, they will help as much as they can before sending off a new needlepointer.
The goal for 2026 is to teach more classes and get more involved in the community. Every Wednesday from 4:30 - 7:30 pm, she hosts a Stitch Night in her shop. There is an annual Galentine’s event in February and an anniversary party later in the year, but she hopes to continue partnering with local businesses like the Lorelei Wine Bar in the Mills 50 area and, hopefully, add more events for first-time stitchers. The best way to keep tabs on upcoming events is to follow her on Instagram at @novellaneedlepoint.
If you are already an avid needlepoint enthusiast, but are looking for a community of others who share your love of the craft, this is a great place to connect with in Orlando/Winter Park if you haven’t already.
Novella Needlepoint is located at 411 W. New England Avenue in Winter Park.
