Sometimes, in this youthful, social media-drenched world, I think back and wonder about the “quiet arts.” Other than hip revivals, such as mahjong bloodsport, are the contemplative creative activities of old still thriving? Thanks to jewels like Saville Needleworks in Snider Plaza, indeed they are.
For founder Marianne Lynn, lifelong stitching led to working in a local needlepoint store, teaching classes, and finally opening Saville (named after her beloved grandmother) in February of 2025.
“My grandmother taught me,” Lynn said of stitching. “A lot of people are generational stitchers. But now, we have so many new stitchers with TikTok. It’s astronomical, the change, even since I opened. There are thread shortages, there are canvas shortages, because so many people are stitching. I’ve never seen anything like it. And I’ve been stitching my whole life.”
She remarked of her amazement at the number of new, young stitchers — from high school-age and younger — all the way to grandparents. Saville hosts many events and classes for new stitchers, as well as more advanced techniques for older, seasoned veterans.
“We have people fly in to teach classes,” Lynn noted. “We have Sniffles & Stitches for empty-nest moms who’ve sent their kids off to college. So, we tend to typically try to find lots of ways to get the neighborhood all together.”
In addition to supplying stitchers with all necessary materials, including a wide variety of canvases, Saville performs the much-needed finishing work that turns handiwork into pillows, ornaments, and other useful and decorative items.
A community feel comfortingly pervades Saville. Lynn’s daughter recently graduated as a fourth-generation Highland Park High School Scot, and Lynn grew up strolling Snider Plaza. Upcoming community stitching gatherings will include football game watching and fall movies.
“Sip & Stitch is kind of an evening hangout class, which is really fun,” Lynn explained. “It’s more of a get-together than a class, I’d say.”
How is all this stitching and time spent away from social media affecting young, developing brains?
“Every younger person that I’ve talked to — they have all said, ‘It helps me not scroll. I love it,’” Lynn said, smiling. “Women my age love doing it. They can watch a show with their husband or their friends, and they stitch while they watch it. I love that aspect of it. Then, I get with a group of ladies that I adore, and we stitch and talk about what’s going on in life.”
It does seem that the purposeful, goal-oriented yet repetitive work of stitching calms the mind and soothes common technology-induced compulsions. In fact, a 2024 study published in Issues in Mental Health Nursing found that needlecraft had an overwhelmingly positive effect on mental health, including by boosting mental well-being, social connection and belonging, sense of purpose and achievement, and self-identity.
“It’s so good for your brain,” Lynn said. “I know for anxiety, it really just calms you. You’re just enjoying doing the exact same thing over and over again. It’s very calming and soothing. It’s awesome.”
Author
Josh Hickman
Josh Hickman is a national award-winning journalist, visual artist, sometime musician, and author of seven books. His writing For People Newspapers often focuses on arts & culture, local small businesses, local history & government, and interesting personal stories. His paintings include a commission for Dallas County and a donation to Parkland Memorial Hospital.
