Our History
I started quilting in 2013 when a friend gifted me my very first sewing machine, a $150 Brothers machine from Walmart. I was ecstatic and immediately started reading every quilting article I could find online. Upon my graduation from Baylor University, and after serving 3 years as an enlisted soldier, I received my commission as an Officer in the United States Army. I had two months between graduation and leaving for my Basic Officer Course and only had small, odd jobs lined up. A girlfriend of mine was pregnant at the time and I could not afford anything on her registry. I showed up to her baby shower with nothing in hand but a card and a hug. As I watched her open all the things she’d asked for, it dawned on me that she had not received one handmade item. I went to Hobby Lobby and bought a charm pack, some batting and a minky backing and I got to work. On my mother’s dining room table, I drew and cut the letters for her sons name by hand, stitched up the blanket and gave it to her just a few days later. Her response was EVERYTHING! To this day it is her sons favorite!
Pleased with my work and eager to get more practice I decided to do a post on facebook asking for 3 friends to pay for the materials needed for me to make them a blanket or quilt of their choosing. In August of 2014 I used pictures of those three custom designs to create and start my initial business via facebook, Courtney Creations which has since generated thousands of dollars in revenue for me in my “spare time”.
While continuing my service in the U.S. Army Reserves, I earned my teaching certificate and spent four years in urban education teaching middle school math both in South Houston and North Philadelphia. While working full-time, I continued to learn, create and perfect the art I became so passionate about. Sewing became therapeutic for me. So much so, some of my most popular creations have all been a result of me sorting through some type of overwhelming emotion. One of the best examples of this came at the beginning of the pandemic when I found myself feeling stuck, anxious and with a desire to do something other than sit in my feelings. I quickly learned how to make masks and was able to give away over 600 masks to friends, family, doctors, and postal workers.
Another example of “creation out of crisis” was during the painful loss of my sisters last embryo. I was sorting through my own sadness and had no idea how to be an encouragement to her, so I started sewing. The result was a butterfly pillow that started as a gift to her but later became a means to promote infertility awareness. Donating all profit from the butterfly pillow sales allowed me to bless a family going through IVF with $500.
In 2020 I began daydreaming about taking my business on full time. With future in mind, I re-branded and announced my new name; Neema Lynn Creations. Neema is Swahili for “Grace”. I chose Swahili because my father who I deeply love has a Swahili name. I chose the word grace because it is only the grace of the Lord that has sustained me in both the darkest and brightest times of my life. I am alive today because in His mercy, He has chosen to preserve me and every good thing I have, including this business is owed to His great grace. Lynn is the middle name of my mother who is also my best friend and greatest supporter. She gave that middle name to both my sister and I and should the Lord will that I have a daughter of my own one day, I will give it to her as well. I wanted the name of my business to be a reminder to me that where I am is only by the Grace of God and the love of those who mean the absolute most to me.
Our Present
In 2019, I returned to Central Texas with my now three-year-old son JayLyn. Not long after being in the area, I learned of Q.I.Y. a new quilt shop in Kempner, Texas just 20 minutes away from me. Being an under 30 year old, African American quilter, I had grown accustomed to the “are you lost” look I often received when walking into a quilt shop for the first time. This visit was no different but became one that I will never forget. Mrs Ann, who I now affectionately call Auntie Ann, was talking to two other customers about how after she had the shop open for ten years she was going to sell it and start something else. In true little DeAnna (my mother lol) fashion, I - a complete stranger- invited myself into her conversation and said “when that day comes, let me know”. She looked at me like, “who are you?” And I looked back her like, “I said what I said”.
For three years I visited her shop on a regular basis and often teased her about giving me a part time job to pay for all the fabric I was buying in her store. Then one day, running in to visit the shop on my lunch break at the start of my second tour on Fort Hood, Mrs Ann asked me if I was still interested in a job. The conversation progressed to her expressing her desire to sell the store and I confirmed my desire to purchase it.
So we began! I worked at QIY every Saturday from August to April. It was an incredible opportunity to be able to develop relationships with both my future employees and customers!
Just ahead of closing out 2021 I established my LLC, Neema Lynn’s Quilt Shop, hired an accountant to get my tax information in order, hired a web designer, completed 100% inventory review at the shop, hired an attorney who drafted my now signed intent to purchase agreement, met with the MODA rep and placed my initial order for what will be the first shipment to arrive upon my ownership.
The purchase agreement signed in January laid out the various conditions that needed to be met in order for me to move forward with the July 1st purchase. Unfortunately, multiple vital components of that agreement have not been honored by the current owner. As a result, I will no longer be acquiring the inventory of QIY or using their building location.
I can not speak for what is to come with QIY but Neema Lynn’s Quilt Shop will still be launching July 9th virtually! Our online shop will still carry all the new lines we have been so excited to get in and at the most competitive prices on the market! We will also be offering free local pick up and delivery options! AND we are narrowing down locations to host monthly pop up shops, classes, and events!
This is a big change from what I originally had planned but I am optimistic that we will be able to move into a brick and mortar location in the future. In the meantime it is my sincerest hope that you will still embark on this journey with myself Joyce, Leslie, LuAnn, and Molly. We hope that you afford us the opportunity to continue to be apart of your beautiful creations.
