👗 Sewing Bee 👗

I liked Lauren's silver grey sari dress the best.
Why do some sewers in various series decide to ignore the brief? You're asked to incorporate calico but you're arrogant enough to decide not to!

I didn’t really like any of the clothes made last night. Not anything I would want to wear. I think the pink Nehru jacket would have been lovely if it was finished.

I've made a number of dresses for daughters out of saris - here's one.
There are lots of ways of using the fabric- the bit over the shoulder is usually more decorative - I used for bodice in this dress.

I didn't understand why there were so many problems in the final task. Don't they usually have a chance to practice before hand?

I am enjoying it but agree yesterday's efforts weren't up to standard. And why did one of the sewers not use any calico in her effort when it was clearly requested of them? As a result she came last.

…..and I like a Nehru jacket and sari. At my goddaughter’s wedding several women wore a sari.

I wasn’t fussed on any of their makes last night.

The irony is that I thought the best interpretation of the last task was the grey dress Lauren made, even though it was substantially incomplete - including safety pins, but she was the only one who made a whole dress that draped. All the others just made a dress and draped a piece of fabric around or over it.

I think a better final round would have been to ask them to buy a sari and make it into an evening dress.

Some years ago Iwas given an embroidered sari that came with the made bodice top. When we went on a cruise I used it to make an empire line dress using the readymade bodice and the decorated edge on the front as part of an over skirt and round the bottom edge of the dress.

I knew standards had gone south when Patrick was wearing a beautiful pair of trousers with belt loops and no belt 😱 Noooo!!!!

The Nehru jacket was much too challenging for this group to accomplish. They don't appear to have the appropriate skill set. I think they were picked because of their quirkiness, not their sewing. The sari dress was the chance to show off creativity and they were very cautious. I quite liked Ailsa's dress but it was very crumpled. I think Suzy is very lucky to be still in the competition

I really enjoy the programme, but as a life-long sewer, I am surprised at how amateur some of the garments look. I'm sure there are many of us at home who would make better and neater garments. However, where I would be hopeless is in the creative challenges - I'd struggle to design a decent and inspiring garment from old shirts, jackets, shopping bags etc, I just wouldn't know where to start!

I think it's become repetitive and rather uninspiring. Also, I wish they would stop the silly jokes. The programme has lost its appeal for me.

Esme and Patrick must be getting fed up having to find positive things to say about the poor standard of design offered by this year's contestants. The sari dresses were all disappointing.

I don’t really care who wins I don’t think there’s much going for any of them some of those creations last night were awful and looked just what they were… made out of scraps, and unfinished, I thought the sari type outfits were abysmal (saris are so beautiful) and the Nehru jackets were mostly poorly done with awful mistakes

I’m no sewer, but enjoy watching those who can.

I agree that some of this year’s lot don’t seem great.

I wasn’t impressed with the garment of the week last night, thought it looked a bit thrown together.

My predictions for the final are Luke, Alex and Pascha?

I agree with everything you have said, MOnica. Also none of the contestants are standing out for me. I usually have one or two favourites I am rooting for but none of them are really grabbing my interest.

I absolutely agree Blebelle. On almost every programme and every round this year at least 50 %of the garments have not been finished, and sometimes, like the Nehru jackets, only 2 were completely completed.

I also think that the rounds are becoming too similar. The first pattern round, has always been a relatively simple pattern with instructions to be followed to the last full stop, but which shows their command of specific skills, like putting in zips.

The Nehru jacket was far to complex for this round and the time given was 4 hours rather than 2.5, The same with the make over round.

Taking a shirt and some calico and making a garment is really not very challenging, - and while someof the makeover garments in previous year have been far fetched, I do enjoy watching the most improbable things being
turned into clothes.

It is the last round that has deteriorate dmost. We used to see some exquisite and beautifully made clothes. Today, again, half were seriously a long way from complete, and most were badly fitting and looked what they were home made dresses, with all that description can sometimes mean.

I am not a sewer but I do have a good eye for clothes and fashion
I don’t think this years group is anything like as good as other years some of the stuff they are making really isnt good in my opinion

Callistemon The time limits have not changed and in previous years unfinished garments were very rare.

vegansrock I am not sure I agree with you. This programmme has brought a wide range of people from allsorts of backgrounds and ages, who have proved to be superb needlepeople. Including an army officer, a policemen and two surgeons, both in their 30s.

Let’s face it, the best amateur sewers are most likely to be older women who have been practising for a lifetime and they want to get diversity in so they choose a wide range of people. It’s not about the sewing, otherwise they’d give people enough time to do things properly. I do watch it, but I think it makes sewing look difficult and might put non sewers off.

Well I love it and look forward to Tuesday nights. I watched it on iPlayer last night as there was a drama documentary on 4 about the girl whose husband tampered with her parachute. Sewing bee was so restful after that- no adverts to stop the flow. Patrick and Esme are funny enough to lighten the atmosphere without needing a comedian! Just saying!

How have we gone from those fabulous trousers, which both Patrick and Esme said they would wear, and which were outstanding, to the contestants are poor this year?
I think last night's tasks were a bit limiting.

I have noticed the two in loose outfits, things they have designed and made I suspect. I'm not sure who they are meant to impress.

But for just on 10 years really good sewers could be seen on the programme and I am sure that it didn't take them that long to realsie the programme is about entertainment.

Even the personalities of those on this year are a bit all of a level.

(And yes I do sew myself but I'd rather do things properly than fast)

Yes, that is right eddiecat
Certainly the time seems quite limited resulting in rushed work, unfinished so often I wonder if the timescales are unrealistic.

BlueBelle

Gosh I thought the outfits were poor last night in fact I d go further than poor some were awful The older gents were no worse than some of the others but I think they targeted him to go out Though most of them were really quite bad ( and that’s from someone who can’t sew for toffee)

I think he could have made a lovely job of that red dress if only he'd had far more time!
The dress was better than the men's white shorts and waistcoat.

Are many of the finished products actually wearable? What happens to them afterwards?