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)

I was rewatching series 6 last week and I thought Pascha’s gown was better sewn than the very similar red gown that Claire did in the s6 final. Pascha v Luke will be very much like Claire v Nicole. Consistent, methodical v design flair.

Aisla is lovely and a good sewer (remember those trousers!) but unless the other two have a disaster she won’t win.

@ThreeWordHarpy yes , it had a little tuck at the front didn't it? Iirc Claire made an insta post about fixing it and gifting the dress to her model.

Ailsa is so easily undone by her nerves. She has flashes of brilliance and, given time to prepare she would probably have aced the Balenciaga style dress because that sort of off the wall construction seems to be right up her street.

Can I just say the other thing I love about Pascha - apart from how competent she is at sewing - is how absolutely lovely she is as a person.
She's always cheerful, good humoured and humble - I've never seen her stressing out or showing off. She comes across as such a nice human being.

I think the standard of the sewers on TGBSB has dropped.

Not so much dropped as plummeted!

This year's group are definitely not as good as in previous years. It will be interesting to see what they are like next year (assuming there is a next year) to see if it's a general drop in standard or a blip.

am just watching, so have not read the new posts yet. While they faff with the m2m i would like to point out - and this is hugely outing - that in 1992 i was WAY ahead of the Clothes-From-Ties trend at the Rock am Ring.

it drives me bonkers. And the one using weights and scissors. USE PINS. Then Luke using clips: use. Pins.

if you're using a cutting board and a rotary cutter, then weights are entirely suitable. But otherwise: pins and shears.

@Brefugee I must admit that I use lots of pattern weights rather than pins. I also prefer clips to pins for the actual sewing as my motor skills are unreliable due to autism. I do agree about not using a creased up pattern piece though. Pressing/ironing is so important to the finished result!

sorry, i was being unintentionally ableist there, @FriendsDrinkBook
When you use weights with scissors doesn't that make cutting difficult?

@Brefugee I didn't take it that way at all , don't worry. I was taught with pins and shears in the 90s during textiles GCSE and A level so I can see that most would do it this way.

I use a smallish rotary cutter for most fabrics , I have scissors for thicker fabrics but only really use them for my yearly winter coat project which isn't too bad.

@ShoAndSew That's an impressive outfit!

Did you make it yourself?

Thank you, yes. My dad gave me a load of his 70s ties. I'd seen a skirt made from ties (not opened up like mine - and btw, i can see why they didn't really go for that on the Bee, it is tedious work) on the TV Programme "Why don't you..." and always wanted to make one.

I still have a lot left, and have been thinking - for about 30 years - of making some of them into a waistcoat. If i get round to it, i will do some of that weaving like Ailsa, that looked great.

I remember seeing that programme - the tieskirrt was awesome. Sadly DF was not willing to give me even one of his ties and my pocket money didn't run to buying them even in the charity shops....

oh i only got them 20 or so years later :)
i still have a bagful, some from my uncle and now some from my husband, that i really need to use up.

Clare is my all-time favourite!

I loved her mother, too..

I loved the Balenciaga dress - any idea how to get hold of the pattern?

Yes I thought Luke had a bit of an unfair advantage as he was obviously used to sewing drag costumes. He knew all of the tricks. But he did sew the bodice very expertly to be fair.

I was sorry to see Alex go but I didn’t like her lounge wear at all even though Patrick purported to like the colour combo. It wasn’t mentioned but I noticed that she’s used white cotton so all of the stitching stood out weirdly, when black would have been far more appropriate imho.

Although I very much agree with everyone about the importance of proper sewing skills, I do think you need an eye for colour and texture too, which I don’t think came as naturally to Alex compared with some of the others.

I know this is going to sound off, but my friend and I are always astounded at our local craft fair, because there are women exhibiting or selling there whose knitting skills are beyond fantastic, truly amazing, off the chart! But they choose to knit really strange blankets and toys from crafting patterns and have used very odd colour combinations. So you do meet taste and creativity as well as good skills.

I can imagine Alex making a superb job of her sister’s wedding dress though.

I thought the same about the white thread used in Alex's lounge wear. It wasn't even picking out any other features.

I suppose Luke's advantage from sewing drag costumes is no different to Asmaa with lingerie. They have a range of themes so that there is hopefully something for everyone, at some point.

Me too. I follow Clare on Instagram and she can be quite snippy with people who ask silly questions or offer unwanted suggestions.

Not a criticism BTW she just takes no nonsense.

I suppose Luke's advantage from sewing drag costumes is no different to Asmaa with lingerie

I thought that. Then I looked and they didn't have lingerie week last year. Which is odd as I'm sure I remember it! They did make swimwear one week so that might me what I am misremembering.

Or Clare's 1930s / 1940s vintage fashion preferences. Contestants who use their sewing skill to facilitate a hobby usually have an advantage in speed and adaptability.

I love vintage weeks just from the look on the faces of sewers confronted with a machine that can only do a straight stitch.

Not exactly the same @HeadNorth but this is the Vogue pattern that The Foldline site suggested as a close match.

I made nearly all my teenage clothes on a machine like that. I still have the machine, my mums Singer bought in 1954.