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The Great British Sewing Bee

(88 Posts)
Indinana Mon 16-May-16 22:25:03

Anybody else watching this? I've been looking forward to the new series for a while and it didn't disappoint. Much too early to predict the winner, but two or three did stand out tonight and will certainly be the ones to watch in the future. But we know this can change dramatically, which is the fun of the programme!

On a sad note, I hadn't realised until the end of tonight's show that Lorna Monje, one of the stars of last year's GBSB, died earlier this year. She was such a fun person, so vibrant and so full of life that it seems hard to believe that that life has been snuffed out at only 69 years old.

Nana3 Tue 05-Jul-16 05:58:43

I will miss the programme too. The sewers are always lovely people. I don't always like the tasks they are given, who makes their own bra? In the final the shirt could have been a blouse, the LBD from a woman's suit with nicer fabric. Charlotte's garments were unwearable I thought. Don't know who I would have picked to win but good luck to Jade for her future, she is talented.

Gracesgran Tue 05-Jul-16 06:06:00

Beautifully close. I was just glad the decision wasn't mine! Monday will not be the same.

M0nica Tue 05-Jul-16 09:34:05

Looking back over the whole series, I did not find the lady who replaced May Martin anywhere near as good. May Martin is first and formost a needlewoman and she had a laser eye for any failures in stitchwork and fit, which this year's replacement did not.

While I understand that, as the series progresses, the people entering for it are of a higher and higher standards and the tasks need to be that much harder, I do think there is a balance to be struck between challenging their skills and the judges having beutifully crafted and finished garments to judge. Last night I do not think there was a single garment that wasn't finished (or not) in a rush, and looked it.

The earlier years of the series were much more fun and more gripping than the last two years have been, despite the 'too tight to call' nature of yesterday's final.

grannyactivist Tue 05-Jul-16 09:41:23

I'm not noted for my sewing skills, but my mum was. Watching this programme has given me a timely reminder of her accomplishments in this area. I thought the three finalists were very evenly matched in different ways, but I would have liked to see Jade win. I do like the way the contestants seem genuinely helpful towards one another and although it's obviously a competition they're not overly competitive. I think the lady expert (sorry, I forgot her name) always looks as if she found her clothes in a rag-bag.

M0nica Tue 05-Jul-16 10:07:14

Another trivial irritation, which is not personal, was the enormous height difference between Patrick and Esmee(?). When they consulted in a corner together Patrick was almost bent double because Esmee was obviously quite short and it looked very odd.

It is television and sometimes things like large discrepancies in height between presenters need to be considered.

Luckygirl Tue 05-Jul-16 10:25:44

I thought that the tasks, particularly last night, have been a bit odd - but I suppose it is possible to run out of ideas. I did not think that they were designed to bring out the best of their talents and to result in some beautiful garments for us all to admire. The result was that we were treated to some pretty poor end products - rushed and unfinished.

I would have liked to have seen some simpler garments beautifully executed. How could Charlotte win when she could not even set in a zip accurately?! - it was a real mess.

LullyDully Tue 05-Jul-16 11:05:59

Jade should be given a place as St Martin's. She surely passed.her interview with Esme. Lovely to see a young, off the wall approach.

Sweet that she repeated the outward darts because they worked in her GCSE.

Indinana Tue 05-Jul-16 13:18:40

I loved the report at the end that Jade has recreated all her made to measure outfits from the series to fit her 11 year old sister. What a lovely thing to do!

Luckygirl Tue 05-Jul-16 13:29:17

I had Jade - the cropped jacket she made was beautiful.

MargaretX Tue 05-Jul-16 15:02:41

I thought Jade's dress the best. It was my style if I had been 40 years younger. They were sewing for their own chosen models and Joyce hadn't got her GDD's measurements. It was not suitable for such a slight young person, more for herself perhaps.

I made DD2'S wedding out fit ( not a white dress) and remember sitting cross legged on the floor, sewing on tiny buttons in a hotel room, middle of the night before the wedding.
The jacket was shantung silk in rasberry red and was the second attempt as the first was the wrong colour. I know what they must have felt like, the stress when you are in hurry!
Well done!

Deedaa Tue 05-Jul-16 20:38:53

Oh dear a long year stretches ahead without Patrick sad It was a very close finish though but I'm glad Charlotte won. I like the way they always tell us what they have been doing since.

DaphneBroon Tue 05-Jul-16 21:16:47

I'm with Luckygirl on this and found the final quite disappointing. The alteration task struck me as plain weird and the "glamorous" ball gowns, well, just weren't. Too many elementary errors such as the raw edge to the train, that appalling zip, and Joyce's choice of dress for a girl who was too young to carry it off -not to mention that waistband. None of them fitted well.
I personally hate the emphasis on "beating the clock" especially when a quality garment is being offered. You would never rush a garment using expensive or difficult material in RL , but that is supposed to make good TV.
But that said,I loved the series and like its Pottery equivalent (Great British Throwdown?) found each episode compelling.
The music was great too smile