Sewing Bee Thread Four

[Roussette]

Here we are!

I saw that Raph was having trouble with fit where he had draped on the mannequin. I wonder why they didn't pre pad the mannequin to the model's proportions?

Incidentally they need a new sewing expert on the show. Just putting it out there....

I'm amazed serena was able to get long enough off medical school to do the show! Hard in any year but now

She is only in her second year so nowhere near on the wards plus she’s in Scotland in the semester system so maybe just took a semester off or it’s mostly online maybe she just did it online.

You know what, I think that had Rebecca picked a more sumptuous fabric, like a deep, jewel coloured velvet or a heavy silk satin, her dress would have gone from " a wedding guest" to "red carpet". A bit like these dresses

And these

@Whatsnewpussyhat

Why did serena's top need boning in it when it was covered anyway?

I think she will win. Hers one the one I could see on an actual red carpet, although Raph's was like something Katy Perry would've worn 10 years ago.

To stop it sagging or falling down.

One false move and that scuba dress would have been down to the model's knees.

Serena's dress had impact and was well sewn. And I would never wear acid yellow, but it worked. It needed a strong colour. Raph's could have been amazing but he didn't have the time or experience to get it right. Rebecca's fabric choice was dowdy, the shoulder wrap looked like jelly and I hate asymmetric dresses on a print with a very obvious wrong side. It looks so cheap.

A well deserved winner. to Serena for her consistency and superb sewing
skills, as Esme repeatedly pointed out.

I think Rebecca was playing it safe all the way through in the hope the other 2 would come unstuck with their more challenging fabrics and designs. Not a bad strategy but it didn’t work. They all did well but the right person one, she was an amazing sewer

I'm delighted Serena won, she's been so consistently good from the beginning and always seems to strive to do really well made wearable pieces, which is right for a sewing competition. She seems a safe pair of hands for a doctor, possible surgeon?

Saying that I didn't love the finale looks but could see what she was trying to achieve with her concept and it was obviously executed really well. Agree that the skirt needed to be fuller to balance the top. The yellow would have had great impact if it was on a darker model.

Rafe's looked a bit of a mess unfortunately. The fabric, the corsetry at the back and the hemlines all made it look a bit amateurish. I thought his model would have made it edgy looking but she was a bit leaden. Still, he's got a real imagination and fingers crossed he is back working in his industry.

I liked the style of Rebecca's dress but the flowers and the scuba combined did make it look cheap. It would have had much more impact if it was made in a single colour, luxurious fabric. Her model was great at selling the dress.

They were all such a lovely bunch, I'll miss watching it.

I think Rebecca would've done better if she hadn't chosen the neoprene and the flowers, and I hated that the white underneath showed so much on the ruffles, it made it look cheap. I agree!

And to me, I saw lots of seams that just weren't finished because you dont have to on that sort of material?

I shall miss my Wednesday night sewing bee!

@dillite

You know what, I think that had Rebecca picked a more sumptuous fabric, like a deep, jewel coloured velvet or a heavy silk satin, her dress would have gone from " a wedding guest" to "red carpet". A bit like these dresses

I agree - but it would have taken a lot more fitting and a lot more skill.

That nasty neoprene fabric fits itself to contours, and doesn't fray. She took an easy way out.

I agree it looked very slinky etc, but I'll bet it was horrible and sweaty to wear.

I thought his model would have made it edgy looking but she was a bit leaden. Still, he's got a real imagination and fingers crossed he is back working in his industry.

Yes - I was surprised how self-conscious she seemed to be. I thought she looked as though she could take the world on with one hand tied behind her back, but she sort of froze like a rabbit in headlights.

He can do so much better

In the end, I think his lack of experience on making different garments caught up with him. If he entered in a year or two I think he would win. The fact that he got to the final having started making masks in the first lockdown in incredible! Obviously he has experience handling fabric which helps.

I think if he'd given his design to Serena to sew, it would have been stunning.

I'm tempted to pick an earlier series and watch it one a week on a Wednesday.

@SoupDragon that sounds like a great idea. Although knowing me, I would binge on each series in a day

Well, yes. I didn't say I would succeed on watching only one a week 😂

I might manage one a day if I tried really hard.

I've just watch - couldn't last night (football's fault!).

I'm shock more wasn't made of Raph utter grotesque 'Kate Bush' dress from the get go - thought the design was horrendous and it turned out even worse than the design looked!!!

I was on the fence about Rebecca's as I thought the design and her pattern matching was top quality, I didn't feel the pattern suited the design though. I do think it might have been far more stunning if she'd used a rich coloured colour (taking one that was in the floral pattern) for the dress then lined it with her floral (because lets face it it she wouldn't be able to not!!) so ti would show on the pleats and under the train thingie and panel thingie (apologies for using such technical terms!)

Unlike many on this thread I loved Serena's yellow material - it certainly wasn't safe or boring!!! Did think it was a shame to hide the bodice - and wondered what it would look like if the frill at the top was more like a short cloak so you could see the bodice. Even so it was great.

Overall I think the right person won - she was very good

(as for the festival get ups - WTF - why did Raph's win it might have been colourful but it was a bit of a mess!!! Do agree that is was VERY obvious whose was who's!)

Just caught up. I think Rebecca's dress is what people like Renee zellweggar and Natalie Portman would of worn before they got famous. And Serenas dress is what they'd wear once they became A-lister. Raphs, I'm speechless. The right person won

@Wolfcub

Pastels being known as festival colours everywhere

I don't think Rebecca has been to a festival in her life.

I like her. She seems quite reserved and introverted and I saw her references to Serena as being a natural consequence of their age and sex. There were obviously going to be comparisons between them.
Some of Rebecca's more staid choices in fabric and design make more sense when you see her parents. They looked lovely, but also introverted and a bit old fashioned.

I loved the little Catch-up with all the contestants at the end - and agree with a PP that Damian's tweed jacket was too small. It made me think of Charlie off Holby City - his white coat was always staring at the buttons!

Buster the border terrier looked good, though. Perhaps Damian made his coat from the off-cuts of Buster's?

*straining at the buttons - not staring

I think the best person won last night, Serena's sewing has been consistently good. Throughout the series all the participants have been support of each other so I thought it was a little off of Rafe's model to make a catty remark. She was implying that he had it in the bag and said something about ' The yellow'. I would have to rewind to hear what she said but it sounded like she was sneering.

I've just looked at the transformation challenge but again and to be fair to Rebecca, one of the outfits in the photos they showed was all white so her choices weren't totally wrong. I don't think she added enough decoration though so it would have made no difference to the result.

I'm off work sick atm and watched 7 episodes old in a row the other day

I started series 3, last night. Some of the weaker contestants are quite out of their depth and I am amazed that May and Patrick let it slide that contestants were making fitted trousers, requiring a pressed crease, out of cotton lawn! They'd be unwearable - crumpled with a ripped arse after 5 minutes' wear!