Great British Sewing Bee

[queer_scribbling]

I just recently found about the Great British Sewing Bee, so I'm not sure if I really like the show. I may or may not ramble a bit in the comments after trying an episode or two. (I will do my best to keep all stuff about this show within the comments of this post.)

First, I feel I should note that I only just heard about a show that's been on for nearly ten years because I saw it mentioned in the notes on a knitting pattern (a shirt inspired by one of the themed challenges - Art Deco Top by Sybil R - first seen here).

Second, I could probably just admit defeat and pick a VPN, and I could probably get the BBC player to accept that I'm totally watching this show in the UK. At various points, it's been the common advice for watching the show, but I noticed in a casual search of googling ways to watch GBSB that some people have had issues with only having access to the past GBSB episodes for a set amount of time. Possibly enough to comfortably watch one or two series' worth, but a bit short on trying to watch eight series' worth of episodes, you know?

So, yeah, I went to r/SewingBee to find some links. The current series [9] looks to be offered in a Google Docs folder [pinned post], there's a 🏴‍☠️ option for series 1 through 8, and I'm keeping a link to bstsrs.one/show/the-great-british-sewing-bee [looks to be all past and current episodes].

Comments

S01 Thoughts

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Originally posted on 20 June 2023:

S01E01: As someone who doesn't sew, some of the focus on the details does seem very intimidating. (I know it's a competition for a reason, but particularly for the challenges where you're just fitting a mannequin, it's like, really, I think that little bit would be fine on an actual person.) I do wish Michelle's reversible dress had gone off better.

S01E02: There's something a bit refreshing about seeing so many women stop and think about how to make men's trousers, specifically the fly zip, after a bunch of dress stuff. I am glad that Mark got to make a historical blouse [since that's more his area of sewing, and he struggled a bit on so many of the 'modern' patterns].

S01E03: I appreciate having the one host who gets to ask questions on behalf of the audience (almost everything about the toddler's dress needed a quick explanation). Zips along the front of a dress do look a bit odd, but Stuart did drastically alter the shape of the blue dress. (He seems to do so much better in the skills challenges.) I truly did not realise how hard jackets were to put together until now. [The historical bit about "make do and mend" during WWII with fabric rations was interesting, but I understand why Ann, who lived through it, wasn't keen on that time.]

S01E04: Men's shirts are so finicky [ o.o ]. I did like having a hand-sewing challenge, but the idea of doing anything in an hour and a half makes everything in my hands cramp. Ooo, Ann's final dress was so lovely [black lace on top of a dark blue underneath dress bit]. I'm not surprised that Ann won.


S01E05: Stuart, Sandra, Lauren, and Ann [the four semi-finalists] were reunited with the judges to make some stuff for an Xmas episode. [Currently skipped, but if I want to go back and watch it, I have a note of what to expect.]

S01 Challenge Notes

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Originally posted on 21 June 2023:

I'm not sure if I'll truly want to keep an eye on 'make something inspired by GBSB challenges' stuff, but I thought I'd keep a few notes in case I wanted to take a glance at that sort of thing later.

S01E01: Skills challenges were to make an A-line skirt from the provided pattern and altering a bought shirt [altering the neckline however they wanted]. The living model challenge was to make a "day dress".

S01E02: Skills challenges were to make a pair of men's trousers from the provided pattern and adding patch pockets to a bought skirt. The living model challenge was to make a blouse out of some type of satin or silk.

S01E03: Pattern challenge was to make the provided toddler's dress out of any fabric - had to include rolag (sp?) ties [as straps] and some amount of elastic sheering (sp?) at the top. Alteration challenge was to take the provided blue 'shapeless' dress and alter its shape. The living model challenge was to make a jacket.

S01E04: Pattern challenge was to make a men's shirt out of any fabric [note that it's not a dress shirt, so cuffs aren't involved]. The alteration challenge was to hand sew something onto the provided bags/purses, and a whole bunch of extras were available (embroidery thread, beads, sequins, etc.). The final live model challenge was to make an evening dress. [Finalists' relatives were brought in to be models, also.]

S02 Thoughts

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Originally posted on 22 June 2023:

S02E01: Focused on the three fabrics - cotton, wool, and silk. || We're really asking for a bit in this first pattern challenge - understitching, hand-sewing a loop and button [considering that hand-sewing was at the end of S01]. Godets are a thing that I think I've heard of, but not by that name [regarding the contrasting color fabric added to several wool skirts]. Silk! In week one! S02 is really swinging for the fence already, and almost everyone tried to add a layer of lace to their silk. (Another season where a medical issue led to someone leaving, so no one else was sent home.)

S02E02: Focused on pattern fabrics. || A lot of people can do so much sewing without bothering with pattern matching. I can't blame some of the sewers for wanting to play it safe with some of their patterns (especially when combining two), but the judge's do like going for bold attempts. (New this week: some historical stuff on chintz cotton with patterns coming to the UK in the late 1600s and 1700s, and loads of people are trying piping on pyjamas for the first time.) Buttons are, apparently, the scourge of even sides and maintaining your pattern on your model.

S02E03: Focused on stretch fabrics. || I didn't realise leggings were that simple to put together, but the devil is in the details about picking right size for the specific fabric [that still fits the mannequin]. The overlocker thing is.... A wee bit scary. (New this week: The history of Lycra for stretch fabric, especially the athletic leotards and then non-athletic clothes. Twin needle stitching.)

I didn't finish watching the second season in one go.

S02 Challenge Notes

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Originally posted on 22 June 2023:

S02E01: Pattern challenge was to make a sleeveless [women's] top out of any cotton fabric. The understitching on the facing [inside] was important, and the loop and button in the back needed to be hand-sewn. The alteration challenge was to radically change the shape of a medium grey woolen maxi skirt [ankle length]. The live model challenge is to make a nightgown out of any type of silk.

S02E02: Pattern challenge was to make a skirt with box pleats [2 front, 2 back] where the pattern looks uninterrupted across the pleats. I think it's a lap zip where one side's supposed to be hand-sewn [another hand-sewing test]. The alteration challenge was to take two patterned men's shirts and turn them into something. The live model challenge was to create a patterned set of men's pyjamas.

S02E03: Pattern challenge was to make a pair of leggins out of any stretch fabric. [Stopped just shy of the 18 minute mark.]