Welcome to Magic City Needlepoint, Birmingham’s exclusive needlepoint store. Our boutique is filled with the latest hand-painted canvases, a wide selection of fibers and threads, accessories and lots of inspiration. 

Please let us introduce ourselves to you.

Ty Howell and her daughter-in-law, Katie Howell are avid stitchers and residents of Vestavia Hills. Ty learned to stitch from her mother and started out making stockings for all of her family and then Christmas ornaments. Now Ty enjoys different projects such as brick covers, framed quotes, and napkin holders/bracelets. Ty’s organization and Katie’s style are felt the minute you walk in our beautiful store. You won’t want to leave, so please come, stay and stitch.

Mary Elizabeth Mays is an experienced stitcher, who is Past President of the Cahaba Lily Chapter of the American Needlepoint Guild, and travels the globe to attend seminars and stitch-ins. She has visited hundreds of needlepoint stores across the nation, and she has stitched four rugs, twelve chandelier shades, and over 40 needlepoint belts, among countless other projects. She also made many pieces that are displayed within the shop. 

Leah Scalise has a passion for doing fun stitch projects that include Bargello and geometric patterns. Leah also leads Beginning Needlepoint classes and is in the shop on Wednesday afternoons.

Karen Carroll has always loved the needle arts, learning embroidery and cross-stitch as a child and was taught needlepoint by Leah Scalise (many decades ago). Since then, Karen has enjoyed taking classes at national conferences of the American Needlepoint Guild to learn advanced needlepoint stitches and techniques. Karen handles inventory needs for the shop and welcomes suggestions for new products to order for the shop. 

We also have 8 extraordinary staff members - Nancy Barton, Diane Orso, Crissy Fairly, Ellen Tucker, Ginny Johnston, Julie Baggett, Katie Purvis, and Leslie Robinson. 

Nancy Barton's love of needlepoint began when she was a nursing student and continues today. Her interests and expertise are working with customers to select canvases and threads in the shop and coordinating finishing.

Diane Orso has been doing hand stitching since she was a teenager. She also enjoys knitting, French hand sewing, and especially needlepoint. Diane has worked in needlepoint retail for 20 years. As a grandmother of eight, she especially likes stitching ornaments each year for each grandchild.

Crissy Fairly's love for needlepoint began right after graduating from Auburn University, when her mom gave her a gift of a canvas and threads. She has been hooked since, stitching for 30+ years!  Crissy loves creating beauty for her home, and her husband and son love all the needlepoint belts they have that have come from her hobby. Crissy helps with sales, trunk shows and content for social media for our shop. In addition, she is now a buyer for the shop and attends the Fall Market with Ginny and Katie.

Ellen Tucker's love of needlepoint began with some embroidered hand towels that she stitched with her grandmother when she was a child, and she has enjoyed needlework and sewing ever since. She learned to needlepoint right after college and vividly remembers her first project: a pre-worked floral she stitched for a footstool. She took a break from needlepoint to smock and sew for her children and picked it back up about 25 years ago. She also loves to knit. Ellen works at the shop two days a week in sales.

Ginny Johnston's love for needle and thread began as a newlywed when she took a class and learned the art of English smocking! She became an avid smocker creating dozens and dozens of handmade garments for her three children. When her children outgrew smocked clothing, Ginny took up needlepoint at the suggestion of her neighbor, shop owner, Katie Howell. Shortly thereafter, Ginny began working at Magic City Needlepoint and loves helping others create needlepoint treasures!

Julie's grandmother taught her to smock over 20 years ago which ignited her love of needlework. While attending an event at Katie Howell's home, she was blown away by all of the beautiful needlepoint Katie had on display. Julie decided that day to learn and the rest is history!  She enjoys creating needlepoint for her home and special ornaments for her three children. 

Katie Purvis (or Katie P as we like to call her) was continually encourage by her grandmother to crochet, knit and sew, so when she was in middle school her dad taught her to cross stitch.  Fast-forward to the Spring of 2021 when she was getting married at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Birmingham.  The church was filled with beautiful needlepoint that peaked her interest in the craft.  After she was married her, can't-sit-still, husband encouraged her to find a hobby and needlepoint is where she landed.

Leslie loved watching her mom and grandmother needlepoint while growing up. She learned as a teenager, but picked it back up again after a beginner class at Magic City Needlepoint. She taught her daughter, and they love making Christmas ornaments, Easter eggs, and stockings for her  four dogs, cat, and horse. Leslie also loves all types of painting and enjoys helping choose thread colors with customers.