Sewing Bee back tonight

[Dottiethekangaroo]

I have just seen this in the newspaper. I am so excited, brand new host too.

@Dottiethekangaroo pretty rubbishy last night!! was also shocked that neither of the judges commented on the fact the one person had all her buttons on the wrong side of her denim skirt!!

I do think the item being finished should be a prerequisite for being GOTW. Although I accept that narrowed their choices a fair bit!

I like that Kiell is not (so far!) Drawing attention to himself. There was the cocktail bit with Esme but that's all I spotted last night.

Such heavy denim was a poor choice for something needing to be gathered so much. I'm amazed she hadn't checked that out beforehand.

I thought they were using Gutermann Denim (just finished using some, myself) which is slightly thicker than sew all but works just fine with sew all in the bobbin.

Whilst I wanted Puppet Neil to go purely based on the puppet, I do think he was slightly unfairly judged on the transformation challenge as I thought his dress was well made - better than some of the other offerings.

I think you're right - it's essentially the same as the Extra Strong - thicker than normal, but not as thick as top stitch thread (which my machine chews up and spits out regardless of which needle/tension I use). Definitely the best choice for denim top stitching!

I agree

Wasn't the ventriloquism dreadful though, made us laugh

Right, it's bothering me. Pretty girl, curly hair. Who I call 'not Alex'. DJ. She looks, and sounds, just like a TV actress. It's the teeth, partly.

Anyone??

Oh, it's come to me. Sian Clifford.

I do feel the beeb have missed a trick in not selling the pattern challenges so people can have a go themselves. In a range of sizes, obviously! I know some get included in the books but chances are you won't want to buy multiple, similar books but would like the separate patterns.

Catching up, but I'm so happy it's back. I know it was a bit cheesy but the Kiell and Esme cocktails schtick really made me laugh, although not quite as much as when Kielle said Esme doesn't know who he is and she replied "True".

Good contestants this year and although I liked Neil, it is only right and fair that he had to leave for scaring the bejeesus out of us with Terry Pastry.

I met someone who auditioned for last year's series. They have an interesting backstory. And can sew well. But that's not sufficient to be in the show.

You have to be able to sew at pace.

You have to have sufficient knowledge and experience to get on without looking up detailed instructions/techniques. For example if it was your first time using a buttonhole foot, you'd just have to get on with it the best you could. Whereas at home you'd be able to watch a demo online.

And you have to be able to chat to the presenters and sew at the same time.

So a very particular set of skills.

I thought the way this new lot were dressed was a pointer to their sewing skills. Either shop-bought or poorly fitted, simple makes. Quite unlike the beautiful outfits in previous seasons.

I did not warm to many of the contestants. I think their were too many exhibitionists, not enough serious sewers.

i'm lazy and fat so i prefer to make small pleats than gather, which would have worked way better on that fabric. That seems very much a beginner's mistake, picking the wrong fabric.

It's on too late for me because i'm an hour ahead, so unfortunately won't be able to watch live (boo hoo). I thought GOTW should have been the winner of the transformation challenge, not a duvet dress (did love it though) with a clearly awful bust dart. Having said that i really did love that dress and apart from the not brilliant execution, I'd deffo wear that.

Was disappointed in the pattern challenge. So much flipping topstitching takes time, so many button holes takes time. It should have been one or the other. Agree about tablecloth dress in the MtM - didn't require much of the measuring. But i did like it.

Love the old chap, bonkers introducing Godets so early on! Loved Comfort's fabric, pattern matching skills and her name.

do they not take their own machines? that would totally throw me off.
I often wonder how much practising they do, given it's series 10 now they must know to practice: button holes, top-stitching, godets, princess seams and lining something.

When i sew it's 90% thinking about it all, looking at it all, and then 10% furious sewing and then running out of steam when i have one last thing to do (hemming usually)

I liked Pascha, she seemed genuinely delighted to be top of the pattern challenge. I took a dislike to Suzy because she came cross as smug as if she expected GOTW. Her reaction didn't seem genuine. However, that might be in the editing and my interpretation, it might be just her personality (I think I'd come across as a bit smug/fake as I would be embarrassed).

I also liked Comfort who really seems to suit her name!

I don't really have strong feelings about the others yet.

Even DH who can't even sew on a button knows the most fatal mistake on Sewing Bee is wrong fabric.

That heavy denim was the wrongest of wrong fabric.

They all have Janome 5060qdc which are distinctly better machines than the Argos/ Hobbycraft specials some of them seem to have at home. Not the best machine for heavy denim - my Janome is a similar spec and can be coaxed through about 6-8 layers, so long as there is no interfacing but they definitely shouldn't be jamming and producing ugly stitches on the 3 layers involved when topstitching the vertical seams.

They all get machine familiarisation before the competition starts. Just as well, as they have a coverstitch to use, next week!

And as @Brefugee said, she could have rescued it with some pleats and maybe have finished it before it all became a frayed mess.

I think some of the reason the doctors always win is that I don't know any doctors who would apply unless they had a good grasp of basics.

My first step would be to watch all the old seasons to grasp expectations and make sure I was happy with knit fabric, slippy fabric, fake fur, overlockers, a few zip insertions and had a least had a go on a overstretch machine.

Plus they can generally afford a better machine at home and assorted kit.

It's all clear on the judging criteria: a finished garment is better than unfinished, if in doubt Esme likes dramatic.

Asmaa last year was great at this tactic. She get niggled at for a bobbly seam but she always finished.

I think some of the reason the doctors always win is that I don't know any doctors who would apply unless they had a good grasp of basics.

I agree. The doctors I know are very details oriented (as you’d hope they would be), are very dexterous and quick with their hands and are used to working quickly under extreme pressure and deadlines. My doctor friends are very ‘crafty’ and do the most meticulous and beautiful stitching. They’re such perfectionists they’d not consider applying unless they felt up to coping with the whole set-up.

The other thing is that doctors are used to talking out loud when they are doing something.

I don't do procedures anymore but when I did, someone was always sent along who wanted to watch. Plus you are explaining things to the patient as you go along.

The producers don't want someone who can only sew in silence.

Good points about the medics. They're also used to massively demanding work and a lot of pressure. Its probably like going on holiday for them to be on the show 🤣

thanks, i didn't know that. I have a lovely Brother A150 which is fairly basic, and a Juki fairly basic but robust overlocker. I would love a go at a coverstitch machine - maybe i should apply (not living in the UK puts the kybosh on that, maybe i should petition the Germans to buy the format...)

Assume they bring their own sewing boxes etc. and that an assortment of needles is available for them (i made the absolute howler of an error the other week in forgetting that ball-point needles are A Thing - usually i am very much in the "change the needle more often than necessary, use a denim needle!!" crowd)

I think you have to, as others said, be a bit strategic. Sure, that fabric might look great but this fabric works better.

I’m glad Neil went if only so we don’t have to see that terrifying puppet.

the pattern challenge annoyed me, if not 1 out of 12 finishes it’s an indicator you haven’t given enough time. Same annoys me on bake off and professional bake off. There’s something being a challenge and then there’s it being un achievable