🪡 Sewing Bee 🪡

I was so hoping that Orla would win last night although I wasn't too keen on her MtM dress.

Caz is very gushy isn't she? I bet her real name is Caroline or Carol 😂

shysal

I have just read that Sara is being replaced by Sophie Willan, another comedian, in future series. I haven't seen her in anything so no idea how she will do the job.
www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2025/the-great-british-sewing-bee-sophie-willan

I love Sophie Willan..... she's a very talented writer as well as actress....she's won loads of awards .....Almas not Normal is just genius

Luckygirl3

I would love it if these programmes scrapped the knock-out element and we were just allowed to see the sewers grow in skill week by week. Then let the judges choose who has made the most progress at the end and give them a prize. It would feel so much more constructive.

That’s an idea Lucky. I’d be interested to see how that would go.

I must have drafted something and didn’t post it or maybe there’s another thread about the Bee but I definitely remember writing somewhere that I did not think that Kit’s or Orla’s “horror” garments were the best, more akin to Halloween costumes and that Gaynor’s lovely mari-morgan dress was harshly criticised for missing the brief. Luring men in order to drown them is a form of horror.

I think the judging in this year’s competition has been off on several occasions.

At the end of the day though, does it matter who wins? Some past contestants who didn’t win have nevertheless developed or furthered their careers in sewing: Tilly and the Buttons (patterns), Stuart Hilliard (fabric design), Chinelo Bailey (fashion design) come to mind. There may be others.

Do people remember Gill Thomas who discarded her prosthetic arm to take part in the competition and said how liberating it had been? She now runs a business offering sewing events and retreats.

I think whether people are sewing, cooking, baking or painting, viewers want the excitement of some jeopardy. There have been sewers who have been cleary out of their depth and needed to go early on. I'm not sure sewing under cameras and against the clock is going to help the confidence of relatively rookie sewers but having say three weeks before the first elimination would give everyone a chance to calm their nerves and show us what they can do.

I would love it if these programmes scrapped the knock-out element and we were just allowed to see the sewers grow in skill week by week. Then let the judges choose who has made the most progress at the end and give them a prize. It would feel so much more constructive.

Yes, that's how it works, Rosie51

In fact, if made-to-measure meant made to fit and beautifully sewn, Gaynor would not have been eliminated with her Mari-morgan costume and Kit would have been knocked out with his shapeless sacks.

PaynesGrey We know the programme is heavily edited to point a big arrow at who is likely to be going out and it was pointing at Kit. However, when it came to the made-to-measure, although he was rushed and the lacy overjacket wasn’t finished, his outfit did at least fit. Caz’s did not. Surely it’s the point of made-to-measure that the garment fits the model. Again, how can someone reach the final of a sewing competition who hasn't fitted what, by her own admission was an easy garment.

How do you reconcile your comments about made-to-measure above with Kit getting equal 'garment of the week' for his scarecrow outfit the previous week that absolutely any one of the models could have worn? It barely had any sewing let alone any fitting. And incidentally he had to butcher and destroy the function of the slider on the plus fours in order to get the strap through, that's hardly well made. His transformation challenge wasn't original was it? A copy and homage to Esme, but I thought Gaynor used to be criticised for lack of imagination and originality.
On the overall performances of the week, the right contestant was eliminated. I've seen comments on social media that Kit should have been given credit for past performances but that's not how knockout competition works. Any of the sewers eliminated earlier because they had a nightmare week might have excelled in later weeks.

I have just read that Sara is being replaced by Sophie Willan, another comedian, in future series. I haven't seen her in anything so no idea how she will do the job.
www.bbc.com/mediacentre/2025/the-great-british-sewing-bee-sophie-willan

I have not been well the last week or so and have spent some time going over old episodes.
In general I think the sewers in this series are not as skilled as those in others where there were some exceptionally talented people.

PaynesGrey

I used to do a lot of sewing and many years ago made myself lined wool straight skirts with a kick pleat. If it was a check material it was always the rule to line up the checks.
They can't be short of fabric on the Sewing Bee, there are bolts of material, so there is no need to skimp.

I have just started watching this week's episode and Kit in arrogant mode is not a pretty sight .....

I don’t mind who wins but am glad it’s not a forgone conclusion.

I liked Kit and liked his bold confidence but this week he had an “I know better” rush of blood to the head and chose a fabric for the Plus Fours which was too heavy. Nevertheless his rousers were better made than Yasmin’s who made no effort to pattern match her check. That seemed just as much an error to me, to deliberately chose a check fabric for a tailored garment but have no intention of pattern matching it.

I like Yasmin and liked her sailor dress but it seems odd to me that someone who had admitted to never having pattern-matched in her life could reach the final of a sewing competition.

We know the programme is heavily edited to point a big arrow at who is likely to be going out and it was pointing at Kit. However, when it came to the made-to-measure, although he was rushed and the lacy overjacket wasn’t finished, his outfit did at least fit. Caz’s did not. Surely it’s the point of made-to-measure that the garment fits the model. Again, how can someone reach the final of a sewing competition who hasn't fitted what, by her own admission was an easy garment.

Orla to win but overall, I have been disappointed with this year’s contestants.

As always it will come down to whoever makes the best made-to-measure in the final.

I was surprised that Kit didn't make it to the final as he appeared to be the one to beat but I think he got a little bit too cocky.

His choice of fabric for the pattern challenge was completely wrong.

Saying he didn't 'need to read the pattern' because he knew how to make trousers was not the most sensible thing to say. I was expecting his plus fours to look worse than they did.

His transformation was an obvious attempt to suck up to Esme and it worked to an extent and might have saved him if he'd completed his M2M but that was a disaster.

I don't have a favourite and think any of the 3 could win which hopefully will make for an interesting final.

Stopped watching it after episode 3. I know they are trying to find the best sewer but why not things that people would make at home why does it have to be so over the top and aut couture not spelt correctly can't think the correct spelling. Things for think it's called capsule wardrobe would be better.
Mind you not bothering to watch bake off either. This series ,but didn't watch last . It wasn't the same after Mary Berry ,Mel and Sue left .

I watched a bit of this yesterday. Shan’t watch it again for two reasons, one being I can’t take to Esme, the second being I can’t take to Sarah either! Not often I dislike presenters, but these two are not to my taste at all.

Seems a lot of us felt the same about Kit he got too big for his boots, his ego sprouted wings, and he had a mare of a week he should have gone for sure he became cocksure bragging about making it from his own pattern thinking he was one up on the others
I do hope Orla wins as she has been more consistent than Yasmin who s had some ups and downs as has Caz although I like her too
A good three finalists whichever way it goes

I'd recorded it and have just finished watching. I couldn't take to Kit, far too smug for my liking, but he is talented. He was obviously Esme's favourite, she let him off stuff she'd never let anyone else eg going off brief when he topstitched the gusset in the jacket rendering it unwearable, and the scarecrow outfit was a close copy of the Dr Who one that involved little sewing and absolutely no fitting to the model which normally they'd reference. This week he had a nightmare, chose the wrong fabric for the plus fours, and his made to measure was held together with a safety pin, plus some poor sewing. I think these two combined meant that he had to go, they really couldn't fudge it to keep him, and it would have been really unfair to the other sewers.

I liked all the other made to measures, but Yasmin's was especially good. I hope Yasmin wins but will be happy with any of the three, whoever has the best week. Good luck to them all.

I was expecting Kit to win but he had a bad week just when it was crucial to do his best.

Like others have said, I wasn't impressed with his boasting, and pride comes before a fall as we all know.

Frankly Kit's last week's Made to Measure didn't fit the brief. It was certainly scary and an outfit for a horror movie but there was no shape or fitting to the model.

I would be happy with either Orla or Yasmin winning. I am not a great fan of Caz and don't really know why.

I too wasn’t a fan of Kit. Very cocky and his ‘I’ve won six out of eight,’ unnecessary.
I think the remaining three are the right choice

Not this time, but previously, Orla has been showing nerves and on the brink of going to pieces. Likewise Caz so it has to be Jasmin to take the prize. She has peaked at the right time and is level headed with no expectations.

I think he was over confident last night, it’s the first time he’s faltered. It must be difficult for the judges, because they have to judge based on the three garments each week, not on what’s gone before. The ones left are all good I think.

Grammaretto

They didn't like him making his own patterns and veering off piste.
I don't agree with the judges. They are losing a very imaginative and accomplished craftsman.

Couldn't have put it better myself, Grammaretto

Well, I was surprised Kit went. It's a close race now. I don't have a clue who will win. I was convinced it would be Kit.... Off on holiday now, so will find out when I get back. So must not look at this thread!

I was very surprised that Kit couldn't finish his own pattern design this week. I wonder if he had actually tried it out as a practice first or was confident that it would work. Anyway he couldn't go to the final with a garment held together with pins.
I am favouring Orla to win now but it will be close.