About Lily Joy Stitching

Eleanore Joyce Copeland Howell

March 16, 1941 - June 4, 2017

Some stories start with a sewing machine and a grandmother's hands.

My name is Katie, and I'm the owner and creator behind Lily Joy Stitching. My husband Matt and I live in Tyler, Texas with our two girls and one boy — Lillian, Emery, and Grayton — where you'll find us playing outdoors, cheering on the Fightin' Texas Aggies, or dreaming about the beach (preferably all three at once).

The name Lily Joy Stitching carries two very special Joys. The first is my late MawMaw, Joyce Howell — the woman who taught my mom to sew, and my mom who passed that gift on to me. The second is my firstborn, Lillian Joyce, who arrived in October 2018 and inspired us to pull out the sewing machine before she arrived. We haven't put it away since.

What started in 2019 as a hobby Instagram with my mom and sister — originally called A 'Lil Stitch of Joy — grew into something I never could have planned. When my daughter Emery arrived, I made the decision to step away from eight years in the classroom so I could be more present with my kids. Lily Joy Stitching became official!

My kids are the reason I do what I do. In October 2025 — almost exactly five years after I took my very first order — our son Grayton arrived, and I can't think of a sweeter way to mark that milestone. This business gives me the chance to watch them all grow (way too fast 😭) while loving on other littles through every stitch I make. At Lily Joy Stitching, we make things for littles to live in and mamas to love — and that's exactly how it should be.

My hope is simple: that something I create brings joy to you and yours.

Thank you, truly, for being part of this adventure. Your support means everything to our family.