The Great British Sewing Bee Series 4 2016 Sewing Patterns & Shopping List
The Great British Sewing Bee Series 4 2016 Sewing Patterns & Shopping List
July 5, 2016
Series 4 of The Great British Sewing Bee aired on BBC Two in 2016, with Claudia Winkleman returning as host and Patrick Grant joined by new judge Esme Young after May Martin’s departure. Ten amateur sewists competed across eight themed episodes, tackling the usual trio of challenges each week: the Pattern Challenge, the Transformation, and the Made-to-Measure. Themes included Children’s Week, Lingerie, International styles, the 1960s, Activewear, and Evening Wear, pushing contestants’ skills in both technical precision and creative flair. After a series of eliminations, the final saw Charlotte Newland crowned winner, with Jade Earley and Joyce Bellingham as runners-up.
Series 4 Episode 8
Task One - The Men’s Pintucked Shirt
Some serious precision sewing took place as the ladies worked hard to create the perfect men’s pintucked shirt. If you fancy making a men’s shirt we have plenty of patterns to choose from here.
If you plan on adding some pintucks a pintuck foot such as this Janome pintuck foot will come in super handy. As explained by Charlotte it has grooves on the underside to guide your fabric along as you create the pintucks. For our full range of sewing machine feet for all the brands we stock click here.
A sewing gauge is also an incredibly useful tool to have in your sewing arsenal - perfect for measuring hemlines, spacing out buttonholes, pintucks and so much more. We have a whole range of sewing measuring tools right here for you to choose from.
Task Two - The Tuxedo/LBD Alteration Challenge
We have thousands of gorgeous dress patterns to choose from at Sew Essential and to help you search through them quickly and easily we've added filters. If you're up for making a little black dress the 'evening' filter will probably come in useful. Quicker and easier searching and shopping means more time for sewing and that can only be a good thing - right? We also have a wide range of beautifully exquisite and high quality black dressmaking fabrics to choose from, perfect for that special occasion. Check out our black tocca lace, black velvet, black taffeta, black crepe, satin, faux silk dupion and crepe backed satin. We promise, you won't be disappointed. We also have a good range of sequin trims for a bit of sparkle.
Task Three - The Floor Length Evening Gown
The contestants wowed us with their final pieces yet again and what could be more fitting for the grand finale than a glamorous floor length gown? If you're looking for inspiration check out our blog post on making your own prom dress where we selected some of our favourite and most glamorous patterns and suggested which fabrics to pair them with. If there's nothing there that takes your fancy you'll be sure to find something special in our extensive sewing pattern range plus the perfect fabric to make it with in our dressmaking fabric stash.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for the ride this year, we had a great time. Until the next time - let's keep it reel! (sorry!)
Have fun sewing!
Lucy
For more tips and tricks on how to make sewing easy you can follow our blog via Bloglovin and receive updates via email each time a new post is added.
Tonight’s episode of the Sewing Bee saw the last four contestants battle it out for a place in the final. Each of them have won a special place in our hearts and it was a joy to watch them showcase their incredible talents in some of the trickiest challenges we’ve ever seen on the programme.
Task One - The Asymmetric Yoked Skirt
The first challenge was for the ladies to get their heads around the pattern itself. The next challenge: sewing it! That curved seam was no mean feat and our top tip for sewing curved seams is to use a ballpoint awl to ease the fabric under the machine foot as you sew, always sewing from the side with the fullness of the fabric.
If you fancy having a go at an asymmetric skirt check out Vogue 9113and New Look 6418 for two stylish options plus our range of dressmaking fabrics to rustle them up in.
Task Two - The Duvet Alteration Challenge
Using every last scrap of fabric was the tricky part here and we were so impressed with the garments the ladies produced. I recently read a blog post where Gabby Young (sewing blogger) made a Christine Haynes emery dress from a Snow White duvet so maybe this challenge doesn't have to be exclusive to the show...
Task Three - Self Drafting A Made to Measure Pattern
This was certainly a big test for the Sewing Bees requiring creative flair for the design process and technical ability for drafting and sewing the garment. I simply fell in love with Jade's dress and desperately want one for myself. This Burda pattern is a very similar style if you wanted to recreate the look and I think it would look fabulous in our Sevenberry cotton linen feel fabric with a striking geometric print in everyone's favourite navy blue. Best add it to my ever growing future sewing plans list, well done Jade! If you too loved the yellow vibe of Jade's dress check out our Cassandra fabric in lemon with a black print. We also have a similar design fabric to the one Charlotte used for her beautiful cowl neck dress - look no further than our delightful Ohio coral fabric. For a similar colour way to the dress Joyce created we have this lovely Rosaline fabric.
And then there were three - how did we reach the final so quickly? We’re getting withdrawal symptoms just thinking about the series ending...
Series 4 Episode 6
The competition is really serious now and we know who is through to the semi final, but who will be the winner? The Bees put on another fantastic show of skill, steely determination and the ability to keep their cool despite Patrick’s and Esme’s scrutiny and Claudia’s shrieks of ‘five minutes left!’
If you fancy joining the Bees in their sportswear challenge this week we have a number of stylish sportswear sewing patterns for you to choose from and some top tips for sewing with those tricky fabrics.
First up the gorgeous range of sporty numbers from Sewaholic - the Dunbar top, the Pacific leggings and the Fraser sweatshirt. All of these patterns were designed to flatter a pear shaped figure, but could be worn and would make you look super stylish when exercising whatever your body shape.
We also have some lovely designs from McCalls including this sportswear sewing pattern which provides you with several garments to choose from including a sports bra, tops, trousers and even a casual, sporty skirt plus the very sportswear pattern Joyce used to make her yoga outfit.
When you’re whipping these sporty numbers up you may well need our sports elastic or clear elastic to achieve the perfect fit in all the right places.
Top tips for working with tricky sporty fabrics such as lycra is to use an overlocker if possible and use wooly nylon in the upper and lower loopers. Never use cotton thread and choose polyester thread instead plus remember to use those all important stretch needles designed with these fabric types in mind they will make your life so much easier!
Overlockers and coverstitch machines featured heavily in the programme and they are a fantastic investment for anyone who wants to work with stretch fabrics such as jersey and knit, oh, and lycra! We have an extensive range of both types of machine from a variety of brands and we can offer you expert advice on how to use them. If you think you might be interested in treating yourself to one of these amazing machines, just give us a call and we'll be happy to help.
Have fun sewing!
Lucy
For more tips and tricks on how to make sewing easy you can follow our blog via Bloglovin and receive updates via email each time a new post is added.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record it was another great week from the Sewing Bee this week. Not only did we love the challenges set for the Bees we absolutely loved the music, make up and giggles about the fun that was had by some of the older Bees back in the crazy 60s. Everyone sewed some beautiful garments and we think it’s going to be pretty hard for the judges as the next few weeks go by and we head to the final.
Task One - The Mondrian Dress
This certainly tested the Bees’ ability to sew with precision and demonstrate their creative flair. If you fancy taking up the challenge we have a limited edition Vogue sewing pattern hack that allows you to recreate the original in a few simple steps. View our full blog post to discover the perfect fabrics and a few expert tips then take the plunge into the 60s Sewing Bee stylee!
Joyce wowed us with her 60s sewing skills and her succinct summary of what the sixties were like, in your very own words Joyce: ‘sex, drugs and rock and roll!’
Task Two - 60s Alteration Challenge
We’d love to see Esme’s shower curtain fabric garments - they must have been pretty racy! Working with PVC is tricky for many reasons and whilst we’re imaging there won’t be a massive rush for PVC in the shops following this episode we thought it would be useful to share a couple of top tips for working with this fabric or something similar.
Use the right sewing machine foot such as this ultra glide Janome foot or this Husqvarna teflon one, great for working with sticky fabrics. Even if you’re not about to tear your shower curtain down to rustle up a dress these machine feet are great for working with faux leather, ultra suede and vinyl. Also make sure you use a larger stitch than normal and a denim or leather sewing machine needle.
Task Three - The 60s Tailored Jacket
It always makes us hold our breath when Patrick inspects the tailoring task, can you imagine the pressure?! The ladies did really well and produced some lovely garments and we especially loved Jade's little beauty. Tracey used this Simplicity pattern to recreate one of her Mother's own makes from back in the 60s and there wasn't a dry eye in the house when she said 'she would have been proud.' We've got a fabulous range of jacket sewing patterns with handy filters to help you sort through them and pick out the ones you want with minimal fuss.
Have fun sewing!
Lucy
For more tips and tricks on how to make sewing easy you can follow our blog via Bloglovin and receive updates via email each time a new post is added.
Well what a week folks, I feel emotionally drained after all that drama and can't believe how attached I'm becoming to all of the contestants once again. There were some real roller coaster moments this week with Sewing Bees performing at their best and worst all in the same episode and with such a gripping competition it is no wonder the viewing figures are so good again this year. I have to say it is lovely to see our local gal Tracey coming into her own now too - we love a bit of sewing in sunny Derbyshire you know!
As always we've picked out patterns and fabrics inspired by the makes on the show plus some of the tools and gadgets we spotted the Bees using to make them. If you want to see any of the items from previous episodes just scroll down the page, they're all there just for you.
Task One - The Chinese Top
The construction of this top was the real challenge and so many bees made mistakes by not following the pattern to the letter. If you fancy giving it a go why not try this New Look pattern and, although we don't have brocade in our stash, one of our gorgeous satin fabrics would work well. We also have the frog closures you'll need for an authentic look and a wide range of invisible zips to choose from.
We spotted the Bees using rotary cutters for precision cutting, fabric weights and pins for extra stability when cutting and walking feet great for using with slippery fabrics.
Remember stay stitching the neckline is crucial to prevent stretching the fabric out of shape. Oh and it helps to undo the zip to get the top on as Charlotte reminded us and, as always, made us giggle.
Task Two - Refashioning A Sari
Our favourite task when we get to see the true creativity of the Bees and we certainly weren't disappointed this week. Some truly beautiful garments were made. From loose fitting trousers to caftans the Bees used the beautiful fabrics well to wow us. We have some lovely sheer fabrics in our dressmaking fabric stash that would make fantastic caftans and loose fitting trousers AKA the perfect cover ups for the beach this summer. There was also a lovely kimono and this New Look pattern gives you plenty of options to try depending on your preferred style plus there are more to choose from on our site.
Task Three - The Made To Measure African Dress
I loved the structure of these garments thanks to the dramatic shapes created by the stiff fabric. Peplums were incredibly popular and this Simplicity pattern and this Butterick pattern with it's partial peplum would make great options for you to try at home. Maxi dresses also featured in this task and we've created a filter on our dress sewing patterns page so you can just view the maxi dress options. Although we don't stock the specialist African fabric we have some lovely bold prints for you to try instead. The bold leaf print on this John Kaldor Leone fabric and the bold abstract floral print on this Leone fabric are some good examples of fun fabrics to try.
All in all another fabulous episode of our favourite show and we can't wait to see what is in store next week - at this rate we'll have haute couture designers by the end of the series.
Have fun sewing!
Lucy
For more tips and tricks on how to make sewing easy you can follow our blog via Bloglovin and receive updates via email each time a new post is added.
Our favourite allocation of BBC licence fee, The Great British Sewing Bee, is back this week with three challenges that pit our contestants against underwear and lingerie. The show opens with bra making (not for the faint hearted!), followed by silky unloved scarves transformed into racy lingerie and finishing with a luxurious robe.
Top tip for bra making is to choose an old bra that was an excellent fit then unpick it and use it as your pattern.
If you fancy having a go at creating your own lingerie check out our range of supplies below:
Tracey recommended using a walking foot for the stretch lace and we have a great selection for a range of brands in our sewing machine accessories section of the website. They are also great for working with slippery fabrics such as silk and other stretch fabrics such as jersey. A great addition to your sewing arsenal!
We have some gorgeous luxury robe worthy fabrics including crepe de chine, satin, crepe back satin and more plus a range of sleepwear patterns to choose from so why not give yourself a great night's sleep in your own gorgeous designs.
Series 4 Episode 2
The Great British Sewing Bee Episode two was another delightful roller coaster of highs and lows for many of the contestants who worked furiously throughout to create three children's garments. We LOVED garment of the week and the baby grows were simply scrumptious! We won't go into too much detail to avoid spoiling the surprise for anyone who hasn't seen the show yet, but as promised here's the list of products we spotted...
Task One - The Baby Grow
We have some gorgeous baby grow patterns right here plus some super soft stripy jersey fabrics that would be perfect for baby to snuggle in.
The poppers or fasteners and pliers used to apply them can be found here.
When working with jersey fabrics Sewing Bee's in the know would have used ballpoint needles to prevent the stretch fabric fraying.
A walking foot for your sewing machine is also a worthy investment when working with jersey because it prevents the layers of fabric from moving at different rates. We have a range of different brands in our sewing machine accessories section of the website.
Task Two - The Refashioned Bridesmaid Dress
We spotted one of the Sewing Bee's using fabric weights to keep the slippery silky fabrics in place whilst cutting.
We saw lots of sumptuous satin and we have a whole range of beautiful colours to choose from here.
Rotary cutters and cutting mats made an appearance again chosen by Sewing Bee's cutting with ultimate precision.
Again a walking foot is a great tool that will make working with slippery fabrics such as satin and chiffon so much easier.
Task Three - The Cape
Here are a couple of super cute cape patterns for little nippers - this one is very similar to Joyce's heart pocket cape and here is another alternative cape pattern.
If you're feeling inspired to sew something for the little people in your life we've recently added some very pretty cotton children's fabrics to our range and we have a great selection of children's sewing patterns too.
Don't forget to check out our mega Sewing Bee sale on dressmaking fabrics this week with all John Kaldor patterned fabrics now half price!
Have a great week sewing and tune in for the products and tips from next week's show.
Series 4 Episode 1
And we're off! Episode one has aired and it was as good as ever. We loved Esme's straight talking and Patrick's peculiar choice of words...natty?! It was great to see the camaraderie between the contestants from the word go - we sewing fanatics are just the nicest people aren't we?!
If like us you're feeling super enthused about cracking on with some sewing we thought we'd give you a helping hand with a shopping list of the products and tools we spotted the newbee Sewing Bees using in tonight's show.
We wanted to be as quick off the mark as possible with this shopping tool so it doesn't have the usual bells and whistles photography or imagery as our usual posts, but it does give you everything you need to sew along with the contestants.
Every week we'll update the post with the goodies from the latest episode doing the hard work for you so you don't have to keep note of anything and can sit back, relax and enjoy the show instead. Perfect!
Stripy fabrics were all the rage in task one - check out our John Kaldor Herringbone and red and black striped Portia fabrics if you want to try the chevron challenge. We also have some gorgeous jersey stripes in navy and white, red and white and hot pink and white.
A walking foot on your sewing machine (found in our sewing machine accessories category) is a great help when matching stripes and we spotted some of the Bees in the know.
This Kwik Sew pattern would be perfect for trying the chevron challenge or try it with this very simple McCalls maxi dress pattern.
Task Three - Made to Measure
Jade really went for it in the made to measure task and used boning to wow the judges.
Joyce used our incredibly popular John Kaldor Portia fabric for her made to measure skirt.
The gorgeous pencil skirt with the peplum Angeline made or any of the circular skirts with would be perfect made up in our beautiful Ohio fabric.
