Great British Sewing Bee

This bit.ly/19n8IBK will take you to Matt's blog. Interesting to see that they had to keep it a secret for nine months.

At least in the final the competitors managed to finish the garments, but those in the last two challenges showed in theory could be done if challenged but left me wondering why any one would ever want to do so, since the results were so hideous.

I thoroughly enjoyed the last two years but I felt this year it had become a mix of 'Extreme Sewing' and a horse race.

I think The Great Sewing Bee' should be like Time Team. Have a deadlines to give the show edge but otherwise concentrate on process rather than sewing against the clock. Time and again competitors were criticised for bad finishing and wobbly and cobbled sewing, which was clearly caused by unrealistic deadlines and was needlework of a poor standard the competitors would normally consider unacceptable.

I want to see challenges that enable the competitors to complete beautifully made garments in the time set if they are well organised, know what they are doing and do not have any disasters and for the judges to have to look and compare and judge well-made garments.

I was fascinated by that japanese garment. I'd love to have a go at it, I think it would work in all sorts of fabrics and be very wearable.

I just had to sew as a teenager. My mother's home-made dresses had tight sleeves and a wandering waistband so I set to and made them myself.

I'm good with a pattern but not so creative which is what you have to be for Sewing Bee. They were under so much pressure to be creative that the judges forgot what dressmaking was all about. To make dresses! Not lampshades to walk about in. Matt's was an ugly shape in a ugly material and not something you could ever sit down in. (Imagine!!) Lorna was the winner of course but she was not allowed to win because they wanted to give the men a chance to win. After Neil blew his then Matt got his chance.
I think they have to consider the time factor if the show can continue. Give up wanting clothes made in half the time necessary. Put an end to the shouting 'just 15 minutes left!' and let them finish in a reasonable time. A good sewer needs time to make a perfect garment.
Anyone who has made clothes with small children knows that from getting started at the sewing machine and it being time to collect them from school there apprears to be almost no time at all. I felt for the contestants who struggled as I'm sure that they make lovely things at home.

I agree, Baubles, the tasks have been more outrageous and many of the garments more catwalk than everyday wearable. But the level of cooperation and friendship was better than usual. Neil really shot himself in both feet this time. On his previous record, he should have been a winner.

I thought Neil's dress was dire, which was a shame as I was rooting for him. Matt's was unwearable which didn't meet the requirements of the brief but it was imaginative. I suspect they'd had time to practice or at least knew in advance what the task was to be.

I didn't enjoy this series as much as previous ones though I think this was because the tasks were sometimes ridiculous. Perhaps they should be asked to make things other than mainly clothes for women.

I enjoyed it too having never watched it before. I loved the way they helped each other and everyone seemed genuinely friendly.
Clothes were awful mainly!

I really enjoyed the whole series, and the nicest thing about it was the way the three finalists helped one another.
The final three dresses were awful.

I love dressmaking but wouldn't go on sewing bee- there isn't enough time to finish anything properly and the judging has been so inconsistent. I think they wanted a man to win as the last 2 had been won by older ladies. Neil blew it last night, so I think Lorna should have won, Matt's lampshade dress was horrible and not well finished.

It's many years since I've sewn anything, but I watched this whole series on iPlayer and loved it. I do think the timescales the competitors are given defeat the object of producing good, professionally made clothes; I think that Patrick and May should lead by example and make one garment themselves each week and then ask the competitors to make the same garment in the same time.
Matt did deserve to win on the basis of tonight's showing I thought, but over all Neil was the most proficient and imaginative sewer.

I am really sad it is over. I think, in the end, that I would have been happy for any of them to win for different reasons.

I loved sewing at school and even more so when I got away from the slowness of the lessons. I still do but rarely make clothes now except for my GD.

It will be a long wait until the next series.

I too loathed needlework. It took me 3 years to finish a table mat at school! When my children were small I made them clothes from Clothkits which was just up my street, apart from putting in the zips. I can 'do' curtains so long as there is no pattern. I love watching the GSB and am sad that I have missed it (in Oz). However, they are showing the last series here so I have been enjoying that all over again.

I absolutely loathed needlework at school. The teacher practically stood over me to help me get it right but everything I made turned out wrong.

I'd seen the Sewing Bee advertised and wondered why on earth anyone would want to watch it. But I caught it last week and found it really enjoyable. I wish I could make clothes.

I thought the final creations were pretty unwearable but I suppose all that high fashion stuff is.

Neil blew it. I think that Lorna should have won, just.

I thought the projects they were asked to complete were a bit weird! As for the final garments, I just wanted to ask how the heck you have a pee whilst wearing any of them!

What a turn around in the final! Until tonight I thought Neil would win with Lorna second and Matt third.
As usual I have thoroughly enjoyed the series.

looking forward to the finals

They seem to have run out of ideas for challenges so are doing more ambitious projects which can't be finished in the allotted time. It's ceased to be a sewing competition, more a who can finish in time competition.

I think the problem is that generally, Patrick and may give little time to unfinished garments and, in this series, there have been so many unfinished garments.

I missed quite a bit of last night's programme and I am not sure I can be bothered to catch up on it. I will watch next week to see who wins but whether I will bother to watch any further series I am not sure.

I agree, MargaretX, the programme's lost its edge. No one wants to see competitors criticised just for the sake of it, but the fact that a couple of the jackets didn't have linings (despite that being in the instructions) hardly raised a comment from the judges.

I was impressed by the quality of the sewing last night though - leather can't be an easy material to work with!

Unless things go badly wrong for her next week, I think Lorna will win.

Anyone noticing the models?
Lorna's model seems quite professional and is taking it all very seriously. She somehow looks like a model.

What's different this time round is that Patrick and May are being too nice. They've obviously been told that 'all must have prizes' and they hardly dare to criticise. Its unrealistic in world where people are being creative and are competing against one another. I think it is boring now but I still watch it and the winner won't be a surprise. (Lorna)
I still like to look at the fabrics and was amazed at the leather jackets.

Anyone could win in the final but my money is on Neil. Some very talented people this series and some very challenging tasks. I am thoroughly enjoying it.

The kilt task was tricky!

Anyone going to guess who will win?

I will guess at the woman[cant remember her name] as she is consistent, and the judges like consistency.

I'm loving it and it's good to see so many men getting this far too. They have set them some difficult tasks - I wouldn't attempt to make a kilt and I love sewing but I am looking forward to this week as much as ever.