A small shop in Rowayton is bringing people together as needlepoint gains popularity with younger generations.

Penny Linn owner Krista LeRay says her love of the craft began early. “My grandmother originally taught me how to needlepoint when I was probably like 8 or 9,” she said.

Years later, preparing for her wedding, that childhood hobby became something more. “About a year and a half before my wedding, I stitched my now-husband a needlepoint belt.”

That project sparked a bigger creative journey. “It ended up leading me to make my own canvases, which ended up leading to me creating Penny Linn needlepoint,” she said. The business has seen rapid growth.

Social media has played a major role in needlepoint's resurgence. “It’s really popular on TikTok,” LeRay said. Content creator Kaitlyn Johnson explained how online content drew her in. “I like to consume content a lot. So I just decided to start posting my own and like my WIP Wednesdays when I was doing hauls and everything.”

The business continues to grow. Penny Linn is getting a second location, with LeRay opening a shop in New York City in April.