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Everything You Need To Know About The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 10 – Final
We can’t believe it was the Great British Sewing Bee final already! With ‘celebration’ as the theme, we were expecting some incredible makes, and the three finalists surely delivered.
For the pattern challenge, the contestants were tasked with creating a bridesmaid dress for a little girl, with a design filled with tricky elements – the bound buttonhole was one step too far!
If you wanted to create an occasion dress for your little ones, we recommend our Poppy and Jazz Daisy Dress pattern. It’s a simple make intended for cotton fabrics, but there is nothing stopping you from using a fancy silk.
The transformation challenge was a lot of fun, with the sewers making festival outfits out of sparkly unconventional materials. Try sewing up our Silk Cami in a stand-out fabric, with its simple shape and unfussy construction, it will let the sequins do the talking.
With only one more challenge left to secure the trophy, Raph, Serena and Rebecca all brought their A game to the made-to-measure challenge. You couldn’t have picked three more different dresses, but they were all very impressive and representative of each maker.
Serena’s winning garment reminded us of our Lucia Top; you could recreate something similar for everyday wear by adding a gathered midi skirt to make a comfortable off-the-shoulder knit dress with a big frill for impact.
Lisa did a Live Chat on Instagram straight after the show and she agreed with Patrick and Esme’s choice for the winner. The show is about sewing above all, and Serena was unbeatable in her skills.
Find out more abut what Lisa thought of the big final and her tips on making a strapless dress over on Instagram!
We hope you enjoyed reading about our thoughts and suggestions throughout this series, we already can’t wait for the next one!
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 9 – Semi Final
The semi-final took us back to the 1940s, starting with some Oxford bags trousers for the pattern challenge. Our Peggy Trousers, with their loose fit on the legs, a zip fly front and the option of turn-up cuffs, have a similar vibe if you’re looking for a women’s version. They are available in our extended size range of UK 6-30 and there’s even a two-part Sewalong on our Youtube channel if you’d like some help along the way!
After turning some parachutes into gowns for the transformation challenge, the four remaining sewers were tasked with wowing us with Dior-inspired garments for the made to measure. For us, nothing says Dior’s New Look like a Full Circle Skirt, which as of this week is also available in our extended size range!
And if you’d like to try your hand at some tailoring, you should give our Francine Jacket a go. Version 2 especially was inspired by the great French designer himself.
Next time: It’s the final! Who are you rooting for?
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 8
Music and the movies was a tricky one for the quarter finalists, dealing with satin and chiffon under a time constraint is never going to be easy, we really felt for them. This week’s challenges were inspired by the world of the musicals, starting with the Dirty Dancing dress. If you wanted to create your own, our Betty Dress is absolutely twirl ready and would look incredible with a chiffon overlay.
We loved the transformation challenge based on the Sound of Music, where the sewers had to turn old curtains into playtime outfits for kids. Imagine our Clover Reversible Trousers from the Poppy & Jazz range made using two complementary fabrics, ready for a costume change at a moment’s notice!
The made to measure challenge was all about 1970s disco glamour and the contestants really went for it with sequins, lamé and gold-coated feathers. The gowns were all beautiful, but Raph’s jumpsuit really impressed us and we think the Camille Jumpsuit from our Work to Weekend eBook could be easily adapted to something similar.
Next time: It’s the semi final with a focus on 1940s fashion. Check out our top 5 dresses for vintage lovers on the blog.
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 7
It was winter week in the sewing room and the sewers had to make a pattern matched lumberjack shirt in just a few hours… quite an ask in our opinion. If you’d like to learn how to make shirts at your own pace, our Sewing Shirts class on Stitch School will guide you through every step and you can take as long as you want! We also have a tutorial on the Burrito Method they used to insert the yoke in our men’s Hackney Shirt and the women’s Ultimate Shirt pattern.
The contestants also had to create a winter party dress; we loved how different each make was and we have a few pattern ideas for dresses that would be party-ready when made in some luxurious fabrics like velvet, brocade and satin.
Go for the Joan Dress for a vintage touch, the Meredith Dress for a comfy but stylish jersey option or the classic 1940s Wrap Dress which would look stunning in a crepe satin.
Next time: It’s music and the movies week, will it be a box office hit?
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 6
The latest episode focused on sustainability with a reduce, reuse, recycle theme. We all want to make the most of our handmade garments and Lisa is a great believer in reworking an old me-made to make it more current instead of giving up on it.
The made to measure challenge saw the sewers using old jeans to create a dress with such creative results! If you’d like to do something similar, our Zoe Dress is the perfect pattern for it. It has some interesting design lines that would allow for so many great combinations of denim. Are you ready to give it a go?
Next time: It’s winter week. Have a look at our blog on essential winter makes… the weather is still so chilly in the UK that some of them would work for right now!
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 5
It was children’s week in the sewing room and the contestants had their hands full with baby rompers, wild under the sea costumes and showerproof coats.
If you fancy tackling some tiny sewing yourself our Raspberry Romper is a great place to start. It features poppers on the inside leg seam and adjustable straps so the little ones won’t grow out of it too fast!
Check out our Poppy & Jazz range of kids’ patterns, including the Walnut Duffle Coat that would look fantastic in a waterproof fabric. Find @poppyandjazz on instagram and Pinterest for more inspiration.
Next time: It’s reuse, reduce and recycle week. We have a blog post full of scrap busting ideas to get you in the mood.
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 4
It was international week with the sewers stitching colourful Breton tops and transforming sarongs into new garments for the beach.
We love a Breton top at Sew Over It and our Edie Pattern from the Work to Weekend eBook is our take on this wardrobe staple.
For a fashion style inspired by Frida Kahlo, it’s all about the print and the fabric but a colourful Lizzie Skirt will set you on the right track in a bold floral.
Next time: It’s children’s week. Get ahead with one of our Poppy and Jazz patterns.
For daily sewing inspiration, follow us on Instagram.
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 3
This week in the sewing room it was Gentlemen’s Classics week – with Baker Boy Caps as the first challenge for the contestants.
It was hammers out as Utilitarian Jackets presented more of a challenge to some contestants than others! Over on Stitch School we’ve got a nifty tutorial that talks you through putting on press studs & eyelets so you’ll be a pro in no time. If you fancy stitching up a Jacket of your own our Dorothy Jacket pattern is the one to try.
If you’re feeling inspired to sew all things menswear then we’ve got you covered with our Hackney Shirt or Hebden Tee.
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 2
Summer hit the sewing room as the contestants created holiday-perfect looks. We think that our Peggy Trousers could be transformed into a paper bag shorts pattern, just like the pair the contestants made in the technical challenge. In fact, Lisa spoke about reworking the pattern in this way in a recent IGTV.
When it comes to button-up summer dresses, we have plenty of patterns for you. Choose between our Bonnie Dress, Kitty Dress, Lea Dress, Siena Dress and Vintage Shirt Dress to find a button-up dress that fits your summer style.
If you need a helping hand nailing those buttons, this Stitch School Tutorial shows you how to sew them on by hand, and this one on How To Sew the Bonnie Blouse covers creating a button placket, so you can perfect those buttonholes.
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 7 Episode 1
In episode one, the sewists try their hand at sewing everyday wardrobe staples, starting off by sewing a Shell Top, before reworking T-Shirts and finally creating a showstopping Buffet Dress.
There was a lot of talk about a technique called bagging out, and if you’d like to learn more about that, we have a Stitch School tutorial that will demystify the process for you. We also have a tutorial on gathering – another useful skill that the judges were looking at.
If you’re looking to try making one of the garments seen on the show, our Ultimate Shift Dress (and as featured in our Beginner’s Guide to Dressmaking) has a top hack that is very similar to the Shell Tops seen on The Great British Sewing Bee. When it comes to Buffet Dresses, you might have to try your hand at some hacking to recreate the contestants looks, but our Georgie Dress has a gathered skirt or our Heidi Dress has a gathered tier at the bottom – both design details we saw a lot of in the first episode.
The Great British Sewing Bee is back!
The Great British Sewing Bee is back for 2021, and it’s just the TV we need on our screens. Series 7 of the sewing show presented by Joe Lycett, will begin tonight on BBC1 at 9 pm. We couldn’t be more excited for sewing to take centre stage once again.
Patrick Grant and Esme Young are back to judge 12 new contestants who showcase their dressmaking skills through three different sewing challenges each week.
To celebrate the show, each week we will share with you tips, tricks and patterns that can help you recreate looks from the show, try your hand at one of the challenges and sew different techniques just like the contestants.
If you’re new to sewing and The Great British Sewing Bee has inspired you, we’ve got everything you need to learn to sew your own clothes. Take a look at our Beginner’s Guide for a comprehensive list of all the resources we have to help you start sewing. You can also visit our Stitch School and start your sewing journey with our Intro to Sewing and Beginner’s Guide to Dressmaking online courses – you never know, perhaps you’ll be a contestant in Series 8!