The Great British Sewing Bee is back soon! (SPOILER ALERT)

I love this programme, but the last series had some quite poor sewers. I hope the candidates are more imaginative this time.
I alway remember the older lady in the first series, whose sewing was exquisite.

I love it too! I can’t sew for toffee. I love watching though.
Such flair!

At secondary school we were directed to ‘Batcher’s’ in Manchester. Butterfield Patterns and fabrics.

After the obligatory apron we had to sew in gingham cotton, then embroider along the top (!) with silken threads, doing cross stitch and ... erm, other stuff. to wear in Domestic Science (!) I was EVENTUALLY instructed to bring material in and a simple pattern to sew a skirt.

Oh my.

It was 1967. I chose BROWN (of course I did) corduroy. I cut my shapes out. It wasn’t until I started sewing the pieces together that my teacher, Mrs Taylor (yes, really) noticed the nap of the fabric (such a grown up, tailorish word) went down at the front of the skirt and smoothed upwards at the back.

Miss Taylor should have told you about napped fabric. She was the teacher and you the learner!

What a pity and waste of your money.

It starts next Wednesday but they are running the old series from the beginning on Really.

I love sewing programmes, Project Runway, Next in fashion and Making the Cut.

Can't wait i love this program too. Pure escapisim from the real world and all it's current worries.

I love this programme too. It took me a year to make an apron at school, but I managed to make a few bits for the children when they were small. This programme makes me want to give sewing a go again- but nothing complicated!

I love watching people doing skilful things I'm not very good at. In my 20s, I made a lot of cotton dresses and skirts - nothing too complicated. When I had children, I ran up some little overalls, using a bought pair as a template. Since then, my interest in sewing has dwindled though I still possess a sewing machine - mainly for repairs and alterations.

tonight`s the night

I made a pin cushion and a little ‘pochette’ to keep needles in at junior school. About the extent of my sewing abilities.
In secondary school, I made some blue cotton pyjamas. The trousers were skin tight, the top would have fitted someone eight months pregnant! And I never mastered the sewing machine, gave up needlework at the earliest opportunity.

Oh I just loved tonight’s show, my favourite already is the guy who make clothing for drag artistes, such talented people!

It's the first time I've watched it, and I loved it.

One thing I noticed was how striking looking all the contestants are.

Loved tonight’s Sewing Bee...

Learnt to sew watching my Nanna and mum at an early age...60years ago! ..Always had a sewing machine and would be lost without one for doing repairs, crafts,patchwork etc.

Used to make DH’s ties and shirts in the 70s as well as my D’s dresses etc.
Does anyone remember a firm called Clothkits? They sold pre-cut outfits for children, women and men to machine at home.

Haven’t made many clothes for years...apart from a few kimonos last summer for myself and dolly’s clothes for GD.

The repeat of Sewing Bee is on Saturday BBC2 at 6.15pm.

I remember Clothkits! They were brilliant! My son and his 3 cousins were all wearing clothkits clothes when they were little - thanks for the memory

I enjoyed tonight's show. It almost inspired me to get down my sewing machine. They make it look so easy.
Those tea dresses looked fab. It is a shame that someone has to leave.
I am another who made clothkits for my kids. Dungarees and waistcoats. In fact I still have a half made tea cosy in the shape of a hen. I loved the way all the buttons and clips were in the pack.

MissAdventure

I suspect the contestants are selected, not only for their sewing skills, but also for their appearance, many of then look very arty, bohemian, a bit way out, on past series as well as this one.

I loved it although I had to watch the tea dress exercise in bed this morning as I must have nodded off last night (not through boredom I must add) I was thinking about it lying in bed and thought now who went out and realised I d missed half the show
I loved it what a great programme I thought the right dress won I thought it was beautiful however I didn’t think the right person went out I really did think the young man with the pink dress was going to go and should’ve gone although the lady that did get the push hadn’t finished her dress I thought it looked much better unfinished than his did finished he also hadn’t been good in the other two exercises either

What a tiny lady the presenter is she must be under 5ft

I loved clothkits, the pinafore dresses, dungarees and skirts worn with tights and the little rag dolls. Everything provided, they were so wearable and very hard wearing, lasted for years and were great hand me downs

I am watching the sewing bee later, was too tired last night

I also loved Clothkits. the shorts and t -shirts for children were lovely. I still have a little dress age 4-5 printed with wild animals in the drawer. I also made the lined padded children's jacket in blue with animals on and a big 'muff' pocket at the front with little stuffed animals you could put in the pocket.
They were lovely clothes.

I bought cloth kits dungarees when mine were little and used them as a pattern to make more. I remember a blue one with pattern on the front pocket.
I will see the sewing bee on catch up as Mr LD wasn't keen and had just come back from the weekly shop so in need of fussing,( and wine).

I just cannot believe that watching sewing (or doing it) is anything other than paralysingly boring. Awful memories of Miss Harrop and that apron I never finished - in fact I never really started it.

My children did wear Clothkits clothes, but they were made by my mother.

Clothkits are still available. A friend just made the padded jacket for her granddaughter.
Made lots of them in the 70s and 80s for myself as well as my children.

Thanks Alishka and others for memories about Clothkits. My DD and I used to wear their matching Mother/daughter stripe-y summer dresses.

I made my DH a fawn lumberjack plaid type Clothkits shirt ...very “trendy” in the 70s.

I found it at the back of a drawer recently......cut out &all assembled, with just the buttonholes to finish....

How I hated doing those....

Perhaps I should attempt them again....but doubt if my DH could or would wear this shirt now.....?