Who We Are

When I first learned to sew, it was driven by a motivation to make things for myself that I couldn’t find anywhere else. My first sewing machine was my grandma’s machine - given to me by my grandparents to encourage a new interest. The love for sewing is in my family blood, though - my mom is an incredible seamstress (she hand made my wedding dress). 

I never enjoyed following patterns, so I began by creating my own. I quickly fell in love with the spectrum of fabric options available... colors, textures, and patterns. As the products that I created began to expand, friends and family began expressing interest in buying what I was creating… and Designs by Rachel Joy was born! The dream of creating my own brand and business began to form. It began with local craft shows, expanded into local stores, and now has grown to include multiple products in stores in dozens of states across the country. 

My husband, Vern, and I live in beautiful northern Michigan with our two Brittanys. We are foster parents and love travel, fishing, enjoying the outdoors, and a good cup of coffee. 

It is our mission to deliver beautiful, quality, handmade products to each of our customers. We are thankful for each one of you and for all of the support!