On a perfect sunny day in April, offManhattan ascended the stairs of Berry Park bar in the north side of Williamsburg to explore the latest artisan goods at the Spring Handmade Cavalcade. 25 local makers turned out with their best merchandise to celebrate spring and earth day, and did not disappoint the many craft seekers from Brooklyn (and beyond).
After the jump, look through the photographs of eco notebooks, summery frocks, outlandish lamps, and cool coasters, but don’t be bummed that you missed it all. The vendors will be popping up at McCarren Park for the big bazaar, Renegade Craft Fair on June 5 and 6. Remember: B.Y.O.B—bring your own bag.
The crafters—part of The {NewNew}, an entrepreneurial group of Etsy sellers from the New York and New Jersey metro areas—propped tables and prepped wares as they prattled about their year-round eco friendly practices. “Many members produce or use eco friendly products and methods to create. Buying handmade from local artisans is already reducing your carbon footprint,” said Karin Persan, event coordinator of the {NewNew} and owner of repurposed fabric clothing line Better Than Jam.
Cavalcaders shopped the whimsical recycled stationery designs by Queens-based artist mshoelace, Gocco print greeting cards by Jess Chambers of littlebunny, yarn and felt designs by local knitter and crafter Nguyen Lee of KnitKnit, locally sold handmade soaps and body by Nordea’s Soaperie and a snail mail letter writing service and other stationery paraphernalia by Jessica and Jeremy of Miniature Rhino. In addition to having a booth, Virginia Kraljevic used recycled elements to make handmade boutonnières for vendors and to green-fit the bi-level space at Berry Park. The rooftop was filled with folks toting peppermint trees, Bodhi leaf tattoos, and their own reusable bags.
How to get there: Take the L Train to Bedford Ave. in Brooklyn. Walk north on Bedford to N. 12th St. and go right into McCarren Park. Or take the G Train to Nassau Avenue. Walk South two blocks to Lorimer Street and hang left on Lorimer Street. Walk 1 block and McCarren Park will be on your right at Driggs Ave.
Photos: Courtesy of Chermelle Edwards
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram