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Sewing Bee
If you want to shop all of the patterns and tools etc in this article in one place you can shop our sewing bee patterns here
Last night’s Sewing Bee transported us to Mexico for an episode bursting with vibrant colour, beautiful textiles and fabulous details.
The Bees made folkloric blouses using traditional Oaxacan recycled cotton fabric, transformed colourful tablecloths into sculptural garments and created spectacular outfits inspired by Mexican festivals.
From decorative ribbons and trims to dramatic ruffles, full skirts and tiers, there was plenty to inspire your own sewing.
For the Pattern Challenge, the sewers made colourful folkloric tops featuring a square neckline, loose shape and statement sleeves.
We thought the Friday Pattern Company Square Neck Top and Laureles Square Neck Top and Dress by Liesl and Co captured a very similar look, while the Fibre Mood Uzma is a lovely option for recreating the style in a simple sleeveless version. Both would look fabulous in a bright print or finished with decorative ribbon and trim.
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Misses Tops McCalls Sewing Pattern 8202 |
Byron Woven Top Style Arc Sewing Pattern 106 |
We have plenty of trimmings, ribbons and decorative elastic available too - so if you were looking to add some details to your square neck make, we have plenty to choose from:
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| Decorative Elastics | Ribbons | Trimmings |
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Maison Fauve, Doll Blouse |
Fibre Mood, Elinor Top |
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Jo Dress and Jumpsuit, Closet Core |
Bronte Woven Dress Style Arc |
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Floral Print Cotton Satin Woven Fabric. Green.£15/m |
Patchwork Print Cotton Satin Woven Fabric. Yellow.£14.50/m |
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Floral Print Cotton Woven Fabric. Yellow and Teal.£9/m |
There were a LOT of ruffles and gathers in this week's episode (which we loved!) and Lucy's video on how to use a gathering foot is a fabulous place to start if you're looking to add gathers to your makes:
For the Made-to-Measure Challenge, the contestants created outfits inspired by festivals celebrated across Mexico, with each sewist researching a particular tradition and interpreting its colours, movement and clothing in their own way.
Emma took inspiration from the Festival of St Cecilia, the patron saint of music, creating a zapateado dance outfit decorated with yellow and orange ribbons and musical details, including treble clef trim.
The Simplicity Sewing Pattern 9176 has a similar bodice to Emma's dress and we thought this was a lovely wearable version of her make.
Minnie chose Mexican Independence Day and created a China Poblana-inspired outfit. Her design was based on the story of a South Asian princess who was brought to Mexico and whose clothing is said to have combined elements of her own heritage with Mexican dress. Minnie’s finished outfit featured sequins and embroidery.
Simplicity Sewing Pattern 9918 has a similar silhouette, with different shoulder variations such as elastic shoulder straps‚ puffed or flutter sleeves and back shirring.
Anna also looked to Independence Day, making a colourful Jalisco ribbon dress inspired by traditional folk dancing. She shortened the usually floor-length style and added metres of ribbon to a voluminous double-circle skirt.
The Giverny Dress from Itch to Stitch has the same puff sleeves and similar shape, plus this fit-and-flare dress has slightly higher waist to give the impression of small waist and long legs! What's not to love?
Tim was inspired by the Tlaxcala Carnival and its huehues dancers, whose costumes often feature dramatic feathered capes. He translated this idea into a colourful jacket worn with stretch velvet trousers.
We thought a great jacket would be Simplicity Sewing Pattern 3071. This oversized‚ lined blazer with double breasted closure has dropped shoulders‚ shoulder pads‚ two-piece sleeves and side seam pockets, leaving the design area a blank space for your creativity!
Lewis chose the Veracruz Carnival and its tradition of burning “bad humour” at the beginning of the celebrations. He attempted an ambitious outfit comprising drawstring trousers and a guayabera-style shirt with broderie anglaise inserts, a collar, cuffs and a red neckerchief.
A very similar shirt pattern and lovely all round staple, would be the Arbor Jacket or Shirt by Merchant and Mills. With options to make from multiple fabrics and an easy boxy style with front patch pockets.
Beth took inspiration from El Día del Charro and the escaramuza charra, a Mexican equestrian tradition sometimes compared with team dressage. Her beautifully proportioned dress featured a full skirt designed to sit over a horse, embroidered flowers and a green ribbon sash.
A similar style and that fabulous Mexican flair would be the McCalls Sewing Pattern 8482 and 8483. With the tiered full skirt and puff sleeves, high neck and an option for a sash on the top.
Rebecca drew on her experience as a former competitive ballroom dancer, creating an outfit inspired by the chilena de Pinotepa Nacional, a dance performed during the Guelaguetza festival. Her tiered satin skirt featured evenly spaced rows of ribbon and lace.
A great option for the top of Rebecca's dress would be the Sagebrush Top from Friday Pattern Company or for a full dress with tiered skirt, the Comillas Dress from Itch to Stitch would give you a similar wearable style.
Adele chose Fiesta Grande de Enero, creating an off-the-shoulder ruffled top and a gathered skirt layered with rust-coloured lace and rainbow trim. The outfit had plenty of movement and bounced beautifully on the catwalk!
There were some lovely elements you could take from Adele's outfit this episode, the top has this beautiful off the shoulder element with ruffles, similar to the New Look Sewing Pattern 6507 or the Tanita top from Fibre Mood is a lovely simple make that gives a similar shape.
There are lots of tiered skirt patterns out there, but for the multiple overlays Adele created with the trims, the one we thought of was McCalls Sewing Pattern 8150.
Heather was also inspired by Fiesta Grande de Enero and created a Chiapaneca-style outfit using four gathered tiers of coordinating floral fabrics.
Rather than relying on decorative trim, she allowed the contrasting prints, volume and movement of the skirt to make the impact. Her decision to add a fourth tier at the last minute paid off, earning her a well-deserved Garment of the Week!
Her outfit could be recreated using the same recommended patterns as Adele's above, but the one dress pattern we love that came to mind, was the Fibre Mood Trix Dress.
Lucy also created a great video for adding a tiered skirt to a bodice pattern you already love and know fits:
We hope you enjoyed this week's episode, and if you want to shop these patterns, fabrics and tools from the episode, be sure to visit our Sewing Bee 2026 Shop.
Last night’s Sewing Bee saw the contestants turning old T-shirts into knickers, giving discarded materials a dramatic new lease of life and creating outfits with powerful environmental messages.
From stash-busting to statement-making, it was a brilliant reminder that one persons scrap can be a sewists treasure. We’ve picked patterns, fabrics and tools to help you reduce, reuse and get creative at home.
This challenge was a fabulous example of how easy it is to repurpose one of the most available items of clothing in most households - an old t-shirt!
Pattern brand Jalie do some lovely simple underwear patterns with LOTS of variations, so if you want to have a go yourself, here are three great patterns to get you started.
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Some key tools and haberdashery you’ll find useful when making knickers include stretch or jersey needles, underwear elastic, fine pins or fabric clips and elastic thread.
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If you're strictly a pin and cut with scissors sewist, this could be a good time to give rotary cutting a go!
There are lots of different sizes of rotary cutters available, from a tiny 18mm to a large 60mm. Most people use a standard 45mm for everyday cutting, but for this project, you would probably find an 18mm or 28mm is best, for lots of control and for tackling tiny curves. You'll also need a self-healing cutting mat to work on, which also vary in sizes.
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Made almost entirely on an overlocker, knickers and pants are a fun, simple make and a great way to learn new skills. If you've never used an overlocker before, or are looking to make that first investment, Lucy's video will give you a great overview of where to start.
For the Made to Measure challenge the Sewing Bees were tasked with creating an outfit to make a political statement with everyone choosing an environmental theme and reusing some incredibly difficult materials such as bags for life to great effect!
We've found some great patterns for you to recreate similar looks whether you are reusing and repurposing or just feeling inspired to sew.
We could not believe the end result when Beth used bags for life to create an incredibly impressive mini dress with dramatic shoulder details. Working with that fabric and creating something so beautifully neat and well fitted was no mean feat.
Vogue 2087 has a very similar silhouette and shape.
Heather sewed a simple, cropped cami top and bias cut skirt finished with a net overlay. Simplicity 9894 could be used to create a similar top and also includes a skirt, however, if you wanted to sew a bias cut skirt the Tessuti Fabrics Evie pattern has options for both a fitted waist with invisible zip or pull on elasticated version.
Adele sewed a mini dress with a simple square neckline, puff sleeves and an A line knee length skirt. The Closet Core Pauline dress would create a similar look and also has multiple skirt and sleeve options for lots of future makes too.
Lewis sewed a simple, wrap front jumpsuit with wide legs and waist tie. The Fibre Mood Riva jumpsuit would create a very similar look.
Angie created her own patchwork fabric to sew into a crew neck sleeveless design. The Style Arc Yvette dress has a fun panelled effect and is a similar shape and style.
Tim sewed a square neck corset top and skirt and we just had to share the incredibly beautiful Viki Sews Tally top AKA the contemporary corset top of dreams!
Emma sewed a wide leg jumpsuit with 3/4 sleeves and a square neckline. We weren't able to find exactly the right match, but the Brice jumpsuit by Style Arc is a similar shape and the neckline could be adapted.
Rebecca sewed a wide leg jumpsuit from old tents using guide ropes and other tent paraphernalia for finishing touches! We found the exact Know Me 2082 pattern Rebecca used in the show!
As soon as we saw Minnie's blanket stitched jacket and skirt set we thought of the Juliana Matejevs Nelly coat and Lilly skirt patterns, both of which can be created by hand without the use of a sewing machine - great for beginners wanting to practice their hand sewing skills!
We hope you enjoyed this week's episode, and if you want to shop these patterns, fabrics and tools from the episode, be sure to visit our Sewing Bee 2026 Shop.
Last night’s Sewing Bee had us in stitches – and not just the neatly matched kind! With bold prints, brilliant colour choices and plenty of clever details, it was an episode bursting at the seams with inspiration.
Even purple and brown got their chance to shine, proving there really is no such thing as a bad colour combination in the right hands. Naturally, we’ve been busy threading together our favourite patterns, fabrics and tools to help you sew your own take on the challenges at home.
For their first challenge, The Bees had to pattern match an adaptive shell top; a simple, collarless, and typically sleeveless or cap-sleeved slip-on top. This certainly tested their skills! Not only did they have to pattern match the seams and the pocket, but invisible zips needed to be inserted (upside down!) to make it adaptive.
You may have spotted one of our fabrics from last year, the stunning 'Sardinia' from Fabric Godmother, which team member Vicky pattern matched on the pocket and front and side seams into a Friday Pattern Company Donny Blouse:
A shell top is a great way of using up a metre of fabric in your stash that you've had waiting for the perfect project, so we've popped a few of our favourites below.
The Style Arc Bonnie Top View A is a simple, stylish woven top with a relaxed swing shape, flattering bust darts and a slightly cropped length. The sleeveless design and classic round neckline make it perfect for showing off a fabulous print – and an ideal addition to your summer wardrobe.
For a little more coverage, the Maison Fauve Marisa Top is a lovely alternative. It has an easy, relaxed shape with a looser fit and a longer hemline, making it perfect when you want something floaty, comfortable and effortlessly stylish.
Never attempted pattern matching before? Lucy's video on perfect pattern matching should help clear up any questions and worries you may have, and give you the confidence to give it a go and elevate your sewing skills:
If invisible zips are another technique you avoid at all costs and turn you off some of the gorgeous patterns out there, then take a look at Lucy's video on inserting invisible zips! This is a fabulous hack that helps you to insert that pesky zip easily and perfectly every time.
You either loved or hated the colour choices of episode 2's transformation challenge! But whatever your feelings on the colour combos, we have to admit they did a good job of turning those second-hand garments into something a bit more palatable.
If brown and purple are a firm favourite of yours, or you've been convinced it's not so bad after all, we've got some fab fabrics you can choose from to scratch that itch.
100% cotton 115gsm £15 per metre
100% Viscose 165gsm £15 per metre
100% Viscose 110gsm £8 per metre (available in other colours)
For the Made to Measure challenge, the contestants went all in on colour, creating eye-catching outfits in striking blues, greens and pinks (what? No purple?) Using just one shade from head to toe, they played with silhouette, texture and clever fabric choices to prove that a monochrome look can be anything but boring!
We've found some great patterns reminiscent of The Bee's makes last night, which recreate in a plain or patterned fabric - no Patrick or Esme to judge you here. Should you fancy embracing the monochrome theme, we also have a fantastic range of plain fabrics in plenty of gorgeous colours.
The garment of the week came curtesy of Adele and we thought a great pattern for a similar pair of culottes would be the Grazia Culottes Tessuti Sewing Pattern.
We loved the broderie anglaise fabric used by Lewis, and the tiered look skirt is a great summer staple. A good pattern to create something similar would be the Juliana Martejevs Abbie Skirt
If a more figure hugging dress with some stunning details is what you're after, we thought this dress from Simplicity 9370 is a great choice to replicate Minnie's version. We also have some drapey velvet in lots of colours if it's the texture you're after.
If the idea of sewing up a loose and comfortable caftan dress has piqued your interest like it did us, you couldn't go wrong with sewing yourself a Fibre Mood Christine Dress. Christine is an oversized pull-on kaftan dress with a polo-style placket and roll-up sleeves. Make it mini, midi or maxi for an easy, holiday-ready summer look.
Emma made a super technical two-piece outfit of waistcoat and drop-waist skirt. A drop-waist skirt skims smoothly over the waist and hips before flowing into a fuller, swishy shape for an easy yet polished look and we thought the Itch to Stitch Irazu Skirt was a lovely example of this.
Rebecca played around with godet's on her made to measure dress, and if you've not tried sewing these before but thought they looked like a great challenge, why not take a look at the Fibre Mood Meryll or Gabby dress? Each feature godets and Fibre Mood are lovely, easy to follow patterns.
A peplum adds shape at the waist before flaring gently over the hips, creating a flattering silhouette that feels feminine without being restrictive. If you'd like to make something similar to Heather's peplum top, the Tilly and the Buttons Leah Top is a lovely easy to follow pattern, and perfect for the summer sun.
We loved Beth's beautiful creation, and immediately thought of a few patterns featuring some of the core elements. The Style Arc Naomi Dress has that lovely deep V, cinched in waist, balloon sleeves and is a great comfortable dress to just slip on. If it's balloon sleeves you're after, Fibre Mood Doris Dress has some stand-out sleeves and can be sewn in structured fabrics for drama, or drapey for soft understated look. We would also be remiss if we didn't mention our all time favourite pattern; the Style Arc Belle Dress.
We hope you enjoed this week's episode as much as we did, and if you want to shop these patterns, fabrics and tools from the episode, be sure to visit our Sewing Bee 2026 Shop.
It's baaaack! Firstly welcome to Sophie Willan, who was a fabulous addition to the show, keeping it light and fun under pressure.
Now let's deep dive into the first episode of the series, where it was all about our great British summer - something we're certainly all experiencing at the moment.
The contestants were challenged to sew a pair of front patch pocket shorts, with a faux fly, elasticated back waistband and LOTS of topstitching. If you're looking to recreate this pattern, some of the patterns we'd recommend are:
The Tessuti Sonia shorts are a wide-leg‚ high waisted style and feature an elasticised‚ paper bag waist. They include front patch pockets extending to the forward side seams and cuffed hems.
We have some gorgeous fabrics for a pair of summer shorts, and for something like this, we'd recommend something with a bit of stability, but not too much that when the elastic gathers, it looks bulky.
The next challenge for the Bees was quite a nice one! The original item to transform was a BBQ apron, which is a nice big piece of fabric with pockets already stitched, so plenty of surface area to work with.
Fabric choices for bags can vary from cotton to leather, but some of our favourites to make a unique bag include our corduroy fabric, available in multiple colours, our heavier weight cotton twill or a faux suede available in black, khaki and tan.
All the contestants of this weeks Made-to-Measure challenge came up with something slightly different to the last, from the unusual: bloomers and fisherman's smocks, to the every day: summer dresses and comfy trousers. The biggest change this year however, was for them to be able to fit the patterns to themselves and catwalk their own creation!
We've found patterns with similar elements that will allow you to re-create some of the looks and make it your own.
If you want to shop all of the patterns and tools etc in this article in one place you can shop our sewing bee patterns here
The new series 12 of the Great British Sewing Bee 2026 will be airing on BBC One every Tuesday at 8pm from the 14th July and we are super excited to see what Patrick and Esme have in store for the next class of Bees and the new host Sophie Willan over the next ten weeks.
We already know episode one will be very seasonally appropriate and the Bees will be sewing up a pair of shorts with patch pockets for the pattern challenge and a summer outfit in the made to measure. Lots of summer sewing inspiration for us all, perfect for the heatwaves we've been experiencing.
Let's take a look at the contestants:
