Life & Work with Johanna Ali

Johanna, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m a sewing and DIY blogger. I started blogging about five years ago to document my sewing journey and share it with the world. I didn’t initially start off with sewing. I’m an Aries and part of an Aries trait is that we are supposed to be creative people and I felt like I didn’t have a creative bone in my body. One day, I was scrolling Instagram and I ran across this woman who was making beaded charm bracelets and I thought, I can do that. I went all in and purchased beads every chance I got. I also watched lots of jewelry-making tutorials and even took a jewelry-making class. Then, I purchased a cutting machine and started making T-Shirts and mugs with vinyl on them. I did a few craft shows and sold my jewelry along with my mugs and T-Shirts. Then came sewing.

I purchased my very first sewing machine in January of 2014. I saw a blogger post this gorgeous skirt that I fell in love with. It was called the Regal Maxi Skirt by Mimi G. Well, I soon found out that she was not selling the skirt, but the pattern to make it. Again, I thought, I can do that! I’ve always thought that I could do anything I set my mind to. My very first project was a 30-minute pencil skirt. It took me 5 hours and it wasn’t even wearable. Everything I could have possibly done wrong, I did. I was so discouraged that I put the machine away and wouldn’t touch it for another three months. I went back to YouTube University and watched all the sewing tutorials I could. I also started following different sewing bloggers to learn as much as I could about sewing.

I became a pattern tester for different pattern designers. This gave me the opportunity to learn different sewing techniques with each project I made. I then signed up for Sew It Academy which is an online sewing academy created by Mimi G. Over the years, I’ve been given the opportunity to be featured in Sewn Magazine, which as you guessed it, is a sewing magazine.

I’m glad I didn’t give up. Sewing is now my passion. I sew every chance I get. I mainly sew for myself and occasionally for my son, but I do take on commissions on request. I’m currently enrolled in a Women in Entrepreneurship certificate offered through Cornell University which is sponsored through Bank of America. I’m learning how to properly set up my business for success.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It was not a smooth ride at all initially. I had to learn very quickly that sewing was not something that you sat down at the machine and did. You actually had to learn many things in order to be good at it. Sewing is like learning a new language. I had to learn sewing terms as well as something so simple as how to cut fabric. It was a little overwhelming at first and could be a little discouraging when things didn’t come out as planned. I had to learn the art of patience and taking the time to learn how to do things properly to get a well-sewn garment.

The main reason why I joined the certificate program at Cornell was so that I could learn how to establish and run a business. Before I started my crafting business, I purchased a jewelry business from someone else. Again, I thought, I can do this. Well, I soon learned that it wasn’t as easy as I thought, especially since I didn’t know the first thing about running a business. I did not succeed and it took me a few years to finally let it go. I was spending more money running the business then I was taking in and I finally closed it. Having the skills that I’m learning now from Cornell, I feel more confident that I will be more successful this time around.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I mainly sew for myself so I make lots of tops, skirts and dresses. I do have a very close friend who I sew for that thinks I can make anything. She always brings me these amazing ideas and says “I know you can make this”. I love that because she is one of my biggest supporters and always pushes me to think bigger.

As I mentioned before, when I started sewing, I would sign up for every pattern test I came across. Doing so expanded my sewing skills and landed me my first feature in a sewing magazine. I’ve also been featured twice in an Australian sewing magazine. I love to share what I’ve learned with my audience and have created several tutorials on my blog. My most proud accomplishment has been my features in Sewn Magazine. Sewn was started because the founder, Michelle Morris, did not see herself represented in the sewing magazines that were out at the time. I’m especially proud to be featured with other sewists who look like me.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Growing up, I felt like I was always more mature than my age. I was always self-motivated and everything I set my mind to, I would accomplish. I think this is the reason why my Mom didn’t push me to do things. She always encouraged me to choose whatever path made me happy. I was never told by an adult, you have to go to college. This was a path in life I always saw for myself and I made sure it happened. I was only the second person to graduate from college in my immediate family. My aunt was the first and she was a great role model. Firstly, I wanted to make myself proud of accomplishing my goals, but I always wanted to make my family proud as well.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.soveryjo.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/soveryjo
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/soveryjo
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SoVeryJo