Stitch Preview: Austinist Interviews 31 Corn Lane

Image courtesy 31 Corn Lane

Heather works at a company called Steve and Barrys, which is on the cusp of becoming super cool. She designs for Dear, Amanda Bynes' (the wholesome tween actress!) signature line. She also works on Sarah Jessica Parker's line, Bitten. Amy is doing part-time freelance design, so as to maximize make-out time with all the pint size pooches that live at her Small Dog Farm for Wayward Small Dogs. The farm and 31 Corn Lane share a corporate headquarters.

Explain your love of horses.

Back when we were way lil', Sister Heather used to be obsessed with ponies. Obsessed! Mom has this grainy super-8 footage of Heather running down a dusty Vermont country road, Dorothy Hamill inspired bowl cut bouncing, micro '70's ski jacket swooshing with the wind, crying ginormo apocalyptic toddler tears—while feverishly chasing this pony that was stomping along a few paces ahead of her. All she wanted was for the pony to stop and pay her a little mind. She was four at the time. Guess throughout the ages the rest of us Sperber Sisters caught a piece of the horseshoe fever.

One look at the hundreds and hundreds of vintage pony paint-by-numbers lining the walls at the 31CL corporate headquarters/Dog Farm and we can make even the iciest most pony-indifferent heart an equine convert.

Do you guys have anything like Stitch in Brooklyn or Philly?

The Renegade Craft Fair is rad, but not as rad as Stitch, if for no other reason than it isn't run by the Austin Craft Mafia—our heroes! Stitch stands on a craft pedestal all its own.

Last year you provide all 500 giveaway tote bags for Stitch. Any cool freebies this year?

The giveaway Rainbow totes from last year were from a very special situation.

In order to earn their keep at the Dog Farm, most of the pint-size pooches double as 31 Corn Lane tote making elves—working day in and day out on the assembly line fashioning our newest wares.

As for the Rainbow tote incident, on the morning in question Sis Aim gave Timmy, the head line worker, an unfortunate combination of Heartguard and her homemade Barbecue Bacon Cupcakes. His productivity went through the roof, lightning speed style—there was canvas and grosgrain ribbon just everywhere! He made almost 1000 more totes than we had ordered. That said, we had no choice but to give them to Stitch, seeing as a) we love Jenny Perkins to bits! and b) we had no room left in our warehouse for storage.

Timmy has since been fired and the canine elves presently working the line are much more manageable. That said, we only had about 50 Granny-tastic Roller Totes (from our Holly Hobby line) to donate as giveaways for this year. They are great for carrying groceries! Or for carrying naughty canine elves to the pound. Jus sayin'.