Sewing Bee 2024

[ThreeWordHarpy]

I expect there will be a thread in the crafts forum, but only posting this here because my usual sewing social media channels have gone a bit bananas because one of the contestants is a DEI director, has they/them pronouns and a drag persona/alter ego. https://www.williamgee.co.uk/the-great-british-sewing-bee-2024-air-date-and-contestants/

Aside from the central casting cliche, (the usual Love Productions approach) I wish the contestant luck and I look forward to seeing what they can do in the sewing room My main point that any discussion on the program itself is going to be impossible until and unless that contestant is eliminated. Interestingly, it seems that people are a lot less “be kind” than they were for Matthew last year. Or maybe the moderators of the FB groups I’m on haven’t yet swing into action with the ban hammer…

What machine are they using? I could watch I know, but honestly, I'd rather put pins in my eyes....

They use Janome 5060QDC

Thanks. That looks like a very nice machine. Automatic 1 step buttonholes, yet some couldn't do them? Oh dear.

Given that this is largely about what makes great TV, I'd love to see one of the good sewers (and I've not worked out who they all are yet) say in a future show, 'I'm going to do this task perfectly, as I am capable of doing, and as it deserves to be done. If that means I won't complete the whole garment within this ridiculous deadline then tough.' And then Esme and Patrick could have a big argument about it and maybe the producers could chip in too.

I'd watch that for sure!

It is a nice machine! Not top of the range, but very capable of dealing with all the standard home sewing stuff.
When I bought mine, I went to my local shop with plenty of denim, and sewed buttonholes through several thicknesses, with denim thread, to check how the machine coped! I was hoping to be able to make my own jeans, so doing tricky stuff on denim was key. I also tested it for going over thick lumpy seams.

It's very easy to use (no complicated screens/settings), and not much to go wrong. It's been perfect for me (I make all my own clothes, and bits and pieces for other people too).

What annoys us (and same with bake off) is that some of the contestants just aren't very good, been talking to a friend today about it, she's far better than any of the contestants have shown so far and I can bake better than most the contestants on bake off whilst doing a couple of other things at the same time, but we are white, straight middle aged women with standard Home Counties accents and average looks (not quirky) so don't fit the casting call.

When they revealed the pattern for the first make I said to DH ‘Oh, I made a denim skirt like that!’ He looked mystified and said ‘When?!’ as he’s never seen me wearing anything like that (I mostly live in trousers these days).

Then I realised I was probably about 16, 17 and made it on my Mum’s trusty 90-ish-year-old hand-cranked Singer. OK, I didn’t have to finish it in 3 hours but….really??

Some of those old singers can sew through everything @Zeugma

if you have a robust needle and the right thread, those old hand-cranked machines can be the best, you just go really really slowly over the thick bits, and then have at it on the straight seams with 2 or 3 thicknesses.

I used to make some quick clothes at school on our old treadle machine and it was absolutely brilliant. Not too many moving parts to go wrong, no electronics to strike just when you need them and you could really get up a head of steam if you coordinated your feet properly.

Co-ordinating the feet properly would have had me stumped. I'm in awe!!!

My experience is that you can't go far wrong with a nice solid metal chassis basic machine with a little bit of weight to it. Second hand or older machines are definitely not inferior once they've been cleaned up and given a bit of love with oil and a good old vacuum out. I've got several different kinds, most second hand, and my absolute favourite for simple straight sewing is a 50s Necchi Lycia 522. I did my degree on it, and I still teach sewing with it. It's a babe for straight sewing. Buttonholes I do elsewhere, but for everything else, this is just such a sweet, solid, gorgeous machine.

I’ve a couple of hand cranked vintage singers, one of which converts to electric if the mood takes me.

i relearned to sew on them because i found my electronic machine was just too random for me and i couldn’t get my confidence. I liked being able to control the machine from stitch to stitch in tricky places. I liken the Singers to an old bomb proof pony who you can use for any learner rider to do some gentle hacks and learn how to trot. Then once you are confident you can switch up to start jumps etc. My electronic Brother machine and overlocker are perfectly fine devices, but on a bad day i have to look them square in the eye, and tell them I’m in charge. And they don’t always believe me.

I have a Necchi! The engine has gone but I refuse to throw it out - it was my gran's and is a wonderful workhorse. I now have another make from my great aunt - basic but brilliant. These old ones seem so much stronger than modern ones.

i have a treadle machine now, but it needs restoring and I'm too lazy. But my local sewing machine repair/workshop will do it if i want.
I really need to get them on it, because it's a lot of fun. (and given the amount of threads predicting dire apocalyptic scenarios - I'd be well in if i could still sew)

Yes. My DW is good at extending the life of clothes, sometimes creatively by lengthening a skirt using a different material, or making a shirt out of not much more than scraps. Not quite a Dolly Parton coat of many colours, but along those lines!

I have an early 1970s Bernina. It's a bit tired and not up to anything heavy duty (a bit like me) but still sounds lovely in action and I pull it out when I have toiles to make or I'm making small fiddly stuff as the tiny feet are perfect and the lack of clutter around the needle makes it so much easier to manipulate stuff (taking care not to sew through a finger!)

I agree with so much of the above about a “cast list” of contestants being chosen. What would be wrong with picking the best, even if they were all middle aged women? But no, we always have the person who “took up sewing during lockdown”, and doesn’t know one end of a zip from the other, a chap who is an engineer or similar, someone who makes very, erm, traditional clothes for their grandchildren (and also probably runs those stalls at fund raising craft fairs selling crocheted dress-wearing dolls that go over loo rolls), someone who likes to think of themselves as “wacky” and someone who has to bring an edge of fetish wear into everything.

And by Christ and all his disciples, I wish they’d give them more time. But Bake Off went the same way, the producers are hoping for drama (someone accidentally using Howard’s custard) or tears (Alaska Bingate). It’s fucking tedious.

@Brefugee (and given the amount of threads predicting dire apocalyptic scenarios - I'd be well in if i could still sew)

Especially since you own a mechanic sewing machine (blackout and all that!).

My mum is of the tribe "old stuff just takes up place" , so she gave away the beautiful treadle-powered art deco Gritzner machine.... At least she didn't put it in the garbage. I bought a 2nd hand electric Singer, so I'll be back to hand-stitching!

And by Christ and all his disciples, I wish they’d give them more time. But Bake Off went the same way, the producers are hoping for drama (someone accidentally using Howard’s custard) or tears (Alaska Bingate). It’s fucking tedious.

I love by Christ and all his disciples 😅and totally agree that the lack of time is fucking tedious. It does not make the programme any more exciting, it's just annoying and takes away any of the rare enjoyment that is left in it.

There have been some brilliant traditional sewers on the series in the past. The standouts for me have been Ann in the first series and Clare (1940s dresser). I follow Clare on Instagram (where she can occasionally be wonderfully acerbic) and once she received her makes back from the production company has shown details on how she has reworked and corrected several of them - including her knitted "puffin" dress and her final evening dress. I still enjoy the show, but either the standard of the contestants has decreased or the challenges have become too time constrained. The transformation challenges are definitely too whacky now for my taste and I fast forward through them.

i was at a charity shop a few years ago and they had an ancient Pfaff (I'm in Germany) which still worked, for EUR 25 but they only took cash and i had promised my daughter some things. And they wouldn't keep it for me without a deposit, so ... and then about a year later daughter and husband were in a different charity shop, and they had one, not in as good condition (but i wanted it as a side-table sort of thing anyway) so they bought it for me. Eventually i will either get it restored or look at restoring it myself.

Perhaps, given the Coming Apocalypse i should get my skates on😏

I’m just catching up with episode 2.

”As a drag performer I am used to avant garde”!!!!!! This has really annoyed me - there is nothing new or avant garde about drag, it is full of old cliches and stereotypes.

The cricket white challenge is just such a waste of fabric and no of the creations would actually be wearable. How does that show creativity or skill?

I am a very novice sewer and like picking up new techniques but so far this season is very disappointing. Kiell is the only good thing.

Episode 3 is a lot better, @OhBeAFineGuyKissMe

Thank you - I’ll keep going then.

You'll still want to shout at the telly but not for the same reasons.

I think the programme needs to go back to its roots with the second challenge "making something wearable from used clothing". So far, "usable, practical and wearable" do not feature much at all . Additionally, adding a segment about "making a buttonhole" or "working with tricky fabrics" or some other technique could be handy. I'm falling out of love for this programme, sadly.