The Great British Sewing Bee Series 10: Episode 1

The brand new series series of The Great British Sewing Bee is here! It aired at 9pm on Tuesday 21st May on BBC One - if you missed it, you can catch up on iPlayer. Each week we’ll be reviewing the latest episode but don’t worry, there won’t be any spoilers and we promise not to reveal who is eliminated.

Who is the new host of The Great British Sewing Bee?

Kiell Smith-Bynoe is a comedian and actor best known for Ghosts and Stath Lets Flats. He stepped in for Sara Pascoe in the 2023 Christmas Special and reprises his hosting duties for series 10. He follows in the footsteps of previous judges Joe Lycett and Claudia Winkleman.

Who are the judges on The Great British Sewing Bee?

Tailor and businessman Patrick Grant has been judging on the Sewing Bee since its first episode and has a keen eye for detail. Designer Esme Young was part of 70s fashion house Swanky Modes in London’s Carnaby Street. Read more about Esme’s sewing journey with My Life In Patterns

Who are the contestants in Series 10 of The Great British Sewing bee?

Ailsa

Alex

Comfort

Don

Georgie

Janet

Lauren

Luke

Marcus

Neil

Pascha

Suzy

What happened in Episode One of The Great British Sewing Bee?

We were glued to our screens and were so excited to meet the 12 budding sewists of this year’s Sewing Bee. Episode one was a celebration of the show’s 10th Anniversary with the tasks taking inspiration from the very first episode. We loved the flashback clips to series one!

They began, as always, with the Pattern Challenge where, despite Kiell joking that the contestants had to “create 12 Claudia Winkleman” they were actually presented with a denim midi skirt. Featuring contrasting top stitching, buttonholes and pockets, the challenge was described by Patrick as “deceptively difficult” and, as Kiell quipped, “trickier than it seams!”

If you want to have a go at making your own soft denim skirt, check out Amanda Walker’s , available to buy for £8.99 from our new shop!

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The transformation challenge was T-shirts, the same as the first ever transformation. However, while in Series 1, the task was alter the neckline, this time the sewists had to create a whole new garment. They could use up to three T-shirts and had great fun mixing prints and colours. Our favourite quote came from Esme: “I think the bow could be bigger!” Of course it could Esme!

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The show concludes with the impressive made-to-measure challenge where the sewers demonstrate their fitting skills to create a custom-fit garment for their model. With the task set as a day dress, Patrick said: “There’s ample scope to express their own personal taste and deliver something that tells us a little bit more about their personality.”

There were some incredible fabric choices with Georgie using a vintage table cloth for her no-waste oversized dress while Neil channelled the 1970s with his bold print fabric and vintage pattern. Luke even hand-painted their own fabric to create an incredible monochrome effect.

Comfort’s fabric was also handmade, by an artist in Tanzania, and Suzy re-used a duvet cover with a reversible print. Don opted for a self-drafted pattern featuring a hidden zip and godets. There were a lot of different style dresses, each reflecting the personal style of the sewer, with Alex announcing: “Casual is my vibe!”

The sewists showed their talents in mastering zips, shirring elastic and even more buttonholes, and we were amazed by what they achieved in just five hours.

Our new shop is home to some gorgeous garments, including this stunning 1940s Vintage Style Tea Dress Sewing Pattern

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Check back next week as we review Episode Two!

Sewing Bee images: BBC/Love Productions/James Stack