I don’t watch a lot of scheduled TV but I was looking forward to curling up in the sofa tonight, when I’m not feeling 100%, to watch the new series of The Great British Sewing Bee. As a rule I’m not a big fan of these reality TV series but the combination of clothes and the double act of Patrick and Esme makes it must see TV. (I think I would’ve got into the Great Pottery Throwdown too, especially now I’ve discovered how hard it is to use a potters wheel).
This year The Bee is celebrating its 10th series, and while I’ve not watched it religiously from the beginning, I’ve watched it on and off over the years. In recent years I’ve got more keen to face my fear of the sewing machine and attempt to make my own clothes so I find it quite inspiring, especially when you learn that some of the contestants have not been sewing for that long.
As a child I wasn’t into things that were traditionally girly, something I regret now. My mum is a whizz with a sewing machine, making clothes and interiors. I seem to recall the pair of us having matching boiler suits that she had made when I was little.
I inherited my grandmother’s sewing machine but I have only used it to finish a few cross stitch projects. Each time I get it out I have to relearn how to thread the bobbin, and it’s never as easy as it should be.
Under my bed I have a massive box of fabrics that I’ve hoarded over the years. Fabric I’ve bought with the intention of making something. Clothes that no longer fit or have worn through which I thought I could repurpose. Of course the stash grows and I’ve done nothing with any of it. Last year at the Stitch Festival I bought a dress pattern from Tilly* and the Buttons, it’s still sitting in its packet unopened.
My plan for 2024 was to learn how to make a quilt, but nearly five months in to the year and I’ve not done anything about it.
Maybe this years series will encourage me to finally have a go at making something and helping me feel comfortable using the sewing machine.
As for the contestants this year, there’s not a stand out contestant to me like there was last year – Mia stood out immediately and ended up as a finalist. At the Stitch Festival earlier this year I kept seeing people I recognised, and it took me a while to realise it was last year’s contestants Asmaa (the eventual worthy winner), Fauve and Lauren.
From last night’s show I’m particularly keen to see how Alex, Luke and Suzy progress. Their day dresses were definitely my favourites. I’m also interested to see how Don does. I think he’s a bit of a character and hopefully we’ll see more of his personality as the series progresses.
The downside of scheduled TV is having to wait a week for the next episode. I’m off work tomorrow so I could get the sewing machine out and have a play. Perhaps I can make some progress on something while I impatiently wait for the next episode to air.
*I only remembered when writing this that Tilly was in the first series of The Bee. She was eliminated in week two.