We're passionate about sewing and dressmaking at Sew Me Sunshine, and we love watching the Great British Sewing Bee every year. Every week we will break down the episode and sign post you to some sewing patterns and fabric.
The Great British Sewing Bee is back for 2024 and this year marks it's 10th season! We wish all the contestants the best of luck and know they will make some incredible garments.
This week we are looking at episode 3 which was Holiday Week. The contestants were tasked with sewing a blouse out of a linen embroidered tablecloth, making a bag out of nautical paraphernalia and sewing a garment fit for the French Riviera.
Pattern Challenge: Summer Blouse
The first challenge was to make a summer blouse using embroidered linen tablecloths. If you don't want to cut up a tablecloth or perhaps you don't have one to hand but you have been inspired to sew yourself a summer blouse like the contestants then why not use one of our linen fabrics or if you were inspired by all the embroidery then look no further as we have a large selection of embroidery fabrics for you.
Top Tip: Check out our linen fabric guide
This is some of our 100% pure linen shirtings
We have 2 natural un-dyed embroidered linen blends + the middle is an embroidered cotton voile
We have colourful embroidered cotton fabrics as well
These 3 embroidered cottons have scalloped selvedges that you can incorporate in your project as a hem
There are quite a few blouse patterns out there that are similar to the one that the bee's used for the challenge.
R-L: Atelier Jupe Hannah Blouse, Clore Core Patterns Nicks Blouse, Atelier Jupe Billie Top, Atelier Jupe Zoey Blouse, Emporia Patterns Frida Blouse, True Bias Roscoe Blouse
Transformation Challenge: Making a bag from nautical paraphernalia including rope
In the up-cycling challenge the contestants had to make a holiday bag out of nautical paraphernalia including rope. There were so many creative bag designs that we loved. As everyone's ideas were so unique and they repurposed nautical paraphernalia we aren't able to signpost you to any specific patterns or fabric.
Top Tip: If you are looking to make yourself a bag then our ventana cotton twills are the perfect weight for sewing a bag. Also we have a selection of cotton webbings that are ideal for bag making.
Made To Measure Challenge: Garment fit for the French Riviera
In the made to measure challenge the contestants had to sew a chic garment fit for the French Riviera. The contestants used lots of different fabrics for this challenge but linen and yarn dyed cotton shirting fabrics heavily featured throughout.
A lot of the contestants used patterns from non-indie designers and as we only stock independent sewing pattern designers we have had a look through our catalogue and have found some patterns that are very similar to the one's used by the contestants. They all would look very chic on the French Riviera.
L-R: Named Clothing Ilma Top + Dress, Friday Pattern Company Saguaro Set, I AM Patterns Armor Trousers, I AM Patterns Hélios, Megan Nielsen Flint Trousers, I AM Patterns Rachel, True Bias Zoey Tank.
Hello Beryl, Aila’s trousers were stunning weren’t they? We believe she used a McCalls Pattern which is why we didn’t mention it above, but we think the pattern is McCalls M7131.
Where can I get the pattern for the lovely trousers which won garment of the week in week 3 of Sewing Bee please .