Great British Sewing Bee!
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The Great British Sewing Bee returns for an eight-part series presented by Claudia Winkleman. Ten of the country's best home sewers face three challenges to make or alter an item of clothing under intense time pressure. Each week, their creations are judged by Savile Row's Patrick Grant and sewing expert May Martin, until one of them is crowned Britain's best amateur sewer.
BBC 2 Tuesdays 8PM or Catch up on Iplayer:
Series Trailer:
Episode 1The contestants are tested on three core fabrics: cotton, wool and silk. The first episode tests the sewers on the three core fabrics in a dressmaker's cupboard: cotton, wool and silk. The surprise Pattern Challenge tasks the sewers with making a simple tunic top out of straightforward cotton. Some excel at producing the perfect top, some struggle to finish, and others cut corners - to their cost. In the Alteration Challenge the sewers demonstrate their ability to transform a plain high street woollen skirt in just 90 minutes, creating mini skirts with frills, pencil skirts with peplums, and dungarees. Finally, the sewers face the toughest of core fabrics when asked to fit a made-to-measure silk nightgown for a model. Episode 2The contestants are tested on their ability to match and combine patterned fabric. Claudia Winkleman welcomes the nine home sewers back to the sewing room to face three more challenges. This episode tests their ability to match and combine patterned fabric. First the judges, Savile Row's Patrick Grant and sewing expert May Martin, surprise the sewers with a pattern for a pleated skirt. The catch is that they must match the pattern of the fabric across those pleats without changing the size of the skirt, which catches a few of the sewers out. They must show their ingenuity by combining two patterned men's shirts into one garment - the results range from a little sailor dress to a boob tube. Finally, they make made-to-measure men's patterned pyjamas which must both match across the seams and fit their male model perfectly. Episode 3The contestants face the most fitted made to measure challenge yet. Claudia Winkleman hosts The Great British Sewing Bee as the eight amateur sewers prepare to do battle again in three challenges designed to test their ability to handle stretchy fabric. The judges - Savile Row's Patrick Grant and sewing expert May Martin - first give them a surprise pattern for a simple pair of leggings with resulting snug and saggy bottoms. Next the sewers are free to do whatever they like to turn an oversized t-shirt into a completely different garment - and they come up with some ingenious alterations, from a toddler's leotard to an asymmetric mini dress. Finally, they face the most fitted made to measure challenge yet.
Come to our weekly Stitch Classes in Brighton & Hove. We even use the same Janome sewing machines as used in the programme! |