My husband Greg was born and raised in a
rural farming community in Butte, ND and
this is what he has to say about his family
farm. "Dad purchased the farm circa 1961. At
that time, we milked cows. After a few years,
Mom and Dad decided to give up milking and
pasture cattle only. We always had horses
that were used to work the cattle. I remember those challenging days doing
chores in strong winter winds and subzero temperatures, which I believe
taught me compassion and empathy for animals. Growing up, the crops Dad
raised were durum—a soft wheat, some oats that were used for livestock
feed, barley, and flax. Shortly after I left the farm, sunflowers and canola
became major crops. There never seemed to be a day of rest. On sunny
days we were busy in the fields and on rainy days, when I thought I might
get a chance to sleep a little later, we were involved with fixing the fence or
repairing equipment. It was a great place to grow up creating memories that
will last a lifetime and experiences that shaped the essence of my childhood."
Julie, her husband Greg, and their many pets live in
rural southeast Iowa. Me & My Stitches began there
in 2009 when Julie started making tiny quilt blocks
and turned them into jewelry. It wasn't long and
she turned her hobby into a business, adding quilt
patterns, ruler boxes and other fun items.
In 2019
Julie joined
Robert Kaufman Fabrics and
designed her first line of Civil
War-era reproduction fabrics. She
draws inspiration for her designs
from her wealth of family history
and childhood memories.
