Our story
Jalie is a mother-daughter company. It was founded by Jeanne in 1983 when Émilie was only 3 years old. The two now make a fantastic duo who brings you practical patterns for the whole family. The company has been based in the family home since the very beginning and practically everything is done in house, from pattern design and prototyping to photo shoots and packaging.
Jeanne (JA)
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
Jeanne grew up in a family of 10. She spent countless hours watching her mom draft patterns on newspapers, making anything from stunning evening gowns with matching shoes to winter coats to keep everyone warm.
When she became a mom, she would buy knit remnants that manufacturers would sell to fabric stores. Those were the cheapest fabric coupons available in stores at the time. Nobody knew how to sew those fabrics with regular sewing machines. Jeanne loves challenges. She spent days figuring out a way to sew knits and elastics with her little Necchi machine and she was able to make clothes for the whole family on a tiny budget!
After a few years of people asking how to make swimsuits, underwear, t-shirts and hats, she decided to start teaching from home. After a few months, over 100 students came on a weekly basis to watch and learn her techniques in the humble sewing studio of the family home basement. The students started asking for patterns, which is what sparked the Jalie idea. She trained instructors to share the Jalie techniques in fabric stores across the province and the rest is history.
More than three decades later, Jalie patterns are sold all over the world. We have loyal fans everywhere who share the same passion for sewing that Jeanne inherited from her mother. Jeanne still designs all patterns, sews prototypes and is the Jalie photographer. She is the heart and soul of Jalie and inspires everyone who has the chance to see her work her magic behind a sewing machine.
Émilie (LIE)
AMBASSADOR / SALES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE
Émilie grew up with Jalie. She played with her Barbies under the cutting tables, dress-up in the fabric room and would help out in the summer from the age of 9, sorting invoices, packing orders. She played a key role when Jalie started having an online storefront and is now the link between Jalie and... the world! As a child she would be the official kid-size tester and model. She passed this task on to her own children, Henri and Éléonore, who are more than happy to get many prototypes!
Since 2005 she works for Jalie full-time and is in charge of customer service, graphic design, website maintenance, shipping and social media. She complements Jeanne perfectly, the two having completely different strengths. They do, however, share the same passion for creating new things that make people happy and excited to sew new garments.
Whether you write, call or post on Facebook, Émilie is there to answer you. She goes out of her way to give you all the information and help you need. She relays the suggestions to Jeanne and works with her to constantly improve the designs and instructions. Just like her mom, she loves challenges and she proudly claims that Jalie specializes in things other people won't do. Do not hesitate to send her your suggestions and special requests!