🪡 Sewing Bee 🪡

I don’t think it’s just Sarah Pasco Crosstitchfan well certainly not for me I just think the comedian (very very loose description) is so unnecessary and takes the attention off the contestants
Keep the programme but change the format (slightly) put more light on the contestants’ work and less of the silliness it’s not needed, and just distracts from the sewing which most people are watching for

Is Sara Pasco the unfunny woman on the cookery competition programme where professional cooks are set tricky tasks of cookery, if so I will be really disappointed ?

I agree with BlueBelle that the comedy is unnecessary and I find it pretty cringeworthy. However, if you go right back to the original series, the format was rather dry. It was very interesting to me, as an experienced sewer/sewist (whatever 😂) but I accept it was a niche offering. I still don't think the comedy element of today's format is the right way to go.

Another element I detest is the transformation challenge. It can hardly be equated with reduce-reuse-recycle when, more often than not, serviceable charity shop garments are shredded to construct totally unwearable tat. One of the presenters writes books and makes podcasts and TED talks about fast fashion, sustainability and the disgraceful fabric mountain, yet these creations only add to it.

A different way might be for contestants to be given a small budget, say £25, and then filmed (or film themselves on their phone) shopping at charity shops, converting their purchases, at home, to something wearable then travelling to the studio, by public transport, wearing their creation. The TV company could finance this using the money they normally pay to the comedian.

Can't stand Sara Pascoe. I think she's embarrassing she's so corny. Didn't like Joe Lycett either, although I agree that he was very kind with stressed sewers. I really liked Claudia in the earlier series.

As someone said up thread, instead of the transformation segment making an unwearable outfit from a bin bag and some rubber gloves, it would be really useful to have some general sewing tips.

But complaints aside .... I shall still watch it.

I'm hopeless at sewing but I really enjoy the programme. So pleased it's back. I wish they did a knitting one too. I enjoyed suddenly coming across a knitting programme on television last night all with the thickest wool I've ever seen. That too was enjoyable and both the sewing and knitting activities on TV are much better than my attempts these days!!!

I'm sure I read somewhere that a programme focused more on knitting was planned. I think with Tom Daley as the presenter.

Athrawes which channel was that on please? Sounds like it could be worth watching if I can find it on catchup

Well! I thought garments of the week was amazing such clever well thought out intricacy.

They did seem like very tricky challenges for week one though and I am very much looking forward to the rest of the series.

Me too! All of the contestants seemed likeable and competent, and it’ll be interesting to see who stands out as they progress. I was actually glad that nobody could be voted out last night - it always seems a bit mean to me that someone only gets one chance to show what they can do before they’re sent home.

lizzypopbottle

I'll be shot down in flames for this but I think Patrick Grant is absolutely wet... 😂😂😂😂

Consider yourself shot 🔥 🔥 🤣🤣

I went to see "An Evening with Patrick Grant" a few months back.

I was suitably excited in the lead up, but slightly less so afterwards.

For those who do NOT share your feelings! 🤣

Sara Pascoe returning is not the best news. I find her as funny as a dose of flu. Poor Esme and Patrick have to summon up a smile at her toe-curling attempts at being funny.
Siobhan McSweeney is a much better presenter.
I liked the contestants last night.
I was hopeless at needlework at school with my Primary School teacher telling me I held a needle like a cow with a poker. I am 77 now and that has stayed with me all my life. These days she would have been hung out to dry for a remark like that.

Many, many years ago I used to make clothes for myself from a pattern. However, no way could I produce garments like the contestants do, especially when they are up against the clock. I also wish all the silly joking would stop, it spoils it for me.

Granra2

Agree Bluebelle
I couldn’t stand Joe Lycett. Claudia is the ultimate professional.

On the other hand I loathed Claudia and liked Jo Lycett.

I thought Sarah Pasco was much toned down last night. Clearly feedback from previous series had led her to be told to stop all the gurrning and stand-up comedy act. Although she was obviously economising on what she wore by wearing a pretty party dress one of her children had outgrown.

I enjoyed last nights programme. SB up to its usual standard. I liked the mix of contestants and the range of their sewing skill.

In the early years we did have a year when everyone was a superb sewer and the tasks were really challenging and it sticks in my mind because it was so boring.

The tasks were so complicated that all the contestants had to be 110% focussed on the task so there was no banter and chat and everyone's finished garments were so near perfect that places were based on infinitismal errors that couldn't be seen on tv.

TV is entertainment so let them mix and match the contestants so that some are good, some are less good, diversity is queen and the banter and differences are fun.

I really enjoyed this last night, Sarah Pascoe and all. What a lovely programme, and some amazing garments sewn.

What on earth was that frothy ugly voluminous outfit Pascoe had on in the last programme? I only tuned in to check on the presenters (never watch it, it’s awful!) but couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Pascoe’s dress. It was unbelievably ugly, shapeless and appeared to be much too big.
Pascoe is dreadfully irritating to watch. How did she get this job? I’m not surprised viewers are leaving the programme in droves!

Putting all the silliness and who people are on the programme aside, I did quite enjoy last night's. I focus more on the finished garments as I am interested in the choices of fabric and what has been achieved.

I felt for the lady who made the blue dress which was very plain compared to the others. She would have fitted in perfectly for the first few series but the programme has moved on a lot.

Even though some of the things they come up with now are weird and wacky, I'm in awe of the innovative thinking and creativity of some of them. I'd still be pursing my lips and rubbing my chin wondering what to make and then time would be up!

I hope Gaynor, the older lady, gets a bit more adventurous with her choices. She is a good sewer but will be out styled. The judge are looking for more wow..

Crossed post ferry23.

Loved it... Sarah Pascoe is irritating but it's a strange gig to keep flowing?
The winning design was brilliant hope this is going to be a good season.

I enjoyed it as usual. I just ignore the silly jokes and concentrate on the actual sewing and design. No t always to my taste but often very clever and good to see people using their own imagination.

I like this programme and I am relieved that this time the contestants can actually sew. There was one series where most of them were awful and Patrick and Esme were hard pushed to say something positive about some garments. Esme, of course, always has her " I like the fabric" comment to fall back on. I was wondering if SP is pregnant but the flowing garment made it impossible to tell. I loved the winning dress.

I watched this on iplayer, I have not enjoyed the dumbing -down of past series. I thought this first programme was very good with not too much comedy and a good amount of intermediate sewing via patterns.

I liked to see the upscaling ideas from re-purposing a circular skirt and I might watch the next programme, to see if standards are truly higher or if this was a one-off