Sewing Bee 2021, thread 2

[dillite]

Sorry, couldn't think of a clever title

I think a lot of the slap dash stuff is deliberately edited to look worse than it is. If they'd not shown Adeema or Andrew messing up their jackets, chances are no one would have really noticed. I think most sewers have a tendency to see what they think is in the instructions rather than what is actually in the instructions - I know I do.

Plus I do have a habit of thinking I know what comes next 😂 I made a shell top last year and sewed the sides up before sewing the facing on because I thought I knew how it would works. Turns out it is actually possible to sew the facing on afterwards and still turn it right side out but it does involve some fiddly stuffing of fabric! I have no idea how to do it now mind you, I had to google it. Of course, I could have just undone the side seams...

I WANT A PATRICK HUG!!!

@dillite

Damien's looks good. Like really good.

Also, is his model Damien Hurley?

I thought it looked like him - came on the thread to see if anyone else had thought the same!

I enjoy seeing that they aren't perfect and how they fix mistakes. A show of dull perfect sewers would be, well, dull. It's primary purpose is entertainment, it's not a documentary or educational programme.

It is a difficult balance to strike. The average viewer wants to sympathise with contestants' struggles and "enjoy" a few disasters, but they want to be wowed by their incredible skills as well and that is what is lacking currently. (Same issue with Bake Off where the disaster /triumph ratio has become skewed in order to trigger incidents with collapsing unset jellies and toppling Victoria sponges. There aren't nearly enough really impressive bakes.)

I always remember the incredible skills of that amazing dressage lady who won the Sewing Bee a few years back. She was amazing to watch; not because of any silly incidents, but because her skills under pressure were so impressive. I think the Pottery Throwdown has it right atm - the production team seem to have allowed the experts in the subject to take more control over the show.

Bless Adam, but he kind of looks like he's out of Wallace & Gromit.

@QuantumofSolace

I enjoy seeing that they aren't perfect and how they fix mistakes. A show of dull perfect sewers would be, well, dull. It's primary purpose is entertainment, it's not a documentary or educational programme.

It is a difficult balance to strike. The average viewer wants to sympathise with contestants' struggles and "enjoy" a few disasters, but they want to be wowed by their incredible skills as well and that is what is lacking currently. (Same issue with Bake Off where the disaster /triumph ratio has become skewed in order to trigger incidents with collapsing unset jellies and toppling Victoria sponges. There aren't nearly enough really impressive bakes.)

I always remember the incredible skills of that amazing dressage lady who won the Sewing Bee a few years back. She was amazing to watch; not because of any silly incidents, but because her skills under pressure were so impressive. I think the Pottery Throwdown has it right atm - the production team seem to have allowed the experts in the subject to take more control over the show.

Well I for one am pretty wowed by many of their skills. Loads of them sew in their spare time - one makes their partner's priest vestements, another makes her mum's dresses and that is just off the top of my head.

I enjoy the show, but I am a very amateurish sewer. I like all the different contenstants and the variey. Maybe if you are more accomplished than the contentstant under pressure/think they should all be middle-aged straight white women, it is not the show for you?

I think the time pressure makes it easy to make mistakes. At home, if you're bogged down, you can stuff what you're doing on a shslf and go back to it another day with a clearer head or less fumbly fingers. If you have your period or a headache, you can just decide that today isn't the day to be attaching a collar. Or a zip.

I agree the time pressure is what makes the difference in the show - making something like a tunic is a 2 day job.

Maybe if you are more accomplished than the contentstant under pressure/think they should all be middle-aged straight white women, it is not the show for you?

Wtf HeadNorth ? . That's not on. 0r remotely fair. Not ONCE did I refer to anyone's sex or sexual orientation. I couldn't give a toss about either and resent the implication that I do.

Are you mistaking me for another poster? I am interested in, and commented on, the contestants level of sewing skills on a TV show about sewing fhs! I was suggesting that the production team allow the experts to take more control over the show and allow them to run with it, as they have done very successfully in Pottery Throwdown (where incidentally there are a wide variety of contestants from all walks of life).

I don't think the Pottery Throwdown is different at all really. It has the same lack of time and range of experience as the Sewing Bee

Sorry I quoted you @QuantumofSolace and implied you were responsible for earlier posts bemoaning the diversity of the contestants, you did not say that. Earlier posters did, it ticked me off and I should have responded at the time.

I think all the contestants are talented sewers. Doing it on TV to a hard deadline will obviously make it really difficult. It is easy for the armchair critics to say they would do a better job in the comfort of their own sewing space and then imply the contestants were just chosen as token representatives of a demographic, which I think is unfair and offensive.

Fair enough HeadNorth.

I don't think the Pottery Throwdown is different at all really. It has the same lack of time and range of experience as the Sewing Bee

Oh I thought this latest series was a lot, lot better then the previous ones. The presenters were better. The challenges were more interesting and imaginative and, I thought anyway, allowed each of the contestants different skills to be utilised. Each to their own.

than the previous ones

Someone like Damien should never get near this show, he simply doesn’t have the skills.

I don't know about that

That dress Damien made with the cheese plant leaf pattern was amazing!

His cord shirt/jacket was pretty good too. Very wearable and definately fitted the brief. I don't get the Damien hate - all the sewers seem lovely to me.

Does anyone know what the selection process is like from sewing skills basis? If your sewing is judged on pieces made in your own time then people may come across differently than they do on the show with all the pressures and distractions. I think everyone has shown they can sew well but the pressure clearly sometimes gets to them - Damien has had dreadful pattern challenges but he clearly can sew because his made to measures look good. So maybe he's just someone who doesn't deal well with an unfamiliar pattern and a time limit but can sew well (even with a time limit) when its a pattern he's practiced.

I do think that all these shows expect too much in too short a time limit. I think on the recent Pottery Showdown thread there was someone who said the show wasn't leaving enough drying time which made cracks more like. Which equals more drama for the viewer but also makes the potters look worse than they would look without the time limits.

I never find perfection dull, or boring. It’s exhilarating to see something done well. The idea that something must be flawed to be of interest I find ridiculous.
Now I understand more about the British ‘race to the bottom’ in so many aspects of life.

These shows indicate they are about the quality of the skill, be it baking, sewing, whatever.

I think it’s a fake premise and I would love to see more of the early selection processes but as an ordinary viewer that’s very unlikely.

I like many elements of the programme but I don’t slavishly adore everything in every episode. All views are welcome, no?

However, the producers’ determination to always allow less time than is needed to produce an adequate result is infuriating, unless you are a fan of the stop clock rather than the underlying skill.

Agree would love to see sewing in a proper time frame so that everyone can show maximum skills. Would be interesting to see them with exactly the same fabric, but I suppose that would lose part of the challenge of picking the correct fabric and pattern for each brief.

ScienceSensibility

There's literally nothing stopping you applying. Applications are open now. Off you pop.

This seems to be Damian’s issue, he stuffs up the pattern challenge by rushing (or not reading the instructions properly) and his transformations are a bit meh, but then he redeems himself with the last one, which he’s been able to practice.

@ThankYouHunkyJesus

ScienceSensibility

There's literally nothing stopping you applying. Applications are open now. Off you pop.

So, let me see if I understand your ludicrous comment.

I criticise elements of a TV show on a chat site and your response is that I should apply to participate in it myself?..

Crikey, the Telly Addicts board will be quiet if that’s the criteria for posting..

Can’t wait to see the Mumsnet Masterchef contestants or the Mumsnet Twinkletoes on Strictly! Mind you, I quite fancy a part in Line of Duty..

How DO you manage to cope in ‘real life’ when people don’t share the same views as you?

About as well as you cope with people saying things that are as ludicrous as the utter bollocks youre coming out with yourself.

@QuantumofSolace

I don't think the Pottery Throwdown is different at all really. It has the same lack of time and range of experience as the Sewing Bee

Oh I thought this latest series was a lot, lot better then the previous ones. The presenters were better. The challenges were more interesting and imaginative and, I thought anyway, allowed each of the contestants different skills to be utilised. Each to their own.

I loathed Siobhan and I think Rich needs to relax and find his presenting style. 😂

I do think they had the same range of contestants... the quietly confident, the rush in head long, the one who doesn't finish... the challenges were broadly the same as previous years too. I don't mind,
I love the programmes! Everyone always manages to come up with different things and I love the camaraderie they all have on both shows.

These shows all make me want to go and create something. I'm even confident I have sufficient pottery skills (I don't 😂). The Repair Shop does the same. And Find It Fix It Flog It.