Ho Ho Ho, The Great Festive Sewing Bee is returning this December and we couldn't be happier! Keep reading to find out all the details of this very jolly Christmas special.
Your complete guide to the 2024 Sewing Bee!
Looking for something specific? Jump straight to our Sewing Bee sections to learn more.
Everything you need to know about the Bee:
- When is the Great British Sewing Bee Celebrity Special on?
- New book alert 2024! The Great British Sewing Bee: Back to Basics
- Who is the new presenter of the Great British Sewing Bee 2024?
- The Great British Sewing Bee FAQ
The Great British Sewing Bee Season 10:
- Sewing Bee 2024 episode guide
- Sewing Bee patterns
- Download our free Sewing Bee sweepstake card!
- What can we expect from this year's Great British Sewing Bee?
Meet the Sewing Bee Season 10 cast:
Meet the Sewing Bee judges and presenters:
When is the Great British Sewing Bee Celebrity Special 2024 on?
It's official! The Great British Sewing Bee Celebrity Special will return on Thursday 19th December 2024 at 9pm.
What channel is the Great British Sewing Bee Celebrity Special 2024 on?
The Great British Sewing Bee is shown on BBC One.
Where can I stream the Great British Sewing Bee Celebrity Special?
All the past Sewing Bee episodes are available on iPlayer shortly after they've aired. The show can also be streamed on the Sky Go app.
The BBC has made all of the past eight series of the Great British Sewing Bee available on iPlayer, so you can catch up on any series that you've missed.
Watch the Great British Sewing Bee
Who will be on the Sewing Bee Celebrity Special 2024?
Everyone's favourite Christmas special is back for another year. Featuring four celebrities, a fabulous host and our favourites Esme Young and Patrick Grant – we just know this episode is going to be a hoot!
One of our favourite hosts ever, Sarah Pascoe, returns to the show for this festive special too. We can't wait to see her on our screens again.
The four celebrities battling out to be crowned the Christmas champion are singer and actor Ian "H" Watkins, EastEnders actor Kellie Bright, comedian Fatiha El-Ghorri and TV personality and businesswoman Charlotte Crosby.
What will they be sewing on the Celebrity Christmas special?
Each contestant will be tasked with putting their twist on a pattern for an advent calendar. For the festive transformation challenge, the celebrities will turn onesies into a fun Christmas costume for a child – how cute!
Finally, the contestants will create an outfit made to measure their models. These outfits will be inspired by their favourite Christmas number one. No easy task! We can't wait to see what they all sew.
Who won Sewing Bee 2024?
The winner of The Great British Sewing Bee is Luke! Well done to Luke a well-deserved winner. We can't wait to see what they do next! Catch up with our episode guide to get all the highs and lows of the series.
Read our interview with Sewing Bee 2024 Winner Luke
Jump to the episode guide.
What to expect from series 10 of The Sewing Bee 2024
The Great British Sewing Bee returns to Sunny Bank Mills in Leeds to celebrate its 10th series with a dozen more stitchers competing to be named Britain’s Best Amateur Sewer.
Ghosts star Kiell Smith-Bynoe – himself an alumnus of the celebrity edition of the show – takes on hosting duties while our regular presenter, comedian Sara Pascoe, is on maternity leave.
Designers Patrick Grant – part of the BAFTA-nominated reality favourite from the beginning – and Esme Young are back as judges!
From outlandish made-to-measures to trickier-than-ever transformations, The Great British Sewing Bee 2024 offers lashings of sewing room drama with the eagle-eyed judging we've grown to love from Patrick and Esme.
Photos: BBC/Love Productions/James Stack
New book alert 2024! The Great British Sewing Bee: Back to Basics
Get yourself a copy of the brand new The Great British Sewing Bee: Back to Basics: Create Your Own Capsule Wardrobe With 23 Dressmaking Projects. The book is available to pre-order and is out on the 18th April 2024.
Subscribe to Simply Sewing magazine today and receive a copy of this book with your subscription! Sign up today to receive a copy direct to your door.
Who is the new presenter of the Great British Sewing Bee 2024?
There's a new presenter in the Sewing Bee studio! The lovely Sara Pascoe is going on maternity leave (congratulations Sara!) so the incredibly talented Kiell Smith-Bynoe will be taking over the reins.
Kiell will be hosting the upcoming series 10 in 2024.
Read the full interview with Kiell Smith-Bynoe
2024 Sewing Bee episode guide
Watch this space! Every week we're going to be sharing our thoughts, feelings and favourites from each episode of the Sewing Bee. We'll see the perennial favourites – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Week, Holiday Week and Kids Week – alongside other themes. These include: sport, lingerie, design icons, diva, and India.
We'd love to know what you thought of each episode too! Chat with us over on Simply Sewing or Gathered's Instagram.
There will be spoilers!
Episode ten
The Pattern Challenge: Opera gloves Transformation challenge: Party outfit out of party paraphernalia The Made-to-Measure: Draped outfit
The final is here! Can you believe it? We can’t!
The Pattern Challenge
The first challenge is a pair of opera gloves. A stretch fabric is used to create a pair of over-the-elbow gloves. They must be luxurious and perfectly matching.
Luke has opted for black velvet, Ailsa has chosen a black textured fabric, and Pascha has chosen lace.
This challenge is the smallest pattern the sewers have taken on, it’s one of the most intricate too.
Ailsa’s gloves were far too small, the fingers were particularly small, and the gloves weren’t identical. Luke’s glamorous gloves went down great with the judges. Pascha’s thumb was sewn on the wrong way and two left hand gloves.
Luke was awarded first place!
Transformation Challenge
The second challenge is to make a fun but wearable party outfit out of party decorations! Think bunting, paper decorations and shiny hangings.
Luke’s party dress was sewn from party napkins, and even had a zip!
Ailsa’s bunting dress, looked fun but wasn’t very practical, with Esme asking ‘how you’d put it on?’.
Esme loved Pascha’s shiny dress, saying she ‘loves a bit of sparkle!’.
The Made-to-Measure
The judges would like the sewers to make an evening outfit, rather than following a pattern the sewers must drape the garment as they go (a Made-to-Measure first).
Ailsa is making a pleated waistcoat with a kilt-style skirt, drawing from her Scottish heritage.
Luke’s design will be half a draped tailor blazer and half a big skirt. A mixture of masc and femme.
Pascha is making a hot pink pleated, floor-length gown.
But whose outfit will impress the judges?
Ailsa’s overall design went down well with the judges, they agreed it expressed her personality and flare.
Pascha’s pink number, was striking, but the pleating was a little untidy. The seams were a little uneven and it was tacked in a couple of places.
Luke’s dramatic outfit, looked incredible! Esme thought it had ‘real impact’ and Patrick loved the half-jacket. The back of the garment was a little loose, but the zip was fitted well.
Now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for…
The winner of The Great British Sewing Bee is Luke!
‘Honestly this doesn’t even feel real!’ ‘I’m going to remember this forever’!
Luke - Winner of Sewing Bee 2024
We’re so pleased, and Luke is a well-deserved winner.
Episode nine
The Pattern Challenge: Balenciaga-inspired dress Transformation challenge: Make a Gaultier-inspired garment out of ties The Made-to-Measure: An outfit inspired by Chanel
The Pattern Challenge
It’s the semi-final! There’s four remaining sewers, Suzy, Luke, Aisla and Pascha, but who will make it through to the final?
This week is Icon Week inspired by three big icons: Balenciaga, Gaultier and Chanel.
The first challenge is a Balenciaga-inspired dress, which will be fitted at the front and draped at the back.
This unique pattern will need to be followed to the word since it has such an unusual shape.
Luke’s dress was overall very good, Ailsa’s sleeves let her down slightly, and she had a button in the wrong place. Suzy struggled with the gussets and her hook and eye clasp was missing. Pascha’s construction was great, the back looked spot on!
In last place was Suzy, and in first place was Pascha!
Transformation challenge
Inspired by Gaultier, this challenge asks the sewers to create an outfit completely out of neckties!
The judges will be scoring the garments blindly. First up was Ailsa, her criss-cross detail at the back really impressed Patrick. Next up Pascha, and Eseme liked the velcro used to be able to get into the garment. Luke’s use of black ties and construction blew the judges away! Lastly, Suzy’s unusually shaped dress impressed the judges, but they didn’t like that it was pinned in places.
Suzy was in last place because her garment was unfinished. Luke’s dress gained 1st place!
The Made-to-Measure
The next challenge is creating a garment inspired by Chanel. This means tweed, black and white, gold chain! The judges are looking for something spectacular.
Luke’s large collar dress looked very Chanel. Patrick felt the collar was wonky, but he loved the chain sewn into the hem of the skirt.
Ailsa’s tweed waistcoat was well constructed, however the skirt needed to be held up by safety pins.
Suzy’s bold black and white dress impressed the judges, they praised her neat sewing. However, Esme wasn’t impressed with the shape of the garment, calling it 'unflattering'.
Pascha’s little black dress was deemed elegant by Patrick and perfectly Chanel.
The Garment of the Week is Pascha’s little black dress!
Sadly one sewer must go home, this week that is Suzy.
Episode eight
The Pattern Challenge: Fringe dress Transformation challenge: Animal print into loungewear The Made-to-Measure: A outfit for a diva
The Pattern Challenge
It’s Diva Week! Each challenge is inspired by divas past and present.
The first challenge is a dress inspired by Tina Turner! The sewers will be making a fringe dress. It will have a layered fringe and an invisible zip.
The iconic mini dress was first shown in 1970 by Tina Turner. It may be beautiful but it’s a challenge to sew. Once the fringe is attached, putting it through the sewing machine can end up in tangles.
Most of the sewers pinned their fringe out of the way for sewing the zip but Pascha and Suzy did not, which has caused some problems! Sewing the zip is vital in lining up the fringe layers.
It’s got a lovely action hasn’t it
- Patrick Grant [about Luke’s fringed dress]
Luke’s dress was deemed first-rate by Patrick! A couple of Alex’s fridge layers were out of line. Ailsa’s red fridge dress on the whole was to a good standard. Suzy’s dress let her down as her zip was misaligned. Pascha’s dress impressed with her contrasting colours.
in last place was Suzy, and in first place was Luke!
Transformation challenge
Transform animal print garments into loungewear suitable for a Diva on their day off!
There’s a big mixture of looks across the sewers. Pascha’s outfit makes the most of black and white prints with her look. Luke has created a leopard print top with a keyhole cut out on the back. Suzy’s ruffled two-piece uses white and green animal prints. Alex has gone more lingerie than loungewear! Ailsa has gone for a cowgirl style and has incorporated fringing.
In first place was Ailsa with her fun lounging cowgirl look.
The Made-to-Measure
The sewers must make a spectacular stage outfit for a diva of their choice.
It has to be outlandish, and big enough to stand out in a huge stadium. The judges want bright, bold colours.
Which diva did the sewers choose?
Pascha’s diva is Beyonce, inspired by her recent tour. Suzy is making an outfit for Lady Gaga, as is Luke! Ailsa’s design is inspired by Shania Twain and Alex is making an outfit for country western star Orville Peck (a star now known to the judges, or us!!)
Pascha’s look was a silver bodysuit with a dramatic structured harness/skirt. The judges loved it!
Ailsa made use of animal print again with her futurist long coat. The detail was fantastic but lacked from a distance (or stage).
Luke’s design was impactful and bold but was also well-made, and perfectly sewn.
Alex’s outfit was dubbed ‘quiet’ rather than the stage presence it should be gaining.
Suzy’s bold pink number impressed the judges with its boldness and energy. There were a couple of holes in the design but overall it looked amazing!
It’s judging time!
The garment of the week goes to Luke!
Sadly going home, was Alex, her stage costume didn’t quite cut it.
Sewing Bee-inspired pattern of the week
Do you want to try out making your own vintage fringe dress? We found this gorgeous pattern on Etsy from Vintage Anderburg.
Get the look: Make your own fringe dress
Episode seven
The Pattern Challenge: Pajama blouse Transformation challenge: Shapewear combined with lace The Made-to-Measure: A bustier dress
The Pattern Challenge
The first challenge of lingerie week is making a pyjama blouse! The sewers get to choose two luxury fabrics, one for the pyjamas and one for the piping.
The judges are looking for a neat collar, perfect buttons and the whole thing needs to be neatly pressed and levelled. The piping might be a challenge as it must be perfectly neat, many of the sewers have never tackled it before.
The first thing the judges are looking at is the two colours the sewers are using; they need to be contrasting enough to see. Pascha is going for a pink and green a strong contrast whereas Marcus has opted to a dark green and a darkish purple which may not give enough contrast.
The satin material is proving quite a challenge of many of the sewers, given its slippery nature. The five required buttons are also no mean feat!
The judges loved Pascha's fabric, but her piping wasn't quite right. Luke's top was neat and well sewn. Marcus let himself down with the piping. Ailsa’s buttonholes were a little off. Alex's fabric choices went down a treat! Suzy's top was described as a "disaster" by Esme.
In last place was Suzy.
In first place was Alex!
The Transformation Challenge
The sewers must transform shapewear into a garment of their choice using stretch lace, and items from the haberdashery.
Marcus is going for a unique angle and making a superhero costume. Alex is creating a layered skirt with the lace, and Luke is making use of brown lace for a top.
Pascha is using black and white to create a dramatic gown. Suzy is going to a pipe skirt.
It's judging time!
Alex's lacy garment impressed the judges as did Pascha's creative dress.
Marcus' superhero top didn't have arm holes so wasn't wearable! Which gained him last place.
Pascha's impactful dress gained her first place!
The Made-to-Measure challenge
It's time! The sewers must make a bustier dress. A bustier dress is a form fitting dress with bust cups and boning.
The first part of the challenge is assembling the bodice, which can be a challenge as there's so many pieces to consider. Also, the bust is a tricky challenge because it needs to fit the model perfectly.
Suzy and Marcus are both creating designs which they have always wanted to make. Marcus is inspired by gothic chic. Alex is opting for a complicated inside-out bustier, which shows off all her structure. Pascha is going to Hollywood chic, Ailsa is going unconventional with her design, rebelling against the corset! Luke is opting for a dramatic pleated gown.
The boning is a test for the sewers, it needs to support the garment, but still be flexible.
As we come towards the end of the challenge, the sewers assemble their final pieces for judging.
Pascha's gown was praised for fitting well, and her use of colours, Patrick deemed it "absolutely beautiful". Alex's dress impressed the judges, but the bust was just missing the underwire. Luke's pleating wasn't perfect, but overall, the judges thought it was a good gown. Ailsa's dress was a little small and wasn't sewn correctly. Marcus' bust didn't impress, nor did his hasty sewing. Suzy's dress was praised for its patchwork colours, but the fit wasn't perfect.
The Garment of the Week goes to Pascha!
Sadly one sewer had to go home this week and that was Marcus.
Sewing Bee-inspired pattern of the week
If you've been inspired to make your own lingerie, start simple with our free knickers tutorial.
Get the look: Make your own knickers
Episode six
The Pattern Challenge: Sequinned Bomber Jacket Transformation challenge: Beach towel to kid's animal costume The Made-to-Measure: Create an outfit inspired by your childhood clothes.
Credit: BBC / Love Productions. Esme Young and Patrick Grant.
It’s Children's Week! The seven remaining sewers celebrate fashion for children and get playful with fabrics!
The Pattern Challenge
The first challenge is a sequinned bomber jacket, an iconic jacket with rib details and zip down the front. Originally known as ‘flight jackets’, they were created by the US Army Aviation Clothing Board in 1917 to keep WWI pilots warm in the uninsulated, open-air cockpits of the early fighter planes.
This jacket has some tricky aspects, which sewing with sequins makes doubly tricky. The rib on the neck needs to sit nice and tight but it is very visible, so any mistakes will show. The sewers also have to attach the lining to the cuff and handstitch the lining to the bottom of the jacket, which is what they will need to do last.
Sewing the sequinned fabric proves tricky for most, although Luke, being a drag queen, has made many outfits with them, and Esme told him she had altered a sequinned jacket for Cher!
It’s judging time!
Alisa’s sparkling jacket came in first place as it was 'the best sewn and completely finished', with Alex in second, who hadn't finished sewing the lining in.
Luke's 'boo-boo' with the collar gained him last place.
The Transformation Challenge
The sewers were given colourful beach towels to create a kid's animal costume.
The contestants got really creative with this fun challenge and created everything from frogs to dalmations, but the best one that stood out for the judges was Pascha's 'phenomenal' crocodile costume.
Alex came in second place with her lion, which was judged as being such a great use of original material, while Suzy impressed the judges with her characterful swan with cute booties. The judges said they were all great, but Georgie's butterfly was voted to have the least extravagance.
"It’s something simple for a child to wear but has great impact"
- Esme Young
[referring to Pascha's crocodile]
The Made-to-Measure
The challenge: create a child's costume inspired by a photo of their own clothes from their childhood.
The judges wanted the sewers to create an outfit for their child models that encapsulated the look of the clothes worn by them as youngsters.
A couple of the sewers created fun jumpsuits, while others went for skirts and tops, dress and dungarees. A variety of colours and fabrics were used including velvet and denim.
Marcus was inspired by a photo of his uncle in a spaceman suit and created a jumpsuit the judges liked saying it looked like a very cool flight suit. Alex made dark blue velvet dungarees and a contrasting lime top - but her double top stitching didn't go down too well with Patrick, saying it gets hidden in the pile and can look scruffy. Alisa used a photo of herself in a fabulous mermaid costume made by her late mum as her inspiration. She created a mermaid party dress with stunning blue and greens with a shell motif on the front. Sadly, she nicked it with the overlocker and the high-low hem wasn't dramatic enough for Esme.
It’s judging time…
Georgie left the judges underwhelmed with her design as it didn't have enough features from the original, as did Suzy who didn’t scale her patchwork well to the size of the garment and didn't properly construct the front of the skirt well enough for Esme. Luke's bi-colour jumpsuit went down well, as did Luke's spaceman one.
"You look great. It's cool and I'd be in this if I was your age!"
- Patrick Grant
[referring to Luke's jumpsuit]
Garment of the Week goes to: Pascha for her clever and cute crocodile towel costume.
Sadly one sewer had to go home, and this week it was Georgie.
Sewing Bee-inspired pattern of the week
Do you want to have a go? Try making your own Bomber Jacket with this pattern from Portia Lawrie.
Get the look: Make your own Bomber Jacket
Episode five
The Pattern Challenge: Nehru Jacket Transformation challenge: Madras fabric summer outfit The Made-to-Measure: Turn a Sari into a dress
It’s India Week! The ten remaining sewers celebrate fashion and textiles from India. Kiell Smith-Bynoe and judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young are joined by a special guest judge, Priya Khanchandani.
The Pattern Challenge
The first challenge is the Nehru Jacket, an iconic tailored jacket with a closed collar and five buttons down the front. It was named after first prime minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru.
Although the Nuhru jacket requires a sturdy fabric, Lauren and Pascha are opting for more decorative fabrics, which are lighter weight and potentially more difficult to work with.
The pockets are also causing problems across the sewers! They have to be sewn perfectly, to sit correctly. Suzy cut her pocket in the wrong place…
It’s judging time!
Alex’s jacket was deemed near perfect from the judges, gaining her first place.
Suzy’s unfinished jacket gained her last place.
The Transformation Challenge
Madras and calico fabrics (both Indian fabrics) are given to the sewers to make an interesting summer outfit.
Madras is a colourful checked fabric, and calico is a plain, easy to work with fabric. Both will need to be combined into one outfit. There’s all sorts of designs going on in the studio, skirts, playsuits and halter tops!
Lauren’s garment was unfinished, Pascha impressed with her two piece skirt and top, Alex didn’t use calico fabric which let her down!
It’s quite a saucy skirt [about Suzy’s dress]
- Esme Young
Alex fell from glory into last place! In first place was Georgie for her fun and inventive design!
The Made-to-Measure
The challenge: create a dress inspired by elements of the Sari.
A sari is a single piece of unstitched fabric which is wrapped around the body. The judges want to see draping, wrapping and folding of fabric. They want a level of drama!
Several of the sewers are using an old Sari, and upcycling it into their dress. There’s also a variety of colours being used across the sewers, there’s silver, gold, green and pinks.
Ailsa is combining Scotland and India, to take elements from both the Sari and the traditional kilt. Pascha is using beaded fabric, which could cause some issues in the sewing machine. Luke had opted for hot pink fabric, contrasting with a black fabric.
It’s judging time…
Alex left the judges underwhelmed with her design, as did Marcus who didn’t incorporate enough elements of the Sari. Suzy’s party dress well down a treat! As did Pascha’s.
That’s our lunch budget gone [in reply to Pascha breaking a whole packet of needles]
- Patrick Grant
Garment of the Week goes to: Ailsa for her clever combined design
Sadly one sewer had to go home, and this week it was Lauren.
Sewing Bee-inspired pattern of the week
Do you want to have a go? Try making your own Nehru Jacket with this pattern from Garment Pattern Studio on Etsy.
Get the look: Make your own Nehru Jacket
Episode four
The Pattern Challenge: A quilted bag Transformation challenge: Textile waste into a outfit The Made-to-Measure: A wedding dress turned into a party dress.
It’s Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Week in the Sewing Bee studio!
We love this week! We are all about upcycling here at Gathered, so we couldn’t wait to see what The Bee had in store!
The Pattern Challenge
This week’s first task is to make a quilted bag! The sewers will use a variety of scrap fabrics in colours of their choice.
The bags must be sewn in neat squares, a be the right thickness, they need to have a zip and a magnetic clasp.
After 3 hours of work there was a mixed bag (no pun intended) of results!
Don had sewn his clasp in the inside rather than the outside of the bag. Luke’s extra luggage tag went down well, but his zip wasn’t inserted quite right. Pascha’s heart bag and high-quality quilting went down a treat with the judges!
Patrick and Esme ranked Don’s bag in last place, and Pascha in first place, with Ailsa a very close second!
The Transformation Challenge
The sewers are challenged to make an outfit in a single colour (or similar colours) using rescued textile waste. They are allowed to use up to five garments to create their new outfit!
It’s a very open brief, so there’s so many ways the sewers could go...
Pascha has chosen a variety of garments in black, Alex is using leather material to create a waistcoat, Lauren is sticking to pink as she did in the first task whereas Georgie has gone bold with leopard print.
Marcus has stepped outside the rules of the challenge, and has chosen a variety of colours rather than just one.
“I was going for Buffy The Vampire Slayer”
- Pascha
As time comes to a close, it’s time for blind judging!
Patrick and Esme loved Luke's inventiveness and colour use, but they struggled to identify which colour Marcus was using.
Don impressed with his lacing, but Esme felt it wasn’t transformed enough.
In last place was Marcus, and coming in first place was Pascha! That’s two in a row, well done, Pascha!
The Made-to-Measure
It’s a Sewing Bee first for the last challenge of the week!
The sewers have been challenged to transform a wedding dress into a party dress! They must however, keep elements of the original dress, but still be something you’d dance the night away in.
Luke is being inspired by the 80s, Alex is splashing colour, Suzy is making the most of the original lace, as is Georgie. Marcus is the only sewer creating a men’s party outfit.
Ailsa’s dress is drawing on Punk with her edgy design. Pascha is sticking to black, with a big contrasting blue bow, and Lauren is sticking to pink for her dress! Don is creating a ruffle party dress inspired by his daughter.
After a few tense hours in the studio, it's time for judging...
The judges loved Lauren's pink ruffled dress! Marcus impressed with his top, but the bottom was too loose. Ailsa certainly made an impression, but her dress still looked a little bit like the original wedding dress. The judges loved Alex's colourful print, and thought Suzy’s dress was great but Esme found a hole!
Garment of the Week goes to: Alex!
Sadly one sewer had to go home, and this week that is Don.
Sewing Bee-inspired pattern of the week
Do you want to have a go? Try making your own quilted bag. Use scraps of fabric to ensure your bag is planet-friendly.
Get the look: Make your own quilted bag
Episode three
The Pattern Challenge: A summer blouse Transformation challenge: Transform nautical gear The Made-to-Measure: A garment fit for the French Riviera.
It’s holiday week! That means summer blouses, nautical bags and an outfit fit for the French Riviera!
The sewers are excited for holiday week, even if the British weather is not the vibe!
The Pattern Challenge
The sewers must create a blouse from a vintage tablecloth. Each tablecloth has an embroidered element, which they must showcase.
There’s a fair bit of confidence across the room to start with, several of the sewers have used tablecloths to make garments before!
A few of the sewers are struggling a bit with time, Don, Georgie and Marcus are a bit behind the rest of the sewers.
"We’ve got ten minutes to rescue ourselves from the abyss”
- Don
It’s judging time, and it’s actually the first week a lot of the sewers managed to finish their garment!
Marcus didn’t manage to finish his blouse, one of the sleeves was not attached. Ailsa impressed the judges with her use of embroidery and neat stitching. Luke impressed with his asymmetrical design.
"There’s a lovely Nana-chic vibe going on!"
- Patrick talking about the blouses
In last place is Don, and in 1st place is both Ailsa and Luke! A joint win!
The Transformation Challenge
For the next challenge the sewers must transform nautical paraphernalia into a holiday bag in 90 minutes. The one rule is that they must use rope in a creative way!
There’s all sorts of materials to choose from, including waterproofs, netting, fishermen’s wellies and more!
A big challenge for the sewers will be making use of the waterproof material, it’s thick and slippery when in the sewing machine.
There’s a few different ideas from the room, duffle bags, backpacks and drawstring bags.
The judges were impressed with Alex’s bag which could be used as both rucksack and tote. They loved Pasha’s duck bag but commented on the lack of rope usage. Luke impressed with his use of twisted rope while Janet didn’t impress with her long rope handle.
Janet came in last place with her duffle bag, and in 1st place is Alex with her dual use tote/backpack!
The Made-to-Measure
It’s time to make a garment fit for the French Riviera! The judges are looking for a bit of nostalgic glamour, yet cool and comfortable garments. Of course, the garments have to be the perfect fit for their model!
All of the sewers have decided to go for two-piece garments. Luke’s opting for a shirt and trousers made from linen – a big challenge indeed! Pascha is going for a sailor style, her trousers will feature gold buttons. Marcus is going for an off-the-shoulder top and flowing yellow trousers.
It’s not all plain sailing though, Pascha is struggling with her pattern, Janet is running behind and Suzy doesn’t think she’ll be able to finish her top in time.
It’s time for the catwalk and the judging.
Marcus impressed with his yellow skirt. Don impressed with his trousers but was let down by his unfinished top. Janet’s fabric choice was not very ‘Rivera’. Pascha’s trousers went down a treat, however her top was barely finished. Ailsa blew away the judges once again with her beautifully pleated flared trousers!
Of course, Ailsa got Garment of the Week! A very well-deserved win indeed.
Sadly one person had to go home, and that is… Janet.
Sewing Bee-inspired pattern of the week
Have a go at making your own blouse with our round-up of blouse patterns. There's lots of choose from, upcycle a shirt into a blouse, or create one from scratch.
Find a blouse pattern to try today
Episode two
The Pattern Challenge: A sports fleece Transformation challenge: Transform cricket whites The Made-to-Measure: A sports kit
We’re back! It’s Sports Week on Sewing Bee. That means they’ll be using jersey, utilising cricket whites and taking on an Olympian made-to-measure!
There’s mixed feelings about Sports Week, with Comfort saying ‘I’m not very…sporty…”. Uh oh!
The Pattern Challenge
In the pattern challenge the sewers have three hours to make a vibrantly coloured fleece! Fleeces are very much back in at the moment.
The hardest part of using fleece is that it’s a stretch material, not to mention the zips will be very visible so they need to be perfect.
Pacha is going subtle with her colour blocking, while Marcus is using a snip of everyone else’s fabric to make the ultimate teamwork-inspired fleece!
Alex, who lives in the Peak District and is very outdoorsy is very familiar with fleece fabric, so is feeling confident! Luke is being inspired by the trans flag for his fleece colours.
It’s judging time! Lauren’s fleece was described as “juicy” by Patrick! Marcus impressed the judges with his multi-coloured fleece. Janet’s fleece on the other hand did not impress, with was unfinished with wonky zips!
In 11th place is Janet, and in 1st place is… Marcus! His risk of using a piece of everyone’s fabric was totally worth it.
The Transformation Challenge
The sewers must transform cricket whites into sculptural avant-garde garment, which must include a top and a bottom. The sewers only have 1.5 hours for this challenge!
“As a drag queen, I eat avant-garde for breakfast”
Luke
There’s a huge variety of designs in the sewing room! Marcus is making a bunny balaclava with ears, Pascha is making use of a cricket jumper to create a dress and Suzy is making tassels for her dress.
It’s time for judging, and for this challenge, the judges do not know who made each garment.
The judges were impressed by the fullness of Lucy’s skirt. But we’re not impressed by Marcus making a mask instead of an outfit.
In last place was Marcus, and in first place was Alex! With her panelled floor-length dress.
The Made-to-Measure
The final challenge is, of course, The Made-to-Measure.
The sewers have been challenged to make a kit that can be worn on the World Stage. The kit can be for any sport but must represent a country.
Alex is going for a marathon kit inspired by her Scottish Dad! Lauren has embraced the sparkle with her gymnastics outfit in the colours of the Jamaican flag. While Comfort is making a Ugandan rugby kit, inspired by her little brother, and Luke is making a Spanish track kit inspired by his fiancee.
It’s crunch time! There’s high standards across the board, but Georgie’s design really stuck out with its perfect fit despite its complicated design! Don’s golf outfit was not quite finished, and neither was Comfort's. While Lauren nailed the Jamaican theme, the finish was not perfect.
The Garment of the Week goes to… Georgie!
Sadly one sewer had to go home, and that is Comfort.
Sewing Bee-inspired pattern of the week
Do you want to have a go? Make your own zip-up hoodie using jersey fabric, and put your sewing skills to the test.
Get the look: Zip-up hoodie pattern
Episode one
The Pattern Challenge: A denim A-line skirt Transformation challenge: Transform a t-shirt The Made-to-Measure: Day dress
It's Sewing Bee's 10th birthday so the first challenge pays homage to the very first ever Sewing Bee challenge.
The Pattern Challenge
The sewers are tasked with making a denim A-line skirt with a button-up front. It might sound simple but it's a deceptively tricky challenge.
It proved difficult for the sewers to finish in time, several skirts were missing buttons, and had unfinished top stitches.
Suzy came last with her unfinished skirt. In first place was Pascha! Her skirt was almost complete and was complimented for being precise and neat!
The Transformation Challenge
In the transformation challenge, the sewists will be updating a t-shirt! The sewists have an hour and a half to transform their chosen t-shirt. The t-shirts will need to be made into an entirely different garment with a new silhouette.
There's lots of variety in the transformations across the sewers. Lauren is making a mini skirt, as is Don whereas Ailsa will be creating a jacket. Marcus is going for a more unusual design with a reversible bucket hat.
In last place is Neil, Suzy was the winner with her inventive plaiting of the fabric.
The Made-to-Measure
The final challenge of episode one is the Made to Measure, and the sewers will be making a casual day dress. The dress must fit a real model, and be the perfect fit! The dresses must also not be too flashy, without embellishment and something that can be worn during the daytime.
Again there's such a lovely mixture of designs! Neil opted for a 1970s-style day dress using orange patterned fabric. Comfort is opting for a cacoon dress, and Lauren is going for a maxi dress with spaghetti straps. Ailsa is going for round two with denim and Suzi is upcycling a duvet cover into a dress.
At the one-hour remaining mark, the pressure was on! Lots of the sewists were rushing to get finished in time. Don's dress impressed the judges with it being almost perfect, but the end wasn't hemmed. Suzy also impressed with her use of contrasting duvet fabric. Patrick said the dress was "terrific"!
Garment of the week is Suzi's contrasting duvet dress!
Sadly, going home this week was Neil.
Sewing Bee-inspired pattern of the week
Do you want to have a go? Try making your own button-up midi skirt with our beginner-friendly patternless skirt.
Get the look: Button-up midi skirt
Discover your favourite Sewing Bee patterns
Want to make garments like the ones you've seen on the show? Each week we'll be updating our Sewing Bee patterns roundup with projects inspired by the episode's theme.
The Great British Sewing Bee 2024 sweepstake
Why not join us by doing a Great British Sewing Bee series 10 sweepstake? Download your sweepstake pdf of all the contestants, print out and cut out! Let us know who you pick on social media @simplysewingmag.
Meet the Great British Sewing Bee 2024 contestants!
Here's this year's Great British Sewing Bee contestants:
AILSA, 28 (she/her)
- GLASGOW
- Freelance Events Planner
Ailsa, a proud Scot, grew up in a small village in the Scottish Highlands with her Mum. Ailsa’s Mum worked as a seamstress and in the local greengrocers that was owned and run by Ailsa’s grandparents.
Ailsa learnt the basics of sewing as a young child from her talented Mum. After years of feeling self-conscious, sewing has helped grow her confidence in herself and her body by allowing her to make garments which suit and fit her needs and that reflect her identity. She describes her sewing style as contemporary, sustainable, modern and experimental.
ALEX, 32 (she/her)
- DERBYSHIRE
- Copywriter/Editor
Alex was born in Manchester and moved to Cambridge when she was four with her parents and younger sister, where she lived until she went to university.
Alex is very passionate about sustainability and likes to reflect her personality through her clothing style. She loves to see a project progressing and gets joy and body euphoria from her sewing.
She believes that comfort is key and sews oversized garments with androgynous looks. She prefers plain fabric over patterns and likes to mix dark and light colours in her wardrobe.
COMFORT, 33 (she/her)
- SOMERSET (originally UGANDA)
- Self-Employed Designer and Business Manager
Comfort grew up in Uganda and moved to Tanzania to study Architecture at University at 19.
As a trained architect, designing and making is at the heart of everything Comfort does. She started to sew after giving birth to her first child as she felt she was lacking creatively.
Comfort is incredibly proud of her East African heritage and strives to embrace every aspect of its vibrant culture. Comfort aspires to showcase her East African heritage and love for vibrant colours and patterns.
DON, 84 (he/him)
- CHESHIRE
- Retired Research Physicist
Don grew up in the small village of Leuchars in Scotland but often moved around because his father was in the RAF during the Second World War.
Don was taught to sew over 70 years ago by his mother on a hand-cranked sewing machine. He began sewing seriously around 60 years ago, initially making clothes for his girlfriend at university and continuing from there.
Having four daughters kept him on his toes, and he would make their dresses for university formals and even made wedding dresses for three of them.
He drafts many of his own patterns and considers himself an ‘advanced non-professional’. Don holds himself to a very high standard and aims to produce garments that are better made than store-bought clothing.
GEORGIE, 40 (she/her)
- ISLE OF WIGHT
- Club & Festival DJ
Georgie was born in Lewisham in South London and lived there with her parents and two sisters until she was 5 years old. Deciding the London life was not for them, they moved to the beautiful Isle of Wight where Georgie still lives with her partner of 17 years and two children.
Taught the basics by her mother and grandmother, Georgie has been sewing on and off for 10 years and has been consistently making garments for the last two years.
She started out by making curtains and roman blinds followed by handbags and cushions. She describes her style as a smorgasbord of casual chic, grungy boho and ‘earth mother hippy’.
Georgie is passionate about sustainability and not contributing to fast fashion. She often makes dresses and blouses out of tablecloths and jackets and trousers out of quilted blankets.
JANET, 75 (she/her)
- DONCASTER
- Retired
Janet was born and bred in Yorkshire where she raised her three sons.
Janet started sewing when she was 12 years old, as soon as her mother let her use the sewing machine. As a teenager, she’d get a dress length of fabric for 10 shillings at the market and made shift dresses and her skills and creativity grew from there.
Janet sewed for her family to save money when her sons were young and recalls making six pairs of trousers every month but now, she enjoys making nice clothes for herself.
Janet loves making formal, glamorous dresses for her dancing classes and holidays, and says there no such thing as being overdressed. Her Mum once told her, ‘Always dress up and never down!’
LAUREN, 36 (she/her)
- MANCHESTER
- Finance Administrator
Finance Administrator Lauren was born in Hackney but has lived in Manchester since she was 5 years old. She currently lives in a flat in South Manchester and is single, she comes from a big family and boasts 15 nephews and nieces and a few godchildren.
Lauren has been creative from a young age and even used to make Cinderella dresses out of newspapers for her niece. She learnt sewing basics from her Mum, a reggae singer who used to make her own outfits for some of her shows.
Lauren later found out that her grandmother also sewed, and this inspired her to take her sewing more seriously around 6 years ago. Her skills ramped up in the lockdown of 2020 when she had lots of time to practice, and she taught herself how to draft patterns.
Lauren now self-drafts the majority of her garments to make them truly unique, her sewing style is simple, but fun and classy with a pop of colour.
LUKE, 33 (they/them)
- MANCHESTER
- Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Director
Luke grew up in Wilmslow, Cheshire, with their Mum Janet and sister. Luke now lives in Salford, Manchester with fiancé Jesus, who is originally from Gran Canaria.
Luke is a creative force and was taught the basics of sewing at the age of 8 by their grandma and was always inspired by her to embrace arts and crafts. She helped Luke when they started to perform in drag in their early 20s, often helping to construct their outfits.
Luke’s drag persona is called Selma Skreams, they perform at club nights and private parties both in the UK and internationally. Luke’s garments used to stick to a more neutral, muted colour palette but now they like to incorporate Selma into their everyday wear, using bold colours in outfits and designs. They also like to create impressive garments that have an element of surprise.
Luke tries to break gender stereotypes with their garments and finds it uncomfortable that the majority of high street clothing is gendered and loves that sewing allows them to express their gender identity more authentically.
MARCUS, 30 (he/him)
- LONDON
- Teaching Assistant & Arts Award Coordinator
Marcus grew up in London and was raised by his parents who were both Philosophers of Music. He met his wife Juliet when he was 15 in school, and they haven’t been apart since.
While living in Canada Marcus was looking for home comforts, which is how he discovered The Great British Sewing Bee and that inspired him to start sewing.
Marcus started his sewing journey making womenswear for his wife, but now inspired by 90s streetwear mainly focuses on clothes for himself. He likes to adapt patterns and describes his garments as ‘jarring, garish or kitsch’ due to his desire to make loud, outlandish statement clothing.
He’s made lots of jackets, waistcoats, hats, and shorts. He also tends to repurpose garments and transform them into something else.
NEIL, 52 (he/him)
- LEICESTER
- Woodwork Instructor
Woodwork instructor Neil grew up in Sileby near Leicester with his Mum, Dad and older brother and sister. He met his partner Kathy on his 24th birthday and they had a civil partnership in 2020.
Neil has a general love of making things and learning new skills. He has a passion for all things vintage and started to sew out of necessity in 2014 after learning 1940s swing dancing.
At 6’4” he was unable to find vintage clothing to wear, so with Kathy showing him the basics on the sewing machine, he started with a pair of trousers.
Inspired by his love for 20th century vintage fashion he makes classic, stylish garments such as waistcoats and trousers and has even expanded into womenswear. To stay true to the style, he will use as close to pure cotton and wool as possible.
PASCHA, 20 (she/her)
- GUILDFORD
- Student
Pascha was born in Switzerland and then lived in Greece until the age of four, at which time she moved to the UK with her parents and younger brother where they settled in Surrey.
Creative from a young age, Pascha used to make fairy dresses out of rhubarb leaves from the garden and made paper dresses and handbags for the tooth fairy. She first got into sewing by recycling one of her Dad’s old shirts and has self-taught herself everything she knows.
Her Great-Grandma was a seamstress and her old patterns and materials have been passed down to Pascha and she uses them in her sewing today.
Pascha is passionate about the environment and sustainable fashion and has created her own versions of items she loves from unethical brands. Pascha would describe her style as subverted basics. She takes a simple silhouette, adds funky materials, and loves to experiment with making items multiway and reversible.
Pascha’s proudest creation is her Marie Antoinette-style 18th century ballgown made of silk, which required using lot of new techniques. Her dream would be to wear the dress to go to a ball at Versailles.
SUZY, 28 (she/her)
- LIVERPOOL (ORIGINALLY WIGAN)
- Waitress
Suzy grew up in Wigan with her parents and two older brothers before moving to Liverpool to study Journalism at University. She met her fiancé, Christian, 7 ½ years ago, and they recently got engaged in New York.
Suzy has always been in love with fashion and wanted to make her own unique garments. Two and a half years ago, after watching The Sewing Bee, she gave it a go.
Regularly using charity shop curtains and bedsheets, key features of Suzy’s designs include big ruffles, lots of fabric and enormous sleeves. She made her entire wardrobe for her trip to New York.
Suzy wants to create clothes that make a statement or spark a conversation and to be more like art than fashion.
Who are the Sewing Bee judges?
The judges on the Sewing Bee are Patrick Grant and Esme Young, who are both respected fashion industry experts. Read on to find out more about Patrick and Esme…
Patrick Grant – Judge
Patrick, 51, is a designer and creative director of bespoke tailors Norton & Sons of Savile Row and its subsidiary E Tautz.
He won Menswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2010. He bought ailing Blackburn clothing manufacturer Cookson & Clegg in 2015, saving the factory from closure, and launched social enterprise Community Clothing to champion UK-made quality, affordable and sustainable fashion.
Earlier this year, he presented the documentary Coronation Tailors: Fit for a King. He's judged The Great British Sewing Bee since its start in 2013. Patrick lives in London.
Read our 2024 interview with Patrick Grant
Esme Young – Judge
Esme, 75, joined The Great British Sewing Bee as a judge in 2016. A designer who’s made costumes for films such as Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Trainspotting and Bridget Jones’s Diary, Esme is also a tutor at Central Saint Martins art school.
With three friends passionate about fashion, she opened the iconic store Swanky Modes in Camden, London, in the 1970s and dressed stars such as Grace Jones, Siouxsie Sioux and Cher. Their most famous creation, the Amorphous dress, is in The V&A Museum.
She’s guested on shows including: Richard Osman’s House of Games, Would I Lie to You? and The Wheel. Her autobiography Behind the Seams: My Life in Creativity, Friendship and Adventure was published last year. Esme lives in London.
Read our 2024 interview with Esme Young
The Great British Sewing Bee FAQ
Who won the Great British Sewing Bee in 2023?
The incredible Asmaa won The Great British Sewing Bee 2023. She wowed the judges throughout the competition with her skill, passion and creativity.
In the final of the Sewing Bee 2023, Asmaa's stunning two-in-one dress won her the trophy and we think she's a very worthy winner.
Read our interview with Asmaa over in our Meet the 2023 Great British Sewing Bee winner article. She shares all her thoughts and feelings on this year's show with us.
Who won the Great British Sewing Bee in 2022?
It's Annie! Read our interview with the Great British Sewing Bee 2022 winner Annie to get to know the new sewing champion. You can also read our interview with the Sewing Bee 2022 finalists.
The celebrity Christmas special winner was Johannes Radebe.
Who won the Great British Sewing Bee in 2021?
Last year's winner was 21-year-old Serena Baker, who was a trainee doctor from Edinburgh. She was the youngest sewer of the series and produced some impressive makes during her time on the show.
What sewing machines are used on the Sewing Bee?
If you've been eyeing up the machines on the show, discover the exact make and model with our what sewing machines are used on the Sewing Bee guide.
Where is the Great British Sewing Bee filmed in 2023?
The Great British Sewing Bee is located in a former textile mill called Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley, Leeds. This was the filming location for the 2022 series too.
Sunny Bank Mills was founded in 1829 and was a working textile mill right up until 2008. It's now a business space and is home to a wide range of companies – there's even a sewing school!
The Great British Sewing Bee was previously filmed at The Chainstore on Trinity Buoy Wharf for series 7 in 2021, which is just across the Thames from the O2 Arena.
The show's former warehouse setting for the 2020 series was located in London’s Bermondsey, in the heart of the capital's historical textiles quarter. For the truly geeky among you (we include ourselves in this category), the 2019 series was filmed at 47/49 Tanner Street (also the location of Dragon’s Den!), near Tower Bridge.
What happens to the clothes made on the Sewing Bee?
All the clothes on the Sewing Bee are returned to the contestants after filming. There's no waste in Sewing Bee studio!
Past contestant, Chinelo Bally also helped to clear up this mystery for us when she appeared on our We've Made It podcast. She also revealed that contestants receive a budget to buy the fabric needed for the show.
In the episode, Chinelo talked about her experiences on the show and shared some great tips for novice sewers. You can find We've Made It on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
What does the winner of the Sewing Bee get?
The winner of the Sewing Bee receives a golden mannequin award and the title of Britain's best amateur sewer. There's no cash prize, but many previous winners have gone on to write their own sewing books or set up their own craft businesses.
Do Sewing Bee contestants get paid?
No, Sewing Bee contestants do not get paid. They just do it for the honour of taking part and the chance to be the Sewing Bee champion!
Is the Sewing Bee filmed in one day?
No, Sewing Bee contestants have to commit to taking part in 20 days of filming spread over four months when they apply to be on the show.
Has a man ever won the Great British Sewing Bee?
Yes! Matt Chapple was the first male winner of the Sewing Bee in 2015. In recent years, we've seen more men taking part in the show such as Raph Dilhan who was a finalist in 2021.
Get the 2023 Sewing Bee book
A new book to accompany the series, The Great British Sewing Bee: The Skills - Beyond Basics: Advanced Tips and Tricks to Take Your Sewing Technique to the Next Level, goes on sale 13 April. This is a great way to predict that the hit show will almost certainly be airing on our TV screens around the same time!
Published by Quadrille, the 160-page techniques book, will help you find your confidence when tackling different sewing projects and achieve that perfect finish.
Why the Sewing Bee is one of our favourite craft TV shows
The Sewing Bee has got it all: kind contestants, beautiful clothes, loveable judges and lots of incredibly creative ideas. It's not surprising that it's one of the most popular craft TV shows out there.
The best part is that the Sewing Bee has inspired lots of people to take up sewing for themselves, with some of them even appearing as contestants on the show!
Start your sewing journey
If watching the show has inspired you to start sewing, you're probably wondering where to begin. We'd recommend starting with our best sewing machine guide, which is packed with expert tips and advice to help you enjoy this satisfying hobby!
All images from BBC/Love Productions.
