The Needlepoint Joint offers a community for crafters.

• Author: Biton, Adva
• Position: Around Utah

Ogden -- Looking for a place to knit? The Needlepoint Joint has you covered.

Located on Ogden's Historic 25th Street, the establishment--which offers not just knitting, but also spinning, needlepoint, tatting, weaving and crochet--isn't what you might expect to see nestled among all the shopping, dining and bars. But this crafting community has actually been around for 44 years, and is still going strong.

"We were one of the early businesses in this area. In 1992, Judith Jones was seeking a building for her business when the historic property on 25th street became available. We are pleased to have such a charming building for our business," says Amelia Jones, manager of the Needlepoint Joint and daughter of its owner, Judith. "It's a great community. It's becoming more and more vibrant. When we first started here, there were some empty storefronts and dilapidated buildings. We'd much rather be in a vibrant, fun area, with a lot of people. We're really excited to see that."

Community is a big thing for the Needlepoint Joint--and, in order to bolster that, the shop offers a host of classes and programs. Their classes run the gamut from beginning knitting to rigid heddle weaving to social knitting nights. They even have a knitting support group where people can come in and get extra help on projects, or a spinning circle where spinners can learn and enjoy each other's company while they work.

"It's great to see what other people in the community are making and get inspiration and share some time knitting," says Jones. "You can come and, in a casual atmosphere, spin or stitch or weave with some...