Business & Tech

Enriched Stitch a Gathering Place for Wilton Women


If you live in Wilton and you want to learn the art of needlepoint, you'll probably head to The Enriched Stitch on Route 7—after all, the studio has both the supplies and instruction to help get you started. But what you may not expect to find when you go there is a place to meet and greet friends both old and new. 

Before opening The Enriched Stitch last year on St. Patrick's Day, Wilton resident and owner Suzie Vallerie taught Zumba classes.

"After a while, I realized that exercise class is probably not the best place to meet new friends," she said while laughing. "You see people once a week and even though you talk to them, you may not even know their names. And if you see them on the street in their regular clothes, you barely recognize them." 

But because needlepoint takes time and tends to be a relaxing activity that one can do while chatting, Vallerie said she's made many friends over the years. "All of my closest friends over the past five years are ones that I met while doing needlepoint," she said. "And it's great because it's not easy to meet new people around here. 

For those looking to learn how to do needlepoint or learn some additional techniques, Enriched Stitch has a schedule filled of classes for both children and adults, as well as beginner and intermediate students. Each student is provided with all of the tools they need and for those looking for additional supplies to use at home can purchase them in the retail section of the store. 

Despite how intricate the finished products come out to be, Vallerie told Patch that needlepoint is quite easy to learn. "God invented scissors for a reason," she said. "You can cut out any part that's not done right. You can't make any mistakes."

Vallerie that in addition to becoming a part of a close-knit community, needlepoint gives women a chance to unplug. "It's important to get off that iPad at night. I mean, we're always telling our kids to turn of the TV and the video games, but we don't always do that for ourselves," she said. "Needlepoint is something that you can actually finish while waiting for your kids to get out of an activity and you can create so many things."

Vallerie added that she loves how people use The Enriched Stitch to connect. "I've noticed after a year that customers will come in an ask where another customers is if they know that the person usually hangs out here during that day and time," she said. "It's nice to have that sense of community."



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