Frequently Asked Questions
What are your hours?
See our hours here!
Where can I park?
Click here to see a general map of parking in the downtown Salem area. There is free 2-hour parking right on Pickering Wharf, where we are located. November through May parking is easy to find on Pickering Wharf. During the summer months, Salem gets a lot of tourists, but it tapers off at the end of August. The last two weeks of October are our peak tourist season (Tip: There is always plenty of open parking earlier in the day). During those busier times, it can be harder to park on Pickering Wharf, but please don't let that deter you! Salem is a beautiful walking city and you'll see plenty of lovely stops on your way. You may not always be able to find parking right on Pickering Wharf, but here are a few options (and if you're in a hurry, use our Drive Thru service and we will come out to your car):
- There is a free parking lot for Pickering Wharf customers on Congress Street, a super short walk away! Click here to see it on a map.
- Metered parking along Derby Street, Congress Street, or Hawthorne Blvd.
- Free street parking along Congress Street. You may need to walk 2-3 blocks, but there is almost always parking here. You can also grab a delicious slice of pizza at Deli House on your way. We think it's the best pizza in Salem.
- South Harbor Garage, on the corner of Congress Street and Derby Street, is very inexpensive. This is 2 blocks away.
- Metered parking lot at the corner of Front Street and Lafayette Street. It's only a 5 minute walk, and you can grab a coffee and pastry at A&J King Artisan Bakers on your way.
- Museum Place Garage is a little further away, but also only a 5 minute walk
- Free parking around Salem Common. Also a 5 minute walk.
- Parking at Salem Depot. There is ample parking at the garage. It is a 10 minute walk, but you can stop at Hauswitch and Roost, some of our favorites shops, and grab a coffee and pastry at A&J King Artisan Bakers on your way.
- Free parking by the Salem Ferry. It is a 10 minute walk, but you can stock up on fresh hand-made pasta at Jean Louis Pasta Shop or get some ice cream at Captain Dusty's on your way.
Also, don't forget to take advantage of our "Drive Thru" service. We understand you may be in a hurry. Give us a call (978-745-9276) and place a phone order, and we will bring your purchase to your car when you arrive.
Do you have classes?
Yes, we offer lots of classes and events! Check our class listings and full calendar.
Can I hang out and knit at Circle of Stitches?
Community is an important part of Circle of Stitches, and we would love to have you attend one of our events! Unfortunately our shop is too small so we don’t have a designated hangout area during regular shop hours.
Do I have to knit with yarn bought at Circle of Stitches at your events?
We currently don't have a hard rule against knitting with yarn bought elsewhere, especially if you are a regular customer at Circle of Stitches. However, we do appreciate it when you work on yarn you purchased with us. We hope to be around for a long time, and your support is very important to us.
Will you help me if I get stuck on my project?
We offer knitting and crochet help both in-person and online! Go here for details on in-person help and here for details on online help!
Can you special order yarn for me?
If you are looking for more of a yarn we carry, or a different color, we are happy to special order it for you. Please keep in mind that we do have minimum quantity requirements for special orders. If you are looking for a yarn we don't carry, we can sometimes get it for you depending on which brand and what quantity. If we cannot get it for you, we will refer you to a shop that can.
I can't get there today, can you hold merchandise for me?
You can place an order online for local pick-up! Pick your goodies in our online shop, and select local pick up when you check out. We’ll have it ready and waiting for you to pick up!
Can I wind my yarn at your shop? Will you wind it for me?
We have a yarn winder set up for patrons, and you are more than welcome to wind any yarn you purchased with us. You can even come back and wind it at a later date if you don't have time on the day of purchase. If you don't know how to use a winder, let us know and we will show you.
We are happy to wind yarn for patrons who are unable to wind if themselves due to physical limitations, time permitting. We probably can't wind 8 skeins of lace weight yarn for you on the spot, but if you leave the yarn here with us, we will let you know when we've had a chance to wind them all.
Can I exchange yarn I bought at another shop for something at Circle of Stitches?
We do not accept merchandise purchased at other businesses, no exceptions. Please exchange it at the shop where you purchased it. Thank you for understanding.
How quickly do you ship online orders?
Online orders generally ship within 3-5 business days. We are a very small operation but we do our best to ship out your goodies as soon as possible! Our shop is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, so no shipments go out on those days. If you need your order to ship extra fast, please add a note to your order so we know!