Sewing Bee 2024 thread 2 - 5 down, 7 to go!

[SoupDragon]

The other thread was getting too slow (and we were running out of space faster than the thread on a bobbin)

Hello <waves>

Checking in to the new thread - thank you @SoupDragon

Just checking in.

I agree that I’d sooner see someone who is an excellent sewer than someone who has a ‘personality.’

Just placing my chalk mark so I don't lose you.

I think the problem of personality v skill is that you need someone with personality to make good TV. I would be utterly crap on TV (I will ignore the fact that I'm also not terribly skilled at sewing!)

It's a matter of balance. This year doesn't seem to have got that balance right.

"I agree that I’d sooner see someone who is an excellent sewer than someone who has a ‘personality.’ "

Me too.

Also, I think that the transformation challenge needs a complete rethink. It's mostly a total waste of time and resources. These aren't arty fashion students at St Martin's. There must be better ways of getting the sewers to refashion garments or use other materials that provide an inspiration to the viewers and show us how we can waste less.

There was a performative recycle/reuse episode but then the other challenges in the other episodes in this series have produced garments that are shoddily made & often unwearable, a waste of fabric & all the resources that were used to produce it. That's not the fault of the sewers - they just aren't being given the time they need. An extra 30 or 45 minutes on each challenge would result in less rubbish that must surely end up being chucked up a corner somewhere when the sewers get them back at the end of the series.

I would happily see fewer men and a two year (at least) moratorium on anyone who makes clothes for drag queens.

At least one man every year, and usually more than one, is just there to increase diversity and say 'look men sew too!' but are miles away from the level of even the worst of the women.

Why shouldn't men be there? My dad taught me to sew.

Don (?) who left last week was a very good sewer who just struggled with the time allowed. He had made some beautiful dresses for his daughters.

No objection to men being there but aiming for 50:50 male - female isn't representative of UK sewists. So while there are usually 1-2 excellent males each year, there's also a load that have basically taken the place of a woman who is better than them. Just because they are male.

Like so many of these things I wish they'd just give them a bit more time to do a better job and create something wearable. The transformation challenge produces some nice garments but they are very few and far between.
It's like GBBO when there's all the stress of them running out of time then Paul 'Knob Head' Hollywood tells every single one of them their bakes needed more time to prove/cook/ cool etc.

There are 8 women and 4 men. Last year it was 9 women and 3 men. Previous years are similar. Not 50:50. Plus, there are lots of female contestants taking the place of people loads better than them 😂

As aside, I hate the word "sewists". I prefer the traditional sewers despite it looking like drains.

I think the transformation challenges were better when it was a result you might actually wear, rather than quite such high concept.

On Luke's (I think), was there skin between the circles in the top? Again cream calico on a cream mannequin made it difficult to see what was going on. If so I'd be very worried about the chances of nip slip!

I thought Pascha's MtM looked lovely at the short length personally, I don't know if it would have looked any better with the long skirt.

I've been quite a fan of the drag queen male contestants. Luke (who I rate) is much quieter and less full-on flamboyant than some have been.

This year's competition seems more wide open than usual. Most remaining sewers have been very up and down with their makes. Luke has been one of the more consistent ones but generally sitting in the middle, so unlikely to win.

I'm torn on the drag queen contestants.

Generally they can actually sew which is a bonus. On the other hand Esme loves everything they do just because drag queens. Which gets on my nerves. Nobody ever gets excited about an older woman who mainly makes clothes for grandkids for example.

I think my irritation is that they are seen as the height of creativity. When making something that genuinely fits a curvy woman, and is comfortable, and appropriate for the event, and expresses her personality is actually much much more difficult.

On Luke's (I think), was there skin between the circles in the top?

I don't think so. I think they were all sewn together as if they were squares so that there was a little flappy curved edge on all sides.

screenshot from iPlayer...

with some of the circles being the same colour as the manikin you're right that it looked like holes!

Checking in with a traditional tailor's tack!

Gosh I thought I must be the only person left on the planet who uses tailor tacks!

I definitely do. Glad I'm not alone!

I use tailor tacks if I plan to overlock my edges ( separately if cotton/ silk) before sewing them. I don't trust chalk or pen marks. Otherwise notches. I also got fussier about which I bother to mark as some are pointless. Some I transfer on later on in the process as well

I find tailor's tacks are essential for darts. Maybe it's just me!

Just catching up..
Glad Marcus did well in the jacket challenge, hes struggled a bit but i do like him.

I have a little gadget for doing tailor's tacks. I inherited it with the family sewing box (along with the button tin!)

They are absolutely essential for darts! I remember being taught to do them at school.

I have a young man in the house with a tendency to pull loose threads so I don't waste my time with tailor tacks. It's chalk, soluble marker or occasionally heat erasable marker or even soap for me, depending on what I'm marking.

Tailor's tacks mark both sides of the fabric at the same time. I don't understand how chalk etc can do that?