Sewing Bee is back!

[Cocolapew]

14th April

Agreeing with Science

Sorry Science misread your name.

Does Bake Off really 'increasingly showcase professionals and semi-professionals, or people who are dramatically "exciting"'? To my eye it continues to have a mix.

Was the man who sews for drag queens not self-taught? I didn't see any sign that he was professional or semi-professional either.
I'm also not sure what makes sewing for your local Am Dram so different from/more acceptable than sewing for your drag queen friends, which was what he seemed to do.

For goodness' sake, this is a show where last year's winner was a quiet, academic woman from the Shires - it's hardly pushing the envelope. The only "agenda" these shows have is to be slightly more representative of the UK population than they have been in the past. The vast majority of contestants are still straight white people.

I'm also not sure what makes sewing for your local Am Dram so different from/more acceptable than sewing for your drag queen friends, which was what he seemed to do.

Indeed @IntermittentParps. He sewed for his partner mostly and friends who are performers. So his family and the equivalent of his local am dram. I wonder what it could possibly be about him that people are finding objectionable?

For goodness' sake, this is a show where last year's winner was a quiet, academic woman from the Shires
Very good point.

Oh please, one contestant who sewed for drag queens is hardly pushing an agenda. And this is the BBC who once said staff weren't allowed to attend LGBTQ events.

I would like to see contestants who sew for cosplay or LARP as there are some exceptionally talented sewers in that community.

@IntermittentParps

Does Bake Off really 'increasingly showcase professionals and semi-professionals, or people who are dramatically "exciting"'? To my eye it continues to have a mix.

Was the man who sews for drag queens not self-taught? I didn't see any sign that he was professional or semi-professional either.
I'm also not sure what makes sewing for your local Am Dram so different from/more acceptable than sewing for your drag queen friends, which was what he seemed to do.

Read my post - I said that it worries me that it will go the way of some other shows - not that it already had. And yes - I think Bake Off has changed a lot. (To my eye.)

The Drag Queen was a lovely person, as I said - but did he have to be in drag ALL the time? Do drag queens live in drag? I mean, Clare was a consultant, but she didn't turn up in scrubs for every episode. We've had a fireman on one series - he wasn't there in his little yellow wellies!

I just don't want characters taking away from the sewing.

We will just have to agree to differ.

(And Clare was one of the most wonderful people ever to be on, let alone win. And I loved her mum. too - who when the interviewer said "You must be proud of her" replied something like "I've always been proud of her - if she was rubbish, I'd still be proud of her." What a lovely mum!)

Being in drag can be a big part of that persons personality though.

Would you tell everyone to dress the same so they don't force their character on you? I believe Claire was very much into her historical type of dressing, but that personality was acceptable.

As I say - agree to differ.

Was the Drag Queen not on the celebrity one? The bloke that sewed drag costumes wasn't wearing drag during the series(?)

Why does sewed not look like a word?

I don't want to rewatch the entire series, but I don't remember the sewer who made outfits for drag queens actually wearing costumes while on the show.

Unless you are confused and thinking about the celebrity one where Baga Chipz did wear drag.

Yep. He wasn't in drag. And the drag queen wasn't shoe horned in. He was his boyfriend, for whom he sewed in the final.

I am a bit confused about the statement that the sewer was in drag all the time, they weren't.

Like I say, Baga Chipz was in drag on the celebrity one, but you can't expect a celebrity version of any show to not have strong characters.

@Stellaris22

I don't want to rewatch the entire series, but I don't remember the sewer who made outfits for drag queens actually wearing costumes while on the show.

Unless you are confused and thinking about the celebrity one where Baga Chipz did wear drag.

It wasn't Baga Chipz I don't think. But you may be right - it may have been ta celebrity episode, in which case I step back from the podium - in fact it WAS because I think the winner was Sally Someone-or-Other who does a lot of comedy stuff. She made a dress from dog-patterned material to commemorate a friend's dog or something.

I stand corrected. I'll shut up now, as I agree that slebs are subject to different rules and expectations, and I got mixed up.

But yes - there was a gay man who sewed for his partner who was a drag queen - in fact there have been a couple of gay men who sewed for their partners/husbands - I didn't mind him (I actually didn't mind the other one except that I was concerned it was the beginning of the end for the format of the show when I had convinced myself that it was the ordinary and not celebrity show).

Thank you stellaris - I was totally on the wrong tangent. (Old age - it's a bugger! )

@Cocolapew

Why does sewed not look like a word?

It doesn't does it?

And I can't cope with typing "sewer", even though I know what I and others mean by it and it has nothing to d with drains.

Ah, that makes sense; I didn't remember him being in drag either.

As for but did he have to be in drag ALL the time? What if he just wanted to be? I don't get why that's an issue. As Stellaris22 says, Claire was very much into her period dressing and often –maybe even always –wore 40s style. Was that a problem?

To be fair I find it hard to remember contestants on shows like this even when they are currently being aired.

I'm hoping for a broader range of contestants this time as I don't think there have been LARPers, maybe someone who did a bit of cos play. The skill in making those type of costumes is incredible.

The Drag Queen was a lovely person, as I said - but did he have to be in drag ALL the time? Do drag queens live in drag?

As others said, it was one episode of the celebrity Christmas one. He was called The Vivienne.

It was The Vivienne wasn't it, my mistake.

Stellaris22, I know bugger all about LARP/cos play or its costumes. It would be interesting to see. I'd think that some of the challenges would suit people in that area better than others –they'd probably be better at the more imaginative ones. Of course the same is true for any contestant; they all have strong and weak areas.

LARP costumes can be a mix of following patterns and more free form styles. Similar to theatre costumes really.

If my memory serves me correctly one of the early series had a contestant (a man I think) who made costumes for re enactment. I remember a shirt that was made.

@Stellaris22

It was The Vivienne wasn't it, my mistake.

That's right - The Vivienne.

He was lovely. I didn't think it was Baga Chipz as I saw him once on RuPaul.

Claire was very much into her period dressing and often –maybe even always –wore 40s style. Was that a problem?

No, it wasn't Parps because it was very understated and didn't scream "Look at meeeee!" which drag does. Drag is intended to be over the top, and is fine for a celebrity episode.

Just about manage to sew a button on and use the iron on stuff for hems but love this programme.

Me too. I can't believe I'm interested, but I am. Joe Lycett does the voice over for the adverts. Is he hosting it too ? I hope so. He's great.

I didn't think it would catch my attention but one time when channel hopping I saw them making a rain jacket each for a dog, out of tents that had been abandoned at Glastonbury. They had to devise the pattern, cut the material correctly etc. The end result was really good.

Another time they had to make a swimming costume from material of their choice. I thought it was awkward but they all did it and really well I might add.

(I feel the same about Pottery Throwdown....there is just something about it that catches my attention.)