Great British Sewing Bee 2026

[LIZS]

Back on 14th July at 8pm

I remember last year, or perhaps the year before, one woman just going to pieces and everyone was helping and supporting her.

They have to pair up for the transformation challenge, next week.

Oooh! Fun!

Me too - I normally fast forward the “upcycling” but ff’d the whole episode this week - I’m done.

I've started watching the whole series right from the start today. Gosh Patrick looks young! It was much calmer to begin with.

Yes. I think there are lots of instances of participants helping each other out. It's one of the things I like about it.

I still wouldn't like group tasks in sewing bee .

In other competitions where they feature, the group tasks just give greater opportunity to add 'drama'. I find the whole "one person messed up so the whole team faces elimination " thing irritating. I can see that ability to work in a team in a professional kitchen is relevant, but sewing is an individual activity.

Maybe the pairs task next week will change my mind 🤔

urgh - this may be the final nail in my coffin of enjoyment of the Bee

I always have to watch on catch up, so usually skip through the transformation bits anyway

The Game of Wool was hugely criticised by people who knew anything about knitting and crochet as they got the challenges SO wrong. Part of that was the group task because it's impossible to work out who's doing what.

It could work on the sewing bee with complete separation. So you ask them to make a two piece suit and one does the jacket and the other does the trousers. Or two outfits for the same child for casual/smart that use the same technique and are coordinated or whatever. So working together/collaborating but still a degree of separation.

I do think the transformation challenge needs looking at as it started off as giving clothes new life and not throwing things away and has turned into comedy. Nothing which is made is wearable. It would be better giving them a task to turn an old duvet cover into a summer top, or taking very dated 80s frilly ball gowns and turning into a modern dress - and judges should be scoring on would someone actually WEAR this.

The group task on Game of Wool was just a complete waste of time. I’m not sure how working with a partner will work out but I’ll be interested to see how it will work. I think an extra spin off show would be really good, like Extra Slice on Bake-off, with tips on sewing, pattern alterations and choosing the correct material to use.
I still think the transformation 2 in 1 dress made by Asmara a couple of years ago was the best thing I’ve ever seen on there,

I can't see the point of a pairs challenge on this. You'd almost never pair up with someone at home to sew something, and they should be judged on their own sewing and creativity, not how well they can work with someone else. (I'm one of those people who hates group work and would rather work alone though, so I guess I'm biased!

💯correct @Thegirlwhowent

It would be profoundly unfair to pair them up and then send someone home on the basis of a shared task. I hate it when they do this on other programmes - the Interior Design Challenge is one example, and the last series was particularly bad for it, but for that you’d could just about stretch a point to claim it was about ideas. With sewing it’s so much a technical and craft process that you really do have to keep the focus on each individual. IMHO!

(Totally agree about that amazing dress, @Umanresources)

I too hate the paired / group work and someone being sent home on the back of it.
Interior Design Masters is awful for this.

That's the point really, so often the brief for the second section is pointless/impractical, especially given the recycling element involved. Putting a lot of effort into recycling an oilcloth, umbrella, old tent or whatever into something no-one will ever wear is a waste of time and materials. A brief to produce something useful out of material that would otherwise be thrown away makes much more sense.

But this isn't really art either, is it? No-one is going to put this stuff on their walls or into a gallery.

I suppose it depends on your definition of art.

I noticed on this weeks second challenge (I think ) that Tims body language was absolutely awful. Very defensive. He had his arms folded and was glaring strongly and aggressively at the judges (he was a deserved 2nd/3rd from the bottom I think, can't remember 100%) He was absolutely livid. I don't think he likes Esme at all because she is honest and says what she thinks, and good for her.
I really don't like him.

Yes, I did notice a look at one point @DBSFstupid . In the first episode I thought it was a nice change that there was nobody who was a bit irritating but Tim's personality is becoming more prominent as the weeks are going on and he's putting himself higher on my list of "Next, please!" 👋

Try and be aware of editing. They make the contestants wear the same clothes across the two days so they can pick and choose 'looks' and 'laughs' there's no guarantee a dodgy look or a chuckle you see on TV was even shot on the same day let alone in response to the exact event it's shown next to in the weekly aired programme.

Tim is a bit huffy.

I don’t like Tim either.

Is it normally on BBC1? I noticed when I was looking to see what was on tonight it wasn't set to record and was on BBC2 tonight so beware any of you who have set your tellies to record it. Mind you, you might have more up to date technology that doesn't need wound up with a handle 😄

Yes European Athletics on BBC one.

@Hexiegone I saw that earlier when flicking through my Freesat channels, so came on to let people know in case they weren't aware

I dint think Esme likes men very much though.