About Needles in the Hay

Located in Peterborough, Ontario, Needles in the Hay is a boutique yarn and fibre arts supply shop and community for the modern maker.

Our shop offers a curated collection of unique products, featuring sought-after Sashiko thread and Seeknit needles, and a selection of premium natural fibre yarns from around the world. We have a special passion for wool (explore our mYak, Sandnes Garn, and De Rerum Natura lines), but you'll also find soft alpaca cotton yarn, luxurious cashmere yarn, silk yarn, linen yarn and more in hundreds of contemporary colours and a wide variety of gauges and weights.

We work hard to bring you the best selection of high-quality, specialty yarns at a variety of price points, searching high and low to make sure you're getting the best products at the best value.

Our Philosophy is Simple:

Quality over Quantity: Instead of overwhelming you with endless options, we carefully select each product for its craftsmanship, integrity, and potential to create pieces that will last a lifetime.

Sustainable and Ethical Options: From options certified regarding animal welfare, sustainability and social responsibility, including fair treatment of their workers and family, to heritage wool from family-owned mills, every product reflects our commitment to materials that honour both maker and planet. If you're searching for where to buy sustainable yarn, you've found your place!

Expert Guidance: Our staff has decades of experience in every area of fibre arts—knitting, crochet, cross stitch and embroidery, sewing, macrame, and wet and needle felting. They are fibre arts specialists, here to help you with your projects, from the newbie knitter to the experienced maker; they have the technical expertise that transforms craft into craftsmanship.

Community Connection: Located in the heart of downtown Peterborough, Needles in the Hay is more than a local yarn shop; it's a hub for inspiration, creativity, conversation, and community. We invite you to drop by to explore the shop, connect with us online, or join us in building Ontario's most knowledgeable community of contemporary fibre artists through expert-led classes and specialized workshops. At Needles in the Hay, you'll find a fresh, welcoming space for modern makers and authentic craft where fibre arts thrive.

Deanna Guttman

Deanna Guttman

Hello and welcome to Needles in the Hay, your boutique Ontario yarn store! I'm Deanna Guttman, the shop owner.

Needles in the Hay fills a niche spot in the fibre arts community, with a warm, contemporary style, a specialty in sustainable, natural fibres, and a myriad of fibre arts educational opportunities for the beginner to veteran artist.

I'm an avid knitter myself who loves learning new techniques and experimenting with different construction methods. Sweaters are my passion, and I always seem to have a new pullover or cardi on the needles. Cables and lace are my happy place; the more complicated the chart, the better! I hope you'll come visit me and the staff at the shop to socialize with people who share your passion for fibre arts, and fall in love with our fibre arts community.

Grace Mahoney

Grace Mahoney

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays you'll see Grace. She is experienced in many different fibre arts and is your specialist for crochet, needle felting, and wet felting. Here are a few words from Grace:

"Hi! I'm Grace Mahoney, and I love fibre and colour. I have been crocheting and knitting for decades and have moved into using fibre in my artistic life. I experiment with hand weaving, felting and embroidery. I operate my own home studio called Living in Colour. I believe that needlework is good for keeping our brains and hands active, as well as being a great relaxation tool. I am so excited to be working at Needles in the Hay as a design-focused yarn shop, and look forward to helping you discover your next project."

Natalie Bullock

Natalie Bullock

You'll see Natalie on Mondays:

“I am so excited to be working at my favourite Peterborough yarn shop! I’ve been a fibre artist for as long as I can remember, learning the basics of knitting and crochet from my grandmothers when I was a child. I’ve done cross stitch and embroidery, some sewing, and more recently explored and enjoyed both wet and needle felting. However, the call of my knitting needles has always been the loudest, and knitting, the art form that has brought me the most joy.

My husband recalls that I was knitting when we met, almost 36 years ago! My three (now adult) sons joke that if only I could knit them pants, they’d have “complete outfits” made by mom! My lifelong hobby turned into a passion (some might call it an addiction) when I discovered Needles in the Hay about 5 years ago, just ahead of my retirement as a teacher. I was then introduced to so many beautiful yarns made with natural fibres. Boy was I hooked! The friendly staff was so encouraging that before I knew it I was taking part in knit alongs and yarn crawls, and learning new knitting techniques, creating more beautiful things and, most importantly, feeling like I was part of a much larger knitting community. I am thrilled to be a part of the great team at Needles in the Hay, where both fun and expertise are at the heart of the shop experience, and I cannot wait to meet and serve you soon!"

Sarah Deeth

Sarah Deeth

Sarah teaches our Sock Knitting and Beginner Refresher courses.

"Hello! I'm Sarah, and I'm a sucker for all things sock and lace weight. A chronic fidgeter, I began knitting when I was in university to help pass the time in between classes. I wasn't very good at first. I made a lot of too-short scarves and hats full of dropped stitches. And I stayed away from trying new things because I always thought, "I'll never be able to do that." But eventually, I did branch out and try those seemingly impossible things—starting with socks, then on to mittens, and finally The Sweater.

I found a lot of success and encouragement in my failures. So much of knitting is trying, failing and then trying again. At the very least, you've tried a new technique. At best, you have a beautiful new project!

So come down to the store with your stubborn projects, your ideas and your to-knit list, or join one of our fibre arts classes, including knitting workshops, private knitting lessons and knit coach sessions, both in-person and online. I look forward to cheering you on!"

Shaelyn O'Marra

Shaelyn O'Marra

You'll see Shaelyn on Sundays:

"Hello! I'm Shaelyn, and I'm so excited to be a part of the Needles in the Hay team! I've lived in Peterborough for most of my life, having graduated from PCVS's Integrated Arts Program in the Visual stream, then the Esthetician program at Fleming College in 2015. I've been knitting for over 16 years, ever since my grandma taught me the basics when I was 10 years old. I only really knitted accessories for many years, but have been really enjoying garment making recently. I love working in cable patterns, but I'm always down to try a new technique! I've also dabbled in crochet, cross stitch, pottery, watercolour, oil painting, printmaking, macrame, sewing, etc, you name it, I've probably tried it!

Tristan Clark

Tristan Clark

Tristan Holds down the fort on Saturdays, but helps out on other days on occasion.

Tristan is an excellent knitter who loves natural fibres. Tristan says: "I’m thrilled to be joining the team. If I’m not in the trees I’m usually making socks, tending to my garden, or sewing something."