Meet Tammy O'Connell
Tammy O'Connell's vision to bring together beauty, form, and function is exemplified in, Peacock Patterns, her original pattern designs. Her Jitney Bags pattern series features practical totes and purses with an individual stylistic flair. She is a national sewing speaker, HGTV and PBS-TV guest, clothing judge, past ASG Chapter President, and award winning sewist. Her passion is to revive exquisite sewing techniques from the past, then interpret them in distinctive modern designs. Tammy enjoys guiding students through vintage avenues of fashion to create their own sense of simple elegance.
As an 'advant garde' sewist, she loves to explore sewing with different kinds of things from shoe covering to vintage purses. She enjoys working with feathers, leathers, exotic furs, metals, beads, expensive fabrics, and vintage artifacts. Follow her for a refreshing look at past and future techniques.
Tammy's Sewing Experience and Education
Pattern drafting: International Academy of Merchandising and Design, Chicago
Numerous seminars at American Sewing Guild, Milwaukee Chapter
Sewing Expo at Southwestern Technical College, Fennimore, WI
American Sewing Guild National Convention Educator
Tailoring Courses and other sewing classes through colleges and high school
Prolific sewer for decades, garment, home decor, couture, tailoring, drafting.
Supervisor Costume Shop, Olympus Flag and Banner
Awards
- 2007 3rd Prize Nations Notions Jacket Challenge
- 2006 Finalist Threads Magazine Little Black Dress Challenge
- 2002 Make It Yourself With Wool -competing nationally in December 2002
- 2002 Alternate Winner Make It Yourself With Wool Contest Wisconsin
- 2001 National Make It Yourself With Wool top 4th Place Winner
- 2001 Winner Make It Yourself With Wool Contest Wisconsin Winner
- 2001 Winner Wisconsin State Fair-Most Promising Designer Award
- 2000 National Make It Yourself With Wool top ten National Ranking
- 2000 Winner Make It Yourself With Wool Contest Wisconsin Winner
- 2000-present ASG Milwaukee Chapter Advisory Board Member-at-Large
- 1999 Best Vintage Outfit Award at Southwest Tech College Sewing Expo, WI.
- 1998 ASG Orlando Convention-Won Everyday is Vacation Day Challenge, FL.
- Wisconsin State Fair ribbons- multiple years
- Recognized on www.cambridgewhoswho.com
Tammy lives near Milwaukee, WI on a secluded hilltop with two sewing Studios and with supportive husband Dann, two Ragdoll cat helpers and 128 pound Newfoundland dog, Amelia.
You can visit Tammy O' Connell and her collection at www.peacockpatterns.com
