The Great British Sewing Bee
Amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain's best home sewer.
Genre: Game-Show, Reality-TV
Cast:Patrick Grant , Esme Young , Amélie Rickman , Joe Lycett , Claudia Winkleman , Sara Pascoe , May Martin , Matt Gage , Charlotte Newland , Laura Porta , Shirley Ballas , Denise Van Outen , Ranj Singh , Ann Rowley , Lauren Guthrie , Sandra Lavender , Stuart Hillard , Ingrid Benussi
S1.E1 ∙ A-Line Skirt, Neckline and Casual Dress
Amateur sewers test their sewing and dressmaking skills. The contestants make an A-line dress, alter a high street top and create a made-to-measure dress under the clock.
S1.E2 ∙ Men's Trousers, Patch Pockets and Silk Blouse
The contestants tackle fly fastenings, patch pockets and made-to-measure silk - but two amateur sewers must be sent home.
S1.E3 ∙ Child's Dress, Pleated Dress and Jackets
It is the semi-final and the sewers compete in three more challenges, including a made-to-measure jacket.
S1.E4 ∙ Man's Shirt, Evening Bag and Evening Dress
The contestants follow a man's shirt pattern, show off their stitching skills and create a made-to-measure evening gown.
S1.E5 ∙ Christmas Special
Judges Patrick Grant, May Martin and the 2013 semi-finalists (Lauren, Stuart, Ann and Sandra) reunite for a Christmas special. Sewing Christmas themed items and sharing Christmas stories.
S2.E9 ∙ Class of 2014
The season two amateur sewers look back on their time on the show and share their memories as they reminisce.
S5.E1 ∙ Episode #5.1
The Sewing Bee is back with brand new host Joe Lycett for eight weeks of brainteasing patterns, spectacular transformations and stunning made-to-measure outfits. Savile Row's Patrick Grant and Central St Martin's Esme Young scrutinise every stitch as ten of the country's best home sewers take up a needle and thread and tackle everything from jumpsuits to swimsuits to evening gowns. They are eased in gently with cotton fabric, but that doesn't mean it's going to be easy. For their first pattern challenge the judges have chosen a Dior-inspired 'wiggle dress' designed to hug the female form. It requires precision and accurate darts, and any diversion from the instructions could result in an ill-fitting garment. Next their design skills and sewing instincts are tested in the Transformation Challenge, when the sewers are tasked with transforming three second-hand items of denim clothing into a single, stylish new garment in just 90 minutes. For their final challenge, the mannequins are gone and replaced with real live models who the sewers must flawlessly fit with a made-to-measure jumpsuit. Who will achieve the perfect body rise, avoiding the dreaded camel toe? Who will create clothes worthy of Garment of the Week? And who will drop a stitch at this early stage, becoming the first to leave the Great British Sewing Bee?
S5.E2 ∙ Episode #5.2
Joe Lycett hosts as the nine remaining home sewers return to the nation's most famous sewing room for children's week. The garments might be mini but they are a mammoth challenge being fiddly to sew. To test the sewers' dexterity, judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young kick off the pattern challenge with a wardrobe staple of every child - a hoodie. The task requires a tricky combination of hard-to-handle stretch fabrics, small pattern pieces and getting to grips with the ruthless overlocker which cuts the fabric as it sews. Next, in the transformation challenge, the sewers let their imaginations run wild, turning faux fur coats into fantastical fancy dress beasts. Finally, the Sewing Bee welcomes dancing mini-models for made-to-measure dance costumes. These must be perfectly fitted but allow enough freedom of movement for the dancing children to perform the Hornpipe, the Tarantella and Highland dancing down the catwalk. Who will tango their way to the top and win garment of the week, and who will stumble, becoming the second sewer to leave the Great British Sewing Bee?
S5.E3 ∙ Episode #5.3
With Joe Lycett hosting, the eight remaining home sewers head back in time to the 1970s, attempting to revive the glamorous, rebellious and sometimes ridiculous style of the decade. This is more than a stroll down memory lane as they tackle the decade's most fiddly, floaty and anarchic garments. First up, judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young challenge the sewers to get their groove on with the trickiest pattern so far, flared jeans. Creating the perfect bell-bottomed trousers involves grappling with vintage machines, heavyweight fabrics and taking on such daunting technical hurdles as the zip fly and flat-felled seam, hopefully without getting in a flap. For the transformation challenge, fabric flies and anarchy rules as the sewers let rip with their imagination, turning t-shirts and tartan into provocative punk-inspired outfits in just 90 minutes. In the made to measure challenge the sewers take on their final icon of 70s fashion, the maxi dress. Working with sheer, slippery fabrics, they must create a form-fitting bodice and floaty skirt that embodies the glamour that makes the maxi dress popular to this day. Who will boogie their way to garment of the week, and for whom will 70s week signal the end of an era, as they become the third sewer to wave goodbye to the Great British Sewing Bee?
S5.E4 ∙ Episode #5.4
The fabrics in the haberdashery go technical, as the seven remaining home sewers take on man-made fabrics designed for sport and the great outdoors. Host Joe Lycett keeps spirits high, as the sewers jump in at the deep end, with a pattern for a lined swimsuit. Containing so many seemingly identical pieces, it's a challenge that throws the sewing room into confusion, with a great deal of conferring, before judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young offer their brutally honest feedback. Next, the transformation challenge arrives with a surprise, as instead of garments, the sewers are presented with discarded festival tents. What's more, a dashing dachshund becomes the sewers' muse, as they attempt to transform old tents into stylish, practical winter coats for pooches, to be displayed on dog mannequins. For the final challenge, male models arrive in the Sewing Room to be fitted with made-to-measure luxury tracksuits. It's double the work for the sewers, who attempt to create both trousers and jackets, using scuba, mesh and micro-fibre. But who'll deserve a podium finish, winning Garment of the Week, and who'll fall short of the mark, becoming the fourth sewer to leave the Great British Sewing Bee.
S6.E1 ∙ Episode #6.1
Joe Lycett welcomes 12 more contestants to the amateur sewing competition. For the pattern challenge they make a wrap skirt, then transform men's office shirts and then make a tea dress.
S6.E2 ∙ Episode #6.2
The 11 remaining sewers return for holiday week and are challenged to create palazzo pants for the Pattern Challenge, turn towels into beach cover-ups for the Transformation Challenge and made-to-measure colourful shirts.
S6.E3 ∙ Episode #6.3
The ten remaining home sewers return for children's week. They are asked to make a smocked dress for the Pattern Challenge, transform sleeping bags into food-themed fancy dress and create made-to-measure dungarees.
S6.E4 ∙ Episode #6.4
It is sportswear week, and the 9 remaining sewers must create rugby shirts for the Pattern Challenge, transform cagoules into waterproof onesies for toddlers and finally make made-to-measure tennis outfits.
S6.E5 ∙ Episode #6.5
The 8 remaining sewers return for lingerie and sleepwear week. The Pattern Challenge sees them create a boned basque. They transform pajamas and nightwear into summer dresses. Finally, fitted female sleep sets incorporating lace are made.
S6.E6 ∙ Episode #6.6
The sewers tackle new challenges in Recycle Week, using charity shop clothes, laundry bags and old knitwear to create new garments.
S6.E7 ∙ Episode #6.7
The 6 remaining contestants head back in time to the 1980s. The judges task them with making a woman's power jacket, turning high-vis workwear into party outfits and making a cocktail dress.
S6.E8 ∙ Episode #6.8
The 5 remaining sewers go global as they do battle in the quarter-final, where they must master techniques and styles from France, Spain and the Philippines.
S6.E9 ∙ Episode #6.9
For their semi-final challenge, the four remaining sewers go to the movies, taking on garments and techniques from the silver screen.
S6.E10 ∙ Episode #6.10
It is the final of the 2020 edition of the sewing competition. The final three sewers face challenges around the theme of celebration wear and the series winner is crowned.
S6.E11 ∙ Christmas Special
Comedian Sara Pascoe, Dr Ranj Singh, television presenter Denise Van Outen and Strictly judge Shirley Ballas are the 4 celebrity contestants on this special edition of the sewing contest.
S7.E1 ∙ Episode #7.1
The sewing competition returns for a seventh series and in week one the judges settle the contestants in with a trio of challenges based on everyday wardrobe staples - sleeveless blouses, t-shirts and dresses.
S7.E2 ∙ Episode #7.2
Week two is Summer Week on the sewing competition and the contestants are asked to create paperbag shorts, transform second-hand men's swimming gear into a woman's outfit worthy of sunset cocktails and finally make sun dresses.
S7.E3 ∙ Episode #7.3
For gent's classics week, the ten remaining sewers are asked to make baker boy caps, transform secondhand men's jackets and blazers into outfits for a woman and finally must create a casual utility jacket.
S7.E4 ∙ Episode #7.4
It is International Week on the sewing bee and the nine remaining sewers make Breton tops. transform sarongs into a new garment and for their final challenge take inspiration from the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.
S7.E5 ∙ Episode #7.5
For Children's Week, the 8 remaining sewers are asked to make romper suits for the Pattern Challenge, transform adult wet suits into "under the sea" themed fancy dress and create Made to Measure children's raincoats.
S7.E6 ∙ Episode #7.6
It's Reduce Reuse Recycle Week. The sewers make waistcoats out of old clothes, turn army surplus into a women's outfit and make a dress out of jeans.
S7.E7 ∙ Episode #7.7
It's Winter Week. The sewers' skills are put to the test making a flannel shirt, turning old scarves into a garment and creating a glamorous winter party dress.
S7.E8 ∙ Episode #7.8
It's Music and the Movies Week. The sewers create a dress inspired by Dirty Dancing, a Sound of Music transformation and a disco era-inspired outfit from Dreamgirls.
S7.E9 ∙ Episode #7.9
It's the semi-final, and the sewers go back to the 1940s. They create a pair of Oxford bags, dresses from parachutes and a Dior New Look outfit.
S7.E10 ∙ Episode #7.10
It's the final, and the theme is celebration. The three remaining sewers work on a bridesmaid's dress, a festival-themed transformation and a glamorous off-the-shoulder gown.
S7.E11 ∙ Celebrity Christmas Special
New host Sara Pascoe welcomes celebrity sewers the Rev Kate Bottley, Antony Cotton, Kiell Smith-Bynoe and Anneka Rice to a Christmas Sewing Bee extravaganza.
S8.E1 ∙ Episode #8.1
The Bee returns for an 8th series, now presented by comedian Sara Pascoe. 12 talented sewers are asked to create a capsule wardrobe consisting of 3 items - a wool mini-skirt, transform loungewear into a going-out top and a wrap dress.
S8.E2 ∙ Episode #8.2
Week 2 is Sports Week and in a first for the Bee the Pattern Challenge asks the sewers to make bespoke footwear - high-top trainers. The sewers transform old netball kits into a garment to wear off the court and they fit a jacket.
S8.E3 ∙ Episode #8.3
For Summer Week, the 10 remaining sewers are challenged to make a high-fashion shirred midi dress with puffed sleeves, transform garden hammocks into summer garments and make a two piece, co-ordinated, trousered outfit.
S8.E4 ∙ Episode #8.4
Scraps are put to use in Reduce, Reuse, Recycle week to create quilted patchwork jackets. Old coats are given a new lease of life as stylish outerwear and second-hand duvets become maxi dresses.
S8.E5 ∙ Episode #8.5
Children's Week - the sewers first must make a sailor outfit for a child. Then they must use school uniforms to create new outfits. Finally they make Halloween costumes made-to-measure for live models.
S8.E6 ∙ Episode #8.6
This is Music Week. The pattern challenge is a parka. The transformation starts with denim and various shirts, with added decoration to make a costume for a country and western performer. The made-to-measure challenge is to create an item of clothing inspired by David Bowie's styles and outfits.
S9.E1 ∙ Classics With A Twist
Twelve new sewers enter the sewing room and begin with a top with a twist, then they express themselves through office wear transformations, and finally produce cut-out dresses in the Made to Measure.
S9.E2 ∙ Travel Week
The sewers face travel related challenges. They are asked to make a rucksack in the pattern challenge, transform windbreaks into a waterproof garment, and make swimwear in the made to measure.
S9.E3 ∙ Episode #9.3
The 10 sewers celebrate clothes from west Africa. The Pattern Challenge takes inspiration from a Ghanaian batakari or fugu tunic. The Transformation Challenge turns adire fabric into dresses. They make Made-to-Measure boubous robes.
S9.E4 ∙ Reduce, Reuses, Recycle
The sewers face a no-waste challenge, have bags of fun in the alteration, and battle with crochet.
S9.E6 ∙ Episode #9.6
The 7 remaining sewers follow the pattern for a child's dragon dressing gowns, they personalise denim jackets using hand-me-downs and create pint-sized made-to-measure party outfits for Kids' Week.
S9.E7 ∙ Episode #9.7
A quarter-final place is at stake as the sewers go on a trip down memory lane to the 90s. Cargo pants feature in the Pattern Challenge, household textiles are transformed into fancy dress outfits and a supermodel dress is made to measure.
S9.E8 ∙ Episode #9.8
It's Week 8 and the five remaining sewers celebrate fashion icons by making little black dresses for the Pattern Challenge, transform a shower curtain and in the Made-to-Measure Challenge make smoking jackets.
S9.E9 ∙ Semi-Final
It's the semi-final, and the four remaining sewers are faced with three utilitarian challenges that stand between them and a place in the final: making a trench coat, turning cleaning products into a garment and making boiler suits.
S9.E10 ∙ The Final
It's the final of The Great British Sewing Bee, and after challenges including a Victoriana-style evening dress, fabulous men's outfits and a two-in-one dress for a friend or family member, only one sewer will be crowned winner.
