We recently connected with Mackinley James and have shared our conversation below.

Mackinley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

Starting Woobie Sewing was the biggest risk I have taken in my life up to this point. I should preface, I’ve always been interested in becoming an entrepreneur; but, I didn’t quite know the route I wanted to take for the journey. I have sold my work in a variety of forms for the majority of my life; from beaded projects, crochet stuffed animals, bookbinding, and art lessons…that said, nothing was ever as consistent as sewing.

I truly took a dive into sewing after completing my MFA in Fiber Art at Cranbrook Academy of Art. During my time at CAA, my focus was more on crochet and performance art. As much as I enjoyed the creative expression and studies of my work at the time, I was really excited to dive deeper into the details of garment construction and proper sewing techniques. Many years of late night sewing eventually led me to taking on alterations at the luxury linen/bedding shop where I served as the Merchandise Coordinator. Cutting down pillowcases, fitted sheets, and other bedding items helped me earn some extra income while continuing my career of choosing the upcoming trends for bedding and home décor. Believe me when I say, I truly loved my job as the Merchandise Coordinator! The only piece missing to complete that puzzle for me was working more with my hands…not using them to type on the computer and relay information about which bedding we chose for the front window…but rather to MAKE the bedding for the front window! Little did I know, that dream would be closer to reality than I could ever imagine.

By this time in 2019, I was sewing 6-8 hours a night after working my full time job during the day. This daily sewing practice started after having a dream that told me very specifically to, “sew my way through it”. While not certain of what that meant at that point in my life, it gave me the courage to call a friend who had asked if I’d sew her outfit for a wedding. This friend became my first real client outside of the contracted alterations and set the stage for something greater. It wasn’t long after my friend’s garments were completed that Covid hit; and as we all know, changed every aspect of life for everyone. This, like many others, included my employment status. After having climbed up the ladder to my Merchandise Coordinator position, I found myself back at base level without a job due to layoffs. I felt very concerned about the uncertainty of what was next, but also reassured that I could find a way to continue earning an income (no matter how much), with my sewing. It had brought me a little extra income on the side when I was employed, why would it not work now?

Then began the sewing marathon! In an attempt to help as many people as possible, my alterations work took a back seat while I worked to sew masks…and let me tell you, I truly lost count of how many! I give that period of time a lot of credit because the daily grind of sewing masks from morning to evening taught me the dedication and discipline that I would need to have in order to make sewing my full time career. It also gave me plenty of time to perfect the basics of my sewing, as there’s never such thing as too much practice! I also enrolled in online business classes; as much as I had learned in my role as a Merchandise Coordinator, I felt completely lost to the world of business logistics. These months of “sewing boot camp” really pushed me to make the sewing work; and, after three months of plugging away I took the risk and became an LLC. It wasn’t long after that I was offered my Merchandise Coordinator position again. Truly, I had never felt so torn. I loved my job, but I knew deep in my heart that I loved working with my hands more…no matter how much harder I had to work or how uncertain the income. At that moment, I knew I had to really take the leap and decline returning to my position. Many would say it was crazy to try and launch a business in the middle of a global pandemic; I have not one single regret. My business will turn 4 years old this month, and I’m busier than ever. I am on track to triple my bridal work for the season in comparison to last year by August (the season ends in October), and my home décor offerings have also greatly expanded. I am so thankful to those who supported my choice, no matter how crazy, to take this leap and I’m proud of myself for diving into the uncertainty of it all. As my grandfather would say, “do it afraid”. I was afraid; there was so much to lose…but it was worth every second and I’ve gained so much more.

Mackinley, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

As the Fibrarian, I work with my clients to take their dreams and make them “sew”. Woobie Sewing greatly reflects this, even in the name. “Woobie”, means comfort item. I’ve always said if a client is not comfortable working with me, then I am not doing my job correctly. It is always my goal to use my sewing skills to provide comfort, and I get the opportunity to do so in a variety of ways! My ABC’s of offerings (Alterations, Bridal, Custom), keep me quite busy in both worlds of bridal and home décor. From restoring cherished family heirlooms, to helping a bride get ready for their special day, I enjoy every moment behind the machine and every stitch of the process. Sewing has been a way for me to not only communicate with the world, but help others by using my talents. Making a change with my work and using my hands has always been the dream, and I still pinch myself daily that it has become my reality.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I have always loved being able to use my creative skills to help others, and I’m thankful that Woobie Sewing continues to give me that opportunity. Whether sewing on a missing button, or performing alterations to the family wedding dress, I am blessed with the opportunity to use my talents to better the lives of others. Recently, a client told me that my sewing was my gift to the world. I replied that my sewing gives me another way to communicate and connect with others, and that is the best gift it has given me. To see the smile on someone’s face when they see their finished project, or to receive photos after a wedding dress alteration brings me more happiness than I ever experienced working for someone else. I am thankful every single day that I can use my hands to create in an unlimited amount of ways, and not just to create emails. Although, I’ll admit…there are a lot of emails that come with this job too!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

While it sounds silly, I’ve had to unlearn that you can only gain an education from an institution. My career as a Fibrarian has given me the most challenging and rewarding curriculum, and the opportunities to learn are never ending! Many times, I’ve felt that the only way to learn something new is to sign up for a class or go back to school. Woobie Sewing has made me a forever student at the “School of Life”, where every client is a teacher and every project is a course. Each job brings its own obstacles and hoops to jump through; some are familiar, some are uncharted. There is no syllabus or all-knowing professor to tell me if I’m solving the problem correctly, or if there’s a better route to the solution. That said, I have attended many wonderful institutions in my lifetime and gained many friends who have provided thoughtful advice along the way. In the end, I have certainly learned the most from looking at the world as my classroom.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thefibrarian.com
• Instagram: @woobie_the_fibrarian
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefibrarian?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits

Titan Magazine (artist photo)
David Kanoa James