Yay! Sewing Bee is back!

[Roussette]

Does anyone else watch it? Or is it just me...

I love it because it reminds me of another life when I used to sew (before the DC's came along and before I lost the footpedal to my sewing machine in a house move).

The contestants are just so talented and I like the beardy man judge too. Anyone else?

It wasn't me who mentioned making corsets, tigga. But wow, that's very cool that you make them.

LRD, if you can sew in a straight line you can make a corset. Bra's, now they are fiddly bastards!

NeverMakingABraAgainTiggaxx

Good to know! Corsets look much more impressive.

Dawntigga - since it sounds as if you are an experienced needlewoman, maybe you (or perhaps one of the other clever MNers on here) can tell me how to do something.

I want to make a skirt that has those triangular panels set in around the bottom, to make it fuller and flippy. Looking at skirts I have, it looks as if you have full length panels, that are kind-of rectangular, but a bit wider at the bottom than the top, if you see what I mean, with the triangular sections set in. Is it actually that simple, or is there more to it?

I have some gorgeous cotton fabric I bought about 3 years ago in John Lewis - I picked it up, looked at the price tag, and read it as saying £8 per metre, and thought that was a reasonable price, so asked for 3 metres. As the lady started cutting, I read the tag again, and it was £18 per metre! So £24 for a skirt (pretty reasonable) turned into £54 for a skirt - oh boy did I have some fast talking to do, to explain that to dh!

Anyhow - it is wedgewood blue, with abstract white flowers printed on, and I was thinking of using this, with triangles of broderie anglais set in - but it was so expensive, I'd hate to get it wrong!

What do you think?

If it was that expensive I'd recommend you get a patern. Have you looked at All Free Sewing? Lots of skirt patterns on there and as the title suggests they're freeeeeeee!

I haven't seen that site, or heard of it before - I will go and have a look - thanks!

No idea about what to do, but just wanted to say that sounds gorgeous fabric.

SDTG, I think what you have in mind is godets. Lots available about them via google, but a sample.

I shall have a proper look at that tomorrow - many thanks for the link, Nennypops.

You could get a pattern or else you could make it up in lining fabric first to check it works and then if it does, you'll have your lining. (Used to do this when making historical costume years ago.)
Or go down the 'wearable toile' route with some nice but cheap fabric. (Though with both of these you'd need to remember to take account of the different weights of the proper and practice fabrics.)

Very good advice - I have other, cheaper skirt lengths, in similar weight cotton - I could give it a go with that.

Sorry - I forgot to say thankyou.

SDTG what everyone else has said, also would strongly recommend a pattern if you aren't to confident. Make it up in a nice cheaper fabric or in a nice plain fabric you can over dye. If you go the over dye route stitch it in the colour you will dye the finished fabric and and insert a zip in the over dye shade. You'll be able to see all your stitches and where you've made mistakes and because you're over dyeing it afterwards nobody else will.

PicturesAreNeededAfterThoughTiggaxx

If you're looking for a commercial pattern, possibilities include

Kwik Sew 3108 (out of print but you'd probably find one on eBay or etsy)

Simplicity 2184

Simplicity 4188 (the godets start higher up on that one so it doesn't have quite the same flippy-around-the-bottom effect)

McCall's 5056 (very full and you'd probably need a very lightweight fabric)

9pm this week

Thank you for those patterns - the last one is exactly the sort of thing I am after!

The Telegraph today has a booklet, Part 1 in association with The Great British Sewing Bee which I love watching. It may finally push me to buy a new machine and get sewing again.

It includes patterns for a silk tunic, waistcoat, yoke skirt, wrap dress and tote bag, with other instructions for a cushion, patchwork throw and basic curtains.

has anyone got the new book ? There are 5 paper patterns from the series included and wondered which .

I'm in a bad mood (all my own fault).

I printed out the girl's dress pattern from last year's Sewing Bee book and made most of it for dd (just need to get zip tomorrow). Unfortunately I neglected to check it was printing out the right size, because it looked about right, so it is rather small. It still fits her but only just.

Oh that's a shame Tunip

9pm next week? Oh I must make a note of that. I haven't seen the Telegraph today but good on them for producing an extra that isn't a recipe!

Reviews of the new book on Amazon suggest that it was rushed out and there are quite a few errors in the patterns as a result (the sort of things an experienced sewer would catch, but likely to floor the beginners who are the book's core audience.

I found a few errors in the first book, TBH I was disappointed in it. I bought it for my daughter, however I found a couple of my really old 'first' sewing books when sorting the loft, I was going to take them to the charity shop, but my daughter loved them and sent the sewing bee book instead.

I got hold of the Torygraph yesterday. Twas a hard job considering I'm at the inlaws which is Labour heartlands. DH says he would like a waistcoat and I quite like the skirt. There's another pull out in the Sunday Torygraph today including kiddies tiger outfit so I'm going to have to get that too.

Araminta I thought it was shown on BBC3 later in the week but I can't find it.