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Wot No Great British Sewing Bee thread?

Boudicca said:
Yes, as madamv can confirm, after much sanding of floors, and unpacking of ridiculous amounts of 'stuff', I now have a sewing room again.
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Never mind the sewing room, I long for permanently available cutting space. Not gonna happen, though. :oops: :facepalm:
 
Just caught up with it... I do like that dress. Everyone in blogland was making it a few years ago and I've refrained but actually it's lovely. I seem to remember in fact that there was a common problem with it, I'm not sure what. I think the original didn't have such a full skirt and it pulls the waist or something.
 
RubyToogood said:
Just caught up with it... I do like that dress. Everyone in blogland was making it a few years ago and I've refrained but actually it's lovely. I seem to remember in fact that there was a common problem with it, I'm not sure what. <snip>
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Thanks for the warning - having googled reviews of it, and having seen photos of it, there's certainly a fitting problem between the bust and waist. The pattern's envelope shows the original 1950's proportions, but the actual pattern's been redone for current proportions and less corsetry.

One of the websites advises choosing the pattern size by upper bust (not full bust) and then adjusting downwards from there. Just as well there aren't many pieces, this might require a toile, or at least a ruinable version and then one made in better cloth. :hmm:
http://www.edelweisspatterns.com/blog/?p=552

Also, in spite of the pattern envelope showing contrasting binding, it seems from comments that making it with all the binding turned inwards would be more authentic for the 50s and give a more professional finish. So here's a link for how to do that, in case I forget by the time the bits are cut.
http://seamstresserin.com/how-to-invisiblybias-tape-arm-holes/
 
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I cannot sew for toffee, but I absolutely really love this programme.
May and Patrick are absolutely fantastic and while Claudia annoys the bloody living daylights out of me in everything else she's ever in, she is just right and lovely in this.
It's the last one this week. Bugger. Just as well Masterchef is starting.
 
RubyToogood said:
Having just caught up, I'm now wondering whether I should make myself some leather trousers for the motorbike, and turn my wetsuit into a dress... :hmm: :hmm: :hmm:
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Somewhere, I've got a leather-suitable vogue pattern for a not-quite microskirt with a slit a few inches up the front of one thigh... and the sueded pleather for it.

BTW didn't see it this week, but if the neoprene dresses hung anything like the ones on sale last summer (cut like prom dresses, not the shifts you'd usually make with leather etc), IMHO it just doesn't work except as a statement - too thick and heavy.
 
I've only managed to watch a couple of episodes because I used to work with Lorna about 20 years ago (nothing to do with clothes making though). She's a lovely lady so I will be cheering her on this week. Never knew that sewing was one of her hobbies.
 
Matt's a nice lad but surprised that he won, especially with that hula hoop, haute coutre, thing. Felt he shoulda been third, if the rest of the competition was a factor. For me, objectively, it shoulda been Lorna. (Despite knowing Neil's wife since childhood)
 
InfoBurner said:
Matt's a nice lad but surprised that he won, especially with that hula hoop, haute coutre, thing. Felt he shoulda been third, if the rest of the competition was a factor. For me, objectively, it shoulda been Lorna. (Despite knowing Neil's wife since childhood)
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I don't think any of the last 3 dresses were that good, the whole avant garde thing seemed to throw them. Based on the whole series I think Neil should have won but his last 2 creations were a nightmare
 
Yeah, the final dresses weren't super. Although I quite liked Neil's dress and I liked the wonky pleats down one side too.

Disappointing finish.
 
Greebo said:
Thanks for the warning - having googled reviews of it, and having seen photos of it, there's certainly a fitting problem between the bust and waist. The pattern's envelope shows the original 1950's proportions, but the actual pattern's been redone for current proportions and less corsetry.

One of the websites advises choosing the pattern size by upper bust (not full bust) and then adjusting downwards from there. Just as well there aren't many pieces, this might require a toile, or at least a ruinable version and then one made in better cloth. :hmm:
http://www.edelweisspatterns.com/blog/?p=552

Also, in spite of the pattern envelope showing contrasting binding, it seems from comments that making it with all the binding turned inwards would be more authentic for the 50s and give a more professional finish. So here's a link for how to do that, in case I forget by the time the bits are cut.
http://seamstresserin.com/how-to-invisiblybias-tape-arm-holes/
Click to expand...
I succumbed to buying the pattern as I found a half price off all patterns sale, but having googled imaged it, it looks rubbish on almost everyone. I've read somewhere that there is a version in the GBSB book, and that they've updated it for a better fit :hmm:

I enjoyed that series but the last episode was the weakest really. I think the avant garde dress challenge was a bit too hard or something. Too much pattern cutting.
 
RubyToogood said:
I succumbed to buying the pattern as I found a half price off all patterns sale, but having googled imaged it, it looks rubbish on almost everyone. I've read somewhere that there is a version in the GBSB book, and that they've updated it for a better fit :hmm:

I enjoyed that series but the last episode was the weakest really. I think the avant garde dress challenge was a bit too hard or something. Too much pattern cutting.
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I think they got confused about what the competition was about. There's a difference been being a seamstress/dressmaker/tailor l and a fashion designer. Patrick's a Saville Row tailor. I wouldn't expect him to whip up an avant garde dress
 
Cribynkle said:
I think they got confused about what the competition was about. There's a difference been being a seamstress/dressmaker/tailor l and a fashion designer. <snip>
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Exactly. I think what may have happened is similar to what happened with "Dancing on Ice": The first series kept close to the essence of the original idea, but subsequent series drifted as the producers tried to bring in more and more weird and wacky stuff in the hope of keeping audience figures high.

FAO producers if you're reading this: STOP MESSING AROUND WITH THE SUBJECT - I WATCH IT BECAUSE I'M INTERESTED IN SEWING CLOTHES. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE PEOPLE BEING GIVEN UNFAIR OR UNREALISTIC CHALLENGES!
 
Cribynkle said:
I think they got confused about what the competition was about. There's a difference been being a seamstress/dressmaker/tailor l and a fashion designer. Patrick's a Saville Row tailor. I wouldn't expect him to whip up an avant garde dress
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I also think the alteration challenges are a bit odd too. I don't know anyone in real life who takes a dress and turns it into a pair of child's dungarees and again there's a lot of pattern cutting in that. That's a whole other skill. I tried to learn it ages ago and basically gave up because I produced so many unwearable and strange things.
 
RubyToogood said:
I also think the alteration challenges are a bit odd too. I don't know anyone in real life who takes a dress and turns it into a pair of child's dungarees and again there's a lot of pattern cutting in that. <snip>
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That used to be a thing in the 1960s and 70s, but you'd buy a pattern and just treat the old garment like a remnant (after unpicking most of the seams).
 
RubyToogood said:
This also only works if you're sewing for someone smaller than the original garment size.
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A lot smaller at that. Probably the most common one was a skirt made from an adult's dress with a cigarette burn - plenty of fabric for a skinny child and no need to use the damaged bit.
 
Ok so caught up finally. Agree with all the comments about haut couture etc. Also pushing too much and I feel like I learnt more from series 2 than 3.

Finally finished my 1 hour skirt. Its bodged in places but I will make another one next week.
 
I have learnt I have to be in a happy place to sew that I need to read and re read all the time because i am not a natural to this at all.

Bought a bias binding gizmo today very pleased and a hoop so I can practice my hand stitching while I was tv.
 
I have to admit that I have kept this series on the sky box and watch it when feeling stressed its like a soothing brain blanket I am into double figure viewings at this point. I am gonna post up some photos of my makes so far this weekend. :)
 
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