Chicago designer turns grief into purpose, one stitch at a time

CHICAGO - The steady hum of a sewing machine fills the room as Tisa Johnson-Banks works against the clock— something she’s learned to do all too well.

Johnson-Banks says she has stitched her life back together not once, not twice, but four times.

What we know:

"I lost one brother June 2023, June 2024, June 2025," she said. "And I lost four sons back to back."

The grief nearly unraveled her. Instead of folding, Johnson-Banks threaded her pain into purpose.

"The first one I ever did is actually this one here," she said, holding up a sweater she created in honor of her brother. "It was a sweater at first, then I took the sleeves off and turned it into a vest. You go through all the pictures… this was my very first one."

Johnson-Banks learned to sew at just seven years old at the Boys and Girls Club—a skill that would later become her lifeline.

"I’m familiar with loss," she said. "But at the end of the day, I have to keep living my life and keep pushing."

Today, the Chicago designer creates commemorative sweaters, often for people honoring loved ones who have passed away.

"Most of the time it’s for people’s loved ones that passed away," she said.

But before fashion ever entered the picture, Johnson-Banks had another dream—football.

"I love sports, and I always wanted to play football," she said. "But they told me girls don’t play football. Well, now they do."

That dream turned into a lifelong love for the game and for the Chicago Bears.

Recently, she and her husband, Johnnie, sat inches from the 50-yard line during a Bears-Packers matchup. Even then, she was still creating.

"I actually created this yesterday," she said. "Time was ticking, so I finished it up in the car on my way to the game. I had to hand stitch everything. No time to spare."

Using her love for design, Johnson-Banks has created custom pieces for celebrities and athletes, but one sweater stood out. A design she made for Bears quarterback Caleb Williams.

"I just made it, and it just went viral," she said. "I heard that voice say, ‘Put it on social media and let your social media do the work.’"

She shared the sweater on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads hoping someone could help make the connection.

Instead, she got an unexpected message.

"I had an Instagram message," she said. "And it was Simone Biles."

Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles-Owens, wife of Bears safety Jonathan Owens, commented and told Johnson-Banks to check her DMs.

"She said, ‘Hey, I seen your sweater. It is so sickening,’" Johnson-Banks recalled. "Then she messaged me back and said she was going to reach out to his team and his mom."

Just before the meetup, Johnson-Banks learned the sweater wasn’t for Caleb Williams after all, it was for his mother.

"So I altered it," she said. "I had it ready in five minutes. I kept refreshing my phone, and then his chief of staff reached out and set up the meeting."

The moment changed everything. Orders started pouring in.

"I have 210 text messages I have to go through," she said.

But the money already has a destination.

Johnson-Banks bought a Chicago building to serve as her studio, only to discover it had been broken into, stripped of copper, and came with unexpected back taxes.

"I’m doing what I need to do to raise the money to save my building," she said. "I’ve raised $21,000 so far. It’s $46,000 total."

The deadline to pay the balance is February 27.

"That’s getting close," she said. "Grind, grind, grind. Put in orders."

Every dollar she earns now goes toward saving the building and time is running out.

As she finishes a hat in just minutes, Johnson-Banks reflects on how it all began.

"This was really born out of tragedy," she said. "Out of pain. And I took it for purpose."

What's next:

She’s still taking orders. You can view her work and place orders at TisaWithTheTea.com.

And as the clock ticks down, Johnson-Banks is doing what she’s always done—working fast, stitching hope into every piece, and refusing to give up.