The Great British Sewing Bee is one of the highlights of our year at William Gee’s Online Haberdashery! It should return to our screens any week now, and we can’t wait. The challenges, creations and friendships we enjoy throughout each season have charmed the nation, and it’s something to look forward to whether you sew or not.
What’s it all about?
The Sewing Bee is usually run over 10 episodes – bringing us the highs and lows of 12 sewists as they tackle dressmaking challenges set by judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant. From show-stopping couture to thrifty transformations, there’s endless inspiration and sewing joy to be found.
Left to right Patrick Grant, Sara Pascoe and Esme Young | SOURCE: BBC ONE – The Great British Sewing Bee
When will the 2023 series start?
In previous years the show started in April, but this year the show starts at 9pm on Wednesday 24th May and will be aired on BBC One. The new Sewing Bee book is also due to be released this month too, which will be fantastic!
Last year’s winner – Annie | SOURCE: Twitter @sewingbee
What will this series look like?
We expect this 2023 series to follow a similar structure to before: each week, the sewists take part in three challenges.
First is the ‘Pattern Challenge’ – all the contestants sew up the same pattern, but each choosing their own fabric. Second is the speedy ‘Transformation Challenge’, where they use their skills and imaginations to transform old clothing into something new and innovative. The last challenge is the ‘Made to Measure’, where the sewists fit their design to a real life model.
Last year’s sailor pants challenge | SOURCE: Twitter @sewingbee
We’re excited to see what sewing trends pop up this year! Last year we saw sailor pants, quilted jackets, puffy sleeves and gathers. These designs also dominated the indie sewing pattern scene, so it’ll be interesting to see which direction the designs take. My theory is that we’ll have some neater lines – perhaps some tailored, pleated trousers or a waistcoat.
New to sewing?
The Sewing Bee has made sewing accessible, and inspired the nation to start creating. Seeing the contestants experimenting with different fabrics and styles is a lovely way to think about how you might tackle your own projects.
Ready to begin your sewing journey? Buy your Sewing Bee Supplies here!
Can’t wait?
If you can’t wait for Sewing Bee content, have a look over our WG Studio posts, and our articles about the previous competitions!
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