The Sewing Bee started with 12.
Now...
THEY CLAP
..just three remain.
Somebody has to win.
And that person is...
I'm so excited.
I think I'll cry at the end.
I think over the last three days,
I've been just crying at
the telly for no reason.
Three garments
stand between the finalists
and the title of
Britain's best amateur sewer.
Oh, God.
Serena's proved
her technical expertise
with five pattern challenge wins.
But recently, her creativity has
grown, winning her back-to-back
transformation challenges and
her first ever garment of the week.
Serena is potentially the
most technically capable
seamstress we've
seen on Sewing Bee ever,
and now she is delivering
extraordinary pieces of clothing.
I'm not going to lie,
I feel slightly sick but...
oh, but kind of in a good way
and also just very excited.
Raph came into the competition with
the least sewing experience,
but that hasn't stopped him
winning four pattern challenges
and claiming garment of
the week three times.
It's Raph.
Raph has an absolute vision.
He's unique. He brings something
different, actually.
I thought I'd be happy
if I got to the final.
"I don't want to win this."
Now that I'm here,
I want to win this.
Rebecca has emerged as the dark
horse of the competition.
Second place, it's Rebecca.
Having come second to
Serena four times,
she finally won garment of the
week in the quarterfinal.
Oh. I got a first.
Rebecca has upped her game.
Her creativity has got
better and better.
She's a real talent.
This year's finalists are the
youngest finalists we've ever had.
We've got a new generation of sewers
coming through and I think all three
of them have an outstanding chance
of winning this year's Sewing Bee.
Oh, my gosh! It is so scary going
up against Raph and Serena.
I'm such an underdog,
but, you know, underdogs can
always turn it around at the end.
It's the final.
Come forward.
Welcome, finalists.
By the end of this week,
one of you will be crowned
Britain's best amateur sewer.
The theme this week is
"celebration",
so we'll be making garments fit
for weddings, birthdays and family
get-togethers to celebrate
uncle Tim getting out on parole.
To tell us about the pattern
challenge, it's only Esme.
Pass them round. Thank you.
Oh. What we've got is a bridesmaid's
dress for a little girl,
bound buttonhole, a gathered
skirt and a bagged out sash.
We want you to choose
a fabric that is
appropriate for a bridesmaid's
dress, but whatever you choose,
this being the final, we expect
an exceptional finish.
Like all little bridesmaid's
dresses, they're cute,
delicate and designed to condition
you to a lifetime
of subservience to the patriarchy.
Am I right, sisters?
Four and a half hours for this
final pattern challenge.
Your time starts now.
OK, let's go have a
look at what's going on.
So very excited.
If the finalists have any hope
of pulling off a bridesmaid's dress
in four and a half hours, choosing
the right fabric is essential.
I've chosen this duchess satin.
I've used it on this dress here.
It's quite thick.
And it's something that I'm
familiar sewing with,
so it's, you know, good that
I've used it before.
But finding something familiar
isn't for Raph and Serena.
It's silk, like yours.
Yeah, unusual expensive silk.
They couldn't resist a
high-end silk taffeta,
famed for its lustrous appearance, a
favourite for couture bridal gowns.
I've actually never worked
with proper silk before.
Oh, God. It's very flexible.
Made of delicate fine fibres,
it can fray and be tricky to sew.
Serena picked silk taffeta as well,
so if it's wrong choice of fabric,
we both did it, so, yeah,
we're in it together now.
Either they've got it right
or I've got it right.
So we'll soon find out.
This looks full-on. It's more
stressful than an actual wedding.
Is the bar open?
Why have you done this?
A bridesmaid's dress would need
to be finished to a very,
very high level.
And also, typically,
it'd be something made from
very beautiful-looking fabric,
and, you know, something like this
silk is very difficult to sew.
Because this is the final,
we have incorporated lots
of devilishly tricky details.
Yes, they've got to make a sash.
Also, it's got crin,
it's a nylon mesh.
Crin is short for crinoline.
It's used to create
shape in a garment.
Also we've asked for a
bound buttonhole.
It has two cloth flanges.
It's particularly difficult to do
it on something this small.
People don't use bound
buttonholes unless it's couture.
Well, this is so lovely, it's just
such a shame it's going to end up
covered in cake, tears and snot.
I have made bridesmaid's
dresses before.
My dad got married so
I made us red ones,
but this, it's going to be trickier.
A bound buttonhole,
not really done it before.
I don't really know what it is.
The bridesmaid's dress is
made from 17 pieces.
First the bodice and bodice lining
are assembled and joined together.
Next, the bound
buttonhole is formed,
the side seams are stitched up
and the sleeves put in place.
The skirt is then
gathered to the waist.
Crin is sewn into the hem for
volume and finally a button,
poppers and a two-metre sash
complete the bridesmaid's dress.
Good morning, Serena.
Morning. Morning.
Are you feeling competitive today?
I think everyone's secretly
competitive, aren't they?
No-one wants to admit it.
I'm competitive.
Well, Rebecca did admit it.
Oh, she did?
You did admit to being competitive.
Have you ever been lower than
second in a pattern challenge?
No. There's so much pressure
cos that's what you expect.
Serena's in the busy second
year of her medical degree.
Sewing is her escape from
the pressures of her studies.
To see Serena in the final
just means the world to us.
We are so proud of her.
She's been overwhelmed by the
comments from Esme and Patrick.
She said, "Oh, Esme said this," or
"Patrick said that."
And I think that just gives
her a little boost.
That makes her just feel, "Oh, well
I must be doing something right."
But I don't think she quite
realises how good she is.
If she was announced winner of the
Sewing Bee, I think she might faint.
Have you ever sewn with
this fabric before?
No.
Have you and Raph been,
um, conferring? Con... Yes.
We have the same silk,
but, you know,
I trust Raph and his fabric
choices. He knows.
Okey-doke. Right, well, good luck.
So, yeah. Thank you.
The first test for the finalists'
fabric choice is the bodice.
I'm really happy with my
fabric choice, actually.
Duchess satin is thick.
Hopefully, I'll be able to avoid
any kind of tucks or pulls.
Oh. Oh, my God.
This silk is shifty.
Unlike Rebecca's sturdy
duchess satin,
Serena and Raph's fine silk taffeta
is proving harder to control.
Serena, how are you? Not great.
It's hard to sew it...
Oh, God. ..in the right place.
Now, I'm attaching my lining.
Still the same fabric.
It should hide easily.
But the others are making
life harder yet again.
So I've picked this
different coloured lining.
Obviously, there's
a risk that it peeks over.
That would be bad.
Any mistakes with their contrast
lining would be on show.
It's really wobbly.
What is happening?
Why is it doing this?
Hopefully, it's OK.
Hey, Raph.
How do you feel about being
in the final, mate? That's insane.
You could win the Sewing Bee.
I... that's mad.
Have you made
anything like this before? Never
made anything like this before.
I've hardly made a dress
before coming on to this.
Textile artist Raph has
worked on major feature films
such as Jurassic World.
But when the pandemic
struck and work dried up,
he decided to fill his
time with sewing.
It's not been easy for
Raph, losing work,
so he focused on making masks
for his friends and family.
And out of that grew, uh,
a huge desire to push himself
and create more things.
Feels really exciting that
Raph's made the final.
He really will want to win.
His parents in France
are overjoyed about it.
And I'm incredibly proud
to see him do so well.
Do you like a wedding?
Yeah, I like a wedding.
Do you, like, get really dressed up
and sort of detract from the bride?
Actually, for our cousin's
wedding, that's what I wore.
Oh, look, I mean, come on, mate.
Wowee.
While Raph reminisces
about the past... Right.
..Rebecca's focused on the future.
I feel like the Sewing Bee
has helped me
imagine a career in sewing.
You know, I was...
obviously I trained as a teacher,
um, working at Morrisons.
But I think I might
explore my options.
But to be honest, I'm actually
really excited to go back to
Morrisons.
Rebecca's dreamed of a future in
fashion since she was a child,
when she joined the Iron Maidens
quilting club
with her nanna and mum.
We're really proud of Rebecca, yes.
Yeah. I don't think she ever thought
she would reach the final, though.
With her being a bit self-critical,
she just thinks she's the underdog.
She said, "The others
are always on the ball."
Yeah. "And I... and I occasionally
just miss," but that's Rebecca.
And one other thing, she's been
practising like mad for the final.
So I wouldn't underestimate her.
Do you like a wedding?
I've only ever been to one wedding.
You're so lucky.
Honestly. I don't like 'em.
My issue is that I'm not very
good at pacing the drinks. So do I.
If there's people going round with
glasses of fizz, I'm having all
of them and then I'm basically drunk
by about midday and then hungover...
For the rest of the day.
..in time for the speeches...
Yeah. ..which are all terrible.
Have I got something in
my eye or...? Hmm.
Sewers, you've had half your time.
Oh, my God.
Now I'm sewing my bound buttonhole.
I've not done a bound
buttonhole before.
So tell me about these
bound buttonholes.
Well, it's a technique that
they're probably unfamiliar with.
What we've asked them to do is take
an interfaced piece of the same
fabric, right sides together, sew a
perfect rectangle and cut that hole.
We're going to post
to the other side.
Oh, wow.
So, now we are on the back.
What we need to do next
is fold these edges
and sew all of that in place.
Now if you look at this
from the front,
you will see our buttonhole.
I'm guessing their buttonholes
won't be as big as that.
No, they will be doing it that size.
So it's incredibly fiddly to achieve
two even flanges in the end.
If I'm going to have a flange,
I'd like it to be even. Yes.
There's nothing more satisfying
than a lovely even flange.
It's so tiny.
The finalists are working
on a miniature scale.
I'm being very cautious cutting
the inside of the fabric.
It's like two
millimetres from the edge.
Any slip-up with the scissors,
they'll have to start the
entire back panel again.
We're going to do it.
Wish me luck. God.
So pressure is on.
Right, so you're meant
to post through.
Oh, my God, this is so fiddly.
Serena and Raph, though, are
finding it even more tricky.
The silk is just kind of fraying.
Their fraying silk has
resulted in minuscule flanges.
This taffeta is fraying like crazy.
There's very,
very little to fold in.
Once bound down, they've been
left with messy buttonholes.
Mine has frayed away.
I hate this buttonhole.
Raph, tricky fabric, isn't it?
Yeah. Got a bit of a gap.
And I need to neaten
the edges somehow.
Same here. Just going to try
and make it as neat as I can.
Quite worried about the time.
Three, two, one.
You've got one hour
remaining, sewers.
Oh, God, have we?
I need to get this skirt
on to my bodice.
While Serena and Raph race to
pin their skirts in place...
Come on.
..Rebecca's is already attached.
It's actually starting to
look like a dress.
But that is the lining just there.
I'm doing it separately.
The judges have demanded that
the bodice lining is
sewn on separately
by stitching in the ditch.
That's the painstaking technique of
sewing on top of an existing seam.
The seam's that's already on
the front, you're basically
following the line.
Making sure you're neat as well
on the lining side.
It looks OK. The things like this
take time.
But Raph, though, doesn't
have time.
Esme, I've taken a massive
short cut.
I was meant to stitch in the ditch.
Let's have a look.
He's joined his lining, bodice
and skirt in one fell swoop,
leaving a bulky lining seam.
You could unpick it.
Hm, I think I'll leave it.
No, you shouldn't have told me.
Sorry. I just can't lie.
I mentioned it to Esme
and I should not have.
Maybe she'll be nice and not mention
it. Oh, God!
But Raph isn't the only finalist to
ditch stitching in the ditch.
Esme, I didn't read it properly.
I didn't stitch in the ditch. Oh.
I know.
I'm going to redo it now.
OK, I'll let you get on.
Unlike Raph, Serena has decided to
sew her lining again.
It doesn't unpick very well.
It frays quite a lot.
But I just want to get it redone.
Serena, nearly done?
No. I did a bit wrong, so I've
lost a bit of time.
What? Serena's done something wrong
in a pattern challenge?
Ooh!
I am stitching on my poppers.
So, I'm putting in crin. Makes it
very puffy. Come on.
Terrifying, but we're going to
redo the lining.
But just now I'm limited for time.
So, either way, you lose.
Sewers, you have 30
minutes remaining.
Crin in place.
Yeah, I feel happy.
My aim today is try and finish.
Right. Next, the crin.
I've never used it before.
I'm really panicking now.
Sash. This sewing machine
does not go fast enough!
15 minutes, sewers.
The crin, it's extremely stiff.
Don't have time right now to get
sad about things like this.
Oh!
Bagging out.
Just...go in!
Sewing my sash now.
But I don't think I have the time.
Come on, come out!
It's nearly there.
Getting there. I think I'm nearly at
the other end now.
One minute, sewers!
Mannequins dressed, please.
Drama.
Come on.
I hate this.
This is evil.
Needles up.
Oh, God.
That is your time.
Your final pattern challenge
is over.
It's time for the bit everyone
loves at weddings -
judging people's outfits.
Well, that was interesting.
I feel like I can just collapse.
# Love me or leave me
# Make your choice but believe me
# I love you.. #
Three bridesmaid's dresses
made in just four and a half hours.
Do you like what you see?
Please say I do.
Well, I do. Shall I have them at
my wedding?
Yes. Who are you marrying?
Boy George.
Boy George? Mm.
# Can't you feel it?
# Don't you too?
# I do, I do, I do, I do, I do... #
Raph, I think it looks terrific.
The kind of iridescence of the silk
is lovely.
Your sash, it's forming a nice bow.
But you didn't stitch in the ditch,
did you? No.
The lining seam, it's not very neat,
and your bound buttonhole really
should meet in the middle.
The taffeta started to fray a lot.
Wasn't much fabric to, like, fold it
in, you know?
Yeah. It was tricky, we know
that. Yeah.
# I want a wedding in a big church
# With bridesmaids and flower
girls... #
I really like this sky blue
with this grey sash.
Crin is neatly applied.
But your bound buttonhole...
Again, it's not very neat.
It's unfortunate the sash
looks a bit wobbly.
But, yeah, I think it looks
great, actually.
Any bridesmaid would love
to wear it.
# If it's not a big wedding I don't
want to get married at all! #
Serena, it looks great.
You stitched it in the ditch
because I saw you unpicking it.
Right, I'm going to look at
the buttonhole.
I mean, yours isn't meeting either.
Hm, the fabric just frayed.
But I like the floral inside.
It's just the kind of thing that
a little girl would love.
The neckline, we don't see any of
the lining.
It's incredibly neat.
We're looking at very fine
margins at this stage.
Yeah, definitely.
Patrick and Esme will now rank
the bridesmaid's dresses
from third to first place.
Third place is Raph.
You didn't attach the skirt
exactly how we'd asked.
So, that means that either Serena
wins her sixth pattern
challenge or Rebecca wins
her first one.
In second place is...
..Rebecca.
It was just the sash.
Yeah, that's fine.
Thank you.
Which means, for the sixth
time, Serena.
Exceptional.
APPLAUSE
Oh!
# Keep me in your heart... #
Well done. Well done.
I mean, I feel like we all
were like on par, basically.
It was such small margins that we
all pretty much came first,
to be honest.
Second to Serena again.
I'm really not going to complain.
Yeah, it puts me in a good
shot, really.
I feel very scared about the next
transformation and especially for
tomorrow. I'm such in a bad place to
win this whole thing now.
But, yeah.
I'll try and just go crazy.
# Where's your head at? #
The finalists must now let their
imaginations run riot.
Oh. Ooh! Oh, dear.
For celebration week, we're turning
up the party heat.
What is that?
Oh, I don't know, but it's sparkly
and I love it.
Welcome back, sewers.
It's time for your last-ever
transformation challenge.
After this, clothes can go back
to being clothes.
And you no longer have to look at
a cardigan and go,
"Ooh, that would make a good
Halloween costume for a dog."
Let's find out about this final
challenge from Patrick.
We're giving you a load of
household items.
Beaded curtains, cushion
covers, lampshades,
and from these we'd like you to
make a festival outfit.
Imagine you're off to
Glastonbury or Coachella,
and all you've got to use are
the things around your home.
Festival outfits are always fun,
fantastical and flamboyant.
So, we really want you to create
something amazing.
Patrick and Esme are going to leave
us now,
so they don't know whose is whose,
but also they're going body painting
in the naked tent.
Off you go.
90 minutes for this challenge.
Good luck. Time starts now.
MUSIC: Song 2
by Blur
That's the one I wanted.
Who would have love hearts in
their home?
I would like this.
We've got a crochet rainbow,
we've got a pillowcase.
It's a lot of crap to work with.
What do you want? Sausage sarnie?
Yeah, all right.
I think what's interesting about
the way people dress at festivals
now, they see it as a fantastic
opportunity to really,
really dress up in things they would
never normally wear
in everyday life. I certainly do
think of these at a festival.
Bright colours, sequins.
I love these.
There's lots and lots for them
to play with.
What I'm looking for is an outfit
that looks like the sort
of thing that somebody would wear,
having the best time of their life.
I've picked a silver curtain,
so that's going to be trousers
with bits
at the side that are quite loose,
and then I need to try and make
a top.
So, I'm thinking of using this
sequin cushion cover,
just getting something
creative done.
I have gone for a selection of
neutrally pastelly things.
I'm going to use this
tea towel here.
So, I'm going for a crop top
and then a skirt.
You've really gone low-key here,
haven't you? Yeah.
I've picked all the shiny stuff,
basically. I can see that you've
definitely done that. What is it?
What are you making?
Just an outfit for Pride
slash festival.
And you've done one of these before.
Here's your other Pride outfit.
And what is that outfit?
So, it's going to be a pair of
shorts out of this mermaid blanket.
And then I'll whizz up a top with
a fringe at the back.
That's amazing. What is that?
Is that meant to be like a net?
Is that a fly thing.
A fly net? Yeah.
If you were a g*y fly,
you'd go wild for that.
You'd be like, "Yeah!" "Hello!"
"Hello, I'm here."
"Ready to get on your food
and give you salmonella."
Festival outfits, they're always
kind of revealing.
And a bit random.
This is where love hearts come in
for the trousers.
You see all sorts at Pride.
Anything goes, honestly.
# Everybody's free to feel good... #
Oh. Sewers, you've had half
your time!
I always do this at festivals.
Saves on the queues.
I'd love to come first in
a transformation.
I'm going to do everything in my
power to make that happen.
I'm making this T-shirt out of two
pillowcases and two dinner mats.
Oh, my God, I've just sewn darts
on to a tea towel.
Want some yellow
in my cushion cover top.
I'm trying to be creative,
to be out there, to be colourful.
I've got a good start of a skirt,
with the pillow.
It's going to hang with a little bit
of flesh, hopefully, in the middle.
Joined together, using these
bits of string.
This is my top.
Ooh! You come up with something
to write.
Oh. And we can put it on there at
the end.
How's that? Little smiley face.
Does that read? Yeah, that's
a smiley face. It's quite sweet.
Yeah. I love it.
If I win, I know why.
Yeah, it's all me.
MUSIC: Rocks
by Primal Scream
Sewers, you've got half an hour
remaining!
Three, two, one...
PHONE RINGS
Hang on one second.
Hiya, mum. Yeah, yeah,
I'm just at the Sewing Bee.
I'm going to thread this pink string
through these loops.
I'm nearly there, I'm nearly there.
Keep going, Rebecca. Keep going.
So, I'm adding a fringe at the back.
All about fun, this one.
It's not as out there as Raph's.
He's gone very sparkly whereas
I've got delicate and detailed.
I love it, you know? Yeah? Do you
need a head to go on the mannequin?
I don't think they have heads.
Let me find one.
Hang on.
LAUGHTER
Great.
God, so he needs a neck. Yeah.
"Hello." "Hello."
"Would you like to marry me?"
"Hm, no."
"It's allowed now. It's legal."
"Yeah, not a reason."
I still need to tighten
the trousers.
Oh, maybe I could weave it
all together?
This is fun.
It's going to have a bit of a gap.
So, that's little viewing gallery?
Yeah.
I have got the sparkly lampshade.
I might sew some of them bits on.
Doing a headband.
Inspiration from Joe.
I feel like it needs tassels at
the bottom,
but I don't want to do too much.
I don't want to go, like,
too overboard on it.
Cool. Last five minutes, sewers!
Oh, God.
Wonder if I can make a little pouch
out of this, like a tote, almost.
Not sure if I hit the brief
for this. I had fun.
That's for sure.
You know what? I never imagined
myself making this outfit.
My family are probably going to
be horrified. Sorry, Granny.
One minute!
Finishing touches, please, sewers.
Oh, my days.
If you come round here... Yes.
..can you hold these? Hold that.
Swap places.
Yeah. Yes.
And hold that one, please. Yes.
So sorry to the poor cleaners.
It's going to be tight.
There, sparkly!
Hm!
Needles up. That is your time.
Your final transformation
is complete.
What have I done?
I've gone very muted. I feel
I should've gone a bit brighter.
Oh, my God. Imagine if we...
Cool, wow. Done.
..turned up to
a festival in all of them.
# Darling, hold my hand
# Oh, won't you hold my hand?
# Cos I don't want to walk on my
own... #
Once a jumble of old
household objects,
now festival-ready outfits
set to party.
I absolutely love these.
You've all smashed it.
I cannot wait to see what
the judges make of it.
Judges!
Ooh. Look at this.
Wow!
Oh, my God!
Yeah.
Patrick and Esme have no idea
whose is whose.
I feel like I've been
transported to Worthy Farm.
# Darling, hold my hand
# Yeah
# Oh, won't you hold my hand?
# Cos I don't want to
walk on my own any more
# Won't you understand?
# Cos I don't want to walk
alone... #
Oh, I say! Look at this. Get this.
Get them. These look like a curtain,
don't they? Well, yeah.
They've split the legs of
the trousers and then used
these love hearts. The tie ties up
the side of the top
and then holds the trousers
together, so it's actually
all one piece, really. Piece.
Sequins here. And a little smiley
face! Little smiley face!
We're going back to the late '80s.
Bit of acid house.
I could see this person surfing
across the crowd, couldn't you?
I could, yeah.
# I'm on fire... #
This one is a little more... Chic.
Chic. Exactly the word
I was going to use.
It's understated, but still
very impactful.
We've just got metallic fabric.
This is very short.
It is very short.
But, you know, if you're at
Coachella, you've got
a bikini on underneath anyway.
Works really well, I think.
Well, you can imagine disco
dancing in this.
They'd be all flying around.
You could definitely disco dance.
# Go west
# Life is peaceful there
# Go west
# In the open air
# Go west
# Where the skies are blue
# Go west
# This is what we're gonna do... #
This person's going to have
a hell of a lot of fun.
I think this person's had
a hell of a lot of fun.
I mean, it's definitely got
a load of impact.
I love that we've got a bag.
It all goes together with the...
Yeah. ..rainbows.
What we've got is a top, a pair of
cycling shorts, a crochet
bag for carrying all your festival
essentials in, and a headdress.
Come on. Would you like to see how
the head...? Put it on.
It's a bit small for you! Do you
like that?
Yeah! I do feel like I'm...
At a festival.
Yeah.
It's rather fetching.
# I feel so close to you right
now... #
The judges must now rank which
festival outfit surfs the crowd
and which gets stuck in the mud.
In third place is...
..the chic gold and silver.
Rebecca.
They've all been fantastic.
Yours was so chic.
Could maybe have made it a little
more fun.
Thank you. Second place...
# There's no stopping us right now
# I feel so close to you... #
..is the halter top with
the silver trousers.
Serena.
I could really see somebody at
a festival in it.
It's really fun. It fits great.
Well done.
Thank you. So, in first place is
our neckless man.
Raph.
APPLAUSE
It's fabulous.
I just think it's so fun.
Anybody going to a festival wearing
this is guaranteed to be
having a really good time. Yeah.
Yeah. Definitely.
Thank you.
I won the transformation!
First time ever.
Last time to win it.
It's so good.
They really liked the outfit.
So I'm really happy.
Do feel like everything's been
quite close today.
I still feel like it's anyone's
game tomorrow, definitely.
All of us just kind of want to
enjoy tomorrow.
Make the most of it while it's
still happening.
# True love must be
the greatest thing
# I know now why singers sing... #
There's one challenge left in this
year's Great British Sewing Bee.
After which this year's
champion will be crowned.
Chin-chin! Yay! Yay!
# Baby, oh, long,
long live love... #
I am so excited, I couldn't sleep
last night.
Sorry if I kicked one of you.
How are you feeling about it?
Well, I'm really excited, too.
It's so, so close.
Rebecca's transformation
was in third place,
but it's a fantastic piece of work.
All three of them nailed it.
Today's the day. They're all
starting pretty much
at the same level.
Raph has been the main one to
impress in made to measures.
He's won more garments of
the week, right?
Yes, but Serena and Rebecca have got
better and better at coming up
with something that has more of
a wow factor.
So, anything could happen.
Wow. The entire series rests on
this next challenge.
Yep.
# I wish you bluebirds in
the spring... #
For this last challenge,
the finalists have chosen their
friends to be their models.
They've all isolated for a week
to be Covid safe.
# I wish you love... #
It's the first time in months
the finalists have seen
anyone from the outside world.
Hello!
Don't cry.
Rebecca is sewing for Grace,
a friend she made
when they worked as waitresses
in their teens.
Are you nervous? Yeah.
Don't be nervous.
Raph is sewing for his colleague
Becca, a fellow textile artist.
How are you, Becca?
Your hair is amazing.
It's going to be the glammest
I've ever looked, I reckon.
So, yeah, it will be fun.
And Serena's sewing for her
brother's girlfriend Sarah,
who she met just six months ago
when they moved in together
for the first lockdown.
I don't know why I'm crying!
I'm sorry. I don't know why
I'm crying.
You OK? I'm fine!
Yeah, I'm just...
This is ridiculous.
No, it's not. I think it's a mix of
being exhausted and...
Nervous, excited. ..nervous.
And because no-one else
is allowed to come today.
Yeah, I know.
I'm good, we're good.
Is my make-up OK? Yeah, no,
you're actually fine.
Welcome back, sewers.
This is our final
day in the sewing room.
And we have with us
some brand-new models.
You've all been self-isolating
and are now part of our cohort,
so thank you and welcome.
For this final made-to-measure,
the judges would
like you to make an off-the-shoulder
evening gown
fit for a red carpet,
whether you're nominated
for an Oscar, a Bafta, an Emmy,
or in our case, a TV Choice award.
You have five and a half hours for
this final challenge.
And your time starts now.
Ta-da-da. Let's do it.
The finalists have been able to
practise and cut out their pieces
in advance. But five and a half
hours
to make a red carpet dress is
still a tall order.
I'm learning. I'll be on next year.
OK, if that's what you want
to think.
I think secretly everyone
is like, "I would love to win,
"please don't let him win."
During lockdown, we both saw
the final of the last series on TV,
and now... Yeah.
Here you are. It's cool.
I'm very proud of her.
I don't want to cry cos...
Don't cry. Um...
I've already cried, it's fine.
These garments are daring, dramatic,
difficult. Just like me.
What are the elements involved?
We've asked them to do
off-the-shoulder, so no straps.
If they've got a corset, it's got to
fit really, really well.
Yeah. Otherwise it'll fall down.
Red carpet is an opportunity for
designers to show absolutely
everything that they've got.
They use the most painstaking
techniques.
Everything is about creating
a moment of extraordinary
beauty on that catwalk.
I want something that knocks our
socks off, basically.
Hi, Rebecca, this is nice.
Isn't this nice?
Yeah, it's a lovely fabric. This...
Oh, it's got a bit of stretch in it.
Yeah it's scuba. It just stretches,
so it fits. Yeah.
Mine is quite a classic dress.
I want it to be slinky.
So, great for a red carpet or
exploring a coral reef.
Exactly.
Rebecca's making a red
carpet classic,
a fitted floor length gown,
featuring an off-the-shoulder band,
a cascading flounce and a supersized
godet panel train.
All made in a bold floral print
which model Grace helped choose.
Hi, Grace. Hello. You know each
other cos you worked together
in a restaurant? Yes. Yeah.
I'm still there.
Now here you are. About to model.
Can't wait.
I see a Vogue front cover.
Mm-hm. And you on a chaise longue.
Vogue Scunthorpe.
Yeah, that's it.
I don't think it'll be on a chaise
longue in Scunthorpe.
It'll be on a park bench somewhere
with graffiti on it.
Yeah.
While Rebecca hopes to be Vogue
ready with her classic gown,
Serena's opted for a design that's
more avant garde and contemporary.
I'm going modern and big.
I feel like again this is quite
a Villanelle style thing.
She's harnessed k*lling Eve's
Villanelle yet again to
self draft a modern red
carpet dress.
An invisible corset gives way to
a statement yellow ruffle
and a skirt made of tulle mesh.
Hundreds of gathers
and multiple layers create
a voluminous 3D effect.
Being wacky and out there
is new for me.
This is definitely something
that I would have never done
ten weeks ago, but being here
now, I'm doing it.
Serena might be out of her comfort
zone with her edgy design...
Good morning, Raph.
Morning, Raph. Good morning.
..but Raph has had a bold vision
from the outset,
and the judges are expecting nothing
less than a show-stopping finale.
I think of everybody here, you are
the one that has consistently
excelled in the made-to-measures.
Tell us what you plan to make today.
I'm basing the design on Kate Bush.
OK. And the song Wuthering Heights.
And she's wearing red to reference
the music video.
I want the dress to look very
unusual, like the way that
Kate Bush sings. OK.
# Heathcliff
# It's me, I'm Cathy... #
Raph's reimagining the iconic
Kate Bush video Wuthering Heights
with a corsetted Gothic gown.
The back features eyelets,
the front bows.
Decorative drapes made in a metallic
red lame contour the bust
and flare at the skirt. And they
have a special meaning.
The drapes represent curtains cos
Becca is the ghost of Catherine
and she's, yeah, reaching to
Heathcliff, trying to
go through the clouds.
Well... It's 3D. Yes.
Great imagination. Amazing.
I'm looking forward to seeing it.
Thank you.
You either love or hate it,
I would say.
And it's a bit like
Kate Bush music.
Love it or hate it, these strapless
gowns must stay up.
Yeah, it's looking really nice.
Maybe taking a bit of an
easy option.
Scuba stretches so it fits.
But there's nothing easy about
fitting Raph and Serena's.
Their corsets require extra support.
I'm adding boning in. I think
it's plastic.
Just to give a lot of structure.
I have not used boning before.
The amount of boning
they choose to use will have a huge
impact on the structure of
the dress.
I'm going to have eight strips.
I'm really hoping that that's
the right amount.
If it's the wrong amount or
if it's positioned incorrectly,
the entire garment is at risk
of collapse.
Cool, for now.
Although it might hold now,
they still have heavy 3D
structures to add.
Now, I'm attaching my ruffle.
That's the point of the dress.
Volume and drama.
It's very important, the boning,
keep it all supported.
You OK? No.
We pray that the bodice stays up.
I think it'll look really good.
Terrifying, but I think that's OK.
Hello. Hello. Hi, Sarah.
Nice to meet you.
Sarah is only 19.
She's my brother's girlfriend.
You've only known each other
for about six months, haven't you?
But you do get to know people when
you're trapped with them in
lockdown. Yes. Yeah, definitely.
Very well.
Have you ever done any catwalk?
I have not.
This is very out of my comfort zone.
I don't like to push myself
out there.
To model, you kind of go from
the hip. So, you sort of...
I have no idea. Walk from the hip
like that.
Is that right? I don't know.
I have no idea.
You'll be fine, it'll be amazing.
Right, a skirt.
WHISPERS: Raph, I think we've got
the edge.
I think you're good.
I saw the other design.
Sewers, you've got half your
time remaining.
I want this place spick and span
before we go.
The dress, it looks all very stiff
and like a big Christmas present
at the moment, which is not
the intention.
I'm going to move on to the drapes.
The success of Raph's Gothic
Wuthering Heights vision
rests on his drapes.
I'll rearrange these gathers,
so they fall nicely
around Becca's shape.
Now, Raph has the challenge of
creating an aesthetically
striking design whilst
simultaneously contouring
the pleats to fit Becca's bust
and waist.
It's so fiddly to get it
lining up correctly.
It's the first time I've ever done
anything like it, to be honest.
That's just Raph.
He always does do
complicated things.
It is nerve-racking being
up against Raph and Serena.
But it's not all about winning,
is it?
It's what you've learnt.
Grace, I'd love to win, actually.
But if Rebecca's to win, her classic
gown has its
own complexity to master.
Right. Train.
OK. This is a bit of a tricky
bit, actually.
Her skirt has a triangular cut-out
where she must insert her
godet train, and this means
precision sewing into a point.
There's no room for error
with this point,
cos otherwise you can
see the seam.
I don't want to get it bulky.
Hello. So, what was Serena like to
live with in lockdown?
I remember hearing her sewing
machine going off at like
the early hours of the morning.
She taught me all about plants.
I'm actually really excited to get
back to Edinburgh to see my plants.
It's almost like you've come from
the... Cats. ..1920s.
But there's nothing 1920s about
Serena's dress.
And if she's to pull off her
contemporary design,
over 16 metres of tulle must now be
transformed into a giant 3D skirt.
Gathering this one,
I feel a little bit sick,
because, if you don't do it well,
the thread, it'll just break.
16 metres of this stuff like
unravel, basically.
Raph. You OK?
Uh, not really.
The drape takes more time than
I thought it would.
I'm stressed about the time.
Terrifying. My hands are shaking.
Thank you so much for this award.
I just want to thank the two
inspirations of my life.
Patrick and Esme know who they are.
It's Eamonn Holmes and Alan Sugar.
Sewers, you have one hour remaining.
Oh, my God.
I'm attaching the skirt on to my
bodice, but I'm just worrying.
I don't trust my vision.
I'm just worried that when
it's on,
it's just not going to be...what
I want it to be.
Serena's doing modern dress.
Really hope it's red carpet.
Hm. I think she's pushed herself
into an uncomfortable position.
If she's going to be win, she has to
create a visual statement
and do something really, you know,
out of this world.
Prayer, please, Sarah.
Don't worry.
But Raph has worries of his own.
Oh, God, I'm scared.
Having draped on the mannequin,
the question now is
whether the gown fits Becca's shape.
It is harder than I thought
it would be to fit.
I think this needs to move
again. Ah!
Raph's.. he's got plenty of drama.
I think the overall design of it is
really interesting.
But he is struggling a bit.
I really hope he gets it done.
Come on. Wish I had more time.
Feels really nice.
Good, I'm glad.
I like Rebecca's godet.
She's getting on pretty well,
actually.
It looks terrific.
Yeah absolutely.
And it's very red carpet.
Rebecca's the dark horse here. Yeah.
The main thing that I've got left
to do is my flounce.
So, you're making kind of a spiral,
like when you get a potato
and you peel it.
I'm attaching the drapes.
I'm struggling with the machine.
What's annoying right now is
the boning is always in the way.
Last 30 minutes, sewers.
Ah!
Oh, my God.
My flounce, it's very, very long.
Zip. It's gonna be fun to sew
with all of this.
Eyelets. Come on.
I wish I had more time.
Oh, my God, there's so much fabric.
This is horrible.
Do you need any help?
You are not touching anything!
Bows.
How's it going? Um...
..I think, there's quite a few bits
I would love to do properly.
Got some raw edges...
Oh, have you? ..showing on the hem.
It will be a feature.
It's a feature. It was intentional.
We meant it all along.
Final push.
Three minutes, sewers. Let's get
them dressed!
Come on, come on.
If you keep that over your...over
your face.
Oh, my lord. Oh, my lord.
Come on. Tough times.
What is happening? Oh, my God.
You're too tall for this.
It does go on, I promise. It's just
the make-up.
SHE SIGHS
Annoyed. Defeated.
OK.
It's basically not done.
Very ashamed of myself.
The zip is stuck together.
Can you come and give me a hand?
If you hold the zip.
But it's too small.
Breathe in, breathe in, breathe in.
Done?
Thank you.
RAPH GROANS
Needles up!
That is your time.
You have finished your final
challenge.
It's so cool.
It's time to get ready for the paps.
And by paps, I mean Patrick and
Esme.
# She's a star
# She's a star
# Don't tell her to turn down
# Turn up the flame
# She's a star
# You got it, you got it
# She's a star. #
Well, Rebecca, I really think it has
enormous impact.
The big, bold floral print on this
beautiful kind of dark blue
really does feel like evening wear
to me.
All of the corners meet, so that's
incredibly well-sewn.
I think this band works really
nicely.
It doesn't quite match where the
band folds on the top
but you know what? You've thought
about how it's placed.
I think the overall shape of it
really feels red carpet to me,
so that, you've absolutely nailed.
Thank you.
I love your flounce. Thank you.
It's a bit Carmen Miranda, isn't it?
Yeah.
I really think it fits
and I like how it goes in under the
bottom.
That makes it more sexy and I love
your godet.
It can be tricky to sew in a godet.
I think it looks really glamorous.
Are you enjoying wearing it? Yeah,
I'm loving it.
THEY LAUGH
# Out on the wily, windy moors
# We'd roll and fall in green
# They told me I was going to lose
the fight
# Leave behind my wuthering,
wuthering, Wuthering Heights
# Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy
I've come home, I'm so cold
# Let me in your window
# Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy
I've come home
# I'm so cold
# Let me in your window. #
Raph, I think it's such a clever and
original design.
I applaud you for all the work that
has gone into...
..creating all of this shape.
I think the fabric works really
well.
Did you mean to hem the bottom?
Ideally, yes.
And, um... Yeah, ran out of time.
But I think all of this pleating is
so dramatic.
I love the bows. I mean, there are
so many beautiful details in it.
By putting corset ties in the back,
it was really easy to adjust the
fit,
which was quite smart of you,
actually.
And I just love, love, love where it
came from.
It's not just a dress. It has a
story... Yeah.
..which I think's brilliant.
Thank you.
Are you enjoying wearing it?
Yeah, I feel magical.
Yeah. Oh!
Where's your wand? I know.
# Yellow halo
# All your colours
# Yellow halo
# For a queen
# Yellow halo
# All your colours
# Yellow halo. #
Serena, I... I love it.
It looks simple but it isn't.
There's a lot going on underneath
there
to create this impression of this
sort of perfectly effortless
kind of gliding cloud of yellow.
I'm going to have to hoick this band
up,
so I can have a look underneath.
I think the bodice is incredibly
neatly constructed.
You've got boning all the way round.
I think the gathering on this skirt
is exceptional.
It's so even and you've got so many
layers in there.
And if I look at how neatly you've
got the gathers
around the top of this band here,
it's a very, very
professional-looking finish.
One thing, I wish...
..that you had put more fullness in
the skirt to echo the top.
I mean, you know, just being fussy
there.
I definitely could see it on the red
carpet.
Oh! Looks great. Thank you.
Well done.
While Serena, Rebecca and Raph await
the final decision,
I'm catching up with a few familiar
faces.
Hello!
ALL: Hello. Hey!
Hi, everyone.
So, normally you'd be with us,
but obviously, slightly different
this year,
so we've got you all on Zoom, which
is better than nothing, I suppose.
Are you all well?
ALL: Great, yeah. Fantastic.
I gather we've sent you the pictures
of what they've all done.
Do you have a favourite garment that
the finalists have made?
I thought that the red dress was
absolutely stunning.
It was very glamorous, very couture.
So that's Raph's. Yeah.
And then, Rebecca's...
I'm going to confess, it's my number
one vote, that one.
Oh, OK!
Serena's garment looks like it could
be on a catwalk.
Yeah. I just loved it. It was
stunning
and I think it would look good on so
many people.
Who do you think should win?
All three of them! Everyone.
Rebecca!
All of them. Go on, Serena.
Right, I'd better go cos the judges
are deliberating so...
..see you later, see you later!
Patrick and Esme now have a huge
decision to make.
Three very talented sewers,
we have here.
Yes, Rebecca has got better and
better and better
all through the weeks.
Yeah, she's got the most
progression.
Rebecca has delivered a red carpet
gown that had real presence.
I mean, it wasn't the most
complicated design...
..but what she did, she did with
extreme skill.
So Rebecca, done herself proud
there.
Yeah! Yeah, definitely.
Serena, I think in Week 1
showed us that she... Yeah.
..was an exceptional, quality sewer
but what has emerged is a confidence
to put garments out
that maybe she wouldn't wear
herself.
And again, I think she's delivered
a gown with real impact.
How about Raph?
Raph has consistently delivered
incredibly exciting,
visually arresting garments.
Mm. And again, he reached for that
this week.
Raph, I think, was the most
ambitious.
The overall design of Raph's
made to measure is so clever.
His vision is fantastic.
So, it sounds like everyone's...
..kind of still up there.
I have a feeling who I feel should
win.
Well, I'm not sure.
Well, it sounds like you've got a
lot of chatting to do.
They all sound like they're worthy
winners in different ways.
Oh, they are. Definitely.
CHEERING
Come forward, sewers.
Recognise anyone?
Oh, hey!
It's all the old g*ng.
ALL: Hello. Hey!
Well, we wanted them all here,
obviously,
but this is the next best thing.
We also, obviously, have your models
and a bunch of the Sewing Bee
production team,
who are all thrilled for you.
There's also, before we announce
the winner, a little surprise.
Patrick?
Ah! Yay!
Hello! Hi!
Don't get me started.
Oh, no! Cathy's going.
Cathy's going!
It's been a while since you've seen
her, I suppose, Cathy.
Yeah, quite a while, yeah.
You must be so proud.
Totally, yeah. It's fine, I've got
waterproof mascara on.
I don't!
Neither do I. I don't either.
They're all going!
Paul and Sue, how are you doing?
She's done so well!
Amazingly well. Oh, fantastic!
Yeah, we're so proud of her.
Oh, wow!
And hi, Keith, down at the bottom
there. Hello, Keith.
Are you feeling the tension?
I'm really nervous.
I've had to have a glass of wine.
OK, we've had an amazing ten weeks.
You've all done yourselves
incredibly proud.
Somebody has to win...
..and that person is...
..it's Serena!
CHEERING
THEY SQUEAL
Well done!
Amazing!
Oh!
I won.
Well done, Serena!
Oh, my God.
Yay!
RAPH: Well done! Thank you.
It's mental!
When they said my name, it was like,
"Is this real?"
And then, everyone started clapping,
and yeah...
It still feels like a dream
but I'm so proud of everything that
I've done.
I made things that I never, ever
thought I would be able to make.
And learned things about myself,
so the whole thing has just been
life-changing, basically.
It's just been amazing.
Oh, my God!
You're a wreck!
I feel absolutely over the moon
for Serena to actually win it.
I just feel like she's deserved it
so much.
She's just been unbeatable, to be
honest.
And you know, I'm quite happy to be
runner-up.
You know, I feel very, very lucky
that I've made it to this stage.
I never, ever thought I would.
Thank you.
I am so happy for Serena.
I remember thinking on Week 1,
after the first pattern challenge,
I was like,
"I think she's going to go all the
way
"and I wouldn't be surprised if she
wins."
No doubt, that's the best sewer in
this room for sure.
Cheers, cheers, cheers.
Well done. Yay, cheers.
Well done, everyone.
Whoa! Cheers. Cheers.
I mean, it's been so great.
It's been such a difficult time for
everybody and it's been so nice.
I personally have had the most fun
being here with you all,
with you all.
We've never seen any final at such a
standard.
It's been phenomenally good.
Serena, I have this thing about
really, really, really talented
sewers.
What I always say is they have fairy
dust
that they throw over the garment
and it doesn't even look like it's
been touched by a human hand.
And that's what your sewing's like.
Thank you!
Cathy's going.
Cathy's going!
She's gone.
I've become a lot more confident
in myself and my sewing
as the weeks have gone on.
I hope it inspires younger people
to try and get into sewing.
Literally, it's just a bit of string
and some fabric
but it makes me so happy.
I think this shows that sewing is
pretty incredible,
so I hope other people try it as
well.
It's so exciting!
I'm going to give myself a clap.
Where's my prosecco?
# I'll never fall in love again
# It's all over now
It takes a heart to know the end
# I tried to take the chance
# To feel the thrill of romance
and love
# Please help me understand
The way the angels planned
# Our love affair should end
# I'll never ever fall
I'll never fall in love again
# I'll pretend I never heard
A tender loving word from you
# You've found another love
And forgotten every joy we knew
# Please help me understand
The way the angels planned
# Our love affair should end
# I'll never ever fall
# I'll never fall in love again. #
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07x10 - Episode 10
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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.