The Great British Sewing Bee

I was sad to see Gill go what a clever lady to do so much with one hand absolute inspiration
Brogan has quite an annoying voice but she a brilliant designer/ sewer I would imagine she may win she has a happy personality too I liked the grandads navy pyjamas best I can’t remember the lady’s name

I love this programme, I really look forward to it. Always lots of sewing when I was little, my mum used to make all her own clothes and mine.
Sad to see Gill go.
Can't wait for next week. I was trying to reckon up how many weeks left, possibly three/four.
It's the highlight of my week.

Tillytrotter I inadvertently started a sewing Bee thread when this current series began and was very politely told off. ? I only post on this one now. I note the folk who gave me a row didn't do the same to the other thread. Maybe they didn't see it or maybe they're chums.

I saw the programme for the first time last night and really enjoyed it. It has the same format as The Great Pottery Throwdown and on that, too, the presenter often spoils it. I can see they do need presenters but surely they can manage to pick a good one at the auditions.

I was fascinated by the cutting wheels and the weights used to hold pattern to fabric at the cutting out stage. Never seen those before but a big improvement on the pins and scissors I've always used. I'm off to have a look on Amazon.......

What an inspirational woman Gill is.
Sad she's gone but she will be the one always remembered on TGBSB.

Oh-oh we have 2 threads active on this. The other one is called ‘Sewing b’ and I have posted on it this morning, as have others.
!
I shed a few tears at the amazing Gill’s leaving speech too Grandmabatty and loved the transformation challenge for a change - Debra’s jacket was great.
Who knew a bra was so difficult to sew together - so many small pieces (although if it were my size they would be bigger!)

Well I had a tear in my eye last night at the contestant's speech. So did Patrick! They were obviously well liked by the others too. However I think it was the right decision but must have been difficult to make.

MawtheMerrier

Lilypops

Why do the models on GBSB. Wear masks,when none of the contestants or Esme or Patrick wear them ,

I’m guessing that this was filmed some months ago and that the contestants and judges etc are bubbled together.
The models, coming in from outside are wearing face coverings as we were encouraged to do indoors at that time (theatres, cinemas) until that too fell by the wayside.

Mawthemerrier, Thankyou , yes that’s makes sense, The models weren’t in the GBSB bubble ,

I thought Christian's "David Bowie" outfit was by far the closest to the brief, and looked very Bowie. I think it would have won Garment of the Week if it hadn't been a bit tight on her bottom.

Problem is Patrick and Esme are the judges so cannot be with the sewers all the time, they need to have a presenter, to hold the programme together.

Unfortunately this year's presenter, is miscast and i I do hope, that if there is another season of SB, they choose someone more empathetic.

I’ve watched every programme from the beginning but it’s now too repetitive for me and Sarah Pascoe is dire. She’s like a wack a rat toy, she just pops up randomly with no connection to the sewers. I just fast forward to the reveals, I think that’s all that needs to be shown.

Regarding having a presenter, I would have thought Patrick and Esme could do it between them, with an unseen ‘voiceover’ doing some of the narration.

Talking to DD last night, who knows far more about Sarah Pascoe than I do and her reaction was to say she liked her but considers her miscast as the presenter of Sewing Bee. We decided it was because she doesn't really engage with the contestants. Just pops up says her piece, makes a funny face and gives the impression that she then returns to her trailer, until her next slot. Joe Lycett was always visibly on set and seemed to make sure he had a personal rapport with each contestants. Even Oscar winning actors are sometimes miscast and appear in flops, and Sarah Pascoe, whatever her skills, is miscast here.

I enjoyed last night. The general standard of sewing was very good and contestants very evenly talented. Sewing Bee is like a tennis tournament. As Emma Radacanu found you can win a big tournament one week and be out in the first round of a minor tournament the next week. Sewers win or lose on their skills in the current match, not how they have played over the season.

As last night's episode shows, the programme is not just about sewing standards, it is about creativity, choosing the right materials and timing. Angela twice chose inapproriate fabrics last night, the parka fabric she chose looked good but she remarked on the problems it might cause when she chose it - and it did-. And needlecord fabric, was completely wrong for the last task. Whoever saw David Bowie in needlecord?

Lilypops

Why do the models on GBSB. Wear masks,when none of the contestants or Esme or Patrick wear them ,

I’m guessing that this was filmed some months ago and that the contestants and judges etc are bubbled together.
The models, coming in from outside are wearing face coverings as we were encouraged to do indoors at that time (theatres, cinemas) until that too fell by the wayside.

Enjoyed the programme last night. Such talented people. The young man is very good, hope he wins. He has made some lovely outfits.
Yes, to Joe coming back.

I thought the judges had decided Angela was going home fairly early on. I think Gill is amazing to make such lovely outfits with only one hand. To me, Cristian's outfit was the closest to Bowie by far. I was a fan of Brogan early on but now her stuff doesn't stand out the same.

An inspired made-to-measure challenge offering so much scope. My favourite for impact was Christian's but it was too tight.

The parkas were good too. As ever, I could do without the transformation challenge.

Brogan seems to be leading the pack for accurate sewing but my favourite is Gill.

Lilypops

Why do the models on GBSB. Wear masks,when none of the contestants or Esme or Patrick wear them ,

I quite like the masks as a fashion statement because they are co-ordinated with the outfit.
Didn't someone last night remake theirs to use a different part of the fabric?

I really enjoyed last night's programme. The David Bowie coat/dress that was garment of the week was very well made.

Why do the models on GBSB. Wear masks,when none of the contestants or Esme or Patrick wear them ,

I like her too acquagran. I've been watching the political comedy The Thick of It again and had forgotten she had a very small part in one epsode. That was in 2009 so she's been a round for a while. It makes sense to me to have a presenter who can develop a light-hearted rapport with the contestants. I think it eases the tension. I liked Ellie Taylor standing in for Siobhan McSweeney on the most recent Pottery Throwdown.

What’s wrong with Sarah Pascoe? She is just a pleasant personality, why allow somebody lighthearted to spoil one of your favourite programmes, waste of energy!

Oh please don’t bring back Joe but get rid of this one too why oh why do all these competition programmes have to have a so called comedian presenting them
Dreadful mistake in my opinion

If all the contestants had the same level of ability there wouldn’t be any point in having the competition. The sewers demonstrate their ability to show off their strengths and weaknesses and this sets them up against each other. It is also nice for people at home to try to gauge who will stay or leave each week.
It has also meant that a great many people are now taking up sewing and learning new skills which is all good.

AreWeThereYet Oops sorry, I forgot about Serena being a trainee doctor. I knew it was Clare who made the blouse, I just assumed she was the doctor referred to as I couldn't remember that parachute silk dress. I hoped Clare would win but really didn't think they'd give it to her, so was inordinately pleased when they did.
Serena was very talented, everything she sewed was so neat and her fitted garments were perfect, I thought she'd win from quite early in that series.
No idea for this series, I had thought Marni was a strong contender so shows what I know ?