Like many other sewists, I’ve been patiently waiting for news of this year’s Great British Sewing Bee. Once the official Bee book was released in May, fans of the much-loved sewing series thought Episode One might be just around the corner.
Excitingly, we now have a release date to look forward to!
The new series will air on at 9pm on BBC1 on Tuesday the 15th of July. Read on for more details about the show, and who this year’s contestants will be.
What’s it all about?
Each year, twelve talented makers work through weekly sewing challenges, set by regular judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant. The challenges include sewing up a pattern, transforming discarded materials into wearable garments, and a made to measure – where the sewists tailor their creations to real models. It’s such a fun way to spark your sewing creativity
Sara Pascoe also returns to host the Bee, bringing her warmth, humour, and excellent outfits.
This year’s contestants
Caz
Caz is a recently retired 59-year-old from Nottingham, who loves technical details. Caz has had a long love of sewing, and even made her own wedding dress!
Kit
Kit is a 24-year old living in Manchester, who also started sewing at a young age. Kit loves transforming fabrics into something beautiful, so I’m looking forward to seeing his transformation challenge makes!
Gaynor
A retired office manager from Wales, Gaynor has been sewing since the 1950s and is currently teaching her granddaughter to sew. She enjoys making elevated, tailored garments, and loves a neat seam.
Jess
Jess is a 33-year-old from London, who rekindled her childhood love of sewing during lockdown. She loves working with natural fibres and creating beautiful garments made to last.
Órla
Órla is a 19-year-old German and Scandinavian student at the University of Edinburgh. She longs to make her own fully ‘me-made’ wardrobe. She loves working with unconventional fabrics (once turning a trampoline into a dress!)
Peter
Peter watched the GBSB with his two daughters, which sparked his interest in sewing. He’s a 45-year-old from Devon, and loves repurposing materials into practical, wearable items.
Glendora
Sewing is Glendora’s creative outlet, when she has time off from her shifts as a bus driver. She’s sewn a number of lovely quilts and, amongst lots of other creative makes, also designs outfits for soul and reggae events.
Yasmin
Yasmin is a 30-year-old Research and Development Scientist from Gateshead. Her late Dad taught her how to make her own clothes, and she applied to the Bee in memory of him. She loves mending, and finding second-hand materials for her creations.
Novello
Novello lives in London, and is originally from Wales. She’s been sewing since she received her first machine, when she was 7 (now 66). She loves creating unique makes, and expressing her creativity through sewing.
Dan
Dan is a 37-year-old performer from Durham, who often sews his own costumes! He loves using unconventional materials to create bold, standout pieces.
Saffie
Saffie is a Lecturer in Product & Industrial Design living in London, who was inspired to sew by her Grandma’s sewing stash. She’s also a knitter, and love to make stylish and practical pieces, with lots of pockets!
Stuart
Stuart is a 53-year-old from Herefordshire who loves mending his family’s clothes, and shirking the waste created by fast fashion. He creates durable clothes, designed to last and be mended, rather than replaced.
Tune into the Great British Sewing Bee for the first episode, on Tuesday 15th July at 9pm. You can also catch up on BBC iPlayer.
If you can’t wait for Sewing Bee content, have a look over our WG Studio posts about the GBSB from last year.
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.
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