Women in Business: Judith Carter - Needleworks

Judith Carter worked throughout much of her life in the textile industry, but as the industry changed, many of her jobs were relocated or phased out. 

So with her skills in hand weaving, textiles and apparel, as well as her enthusiasm for needlework, she opened her boutique needlepoint store, Needleworks, in 2000.

“I made lemonade out of the lemons, so to speak,” she said. 

Together with her employees and the designers she works with, Carter is able to provide her customers with all of their needs to complete their needlepoint projects. The shop offers ready-to-stitch canvases, a multitude of threads, advice from sage stitchers, as well as the opportunity to create custom canvases for their clients.

Carter said, too, that finishers at her shop will take a customer’s work and turn it into a keepsake, such as a pillow or ornament. “We’re probably one of the only places that has stitching and finishing all in-house,” she said.

While she said it has been difficult to keep up with the changing trends in threads and materials, Carter and her team work to meet the needs of their customers and provide them with any assistance they may need along the way. “I want people to know that whatever they may be stitching, we’re in it with them for the long haul,” she said. 

By offering individual classes by appointment, she said she and her staff can help customers with projects and questions they may have. 

“We want it to be a place where people can come and have a good experience,” she said. “We’re really glad to be a part of the Homewood community. I think it’s an ideal kind of community to support our shop.”

► WHERE: 2810 Crescent Ave.

► CALL: 870-5191

► WEB: gritsneedlepoint.com