There are nine sewers remaining,
and, if things weren't
competitive enough, it's
Sportswear Week.
For one week only, the sewing room
is our stadium
and this is our Olympics.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a
title fight to win.
Ah!
Welcome to The Great British
Sewing Bee.
Last time, it was Children's Week.
How cute.
Therese's fruity fancy dress was
pick of the bunch.
Genius.
But, despite Hazel's schoolgirl
error...
Put the astronaut on upside down.
Oh, no.
..it was Fiona...
You've not finished it.
..who became the third sewer to
leave.
No, no, no.
Now...
Oi-oi!
..it's sportswear...
That's a touchdown!
..with a trying Pattern...
It's like putting a puzzle together,
isn't it?
My rugby team will be going into
extra time.
..a wet and wild Transformation...
Oh!
..and a hard-hitting
Made-to-measure.
Do you play tennis?
No. Do you?
No.
Who's going for gold?
She did it!
Ooh!
And who'll be facing match point?
Don't panic, Mr Mainwaring!
It's hard. It's just really hard.
The skirt is an ace and the top is a
double fault, served underarm.
# Keep on running... #
It's Sports Week!
I'm channelling my inner Rocky.
Let's get it on.
I wear sportswear. I haven't
thought to make it.
I do feel like I've been given
a second chance,
so I'll be giving it my all.
It's not going to be leggings?
Sewing is my cardio.
It's a male mannequin, I'm noticing.
Yep.
Are you ready to sweat?
Come forwards, guys!
It's Sports Week, and, as you can
tell by just looking at me,
I love sports.
Football, hitting people, golf.
As ever, we start with the Pattern
Challenge,
and, to tell us more, judges!
Right.
Can you hand those out?
Ooh!
OK.
We'd like you to tackle a men's
rugby shirt.
So, this is a traditional-style
rugby shirt
with collar and cuffs
and a deceptively difficult to
construct placket.
You've got four different fabrics.
You've got cotton jersey for
the main body,
rib for the cuffs, woven cotton for
the collar.
And you've got herringbone tape for
the placket.
Don't let your shirt end up like a
rugby player's face -
roughly stitched together.
You have four and a half hours for
this challenge.
Good luck. Your time starts now.
Oh, likey, likey!
We had to have hockey shirts in this
colour at school.
The Pattern is for a traditional
cotton jersey rugby shirt.
A decent fabric for a rugby shirt
should be quite hefty.
I'm fairly confident handling this
fabric, actually.
It's more the combination of the
stretched fabrics
with the densely woven fabrics.
It's this mix of stretch and stiff
fabrics,
when sewn precisely, that enables
the shirt
to withstand extreme stresses.
The only thing I know about rugby is
that quite often
people get concussion.
And few know this garment better
than one former Scotland Under-19s
flanker -
our very own Patrick Grant!
COMMENTATOR: Grant will get there!
That is well worked.
Excellent work by the Scots.
This is the rugby shirt that I would
have worn in the 1970s and '80s.
It evolved over time,
but this is how it looked for most
of the 20th century.
It'll be an interesting way of
testing their ability
to handle fabrics with different
densities
and different stretches.
And what are the trickiest parts
of this garment?
Well, the trickiest part will be
doing the placket.
The placket is the construction
around the opening at the neck.
There's a lot of complicated
engineering inside here.
We've got multiple layers, with the
button hole, like that,
attached to a woven collar.
And the whole idea is that all of
this layers of engineering here
is all about giving it solidity and
strength.
So that is unbreakable.
Well, I met a rugby player once.
And I did score a conversion.
I don't make menswear in general.
I'm actually quite terrified about
this challenge.
I'm guessing you've never made a
rugby shirt before, then.
Never in my life.
Hey, this could be your new
favourite thing.
Could be. Probably won't be.
I'm going to try not to panic today,
but these are famous last words.
Don't panic, Mr Mainwaring!
Once the 11 pieces of fabric are
cut out,
the placket is created around the
neck opening.
Next, the front of the body is sewn
to the back
before the collar and sleeves
are attached.
Then the side seams are stitched up
and cuffs are inserted.
Finally, the body is hemmed, and
buttons and a button hole added.
Right, so, you throw it back to me.
Right. And then I run. Yes.
And then that.
I've got it! And now what do I do?
You've got to slide on your belly.
Then a big man's going to jump
on you.
I can't feel my palms now.
I'm making something that I remember
my dad wearing when I was a kid.
So maybe it'll bring me some luck,
hey?
180!
Well done.
Do you know much about rugby?
No, I know nothing about the game.
You run, don't you? You're a jogger?
I do run.
I've done a couple of marathons.
Have you?
I have.
How long did you do it in?
In the second time, four hours 30.
In the time it takes you to make a
rugby shirt,
you could run a marathon.
I could've run a marathon in
that time, yeah.
ESME: Morning, Mark.
Morning.
Morning. So you've gone black...
..black...
Navy.
..navy, navy, royal blue?
Yeah. Channelling my secondary
school.
Right. My school rugby shirt was
revolting.
Was it?
It was chocolate and magenta.
Ooh, lovely!
Yeah, you look like the
rugby-playing type.
Yeah, I was. I could see
you in a tight pair of shorts
and a rugby shirt.
The first thing to do is the tough
bit -
getting the placket right.
I've never made one before, so this
is going to be fun.
I've only ever done a button placket
on a little girl's blouse,
and it wasn't the same as this
at all.
Feeling like I could cry cos
it's so complicated.
It's really important I get this
placket right.
It's the bit that you see straight
away.
The placket is made from four
near-identical strips
of stiff herringbone tape...
I've got all my plackets here,
cos they look so similar.
..that must be neatly stitched
to the neck opening
using the smallest seam allowance on
The Sewing Bee yet.
It's, like, a three millimetre seam
allowance,
so there's not a lot of margin for
error.
It's just all about precision
sewing.
To make the placket, the first two
strips sandwich the raw edge
on one side to create a sturdy
button stand.
A third strip is sewn to the other
raw edge,
then folded inside.
On the final strip, a button hole is
added.
It's placed underneath before being
stitched down along one edge only
to leave the fly open.
Right placket, left placket.
So this one is the left placket.
I don't get it.
It's like putting a puzzle together,
isn't it?
Hm?
LIZ SIGHS
Am I getting in the right direction
with this?
Yeah, so pin it in place there...
Yeah.
..flip it and stitch it from there.
Then that's still open to do the
button hole.
Oh, of course!
I'm happy with the function of the
placket.
It's got all the layers. It's got
the hidden button hole.
But not everyone has a functioning
fly.
I top-stitched the whole lot
together,
and I shouldn't have done that.
D'uh!
It's a mistake Therese isn't alone
in making...
So, that's the button hole there.
Just two layers.
..but that Liz is yet to spot.
It's not the neatest, but I just
really hope
it's what I was supposed to do.
Underneath the placket,
to reinforce it,
you've got a square of stitching
with stitch lines across it.
Cos that's a high-stress part of
the garment.
Got to do this nice and neat,
because I've got a contrasting
stitch when I go over the red
stripes.
OK, not bad.
Done.
I think it just happens like magic.
You follow all the steps and then,
all of a sudden,
you have a placket.
So, you lead with the shoulder, push
with the knees.
Hang on one second.
Half your time, sewers!
Half your time left.
Just over two hours, and I've got to
do the collar.
As long as the collar doesn't give
me a nightmare,
I should be OK for time.
I'm just marking where the middle of
the collar is,
because, obviously, the jersey
stretches and the collar doesn't.
So I want to make sure that it's in
the correct place.
Misalign the collar by just a few
millimetres...
I'm just pinning it to death.
..and it won't line up with the
placket.
This is a little bit tricky,
cos what you're doing is fitting
a relatively straight line
on the bottom of the collar
into a circle with one fabric that
stretches and one that doesn't.
I'm just going a bit slowly so I can
make sure to keep it quite even.
Ta-da!
That'll go like that.
And it all lines up fairly well,
doesn't it?
What you don't want is to have a
step like that,
so I'm going to have to do that last
little bit again.
But Liz has a slightly bigger issue.
Oh, do you know what I've done?
I've sewn my collar on upside down.
I did wonder why my collar...
Like, it didn't seem deep enough.
It didn't seem deep enough.
It seemed really high.
And I was like, "That just doesn't
seem right."
I have to unpick it, and then I have
to flip it round
and attach it again.
I should have enough time to do it
if I'm quick.
GOT AN HOUR AND A HALF LEFT!
All right, that's it.
Collar is off.
Collar is off.
So, next, I'm going to put
my sleeves in.
It's important to match the correct
area of the sleeve
with the shoulder.
Otherwise the arm will be twisted
when it's worn.
And I've done it to the wrong side.
I'm just finding my notch.
There's one in the middle.
And this will help you line
everything up,
particularly useful on sleeves.
Cos you ease sleeves in.
OK.
I think I might have cut two sleeves
identical.
I've got two right hand sleeves.
OK! So, yeah.
Can you re-cut the shapes?
No, that was the last of that
material.
Damn.
So, my collar's on and now I just
need to turn it to the inside
and just top-stitch it down.
What the judges really want to see
is a neat, crisp edge.
But I just can't do that in time for
them, unfortunately.
I cut out two rights.
I know Patrick's a tailor and I
think they will spot it.
I'm going to put a bet on that they
don't clock it.
And if they do, then...
You can buy me a pint.
I'll buy you a pint.
30 minutes remaining, sewers!
This is the first cuff.
I've never done ribbed cuffs before.
We've got a slightly smaller cuff to
a slightly larger sleeve opening.
So you've got to give it a bit
of a tug.
I picked stripes for my cuffs.
Ooh!
I'm really trying to speed through
these bits.
If I hadn't have sewn that collar on
upside down,
I would be absolutely laughing now.
I'm currently cover-stitching the
hem,
which is a technique for finishing
stretch fabrics.
That looks pretty good.
And the stripe gods are looking
down on me. Look!
It's gone over the black.
Get in!
Five minutes, sewers! Get those
buttons on.
So, I'm actually using a pink
thread for the button.
It's just a stylistic thing.
Dammit. I think I broke the
button.
Take that one off, do it again.
I've got a button to sew on the
collar
and a button to sew on the placket.
I'll finish. It just won't be to the
standard that I'd hoped.
I just need to grab another button.
I'm actually finished,
but I wasn't happy with my stitching
on my placket.
So I'm just going over to try and
neaten it up.
All right, let's sew those
buttons on.
I must only have about two minutes
left.
My rugby team will be going into
extra time.
One minute! Get the rugby shirts on
the mannequins, please.
Just messed this up here.
Just caught the underside of the
placket.
Oh, my God.
I'm sewing on my button, bleeding,
and getting my cotton knotted up
all at the same time.
Just let me give the front a little
press.
That didn't break.
So that's good.
Oh, dear me. This button's just
a hairy mess.
Come on, old chap.
Just messed this corner bit up here.
I'd wear it.
Should I do a button up, just to
prove that it works?
Needles up! That's a touchdown.
As they don't say in rugby.
The collar is not good.
SHE SIGHS
I think I've sewn my placket in
the wrong place as well.
Bring them forward and create
a sort of scrum effect.
Come on, Peter.
Get that button done up.
MUSIC: BBC Grandstand Theme
by Keith Mansfield
Nine rugby shirts, made in just four
and a half hours.
But what will the judges think?
Matt, let's do it.
Well, I love your choice of fabrics.
I've got quite a few stripy tops
like this.
There's a little bit of untidiness
around the placket.
The ends of your collar do not quite
line up
with the edges of the placket.
But the colours are a really good
match,
so I think the overall look of it is
very strong.
Thank you.
I would say this is pretty neat.
You've top-stitched the placket
really well.
The fly looks very good.
All of your seams are really nicely
put together,
really nicely pressed out.
Overall, that looks bang on.
But what I like most of all is that
a woman from Yorkshire
has chosen the Lancashire colours
for her...
I never thought.
..rugby shirt.
I think it's lovely.
This top-stitching's very neat.
The end of the placket and the
collar match up very well.
But I'm not sure about this cuff.
Somehow, it doesn't tie in with the
rest.
First impressions - it looks great.
I really like the choice of colours.
Your cross-stitch and the rectangle
that are re-enforcing
look pretty robust.
Let's look at the collar.
Where this meets...
I had a couple of goes at that bit.
I can tell, because you've got a
little back-stitch here,
but this side's much better than
that side.
Pretty good.
Thank you.
Something has gone a little bit
awry with your placket.
You've stitched it quite a long
distance from the edge.
And I'd have liked this square and
cross to be a bit bigger.
But your collar is put on...
..very well.
Peter, come on.
Remember, we've got a bet on this.
OK, let's have a look at the collar.
So, it's just a little bit messy,
the stitching around the corner.
Although, it is pretty well lined
up with the edge of the placket.
Is this sleeve looking like it's
hanging the wrong way?
Let's have a look.
Yes!
SHE LAUGHS
It's two right sleeves.
Ah!
I owe you a pint.
Let's look at the placket.
This is very neat.
And the collar is very neatly sewn
on there.
I think it really sits nicely all
around the collar and placket.
The colour combinations are really
good, it looks robust,
and I love that you've given us a
little pink cross
on the centre of your button.
I think that's just a lovely
attention to detail.
It looks terrific.
I think it's nice you've done the
grey collar.
I think it works.
But you haven't quite lined it up at
this end.
And so, when you've got to that end,
your collar's a bit short.
Let's have a look at the way you've
constructed the placket.
Ah, now, this half should be
top-stitched down.
Oh, OK.
Also, you've caught it all on the
inside,
which has given us that quite deep
tuck on the outside.
Let's start with the collar,
which unfortunately you haven't done
terribly well.
I got it on upside down and I had to
unpick it...
OK.
..and re-sew it back on the right
way round.
Well, in that case, I'm amazed
you've got it finished.
You know, from here, it's a
completed rugby shirt.
But, getting in closely, we've got
raw edge on the inside
where the collar is attached.
And this side of the placket should
be a fly.
You shouldn't have sewn both layers
of the tape.
It's such a shame.
Thank you.
Patrick and Esme will now rank the
rugby shirts
from last to first.
In ninth place, and I don't think
you'll be very surprised,
it's Liz.
I think the placket and collar
construction
somewhat baffled you.
In eighth place...
..Peter.
In seventh place, it's Hazel.
Therese's sixth.
Ali's fifth.
Matt's fourth.
And third is Mark.
In second place is...
..Clare.
It's very nicely sewn, Clare.
And it all really went together
very nicely.
Which means, in first place,
it's Nicole.
Dab it out!
We loved it. Both of us.
Yes.
Fabulous choice of colour,
beautifully sewn
around the collar and placket.
Really fantastic.
Well done, all of you.
I now have a Christmas gift for my
dad for the next nine years.
So thanks for that.
Go and have a rest,
and we'll come back for the
Transformation challenge.
But well done.
Well done, Nicole.
Very good.
I can only sum up that experience
with a face.
All right, people.
Drinks on me!
Drinks are on me.
Not feeling great.
I've got the hat-trick of eighths
for the Pattern Challenge now.
I've never looked carefully at a
rugby shirt placket,
I have to admit.
It's not a nice feeling, obviously,
but I've got two chances
to redeem myself.
If I've ever looked carefully at a
rugby shirt,
it's been about the contents, not
the shirt.
Wicked.
It's true.
For the next challenge, the sewers
must tear up the rule book
and go freestyle.
It's now time for the
Sportswear Week
Transformation Challenge,
where I will transform into a
physically fit man.
No, of course not.
Patrick, tell us more.
This week, we are expecting you to
sew us up a storm...
..from these stylish cagoules.
We'd like a toddler's waterproof
onesie.
We'd like it to be comfortable, easy
to get in and out of,
stylish and safe.
So remove any drawcords.
In the haberdashery, we've got zips,
Velcro,
but the only fabrics you can use
are from the cagoule.
I'm going to send the judges away
now
so they don't know whose is whose.
And, also, they're going to go
shopping for water-skis.
Aren't you?
Yes. Did you not know?
I'm brilliant at water-skiing.
I'm sure you are.
Well, off you go.
Okey-cokey.
You have 90 minutes, and your time
starts now.
# There was a-splishin' and
a-splashin... #
Oh, my God.
Each sewer can only choose two
cagoules.
Oh, I'll have orange.
So getting the right combination is
vital.
I have picked a rainbow cagoule,
because...cheerful for children,
and a purplish one.
These go quite nicely.
The yellow picks up from the
lemons on the fruit.
I loved this,
and then wanted another pink
to go with it.
Plus, I like the bag, the netting -
I want to think of what to do
with that.
This one is also available.
Beautiful motion on the zip on this
one.
I've got this really loud
red leopard print
and then this sort of contrast
zebra.
I do hope I know what I'm doing.
We'll find out in 90 minutes.
Well, I think this is a great
challenge.
My mother's porch was full of old
dog walking jackets like these.
We've asked them to make a onesie
for a toddler.
I think it's important that these
onesies fit well.
Definitely don't want them to
be too tight,
because they have to wear something
underneath.
We don't want our toddlers tripping
up when they're helter-skeltering
around the park.
The thing about the Transformation
Challenge is,
they always surprise us.
They need to be fun.
Yeah, absolutely.
I'm looking forward to this.
It'll be my first ever foray
into rainwear.
Oh, gosh, the weather out there's
horrendous, Ali.
What're you going to make for the
toddlers out there
that have got nothing to wear?
I've got a really big piece of
fabric.
Is that one cagoule?!
Yeah.
Yeah, but then the other one's
tiny.
Hang on.
Wow.
That is...it's massive!
It is. It's huge.
I want to blow it up.
JOE BLOWS
Does that work?
No. No?
This cagoule's got these big
pockets on.
So that I'm going to keep as the
waist,
and then I'm going to have the whole
pocket as the leg.
I've got four arms here, as
you would expect
from two cagoules.
So that looks to me like two
legs and two arms.
But I need to make them smaller.
Hi, Liz. What are you doing?
Hi, Joe.
So, there's the little black
trousers.
It's got a little V, and that's
going to Velcro open.
It's going to have a little spotty
waistband.
Oh, look!
I think I'm going to make
an attached cape.
It's going to have a little hood.
A cape with a hood?
I think so.
I don't know what it's going to come
out like.
I'll just cut and see what there
is, really.
Start with the trousery bit and sort
of build it from there.
I'm kind of making, like, a princess
dress.
I kind of used my niece as
inspiration.
She is a glorified princess.
The first thing that occurred to me
was a onesie
that my kids used to have.
It'll have a sort of zip there going
diagonally across
and then down the leg. And that's
going to be the opening.
Yep. There we go.
Now I've just got to attach the
trouser part to that,
and then put some sleeves on it.
Sewers, you've had half your time!
How is this going to fit?
It's a onesie, so they need plenty
of crotch room.
It looks massive.
They need to be baggy and wide,
because they're going to be
going over its clothes.
The first sleeves wouldn't go over
the mannequin's arms.
So we'll have another go.
I'm now attaching the top to the
bottom, via the waistband.
It'll give it a bit more shape
rather than looking just like a
baggy mess.
I'm adding a reflective stripe now,
going from under the arm,
so your child is visible at all
times -
should you wish it to be.
I was thinking - I have some
Velcro
that I think I will attach to the
legs.
Have it so it's a panel like that.
Panel on the bum would be quite
useful.
I'm just doing a patch pocket.
It's got another pocket in its bum.
Well, it's an original one.
It could all fold in there.
It kind of works.
Cheeky bum?
Sewers, you have half an hour
remaining.
Jeez, I'm never going to get
this finished.
I've now got to set these
sleeves in.
This isn't about couture finishing,
is it?
Yay, a sleeve!
I'm putting some black fur trimming
around the wrist.
I mean, it's very Bette Lynch.
I'm attaching the skirt and
the hood together
to make kind of a cape.
I'm not going to get my cape on.
I think my quest for interesting
construction
didn't quite pay off.
Sewers, you have 15 minutes
remaining.
I'll get it finished. It just may
not have a hood.
I think it's a bit long in body,
but...
..they do look ridiculous when they
wear them in real life.
Mine's so bad.
I'm just going to try and attach
this little hood,
very, very quickly.
I added a bit of knitting
underneath.
If I'm going to do princess,
let's do it properly.
It looks very "Nicole" to me.
NICOLE LAUGHS
I can't wait to see it.
"And I can't wait to wear it."
I'm quite happy with that.
I just put the trim on that side.
Five minutes, sewers!
Let's do those finishing touches.
LIZ SIGHS
I don't even know how I'm going to
do this.
Oh! Fiddlesticks.
One minute, sewers! Get those
cagoules on those mannequins.
Do you need a hand with these arms?
Well, I'm just seeing if it
works...
Eh? Do you need a HAND with
these ARMS?
Boom. It's done.
It's for a child.
LIZ: Oh, this is not going to fit!
Oh, my poor little guy.
Needles up. That is your time.
Bring your toddlers on a gruelling
hike to the front of the room.
If they cry, like all good parents,
ignore them.
I love it!
We're going to have a jungle-off!
# We are young
# We run green
# Keep our teeth nice and clean... #
Adult cagoules turned into nine
waterproof toddler onesies
in just 90 minutes.
We now need to bring the judges
back for the judging
with a traditional sports call.
Oi-oi!
Ooh! Look at this!
The judges have no idea whose is
whose.
I think it looks great.
And it's a very nice combination.
I absolutely love this -
the central stripy section with
these lovely contrasting sleeves,
hood and the pocket, which works.
A little Velcro pocket for keeping
his sweet money in.
I very much like the stripes and the
sleeves.
The whole combination of the colours
together, I think,
works really well.
I could really see a toddler
toddling in that.
I do like the combination a lot.
And I like the placement of the
colour.
But I just think it's not a great
fit.
Again, that's...
Look, it's got a bum bag!
It's got a zip at the back with a
pocket.
If I pull that down...
..that onesie is for a child...
..that's that tall.
I love the shape of this.
It feels slightly Star Warsy.
Yes, it does.
The sleeves, for me...
I mean, I know they're gathered up,
but that's too long.
I think the colours are really
great.
Let's look at the back.
Oh, look!
Well, if they're running around,
they'll need to vent
their perspiration.
Exactly.
The way that they very cleverly
inserted just a panel
of that camo into the front,
and then kind of repeated that idea
with a strip of the camo
down the side of the legs absolutely
talks to me.
They've made us a onesie
and then made us a netted, skirted
cape doodah,
which is not something you see
every day.
This is hidden underneath.
Then, wow! There we go!
Ta-da!
Well, I can see it meets with your
seal of approval.
Yeah. The bright pink and the red
look fabulous.
And...
Ooh!
That's so you can change the nappy.
So you can change the nappy!
It's great.
It's not normal.
I think a child playing in this
could very quickly trash it.
Don't you think?
Yes, it doesn't look like it's
really robustly put together.
I like the colour very much.
Yes.
But the fit isn't brilliant.
It's tight across the shoulders when
it's done up.
The fit of this is brilliant.
Yes.
And it's a fancier little toddler
than some of the others.
But I think it works pretty well.
I mean, I love a bit of leopard
skin,
but I just think it isn't quite
imaginative enough.
I really love this.
So do I.
I think this combination is really
brilliant.
We've got a long asymmetric zip,
so the whole thing
is easy to get on and off.
This person, I think, understands
how toddlers get in and out
of onesies.
It's great.
Yeah, it's fab. I mean, the fit is
really good.
Can we do a big one? And I'll wear
it next week.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah.
Patrick and Esme will now rank
the designs
from number nine to number onesie.
In ninth place is...
..the green and black.
Liz.
It didn't fit very well.
And it didn't actually work.
In eighth place it's...
..the orange and zig zag.
Ali.
Just something not quite right about
the proportion of it all.
Matt's seventh.
Peter's sixth.
Mark is fifth.
Hazel's fourth.
And Clare is third.
In second place...
..it's leopard and tiger.
Nicole.
Fantastic. Great use of the fabric,
the asymmetry -
it's really, really good.
Thank you.
There's only one left.
Therese.
You're getting very good at these
challenges, aren't you?
There are so many good things
about it.
I mean, it's the whole thing
combined just works.
Well done.
Thank you.
Yet again, totally amazed.
You sit there and you grade
yourself, and I thought,
"Hm, might get a fifth,
might get a sixth."
Well done, you, too.
Coming second in the Transformation
Challenge was a good feeling,
especially off the back of coming
first in the Pattern Challenge.
Yeah, it's been a great day.
I think I was that desperate to
make it different
that I overlooked, like, just basic
construction.
It would be a miracle if I don't go
home,
but we'll see.
It's the final challenge of
Sportswear Week,
the sewers' last chance to secure
their place
and avoid an early bath.
So, what have we learnt this week?
I've learnt what rugby is.
Not keen.
Fair enough.
Who is doing very well this week?
Well, Nicole is doing really well.
Yeah.
She came first in the
Pattern Challenge.
Her Transformation was also
fantastic.
Half zebra, half leopard.
Who's looking like they might get
relegated?
Sadly, Liz had a very poor day
yesterday.
Her rugby shirt just went badly
wrong.
She ended up making a big mistake,
putting the collar on upside down.
And also, on the placket, she sewed
the edge of the fly to the front.
Peter had a surprisingly bad day.
His rugby shirt wasn't very well
handled.
And the sleeve was hanging
backwards.
How's Hazel doing?
Well, there were three people that
weren't quite so good
in the Pattern Challenge, and Hazel
was one of those.
But I loved her Transformation.
I mean, I was less convinced, but I
was wrestled into submission
by WWF superstar Esme Young.
For the sportswear Made-to-measure,
the models are back.
Hey!
Nice to see you.
Hopefully I make you something that
fits!
I've got the sweatband on to give me
power.
Welcome back, sewers.
And hello again to our models.
It's now time for the
Made-to-measure Challenge.
And, this week, Patrick and Esme
would like you to make
a tennis outfit,
which I am thrilled with, because my
fashion icon is Judy Murray.
You have four and a half hours for
this challenge.
Good luck. Your time starts now.
Right... What do I do?
I don't know.
The sewers have all had a chance to
practise their tennis outfits
at home.
Let's go round the back.
Now they must carefully adjust their
pattern pieces,
aiming to ace it with a perfect fit.
So I might not even need to shorten
the top, then, actually.
Oh, look at that!
That is you.
Let's get stuck in.
I have to confess, I don't actually
know what you mean by
a tennis outfit.
What is interesting is that the
tennis court in recent years
has become something of a catwalk
and female tennis players have
become powerful fashion icons.
So, actually, tennis clothes take
on all sorts of forms
from complete all-in-one onesies
to more traditional pleated skirts,
skorts.
I mean, there's actually a huge
amount of scope here.
What sort of garment's going to
wow you today?
Well, for me, what I would really
like to see is
what I call a traditional tennis
dress -
cotton little pleated skirt, quite
short, with matching knickers.
So, using stretch fabric, presumably
that's easier to fit?
If it's too tight, it'll restrict
movement.
If it's too loose, it might actually
restrict movement.
It's just going to be like the three
bears' porridge -
it's got to be just right.
OK, so, I'm just going to start
cutting out the pieces now.
The brief of "tennis outfit" leaves
plenty of room
for interpretation...
I thought about it in terms of what
I would want to wear.
Sitting on the tennis court with gin
is more my style.
..and individuality in their
designs.
When I'm playing golf, if I wasn't
good at it,
I probably wouldn't feel brave
enough to wear bright colours.
But, cos I am, I can.
Many of today's tennis stars express
themselves
through their outfits.
But it wasn't always this way.
It took an umpire turned
revolutionary sportswear designer
to put personality at the heart
of the game.
Ted Tinling was a very flamboyant
character
who started designing debutante ball
gowns pre-World w*r II.
He then became really interested
in fashion and sport
from his years down on the French
Riviera.
Because he met Suzanne Lenglen, the
famous tennis player there,
he became her personal umpire.
And he really liked the way that she
dressed -
shorter skirts, looser blouses.
He then became a sportswear designer
in his own right.
He would watch players and design
dresses
that fitted their on-court
personalities.
Tinling's maverick approach wasn't
to everyone's tastes.
His 1949 outfit for Gertrude Moran,
also known as Gorgeous Gussie,
caused a stir amongst the tennis
establishment.
He had to create something that
would meet
the requirements at Wimbledon.
The length of dress meant that it
did need
a pair of knickers underneath,
and the knickers he trimmed with a
lace edge.
The Lawn Tennis Association were
concerned
he was bringing the game into
disrepute.
It really caused an outcry.
Despite this scandal, every female
champion at Wimbledon
wore his designs between 1952
and 1961.
But his most famous dress was worn
in the legendary
Battle Of The Sexes, when, in 1973,
Billie Jean King
took on Bobby Riggs to prove a woman
could beat a man
on the tennis court.
The dress itself was swathed
in secrecy.
Tinling actually sat up the whole of
the night before that match
sewing on matching rhinestones so
that the dress glittered
when Billie Jean King came on court.
Because he came from a fashion
design background,
he took that notion of designing
for personalities,
making somebody feel great, into
a sportswear context.
And I think that's what made him so
successful in what he did.
And it's the 1970s that have
inspired Mark's tennis outfit.
So, I'm making a tennis dress.
It's quite a simple design,
actually.
It's this pattern here. You've got
these lovely ladies.
And it's this one, here.
To give his dress a modern twist,
Mark's making it from sarees and
black Lycra,
adding in-seam pockets to his
authentic 1973 pattern.
So this might be the sort of thing
that Sue Barker would have worn?
Back in the day, yes.
Do you model everything on Sue
Barker?
I do.
She's my style icon.
For Hazel, it's not just her design
that's straight from the '70s.
This is a cotton poplin.
It was pretty much what was being
used.
Stretch fabrics weren't really a
thing in the '70s.
I wanted to kind of keep true to
what was around at the time.
Hazel self-drafted her fitted top
and plans to pleat
over two metres of her non-stretch
cotton,
gathered into an elastic waistband
to create her skirt.
A crisp finish is vital on this
skirt,
particularly because it's all white.
So you're going to have to iron it
once you've finished sewing?
Oh, definitely. Yeah.
Really, really well.
Whilst Hazel's keeping it
traditional,
Clare's fabric is a little more
experimental.
Good morning. Good morning.
Oh, look at this fabric!
Isn't it great?
The last time I played tennis was at
school,
and I didn't really enjoy it.
I would rather have been in the
library...
The chemistry lab!
..or the labs.
I looked for science nerd fabric on
the Internet
and this is what I came up with.
I really like it.
Clare's using her scientific Lycra
fabric as side panels
and plans to give her dress a sporty
racerback
using a process known as bagging
out.
You have to sew one shoulder
strap,
then sew the other shoulder...
..with this strap inside it...
..and then pull the whole thing out,
like an octopus tentacle, through.
And Clare's not the only
sewer attempting
this tricky technique.
The lady to my left is doing
the same pattern.
We've been having a discussion about
the straps,
because they are a bit fiddly.
Like delivering a baby octopus.
Oh, I've delivered a few babies, but
I've never delivered an octopus.
No.
Below her racerback, Ali's adding
a secret ball pocket,
and that's not the only hidden extra
she's lobbing in.
I'm hoping to have time to make some
shorts to match that go underneath.
So when they're leaping about
and they show anything,
it'll all match.
Great.
Yeah.
I look forward to seeing it.
But Ali's not alone in thinking an
extra garment
might give her an advantage.
I'm planning to do a sports bra in a
zebra print,
but I'm going to leave that until
last.
Just in case.
I've given myself a lot to do.
But I'm being strategic with the
bits that I'm making first.
The bra's almost like a nice-to-have
outfit finisher.
After her double fault yesterday,
Liz is hoping her drop sleeve
tank-top,
ra-ra skirt and zebra print bra
will see her smash her way to
safety.
Today's a clean slate and a new day.
My plan is have fun and just make
something that I'm proud of.
The inspiration behind my tennis
outfit
is a tennis player called Bethanie
Mattek-Sands.
And she tends to wear really punky
stuff.
And there's another sewer prepared
to flout the Wimbledon dress code.
Therese, I'm absolutely obsessed
with this fabric.
We should have made you a tracksuit
out of it, shouldn't we?
Yes, we missed a trick there.
We did.
I'd pull in that, Therese.
Oh, big time.
Therese's unconventional all-black
Lycra dress should fit snugly
over the bust, with textured
metallic side panels
flaring from the hips.
My inspiration is Serena Williams.
I'm making it for her.
With this dress, I'm not designing
for the Williams sisters.
I wanted it to have an element of,
you could walk off the court
and go into the bar and not feel
like you're wearing "sportswear".
Peter's multipurpose tennis dress
is packed full
of design features,
including two deep draped pockets,
a neon zip
and a stand-up collar with
drawcords.
It's certainly an interesting
design.
Do you play a lot of tennis, Peter?
I don't play a lot.
I mean, I was just wondering how
distracting it might be to have
a pair of bouncing draw cords.
It isn't something that a
professional
tennis player would want.
I'm going a bit more for someone who
wants to look tennis,
but just can't be bothered to
actually play it.
It might be one of those Marmitey
things,
but it's definitely bold.
So, who do you fancy for Wimbledon?
I fancy most of them, to be fair.
Hang on one second. Half your time,
sewers!
You've had half your time.
Most of my time today is going to be
spent on making these pleats.
It's about two and a half metres of
fabric that I'm pleating.
And I've done eight.
So I am quite pushed for time.
Some of the sewers are adding
pockets,
giving their player somewhere to put
their ba*ls.
I think you might be able to get a
couple in.
Get loads of golf ba*ls in.
But to make them practical...
I don't want bulging pockets.
I'm just concerned that bulges
a little bit.
..they need to be streamlined.
Both sides have quite a big, slouchy
pocket.
You really could fit a lot of tennis
ba*ls in those pockets.
So, I'm doing the pockets in this
kind of lighter fabric,
because if I do it in the towelling,
I think it's going to be too bulky.
And you don't really see the pockets
from the outside, anyway.
Or you shouldn't, anyway.
Nicole's also making a crewneck
cotton jersey T-shirt
to accompany her '80's-style
Terry towelling shorts.
Wow.
I love Terry towelling.
I think it's a very underrated
fabric. I know, right?
So, it's super-retro.
It's kind of tennis meets
roller disco.
OK. I loved a roller disco
in my day.
Coasters, toe-cross.
But she's not the only sewer
serving up
a slice of the '80s.
I'm doing a skirt and a top.
Kind of very bright, very
fluorescent, very loud.
You're not going to miss them on
court.
Matt's neon tennis two-piece has a
pleated skirt
and a top with raglan sleeves.
That's really cool, isn't it?
It's very '80s. Very '80s.
Do you play tennis? No.
Do you? No.
Right now I am attaching the front
piece to both the side pieces.
Those making dresses have to
navigate multiple panels...
That's the look that it'll have.
You're not going to get lost on the
tennis court.
..whilst the others have multiple
garments to construct.
So, I'm just going to attach my
ruffle to my skirt.
The pleats are good.
And while most of the bottom halves
are nearly finished...
Ruffly ruffle. Nice.
I like.
Oh, cute!
..Hazel's lagging behind.
I'm currently just stitching my
pleats in place.
The skirt is impossible,
you can't rush it.
Those with finished skirts
and shorts can begin
to fine-tune the fit.
I just wanted to check for the fit
in the hips.
Ace! That's so cool!
And for the dressmaker's, it's all
about the bust.
Perfect.
I think the fit's spot on.
Yes, I can take quite a bit off
the sides,
cos I've made it too big for you.
I don't want it loose.
Sewers, you have one hour remaining.
I win again.
It's all right. Once I iron it...
Oh, that looks great, Hazel.
Thank you.
I still haven't done the top,
though.
Hazel's still got quite a lot to do.
The fabric she's chosen requires
absolute kind of precision.
If she doesn't finish it well,
we will see every wrinkle and
crease.
I will call you when we have a top,
and then we can, you know...
So, I've just attached my neckband
to my tank-top.
Liz, she was saying she was going
to make the skirt and the top
and, if she had time, to make the
bra underneath.
I hope she gets the bra
underneath done.
Her outfit will have so much more
impact with it
than without it.
I absolutely agree.
But it is difficult to do all of
that in the time.
I think I should have left enough
time to get the bra done.
But I'm trying not to count any
chickens today.
30-love.
I mean, minutes. 30 minutes.
Pressed for time, definitely.
I might have taken just a little bit
too much time with the skirt.
The armband's holding the armholes
higher than I wanted them to.
So I'm just chopping the
armbands off.
I've sewn the front sleeves
on incorrectly,
so the back is a lot longer
than the front.
So I'm going to have to just cut
it to match the back.
So the sleeves are going to be a
little bit shorter
than what I'd want.
As Matt's raglan sleeves get
shorter...
Oh, it's going to look such a mess!
..Clare and Ali's racerbacks...
Oh, dear Lord.
..are about to take shape.
You're about to pull...
I'm about to pull the guts out of my
dress.
OK. OK?
She did it! Ooh!
Woohoo! Oh, God.
Does it just pull through, Clare?
Like magic? Yep.
Oh!
Has it worked for you as well?
Yeah! First time.
I think we need to do a high five.
Yes! That was very forceful.
That were very firm.
15 minutes to go, sewers!
15? You're kidding me.
I'm just cutting out the pieces
for my sports bra.
These are going to be the shorts to
go underneath.
So I'm just using the fabric
that I've got left
so one leg will be flowery
and one won't.
I'm just going to focus on finishing
the sweatshirt.
I've just got this neckline to do.
The way I've put the binding on,
I know that I'm not as precise
as Patrick
and Esme would probably want me
to be.
It's hard.
It's just really hard.
I'm just applying these lovely
eyelets.
This collar, I've no idea, when I
turn it round,
how it's going to look.
This collar's a bit confusing.
Because it's stretchy fabric, it has
to stretch onto the garment.
Oh, God.
Five minutes, sewers!
Ah! Oh, my hair's in the way.
It's just so stretchy.
Let's make the right length.
So, quite short, yeah? Yeah.
They look massive, actually.
We can soon take them in.
I'm just running some elastic
around
the neckline of the bra.
I'm hoping for a Rocky-style
comeback.
Come on, Rocky. We can do it.
Just attaching my zip.
You can do this, Hazel.
I have just finished sewing half
of my zip.
I am very happy with how neat
that is.
I might make Rosie a headband.
In pink.
We're going to shorten them to
there.
No! I'm not happy with the top
of the zip,
but I've moved it just a little bit
too low.
This is not the most elegant.
I'm sweating, here.
One minute, sewers! Finishing
touches!
I basically made this top in an
hour.
So it's not my neatest sewing.
I'm just going to sew these
side seams up on the bra.
Flowers on your right leg.
Just press it now.
There's nothing else I can do.
Let's get this on you.
There we go.
Ooh!
Oops!
It's not quite right, here.
It still sags slightly at the front
there.
But there's nothing I can do
about that.
Right, pop this bra on.
Needles up! That is your time.
Or should I say, "Game, set and
match!"
It looks even better than I thought
it was going to look.
I might cry, actually.
Cos I'm so happy.
Give me a hug!
Oh.
Nine tennis outfits made in just
four and a half hours.
Well, it looks super-sporty.
It helps that Steffi is called
Steffi.
That's a very tennis name.
It's skimming the body quite nicely.
I do really like the design of it.
I think it's cool, actually.
Just a little bit big.
Just over the chest, there.
I think it's a pretty good job.
Thank you.
I think we've got the spirit of
Rafa Nadal in this outfit.
The fit looks really pretty good,
actually.
It moves very well.
I don't like the pockets.
I think they're draping, and I think
they really spoil the shape.
Can you see?
But I love that you've made
a headband.
Out of the scraps.
Yeah, I think that's great.
# Anyone for tennis?
# Wouldn't that be nice? #
The fit's really good.
The fabric's sitting really nicely.
I really like the choice of the
super-nerdy science fabric.
I think the back is fitting very
nicely.
Just a couple of things.
I think it's a real shame that that
is pulling there,
so it isn't lying flat and that's
right at the front.
And I would have preferred if the
print had been here
and the plain at the side.
It makes you look slimmer.
Would you play tennis in it?
If I played tennis, I would play in
a dress like this.
# Hit me with your rhythm stick
# Hit me
# Hit me
# Je t'adore, ich liebe dich
# Hit me... #
I love this fabric.
And it fits her very nicely.
But I would have thought this sleeve
should have looked flatter,
less flappy here.
You've not managed that collar well
at all.
It's all gathered at the back.
The skirt is an ace and the top is a
double fault,
served underarm.
# Hit me slowly
# Hit me quick
# Hit me, hit me, hit me... #
I love this retro look.
I think it's great.
I love you've put the stripes here.
You've sewn these pockets really
neatly.
I think that rib collar needed to
finish further round the front.
If it was sitting neatly on the
neck,
I think it would look so much
better.
# Oh, baby, baby...
# Oh, baby, baby
# Hit me, baby, one more time! #
I love this fabric.
It's really lively.
I think the fit around the top is
absolutely phenomenal.
That action back is brilliant.
It's sitting perfectly between the
shoulder blades.
It's so neat and tight.
And you've done gym knickers in
about no minutes flat.
It's really good.
Thank you.
Oh.
What is this?
Ball pocket.
Fabulous.
I love these pleats,
but I don't like that they then get
gathered into the waistband.
We've got pleats open, pleats sewn,
and then gather
and then elastic. And it just looks
a little bit messy to me.
I think it's too tight on the hip.
It's causing this bunching, here.
Let's look at the top.
It looks like you've stretched
the binding.
You obviously put it on in a big,
big rush.
I know. I didn't put the binding on
properly.
I know.
No, you didn't, no.
The zip is very untidy at the top.
You've got a little tuck here.
I'm disappointed, because if you'd
nailed it, it would look great.
But it's just really untidy.
# Bounce
# Bounce... #
It looks like you've come home from
work,
you think, "Oh, I'll go for a game
of tennis."
You put your tennis outfit on and
off you go.
There's slightly subversive, punky
hints,
like everything that you sew for us.
And there's a lot of complicated
sewing in here.
You know, it's sitting really nicely
around the front.
And then you've got these layers
of ruffle on it,
which I think have been really
nicely handled.
Let me untie you, then.
Right. The fit on this bra is
superb.
You know, it's absolutely hugging.
It looks fab.
Thank you.
Well done.
On the whole, I think the fit is
pretty good, actually.
I think the colours are great.
I like this neon green with the
grey,
and I think it's an interesting cut
of dress.
But, for me, it isn't a tennis
dress.
As great as it looks, I think these
pockets
are absolutely getting in the way of
swinging a tennis racket,
which is pretty fundamental to the
game.
Inserting a zip into a Lycra
fabric is really hard.
You have managed it pretty well,
but I don't think this big funnel
neck is really appropriate
for a tennis dress.
These ties, as you are running about
the court,
are going to be flicking in your
face.
I don't think it's a dress you could
play tennis in,
and that's what we've asked for.
If I went home today, I'd be
devastated.
I'd be gutted.
This is the most fun I've had.
It's one of the best things
I've ever done.
I'm absolutely over the moon.
I can't believe...
I can't believe the feedback that I
got.
I hope it's enough to save me,
I really do.
You just never know.
I don't think I did that well.
I think I could be going home
this week.
Yep.
It's the truth.
Well, Sportswear Week -
what a week!
It feels like people have been kind
of bouncing up and down,
wouldn't you say?
Well, it is Sports Week.
Well, that's true.
Who's in contention for Garment
Of The Week?
Ali. Ali.
When you saw this on Ali's model,
the fit of it
was absolutely perfection.
And Liz.
Oh, wow.
I just thought that was cool.
It's a bit punkier. It's a bit
different.
I think she saved herself with this.
I think this is a fantastic
piece of sewing.
No, I agree.
Wow. Let's talk about who's in
danger, then.
I think Hazel has really struggled.
The finishing is really bad,
I'm afraid.
The other thing - it was too tight
around the hips.
Peter's Made-to-measure was
certainly not enough
to lift him out of the dangerous
position he was in this morning.
It's just not really a tennis dress.
It looks more like a dress you'd
wear in the summer
to go to a bar.
So, is one of those looking more
likely to you?
Both of them have had moments where
they've been fractionally ahead.
And both of them have done things
that have been pretty poor.
Yes, it's really difficult to
decide, actually.
I think this judging decision may
need to go
to extra time.
So, we made it through
Sportswear Week!
Congratulations.
We have two things to do.
First up, we'll find out who has won
Garment Of The Week.
Patrick?
Our Garment Of The Week this week
is...
..Ali!
It fitted so perfectly.
It was so well sewn.
And you did a hell of a lot of
work there.
Sadly, somebody has to go home.
This was another tricky one for the
judges,
but the person leaving today is...
..Hazel.
Yeah.
No, it's fine.
I'm really proud of myself.
I've really enjoyed it and sort
of seen a different side
to my sewing.
Oh, group hug.
Thank you.
Sewing's just...
It's really cool.
It's really magical.
And I've loved every minute of it.
So well done. You've been absolutely
brilliant.
Well, it was a really hard decision
this week, but in the end, I think,
you know, Hazel's Made-to-measure
just really let her down.
There were so many elements that
weren't quite
up to her normal standards.
I don't want you to go, though.
I'm really going to miss Hazel.
She's one of the most down to Earth
people in our little group.
But I am relieved to be staying.
So, yeah, I'm feeling good that I'll
live to fight another day.
Next time...
Ooh!
..we get our knickers in a twist for
Lingerie and Sleepwear.
The nearest I've been to lingerie is
hanging my mother's bra
on the washing line.
A smalls Pattern...
Go in, you beast.
..causes big problems.
I can't do it.
There's dramas transforming
pyjamas...
Oh, my word. I look ridiculous!
..and a nightmare bedtime
Made-to-measure...
I snipped it.
..leaves one sewer...
I think this is the worst pair
of knickers ever made.
..flying by the seat of their pants.
In the history of Sewing Bee, it's
one of the biggest clangers.
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06x04 - Episode 4
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Amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain's best home sewer.
Amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain's best home sewer.