STITCH ROCK 8

Delray Beach continues to entertain an annual craft fair with a little edge.

Featuring items well outside the usual tourist-town realm of resort wear flocked in flamingos and palm trees (that us locals worry is quickly swallowing up our town) Stitch Rock is proudly coming into its eighth year this October.  Festival host and originator Amanda Linton enthusiastically reports there will be “mediums all across the board, just the way we like it.”  She says, “This year will include geeky home deco items, tons of handmade jewelry, adorable stuffed plushies, ceramic flower planters, handmade boxer briefs, natural bath & body goodies, vintage finds, hot rod paintings, pin up photography, and much more!”

Stitch Rock will be taking over Delray’s iconic Old School Square, where Amanda has built a home for the event over the past seven years, inside the “cozy nostalgic feel of the vintage gym.”  Amanda has conjured crafters out of the woodwork of the South Florida local scene through her in-house marketing and expert branding of the event over the years.  “I’m big on branding while trying to keep the look fresh and current” says Amanda.  “We do most of the promo in house,” (which she clarifies means, quite literally, her own home), “but for the artwork we commission one of our favorite artists to create the artwork based on a loose concept I come up with.  Every year they blow me away with the final product and I just want to plaster it everywhere!”  Make sure you check out this year’s artwork by Danny Brito, a Stitch Rock family favorite. Danny was born and raised in Miami and currently lives and works from a small home/studio space in Lauderdale. He has a “small brain and a big heart”, which is reflected in the cutesy things he creates. When not drawing, he likes to command the sewing machine, go thrifting, or cuddle with his puppies. Danny is available for commissions or freelance work. Learn more: www.dannybrito.com

Amanda promises the return of many of the Stitch Rock veterans as well as the annual influx of the “newbies”.  Over the years and through the thousands of applications, Amanda gives credit for the success of her event to “the consistency of the quality of vendors and goods for sale.”  When she put together the event eight years ago she wanted a stand out show – and that’s what she’s kept going strong.  Amanda says, “I wanted the name to stand out, not just ‘bla bla craft show’.  I thought, what do you say when you see something you love?…  ‘THAT ROCKS!’”

Come visit the sweetest local annual craft show of the year on Saturday, October 4, at the Old School Square gymnasium in Delray Beach.  Only $5. For more details visit www.rockthestitch.com.

~ Danielle Romanowski