Sewing Bee is back!

[Cocolapew]

14th April

Oh, me too!

But Esme would get very very cross with me, just like my needlework teacher did decades ago!
It's a wonder I ever took up sewing again, she used to shout at me a lot

@SoupDragon

I think the French guy's dress won for the technical aspects.

Yes, judges were very impressed that he matched the different fabrics across the body with the sleeves. I must admit, I really like it, too.

I really thought Damien was going home after coming last in 1st and 2nd challenges, however he pulled a blinder with that buffet dress (never heard of this term). It suited the wearer really well. He did come across as somewhat arrogant during the first challenge in particular. Hopefully, he will be a bit more humble next week.

So pleased its back, anyway, and particularly off the wall contestants this year, too.

@PickAChew

Yes, not looking at the fabric until just before was terrible planning. I have a tendency to spend a lot of time stroking my fabric before using it, though. I have some of that heavy navy spotty fabric that someone used, slightly wonkily, in the first round and that is particularly lovely to touch and gaze at.

That is not at all weird, @PickAChew

@SoupDragon

Here is a handy photo of all this year's sewers

That's brilliant, I am going to copy it into an email to send to myself so I can refer to it quickly (yes, I'm sure there is an easier way ).

I'm so bad at sewing I used to Superglue my DDs Brownie badges on .
Though I can now make bunting

@Cocolapew

I'm so bad at sewing I used to Superglue my DDs Brownie badges on . Though I can now make bunting

I have been known to staple hems up (temporarily - just till I get a chance to sew it properly, obviously), and to dispose of the garment umpteen years later with the staples rusted into place.

I work in a school and a child had their hem held up with nappy pins.
When I did my nursery nurse training we had to make an outfit for a baby or toddler, I just got my Gran to do it. I would have had the poor child wrapped in a togo

Making place - need to watch on catch up and rtft

I can hand sew sort of ok - hems, invisible hems, seam repairs, sew buttons on so well they'd survive a nuclear blast kind of thing.

I last used a sewing machine in high school though. While I secretly covet one to make myself loads of 50s dresses I doubt I'd do them justice.

I thought they all seemed like a lovely bunch. Really enjoyed it.

I think the latest book will be techniques only.

@iklboo

I can hand sew sort of ok - hems, invisible hems, seam repairs, sew buttons on so well they'd survive a nuclear blast kind of thing.

I last used a sewing machine in high school though. While I secretly covet one to make myself loads of 50s dresses I doubt I'd do them justice.

Are you sure you're not me? I would love 50s dresses fitted to me but painstakingly doing repairs is about my level. I have a seeing machine but don't have a dedicated space where I can leave a project laid out which is quite off putting (I could not do a dress in a day!). I also find it hard to know what fabric to buy online - unused to love going to fabric shops and feeling the weight of fabric (Not that i sewed anything then either ) but even before Covid there don't seem to be any places near me to do that.

@Roussette

Oh, me too!

But Esme would get very very cross with me, just like my needlework teacher did decades ago!
It's a wonder I ever took up sewing again, she used to shout at me a lot

My last school report for Needlework was "SoupDragon has little talent for the subject" 😂

I have realised I bought a buffet dress a few weeks ago, it is similar in colour and shape to the Tilly's Indigo dress upthread. I hung it up in my bedroom and it actually matches my curtains but not in a Joe sense I was looking for something cool and loose for the hot weather we are sure to have and found it on the everything£5 site. You have to search quite hard when you need a bigger size as Lawratu said so I'll be watching her designs with interest.

I thought Damien was a goner when he sat back for 10 minutes on the first challenge then noticed he had done some wrong overstiching but thought Esme and Patrick would not notice. The cheek, don't people watch these shows before applying?

Esme does not miss a trick. She has eyes like a laser for any shortcuts or shoddy seams!

I was pretty useless at sewing at school, partly because I couldn't be bothered to do it properly. But a couple of years ago my son asked me to make a fancy dress thing for some party he was going to, and I have to say I really quite enjoyed resurrecting such skills as I had picked up and the thrill of achieving something that actually looked pretty good in the end.

I’m a crap at sewing, my partner can’t do buttons so I have to change them all for velcro patches or these little magnetic pads. I can do it but it takes absolutely ages.

I can do repairs and turn up hems well, but for anything else I'm better at ideas than techniques.

I do make good costumes for fancy dress and school plays, but they involve elastic and Velcro and generally look best from a couple of metres away! Perhaps I should wear some while we're all social distancing.

Patrick is doing a talk on Wednesday if anyone is interested. Tickets here

I spent a ridiculous amount of money buying a coat pattern from the States last month - it's a very long victorian style, properly fitted on the top half , and long and swooshy on the bottom half. I've had the vision of how it's going to look for a while now, but am terrified about actually starting, cos the fabric is also going to be stupidly expensive (I want probably boiled wool, I think). And I need to lose the last bit of weight before I buy a mannequin to fit it on, and have DD move back to uni so I have space to set up the sewing machine/have everything laid out.

But, I'm going to look fabulous in it, once I eventually get round to making it . And in the dressing gown version which will be my first attempt. And the second attempt which will be shorter and in a fabric that doesn't need hemming/will hide any wonky stitching. I've spent a lot of time thinking about this, obviously

I really need to get into sewing properly though, as nothing in the shops ever fits me properly (long waisted and big boobed), so my treat to myself for losing weight/toning up is going to be a whole new wardrobe of beautiful dresses and coats which actually fit me

I like Raph's broderie anglais dress. Beautiful use of the different sizes of broderie.
Could not believe Julie was 62 It must be the burlesque.

I like the 'fat little lass from Yorkshire' very much. And, can't remember her name, the woman who wanted to work in fashion but is an accountant instead because of her family.

. It's mildly amusing at points.

Quite enjoyed that Nutella

(I am a simple wumman and easily amused) Cheers!

Am also enjoying the Glow-Up one

Damn you, Nutella - you had me going on a trial through YouTube.

Found this one which has NOTHING to do with Sewing Bee, but is so delightful I wanted to share - the late, great Victoria Wood is in it.

(Also, I recommend anything with Olive and Mabel (labradors) in it. 'Tis superb!)