Shop Small Stories: Stitch & Rivet
Founded by designer and pattern maker Katie Stack, Stitch & Rivet is a DC-based studio dedicated to low-waste, small-batch craftsmanship. Each piece is thoughtfully designed and made using responsibly sourced materials—striking the perfect balance between durability, function, and simplicity. With nearly twenty years in the local craft and retail scene, Stitch & Rivet continues to champion sustainable design and intentional living, one handmade product at a time. Scroll down to learn more about Katie's business!
Tell us about your business!
Stitch & Rivet has been a member of the DC craft show and retail landscape for nearly twenty years. Katie Stack is the owner, designer, and pattern maker for Stitch & Rivet. She is committed to low-waste, sustainable small-batch manufacturing to create classic, unadorned products to be used and loved for years. Stitch & Rivet believes in using high-quality, thoughtfully sourced materials, minimizing waste in the manufacturing process, and making items in small batches or one at a time.
How long have you been in business?
22 years.
What inspired you to start your business?
Stitch & Rivet was started as a way to make a little more money while working full-time in large professional costume shops. The "starving theatre person" trope is, sadly, based in reality.
What’s been your biggest challenge as a small business owner — and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge for Stitch & Rivet has always been capacity. The business was at a point in 2020 where we either needed to become much larger and move from manufacturing in the studio to using factory labor, or become a much smaller company and move back to a smaller studio, and back to the core of the business: make nice things, make them one at a time, be thoughtful with supplies. We literally needed to either go big or go home. After a lot of conversations, I decided to close the larger studio and retail shop, move to a primarily online model, cut nearly all wholesale accounts, and make this business smaller, more nimble, and give myself more flexibility. There are times when I wonder if I made the right choice, but the decision was practical, has provided me with more flexibility, and I don't regret it.
What’s something special about your neighborhood community or customers that keeps you motivated?
I love it when people come back to visit me at shows or send me pictures of their S&R goods "in the wild" or on a trip. I have never been to India or Bali or walked El Camino de Santiago, but Stitch & Rivet bags and wallets have been to those places and on many adventures, and that is pretty great.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a small business in DC?
My advice for starting a business anywhere is to keep good records and be the neighbor you want to have. Staying on top of paperwork, emails, and good record-keeping are incredibly valuable skills, super boring, and can easily make or break a business. Staying on top of being a reliable, pleasant person is the kind of behavior that makes or breaks the chances of being offered opportunities and included in interesting things.
Favorite thing about DC?
I love that my DC is full of intelligent, creative, interesting people, and that, even though I am not a DC native, I have been welcomed into the local community and allowed to be part of it. I also love the dogs-- there are excellent dogs all over DC.