Sometimes your dream creative career can develop from small, unsuspecting threads of inspiration and passion. For Tammy Johal, it came in the form of sewing.
“During my time working at different agencies, I started sewing on the side for fun. You know when you want to pick up a hobby? I said, I’m going to make sewing my hobby.”
After Tammy graduated from BA (Hons) Graphic Design at AUB in 2016, she followed her initial instincts and dived headfirst into as many different internships and agencies as possible. This was her way of getting a feel for the industry – and moving upwards – from junior to midweight roles, which landed her in a full-time position exploring branding: “That was my forte”.
It was when Tammy and her partner moved to Berlin that a new possibility began opening up for her, after her company allowed for a new contract and setting her up as a German entity.
“When I was working in Berlin, it was so fun and felt really freeing. I thought, I want to work for myself. I didn’t want to be tied into working a normal job anymore.”
Tammy decided to take the leap, one of many, from full-time employment, to freelancing, to fully working for herself. She continued to keep up the pastime of sewing and discovered how to create her own clothes, posting the final results to Instagram:
“Video content was not a thing. It was still very much photo-driven; Reels didn’t even exist then, so I was just posting pictures of me with my final dress.”
What started as a casual hobby began to generate interest, with followers asking how they could sew too. And with the explosion of short-form content in recent years, Tammy saw an opportunity, and quickly learnt how to adapt.
“I started making more educational content around sewing and learning how to sew. And craft brands really liked that angle, so it allowed me to start partnering with different brands and make social media content, promoting them to my audience. Over the past couple of years, it’s been more about showing processes, and it’s very much about the journey, not just the finished product.
“At first I didn’t know what to post. I wondered, what do people post videos for? – and I just started posting videos of me cutting fabric out – aesthetic, ASMR vibes.”
And then, one of her reels went viral.
“It got 13 million views. It was crazy – this was me cutting fabric out! But it was such a cool pivot.”
Tammy’s once-casual passion for sewing is now her brand, Tammy Handmade. She’s amassed over 150,000 followers on Instagram, with her short-form content still reaching millions of views. She’s even become an ambassador for Brother – one of the biggest sewing brands in the world – using her content to promote their newest sewing machines to her admiring audience. Now, Tammy’s publishing her very own debut book titled Sew Simple: A Beginner’s Guide to Sewing 20 Chic Projects.
Since starting her business, Tammy’s aim has always been to make sewing more fun, more accessible and less intimidating, unpacking the stereotypes around who can pick up sewing and why.
“I always thought, when I first started, that you had to go to fashion school or do a fashion degree to be able to sew. I didn’t know home-sewers were a thing. I thought you needed a professional background, but anyone can start sewing from the comfort of their own home. It’s more about finding the right guidance and patterns to reflect the clothes you want to make.”
This is what inspired her to start her book; it’s the advice she wishes she’d had before she started sewing.
“I thought, why aren’t we making sewing more stylish?”
Sew Simple is Tammy’s answer to the books she’d buy from Amazon that featured uninspired, bland designs, instead providing a fresh take on classic sewn styles with stylish, modern looks that mirror what’s hot on the high street. Covering the essential techniques of sewing, Sew Simple encourages readers to start with simple projects like scrunchies or tote bags and work their way towards fun, full-scale garments. Plus, Tammy’s ensured it’s accessible for all.
"Everything comes with really clear instructions. Each step is written and illustrated – there’s no guesswork. In books I’ve bought in the past, when I started sewing, they don’t break down each step super-clearly. It still leaves a lot of guesswork, and I feel that’s where beginners, especially, can get confused, because it’s not broken down clearly.
“Literally anyone – even if you’ve not turned on a sewing machine before – can pick up this book and start sewing clothes in a couple of hours.”
The process of writing a book for Tammy, however, was a new one, and came with a new set of challenges and skills – all while still developing and growing her business.
“When the publishers said, 'Yeah, you actually have to write it…' I thought, oh, I physically have to write 200-odd pages’ worth of content. So that was really overwhelming! I also had to create the sewing patterns that come with it. It’s like a recipe book. It comes with recipes you actually need to create as well as write the instructions for them.
“The most exciting bit part was having the photo shoot with models wearing the sewing patterns that are included. That felt so special to see people with different body types and wearing my clothes.”
Reflecting on the process, many of the skills Tammy learnt from BA (Hons) Graphic Design and experiences at AUB helped stitch the final product and her current projects together too, from essential techniques to bringing creative ideas to life.
“I recently released a fabric collection with a fabric company where I illustrated and designed 10 prints that people can shop for. That’s the perfect blend of design and sewing – my two key skills merged into one. When you have a key understanding of design, it’s much easier to launch your own products, your own website, etc.
“I predominantly use things like Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Premier Pro, and that’s the stuff I learnt at AUB. But wasn’t just how to use software. It was how to think about things in more depth before you go ahead and start making. I think that’s really valuable as a skill, which not many universities teach.
"AUB allowed me to push myself and try new things – like trying a new hobby. It’s the continued working-towards something that gets you there.”
What started from humble beginnings as showcasing her completed fits online to promoting her soon-to-be-launched book, Tammy’s journey with sewing has been gradual but rewarding. This mirrors her advice to students who are determined to start their own business after graduating too; like writing recipes for pattern or weaving ideas together for a new dress, it takes time and patience.
“I think working at a full-time job and being surrounded by people is so invaluable. You can’t really learn that if you went straight from university to working for yourself. You don’t get that same exposure to working with different people, working on different projects, and learning the ropes of being part of a team. Working on your own can be incredibly isolating. I’m just glad I gave graphic design a good try first before I went ahead and started my own company.
“It’s such a nice breather to know you have your full-time job, and then you’re doing your project or business on the side. And when that starts to build up a substantial amount, then I would take that chance.”
