I grew up on a small farm in northwest North Dakota. I am the oldest of 8 children, I have five brothers and 2 sisters. We grew up in a house full of love, laughter and music. When I was little I got to stay with my Grandparents quite a bit, being the oldest and the only girl for a while! Grandma taught me to crochet when I was about 5 years old and I was hooked on doing handwork from then on. I was in 4-H and learned a few sewing skills there. I sewed most of my clothes through junior high and high school, continuing to crochet all that time. I was a music major in college, playing the trumpet. My Mom encouraged me to learn to knit at this time. Her mother was a wonderful knitter, so in college I started knitting. That became my addiction for several years. My husband Robert and I married in 1979 and lived in our home town of Grenora for several years. Robert worked as a pumper in the oil field for Getty Oil Co.Counted Cross-Stitch was the thing to do then, so I spent many hours with my needle and embroidery floss in the first few years we were married. Ben was born in 1980 and Sean was born in 1982 so my days were full. In 1984 Robert was transfered to Watford City when Texaco bought out the Getty oil fields at home. There was a poster in the bank that said there was going to be a quilting class so I signed up thinking it would be a great way to meet some people. Little did I know where it would lead! I became good friends with my teacher Judy Holt and joined the Dakota Prairie Quilter's Guild in Williston, ND. Judy and I started a group in Watford City also. I have always been one to get lots of things done and the hand quilting thing just seemed so slow for me. I found Harriet Hargrave's book Heirloom Machine Quilting and taught myself to machine quilt. I was on my way! Robert and I had two more children along the way. Keely was born in 1987. The mobile home we lived in was full! We bought a house in Alexander in 1988. Reid arrived in 1991. My teaching career started with many of my quilting friends wanting to learn to machine quilt. I started teaching those classes. Judy Holt moved away and I took over her Beginners Patchwork classes. Things just mushroomed from there. I love to get that brand new book that is out and learn the technique and pass it along. I take classes from as many teachers as I can. There is no end to learning and discovering all there is to do with quilting! I even have groups that see a pattern they want to learn and contact me to set up a class for that pattern! I like to put my students as ease and have them experience the joy of quilting. Quilting should be fun! I try to give them the tips and tricks that I have learned over the years to make things as easy as possible for them. In 1999 our lives changed in an instant when our son Sean and two of his friends died in a car accident. My quilting friends helped my though that horrible time and quilting was definitely therapy. My business name, August Wind Quilt Designs is named after my son Sean August Johnson. We will always miss his bright smile and zest for life. Our son Reid is a junior this year at Alexander. He will play basketball this winter with Watford City. Keely is living and working in Fargo. Ben and his wife Jackie live in Helena, MT with our grand daughters Payge and Irelynn. I continue to love quilting and teaching. I travel all over the state of North Dakota and into Montana, Minnesota and South Dakota to teach. Someday I hope to travel even further afield to teach.If you are interested in me coming to teach for your group, feel free to contact me at quilted@ruggedwest.com     Sean August Johnson