08x08 - Episode 8

[bunniefuu]

Welcome to The Great British
Sewing Bee, 1930s style.

Last time...

In we go.

..the sewers got intimate.

Yeah, that'll keep my boobs up.

Man Yee produced perfect PJs...

Man Yee?
Yes?

How did you make this happen?
Please tell the women of Britain.

..to win her first
Garment Of The Week.

I mean, genuinely knockout pyjamas.

While Cristian was too relaxed...

The sleeves...
They're slightly long, yes.

Slightly?!

Whew!

..it was night-night for Gill.

It's been life-changing for me,
so thank you.

Now it's the quarterfinal...

Flippin' heck.

..and we're heading
back to the '30s.

She looks good, doesn't she,
if she was around in the '30s?

The sewers face puzzling pockets...

It doesn't make any sense.

..transform shirts from shabby...

Not feeling it.

..to chic...

This is incredibly smart.

..and head to the movies
for the Made-To-Measure.

We want to be transported
to Hollywood.

Who'll steal the show?

You've absolutely nailed it.

And who'll end up
on the cutting room floor?

You're in the quarterfinals.
Don't want to put shoddy work in.

SHE GASPS

# You've got to give a little,
take a little

# And let your poor heart
break a little

# That's the story of,
that's the glory of love... #

I'm excited for 1930s Week.

I think immediately of Fred Astaire
and Ginger Rogers,

and all the amazing ballgowns,

so I'm hoping that
we have a bit of glamour.

Gosh, my seat's low.

Hi!

Hello back there!

The 1930s are when celebrity culture

started having an influence
on how people dressed,

so the home sewer had patterns
to look like the stars,

so I absolutely love it.

Winning Garment Of The Week
last week was a special achievement

for me, but 1930s,
I really don't know much about it,

so it is kind of nerve-racking.

I want to show them that I deserve
a place in the semifinal.

Hello, sewers,
or should I say quarterfinalists?

Come forward.

We're time-travelling this week
back to the 1930s.

We hope to inspire you about the
amazing fashions of the jazzy age,

rather than giving you all
a great depression.

Esme, tell them about
the Pattern Challenge.

Right. Here we are.

Ooh!

Deep breath.

What we've got is a pair of trousers
that were considered outrageous

for women to wear.
They're sailor's trousers.

They've got wide legs,
concealed pockets,

and a bib front fastening
with six buttons.

In the haberdashery,
you will find plenty of fabrics

suitable for creating the elegant
silhouette we want from these.

WHISPERS: Elegant silhouette.

You have four hours,
and your time starts now.

Oh, I quite like that.

Ooh!

To create these sailor's slacks,
the sewers need a fabric

that's firm enough
to give structure.

Are you going for the denim?
I think so, yeah,

cos you kind of want something
a little bit thick, don't you?

But too thick a fabric...

Ugh, I don't know.

..could make the trousers
look bulky.

I found in the end
something in between a heavy fabric

and a lightweight fabric.

I think it's like a linen cotton.

Let's hope that it's
the right choice.

I think there is a fine line between
it being thick enough and too thick.

But confidence is key,
so I'm making my denim trousers...

..and I'm feeling good about it.

I do like a pair
of wide-leg trousers.

I'm not sure about
the bib opening, though.

I don't want to spend all my time
undoing all the buttons.

Before zip flies were invented,

a button opening was the answer
to getting trousers on and off.

Sailors commonly wore these
bib-fronted openings

and in the 1930s, Coco Chanel
took them as her inspiration

for a flattering but daring design
for women.

They took the world by storm

and became a fashion staple
that endures today.

It's really exciting to do this.

I'm a massive fan of Chanel,

and I love this style of trousers.

They're nice and figure-hugging
on the hips,

but then they fall beautifully.

So this is a bib-front
fastening trouser.

Yes.
Why did you choose this challenge?

Well, this design was hugely popular

amongst women in the 1930s.

We want them to be precise.

The top of the waistband
needs to be really level.

Where do you think
they might trip up?

Well, the construction
is not straightforward.

Underneath the flap,
we have two overlapping pieces,

and we have pockets
inserted into those.

Now, they have to follow these
instructions incredibly carefully

because if they don't, this will
not go together properly at all.

Inserting the pockets -
that's really tricky.

You've got multiple pieces
coming together at this one point.

It could look an absolute mess.

This is the quarterfinal,
and because it's the quarterfinal,

I think we've set them the hardest
Pattern Challenge we've set so far.

Well, if they're trying
to impress you,

there's no time like the present.

Unless the pattern's from the 1930s,
which is in the past.

But they're doing it now,
so it IS the present.

Trousers usually are
quite complicated,

especially if they have a waistband.
And these not only have a waistband,

but they have a bib
with six buttons.

I think it's quite a lot of work.

There's going to be some techniques
that are unfamiliar to us.

I mean, we're in the quarterfinals.
This is not a tote bag,

however much I'd like it to be.

To construct the trousers,

the front legs are first joined
at the crotch.

Slits are cut on each side
to create the bib opening,

pocket bags are inserted,

the front leg pieces are then
joined to the back,

and the waistband is attached.

Buttons and buttonholes
are added and, finally,

hems are turned up to complete
the jaunty sailor look.

Morning, Annie.
Morning!

Have you made a pair
of sailor's trousers?

No. I know that
the bib is probably going to be

the hardest bit. I can't
picture the structure of it.

Right.
Well, do it step by step.

OK. Yes, Esme.

SHE GIGGLES

So I'm starting with
the front legs.

We need to do
the centre front seam.

OK, needles in.

With their front legs together...

OK.

..the construction of the bib
can begin.

I'm just marking out where to cut.

Have you cut your opening, Debra?

No, I'm about to do it now.
I'm scared.

Hello, Man Yee.
Hello, Sara.

Do you have any interest
in the '30s?

I don't really know too much
about the 1930s... Yeah,

me neither. ..but I did a bit of
Googling. And did you know

the Loch Ness Monster was first
sighted in the 1930s?

SARA GASPS

Oh, my God, that means the
Loch Ness Monster's in his 90s!

Mm. And that might be why we don't
see him as much any more.

Yeah.
That's such a good fact.

That's so much better
than the economic crash.

Right, so now I'm attaching the
centre front waistband to the bib.

Right. That's done.

This is the facing for the bib.

It is nice making a vintage pattern,
but there's lots of pieces.

Right. That's like that.

Have you ever worn
a pair of sailor's trousers?

I have, but always with a side zip,
so this is very new to me. Oh, OK.

Do you know what
it should look like?

Don't they look like
when they didn't have fly zips?

So those trousers that would
close.

Well, yeah, Regency men's trousers
all had that front. Yes. Yeah.

Yeah. I've obvious obviously watched
too much Bridgerton here,

haven't I? They're taking their
trousers off. Yes!

So I've sewn from here, all the
way here. Yeah.

All the way here,
and then now I think I turn it.

You turn it through.

Right, that's looking good.

The sewers may be happy
with a bib opening...

That's done.

..but now they must tackle
the complex pockets.

The instructions are quite meaty.

SHE SIGHS
Hoping I can work it out.

I just need to work out
what I'm doing first.

I've definitely not made pockets
like this before.

The pocket pieces are cut with the
right side of the fabric facing up.

Facing is attached to the
top pockets to enclose the edge.

The top and under pocket pieces
are stitched together.

They are then folded over and
overlocked to form the pocket bags,

then attached to the front
of the trousers.

Finally, they are folded inwards
to sit neatly behind the bib.

So, right now, we are attaching
the facing on the pocket.

So it's nicely finished
on the side.

OK, it's going to look like that.
I hope I'm doing it right.

"Place your two pocket bags
together,

"right side up of the top pocket to
the wrong side of the under pocket."

Huh?

What on Earth?

It doesn't make any sense.

It says you want to put
the right side

and the wrong side touching
each other.

So have I got the wrong one here?

I don't know.

Right, it must be that.

Maybe pockets were extra-confusing
in the 1930s.

There seems to be a lot of confusion
out there about pockets.

Well, normally with a pocket,
you cut a pair,

and it's attached to
the wrong side together.

But with this, we've asked them
to lay them on the fabric

and cut them like that.

Because when you open the bib,
you want to see the right side

of the fabric, and that's why it's
cut like that.

But if you're used to doing pairs,
this will be really confusing. Yeah.

It seems like something's
back to front. Yeah.

Oh, my God, I'm so confused.

This isn't right.

Do you know what?
I think I know what I've done.

I've not cut the right pieces.

I think I've cut them
so they're opposite,

so they were never going to be right
like this.

And Debra isn't the only one.

I feel like I've done
something wrong.

Usually the top part of the pocket
is cut the other way around,

so I need to recut.

So I've got to recut
with the fabric facing up.

It's when the flap comes down,

you've got to be able to see
a nice thing, isn't it?

But while Cristian, Debra
and Man Yee go back to square one...

So I should cut the...

So it's like this.

..Annie is sailing on.

It's not making sense, but I'm just
going to sew what I've made up

in my head.

So you feel like you're doing
some of this by guessing?

I've just done
what I think makes sense.

I thought I would enjoy today,
but now I'm, like, mildly panicking.

I think the pocket is
kind of now making sense.

I want to spend the time
to get this right.

If I don't get this right,
the judges will question,

what was I doing?

By 1935, people were
halfway through the 1930s,

and you are halfway through
this challenge.

I'm hoping this will work now,
but I've got to sew like the wind.

Hey, Cristian, how's it going?

So and so.

I'm glad I managed to figure out
the pockets.

Is this a sparesy?

I'm not sure if it's going to go
with your silky dress, but...

It doesn't need to go,
but it's so practical.

Then I can put my scissors in there,
got my pizza cutter.

HE LAUGHS

OK. That looks right there.

With pockets constructed...

There we go.

..they must now move on to the
trickiest and most visible part

of the garment...

"Place the under pockets
right side to right side

"of the front leg pocket opening."

..inserting the pocket bags
into the trousers.

Just trying to work this out.

It makes more sense if you
put the left to the right, to me.

I hate the pockets!

I just need to concentrate here.

It's just really, really tricky
when there's lots of layers.

With five pieces
of fabric coming together...

I haven't actually sewn
anything like this before.

It's just very hard
to sew it very neat.

..any slip...

This is tres annoying.

..could result in a tuck
or a hole...

This bit isn't right,
and I don't know why.

..and ruin the most distinctive
feature of the garment.

Brogan, do you know your finishing
on the corner?

Does it look nice? Cos mine doesn't.

I've no idea. I'm just stitching
something and seeing what happens.

You're very close to my face
right now.

SHE LAUGHS

Oh, my God, look at this mess.
There's a hole.

The bottom just looks shocking.

But we're moving on, folks,
we're moving on.

So, right now, we're attaching
the back leg to the front leg.

There's a lot of trouser here.

As soon as the inside leg
seam is done,

that's when they start
looking like trousers.

One hour in the 1930s lasted
about three-and-a-half days,

but in modern times,
one hour is all you have left.

So I'm currently
putting together the waistband.

We need to press the bottom edge of
the waistband one centimetre in,

then we can start attaching it
at the edge of the pocket.

As one pocket is bigger
than the other,

the waistband is longer
on one side.

The longer side's going to have
to be on the same side

that's longest for the pocket,
isn't it? Yeah.

Any errors with
the pocket placement...

That looks like
the longest side on that side,

unless we've got the right
and the left mixed up.

..and the waistband won't line up.

Oh, man. I might have put
my pockets on the wrong side.

SHE SIGHS
I think I'm just going to have to

carry on and put that one
on that side.

I've done it wrong, but you've
just got to just get on with it.

I know they will look at
all the sewing on the waistband,

so I want to make sure
it's all neat,

but there's no time to take
a step back!

I'm definitely starting
to worry about time,

but I'm just going to have to keep
sewing and try and get to the end.

In the 1930s, there was a dance
called Get A Wriggle On.

And that's what you should
all be doing,

cos you've only got
half an hour left.

The waistband's on.
Let's get the buttonholes on.

Don't mean to worry you,

but you've got eight buttonholes,
eight buttons, and the hem.

Oh, my God, don't!

We can do it, Patrick!

I can't cope. Too many buttonholes.

METALLIC SQUINK

Ow!

This denim's a bit thick, isn't it?

I have done all my buttonholes,

but it's quite tricky
to line all this up.

Look at that. It's like the worst
buttonhole ever made, isn't it?

15 minutes left!

I really don't know if
I'm going to have enough time

to do all the buttons.

Are you putting your buttons on
by the machine?

I'm trying.
That saves time, doesn't it?

Worked for the first one.

First one? Come on, Cristian,
there's loads of buttons!

I'm going to hand-sew them,

because I don't really know
how to do them on the machine.

The machine is the quickest way,
if you can do it.

How many buttons have you done?
Two.

Two. But I guess they don't
need to be on too tightly?

No, I'm just trying to get them done
as best as I can. Yeah.

Hopefully this is my last button.

Have you done the inside one?

What inside one?

Well, it says eight.

Yeah, there's two on the inside.

Course there is. Flippin' heck.

Five minutes left, everybody.

Oh, my God. More buttons!

So I've ditched the hand stitching,

so we just need
the buttons on now.

I just need to do a hem now.

One minute, everybody.

I'm trying to hem...badly.

Badly hemming? Don't do that!
Well... Do it well!

These are the quickest hems
I've ever sewn in my entire life.

Oh, man!

Needles up, sewers. That is your
time. Bring your mannequins forward.

SHE GASPS

Oh, no!

I have never done anything
so complicated before.

# A sailboat in the moonlight
and you

# Wouldn't that be heaven? #

Five pairs of sailor trousers
made in just four hours,

but will they float
the judges' boat?

Debra.

From afar,
I think they look pretty good.

The waistband's nicely attached,

but I think this fabric
is a little heavy.

It's just making
your corners bulky.

And where you've attached the
pocket, we've got a little hole.

You've got all six of
the outer buttons well anchored,

but this buttonhole is a bit wonky.

Yes.
And that's being kind.

The pocket bag construction
looks right, but your overlap -

you should have the buttons
on the right-hand side,

and that should be
sitting underneath.

I think this fabric isn't bad.

It's a little bit stiff,
but it's a nice colour.

Unfortunately, the top of your bib
is quite badly misaligned

with the top of the waistband.

Let's look inside.

Oh!

I knew that was going to happen!

Oh, no! Esme!

Look! We've got one thread.

The bottom of the pocket
doesn't look too bad.

Ah. It's worse on this side.

You've also got these two halves
on the wrong side.

The longer side should've been
that side, not that side.

And you've sewn this button
all the way through the pocket.

I know! Yeah.

We won't be able
to get our hands in!

So, in a way,
these falling off works better.

Was a good thing!
It was a good thing.

I like the fabric. Does hang well.

And the waistband is sitting
nice and flat.

Were you asked to do
the buttonholes going vertical,

rather than horizontal?

I mean...
You don't know, do you?

Well, you were asked to do them
horizontally. Horizontal.

Right. That side's not too bad
where the bib is joined,

but this side, we've got a hole.

But they do look good.
And the pockets look constructed

how we asked them to be done.

First impressions,
these look pretty good.

I think the fabric works
quite nicely.

It's a little lighter
than some of the other denims.

And I think, so far,

the bottom of your pockets
are the neatest.

And the construction of the front
looks nice and neat.

Everything's in the right place.

You've got both of your buttons
on the correct side,

but you've got a bit of a step
where the waistband joins.

But I would say, overall,
I think you've done a good job.

Thank you.

I think the fabric's a good choice.

I like your choice of buttons.

I'm going to undo them.

Right. Ah.

We've got one button
that's been sewn to the underneath,

and then we've got a buttonhole
and a button here.

Also, where the corners are,
we've got a hole.

Mm. And this is the wrong side
of the fabric.

You've got the facing
on the outside of the pocket,

not inside the pocket.

And you've got these
on the wrong side.

I think you've got very confused
with the construction of the inside

of the trouser and the pocket bag.
Mm.

Patrick and Esme will now rank
the trousers from last to first.

In fifth place is Annie.

You've got it all muddled up.

In fourth place, it's Brogan.

You managed to sew your buttons
right through your pockets.

I still can't believe I did that.

Debra's in third,
and Cristian's second.

So, in first place, it's Man Yee.

You did a really good job.

Thank you.

Honestly thought I wasn't
going to finish that.

I'm glad.
I'm happy to have come first,

but I am never going to attempt
those trousers again.

I had in my mind that
I was going to come last,

so I'm actually over the moon.

Who sews pockets shut?!

Me, apparently.
SHE LAUGHS

The sailor outfit for children

and the sailor pants have been
my worst Pattern Challenges,

so I think I'm just staying clear
of anything to do with the sea.

It's time for the sewers
to jump ship

into the next challenge
of 1930s Week.

Welcome back, sewers.

Your next history lesson
will be the Transformation.

For this one, you can be inspired
by the 1931 film Frankenstein.

You'll take parts of various items
and sew them together

to make a beautiful monster.

I mean, design!

Patrick, tell us more.

We don't want anybody
getting shirty.

We're giving you a selection
of second-hand shirts.

We want you to take two shirts

and turn them into
a woman's 1930s blouse.

You can use whatever trim you want,

but you cannot use
any other fabric.

Now, Patrick and Esme won't be here
for this challenge.

They're going to bury a time capsule
about how much they enjoyed the

1930s today. It's going to be very
confusing for whoever digs it up.

On you go, guys.

You have 90 minutes for this
challenge, and your time starts now.

MUSIC: Sing, Sing, Sing
by Benny Goodman

Oh, gosh!

Ooh!
Oh, I like that.

For this time-travelling
Transformation,

as well as an array
of men's shirts...

Right, two shirts.
That pink's quite nice. Yeah.

Are you dropping that? Yes.
I might take that.

..the haberdashery has been filled
with 1930s adverts

for women's blouses.

# Transformation,
doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo. #

I saw one of the pictures there.

I think they look very fine
and expensive.

When I think of a 1930s blouse,
I think of puff sleeves,

and I think prettiness, actually.

Feminine. Very feminine.

So we've asked them to transform
a selection of men's shirts

into something that's reminiscent of
a blouse from the 1930s.

It was defined waist,
it was statement sleeve,

there was a lot of geometry,

so I want to see some of those
details on their finished blouse.

Quite often, they had detail
round the neck, bows or ties,

so I hope they don't
leave the collar the same.

And what we want is a waist,
but, cos these are men's shirts,

they're absolutely straight... Yeah.
..so they need to change the shape.

They could put darts in,
they could have a drawstring,

or they could put shaped panels in.

So, in other words, we need them to
create a waist

out of what might have been waste.

I don't have a clue
what a 1930s blouse looked like,

so I had to go around and actually
look at all the pictures.

It seems to be kind of
short puff sleeves,

so I'm removing some room
on the side

to make it a bit more
of a feminine silhouette.

So I'm going to go with
the cream shirt, back to front.

I want to attach this black trim,

and then I need to attach a zip
as well.

I've gone for a leopard skin.

I'm going to construct
a basic blouse first,

then I'm going to
put a pleated front on it.

Debra.
Hi, Sara.

How are you feeling about
this Transformation?

I actually quite like this one.
Maybe my age is helping me out here,

cos all my geekiness for history
of fashion... Well, you're not 90,

so it doesn't help you out
that much. No, I know. I know.

People watching, going,
"She looks good, doesn't she,

"if she was around in the '30s?"

So I had a look at one of the photos
in the haberdashery,

and it did have a shirt
that had this panel situation,

which I kind of want to recreate.

I chose this peachy pink,

and then I've also got
this crazy printed one,

and I'm going to try
and combine them.

Annie has also decided
to make a panelled blouse.

I've picked yellow
and an olive-y colour.

So I'm just trying to
get the basic shape.

I heard there's a picture somewhere
of your design.

Do you want to give it a face?
Yeah, why not?

There you go.
Now it's a little character.

That's the side seams.

So I'm trying to incorporate
some trim.

I'm starting to put in the panels.

I've added in a broderie trim,

and then I've also got
a bit of purple bias binding

for a little pop of colour.

I've added a V-shape,
so I'm happy with that.

Not feeling it. Not feeling it.

I didn't like what I'd done
with the cream shirt,

so I decided to change.

I don't have a plan for the new one.

I'm literally just cutting

and trying to work out
what would be best.

Extra, extra! Sewers are halfway
through! Read all about it!

All right, let's sew this.

What are you making?

Well, I was trying
to make something

and it all went to ruin,
so I'm not impressed with myself.

Well, I think still you could give
that to someone for Christmas

if you weren't going to get them
a big present.

Have you got any, like, in-laws
or anyone?

While it's back to the beginning
for Cristian...

I don't feel this one.

HE EXHALES
I feel like...

Come on, Cristian, you can do this.

..the rest of the sewers...

OK. Two sleeves.

..are attempting 1930s puff sleeves.

I feel like the men's shirt sleeve
isn't dramatic enough,

so I'm adding additional panels

so that I can gather
and create this big shape.

I really don't think my puff
sleeve's going to be very puffy,

because the bit that I have to
put the sleeve into is so large.

I'm interfacing the top
of the sleeve

so that I can make it more puffy
at the top.

I'm going to make the sleeve band
with this brownish shirt.

I just need to remember
to not overcomplicate it.

I would wear a puff-sleeve blouse,
definitely.

Not on a night out. It'd be more
like a classy dinner or something.

We do have a puff sleeve, but I'm
just going to unpick this little bit

cos it looks really bad.

Read all about it!
15 minutes on the clock for sewers!

I've created a channel on the sleeve
so I can insert an elastic

for the puff sleeve look.

The sleeve stands up
how I wanted it to,

so I'm hoping I can have time

for a bow that will go around
the collar.

I've got this other fabric,
but it's very floaty,

so what I'm doing is giving it
a hell of a lot of interfacing,

cos I want to be able
to put pleats in it.

I've got this collar here, and I've
got this V-shape collar here

as well, so it kind of adds a little
bit more interesting dimension.

So we're trying to create
a round collar

from the bottom half of the sleeve.

I need elastic, I need elastic.

I'm going to put a channel in so
I can feed ribbon through the front.

Hello. I'm admiring your handiwork.
It's so lovely.

I don't know whether
it's too simple.

Well, it's simple,
but it's really nice,

and I think, in the '30s,
they were simple and sophisticated.

I've got trim and the waist tie,

so hopefully the judges can see
some 1930s elements.

I think it's getting there.
I've just added the collar.

How long do we have? You've got
five minutes left, everyone.

I need to add some elastic
to make it more blousy.

So I've put a pleated front on it.

That was the fashion of the time,
to have these elaborate neck bits.

We are going to have a bow
on the sleeve.

I'm trying to turn this
right side out,

and it's stuck. How long's left?
One minute, everyone.

Let's do this. Let's do this.

I'm putting gathers in the hem
as a little design detail.

Want to put this under the collar
to make a nice bow.

Let's feed you through.

I almost feel like
it should be a different colour.

Needles up, sewers.
That is your time.

Please bring your mannequins forward

and arrange them like a
historically accurate typing pool.

They're really '30s-looking, aren't
they? They are, yeah. They're great.

# Beautiful girl,
you're a lovely picture

# Beautiful girl,
you're a gorgeous mixture... #

Once-shabby shirts transformed
into glamorous 1930s blouses

in a mere 90 minutes...

Welcome back, judges.

First impressions?

I think they're
absolutely fantastic.

..and Esme and Patrick have no idea
whose is whose.

# What can I do but give my heart
to you, beautiful girl...? #

I think the combination
of fabrics work well.

The geometry of it feels '30s.

We've got this
beautiful pleated bib,

and then a gathered waistband
to create echoes of the bib.

I think everything about this
is really well considered.

This definitely
has a 1930s feel to it.

They've cut the shirt and made a V,

and interfaced the sleeve
to make it stand up.

But I wish this tie
was a little bigger.

I like the shape of it.
They've elasticated the waist,

and then used this ribbon
to create a bow.

I wish the lace had been contrast.

Yeah. And the collar looks
a little bit loose.

I like the combination of colours.

This insertion does have
a real '30s feel.

I'm not so keen on the frill,

and I am not sure about this collar
being very '30s.

They could've changed it.

It looks a bit like pyjamas.

I think this is incredibly smart.

This geometric collar
feels absolutely 1930s to me.

I love the ties on the end
of the sleeves. Yes.

I really like the simplicity of it.

I absolutely love this.

The judges must now rank the blouses
from worst to best.

In fifth place,
the peach and purple on the end.

That's Brogan.

We loved the combination of colours.
Just tough competition this week.

Thank you.

In fourth place is the green one.

That's Cristian.

I think it looks really '30s,
but it's tough.

Thank you.

In third place is
the gold and olive.

That's Annie.

Really beautiful combinations.
Very good indeed.

Thanks.

In second place, the leopard skin.

That's Debra.

Great combination.
I love the bib bit.

Thank you.

Which means, in first place,
Man Yee.

Oh, my God.
APPLAUSE

Well, somebody's got a double first.

It's simple, but impactful.

Thank you so much.

Agh!

I don't know how!
I don't know how.

Isn't that gorgeous?

I just can't wait to share
this happiness with my partner.

He is going to be absolutely
over the moon.

I'm glad it's over.
My brain went totally blank,

so I'm surprised I came fourth.

It definitely hasn't
been my week so far.

My strategy tomorrow
is to just not mess it up.

Just one garment
stands between the sewers

and a place in the semifinal.

Cheers, everyone.
ALL: Cheers.

Quarterfinalists.
ALL: Yay!

So how have you enjoyed
the fashion flashbacks?

I loved the Transformations.

Man Yee's particularly is so chic,

I think Man Yee's booked herself
a place in the semifinal.

The Pattern Challenge
was really difficult.

Annie was at the bottom.

She really clearly had got
very confused.

But Brogan also struggled.

And her Transformation,
it looks like pyjamas.

So Brogan, Annie are at the bottom,

but Cristian isn't
much ahead of them.

Well, let's find out if they've
learned from the yesteryear

of yesterday as we go into
the Made-To-Measure.

For this quarterfinal clincher...

Good luck, everyone.

..the models are back.

Hey, Kelsey.

Welcome back.

It's been a hard one this week.
Has it?

Yeah, so this dress needs to
be good. Yeah.

Welcome back, sewers,
and hello again to our models.

For your 1930s
Made-To-Measure Challenge,

you're going to be making
a bias cut gown inspired by

the Hollywood stars of the time.

Because this is Made-To-Measure,

your gown should fit your model as
perfectly as a record

slips into its sleeve.

You have five-and-a-half hours,
and your time starts now.

Let's go, let's get you measured.

As always, the sewers have had a
chance to practise their dresses...

So it's going to be here.

..but now they must
fit them perfectly...

So I'm going to add
three centimetres.

..to turn their models
into Hollywood sirens.

I'm very excited.

Getting the chance
to make something so glamorous,

it's definitely right up my street.

In the 1930s, dresses cut
on the bias were all the rage.

Before stretch fabrics existed,

this unique cutting technique
created garments that clung to

the natural curves of the body,

and was considered revolutionary
at the time.

So, cutting on the bias -
what does that mean?

Well, normally,
you cut a pattern parallel,

but with bias cut,
you cut it on 45 degrees.

You're turning a stable fabric
into something that is stretchy

by cutting it in that way.

So is this going to make it harder
for them to sew?

Definitely.
They have to be really careful.

Every seam needs to be
beautifully flat.

You don't want it to stretch out of
shape. And because many of them

will be choosing fabrics with
a high-lustre surface,

it will show every wrinkle and bump.

What we want to see are
beautiful, elegant gowns.

They should look like
they just skim the body.

We want to see the '30s.

We want to be transported
to Hollywood.

For a bias cut dress,

getting the cutting done right
is really important.

So I want to cut it at 45 degrees.

Let's do this. Let's do this!

This is a gown,
it's not just a dress,

so it takes time to position
on the fabric and then to cut.

Right, Brogan, tell us about
the '30s gown you're going to make.

So my inspiration's actually
a dress that Ginger Rogers wore

in the film Swing Time.

It had this big, very similar skirt,

and it had sort of a panel
of diamantes just under the bust.

Have you made anything
that's cut on the bias before?

I have made one dress.
And was that...good?

Er, wasn't my best.

Was it not?
But I have practised this dress.

Obviously, after yesterday,
I need to make it really good.

Hoping to waltz into the semifinal,

Brogan will use a pink satin
to form her geometric panelled gown.

As well as a full circle skirt,

an ostrich-feather brooch
will add a finishing touch

to her leading lady design.

Why Ginger Rogers? Well, I grew up
doing loads of dance

and musical theatre, and I just
think she was extremely glamorous,

and I loved all of the outfits
that she wore.

Although Ginger Rogers and '30s
stars popularised the bias cut gown,

they had a French fashion designer
to thank.

Designer Madeleine Vionnet was one
of Europe's greatest couturiers.

She really wanted her dresses
to fit to the body

of the wearer and move
with them as they moved.

In the 1920s,

she became famous for pioneering
the revolutionary bias cut.

The bias cut gowns of Vionnet
were a really decisive move

away from the corset,

so away from the heavily structured
garments of the past.

In the same period,
Hollywood had entered a golden age,

and its costume designers
had noticed Vionnet's bias cut.

Its draping and sheen gave a
striking visual

on black-and-white film.

Costume designers of the early '30s
needed to think about light

and texture.
You can't use colour to communicate,

so using this bias cut in satin
fabrics really gave this

high contrast that could add to
the dramatic effect.

And there was another reason
the bias cut appealed

to costume designers -
the introduction of the Hays Code.

The Hays Code was enforced from 1934

to regulate film content,

and it changed overnight
what was acceptable.

So, for example, a married couple
could not be shown sharing a bed.

Profanity was banned.

So it had a huge effect on all areas
of film-making in America.

The code included a ban on nudity

and costumes that revealed
too much flesh.

These bias cut gowns
really allowed designers

to sort of get around the Hays Code.

They could be quite risque,
but they're also not banned.

With more and more people
flocking to the movies,

it wasn't long before
home sewers of the '30s

wanted some of
that Hollywood glamour,

and bias cut fever took hold.

I think all of us today
are just excited

to make these dresses,
cos they're glamorous, aren't they?

They're gorgeous.

I did a bit of research into it, and
there's this film, Dinner At Eight.

It's got Jean Harlow in it,

and there's this lovely,
lovely bias cut gown.

It fits the body really nicely,

so when I saw this pattern,
there's a similarity.

So I thought,
"I'll go with this dress."

Man Yee is using ivory satin
for her Jean Harlow gown,

which features a cross-front bodice.

As well as an open back,
a scarf will fall from the shoulder.

But she's not the only one
remaking this Hollywood classic.

So me and Annie are making
the same pattern.

Oh, yeah? OK.

Is it a bit fraught
between the two of you

because you have the same dress?

Not at all! Not at all.

Are you sure? What about if I go
over there and she's giving it all?

Do you want to hear? Like, if she's
sort of, "Man Yee this

"and Man Yee that,"
should I come back and report back?

I'll be very, very surprised if she
says anything like that, though.

Well, it's the quarterfinals.
Anything can happen now.

This is when people turn.
Not us.

OK. I'll ask Annie.

Hey, Annie. I've come from Man Yee.

She was giving it all, like...
Was she?

She was like, "Why doesn't Annie
just go home?" Excuse me!

She's so nice to your face,
that's the thing.

You don't really know her, though.
No, I don't.

I'm so desperate for some drama.

Can't you be like
the Housewives of Cheshire?

Annie's hoping it's her gown
that will bring all the drama,

as HER Jean Harlow will be
reimagined in a vivid red satin,

with embellishments made
from diamante earrings.

I do really love red.
Yes.

It's definitely
an evening wear colour.

Like a red lip and dark hair,
I think...

Yeah, it's so bold and striking,
isn't it? Yeah, exactly.

So if I do it justice,
it should have some impact.

Whilst Annie's placing all her bets
on red, Debra is going for gold.

My fabric is gold crepe back satin.

It's a great colour. I like it
a lot. Yeah, it is, isn't it?

Is the dress on your doll
made from this fabric?

Yes, it is.

So it's a miniature toile, really.

It's a miniature toile
for Coco, yeah.

Debra's banking on her model looking
just as fabulous in HER golden gown,

which will feature
satin spaghetti straps,

a draped back,

and a diagonal seam
sweeping across the body.

I have got stabilising tape

to help me on that seam
going across,

cos that's the bit
I'm a bit nervous about.

You'll see everything on this
if it's not right,

so I am going to take my time.
It's not a rush sewing day.

Well, don't take too much time.

Yes!
That's right, no.

So I've started to put together

the panels for the front
of the dress.

I'm just taking it slow and making
sure that I'm not

stretching out the fabric.

You all right, Debra?

Bit nervous.
This fabric is so lovely,

I just want to do it justice.

Whilst most of the sewers are
pinning their hopes

on lustrous satin...

That colour red is stunning.
I love it.

..Cristian's choice is
decidedly different.

I'm using quite a stretchy velvet.

Oh, it's VERY stretchy.
Yeah.

I mean, does it have a bias?

It does have a bias, yeah. So...

So is it stretchier in one direction
than another?

Er...
HE EXHALES

Let's have a look.
So that's it on the straight.

And pull it this way as well.

It's... Oh, it's similar.

Yeah, it's very similar in
all directions, actually.

Cristian's stretch velvet will
create a floor-length gown

which will fasten with
an invisible zip.

To give it more of a '30s feel,

he's adapting the pattern
by lengthening the sleeves

and adding a feature bow.

I'm excited to do this dress,

just cos I think
it exudes elegance,

but I'm nervous cos I've made
a lot of changes to the pattern.

Let's just hope it works.

He just walked in, he walked in
here, he said to my face,

he said it to my face, he said,
"We're halfway through."

I said, "WE'RE through? YOU'RE
through. You're halfway through."

So I've got some of the front done,
but my darts need pressing.

It's steaming my glasses!

So I've got all my
centre panels sewn up.

Obviously, I want to make sure that
all of these points are matching.

It's got to be perfect.

I'm currently pressing
the seam open.

I want to make sure it's all neat.

Whilst Man Yee is relying on a good
press to keep her seams tidy...

OK, that'll do for now.

..Annie has opted for
a couture technique.

So I'm just French-seaming
the skirt seams.

I want it to be beautifully made.

Debra is also using this technique

of double-sewing each seam
to enclose the raw edges

on the inside of her dress.

A lot of special occasion dresses
are made this way,

and that's why they're so expensive,

because it's going to be made
with care.

I made my wedding dress based on
the '30s bias cut dress.

It was just gorgeous.

I've just noticed your necklace.

Golden... Zebra. ..Zebra?!

My husband calls me Zebra,

and he always says we're golden,
so, yeah.

Oh, that's lovely. Are you wearing
it for luck today? Yeah, for luck.

And the golden on the dress,
I thought... Of course.

And having the golden age of cinema.
Yeah. It all links.

It does. And I think we've got a
surprise zebra coming at the end.

So I've connected the front
of the skirt with the bodice,

and I think it's looking good.

This is the last French seam.

I enjoy French-seaming.

It's quite, like, therapeutic,
I'm not going to lie.

Annie may be feeling calm...

I'm going to try
and keep some good vibes going on.

..but Debra has noticed a problem
with one of her pattern pieces.

Having a bit of a nightmare.

I think I cut my front piece wrong.

It's backwards.

And the other side of this crepe
back satin is slightly darker.

You'd see it like that.

I'm going to remake that bit.

Will there be enough?

Oh, my God, it's just enough.

And while Debra recuts
her front panel...

Right, do you want to
try and put it on?

..the others are ready
to check the fit.

Can you just hold the front, like,
there and there? Thank you.

I might just take it in
ever so slightly there.

Cristian, however, is
completely rethinking his design.

I've decided I want to go with
an open back,

because it was very popular
in the 1930s,

but I'm just going to
have to invent something

to make sure that
that stays like that.

OK, cool.

Oh, are you all right?

Oh!

Electric static shock!

Of all the sewing rooms in all the
world, you had to walk into mine.

But my husband will be back
in an hour. So scram, you hear?

One hour. You have one hour left.

Oh, my God, we have an hour left.
All right, cool.

Everything all right?

I've had better days, Patrick.

Have you?
I cut the top wrong.

And I'd done perfect darts
and everything.

I hope I get some breaks now.

This is the bodice
that I'm working on at the moment.

The fabric's quite tricky
because it is quite slippery.

I'll go buy a lottery ticket

if I win another
Garment Of The Week, honestly.

Annie and Man Yee are both
making the same dress pattern. Yes.

I'm intrigued to see the battle of
the scarf dresses.

Man Yee's pretty safe, and she
always does lovely Made-To-Measures,

so hopefully we'll both have
finished, lovely dresses.

BROGAN: I'm just about to do my hem.

I'm going to use a rolled hem foot
to create a double turn, but you

really want to make sure you don't
stretch or distort it in any way.

Brogan needs to do well.

Yeah, she does.

I mean, there is a lot of hemming.

You have to be really careful
not to pull it.

So I'm just putting the front
and the back of the dress together.

Hopefully we'll be back on track,

but I do have some tricky items
still to do.

Debra managed to cut
one of her panels the wrong way,

and she'd sewn all the darts.
Oh, gosh.

She will have lost a lot of time.

I'm just cutting the facing
for the open back,

so this will give it the structure.

Cristian has completely changed
the design of the back of his gown.

It's quite a big change to make.

And he's using a stretch fabric.

He does like to go
a little bit rogue.

Yes, he does.

It's going to take me slightly
more time to do everything,

but I'm just hoping that
I'll finish.

You're lucky there, sweetheart.

I don't usually help anyone out
but me,

but you got 30 minutes left,
and then I'm out of here.

You got 30 minutes.

You can do this, come on.
HE SIGHS

So what I'm doing here is
the binding round this top bit.

This is important that I get this
right because it can stretch it.

I'm still trying to
sort out the back.

I'm adding elastic through some
channel, cos otherwise it will gape,

but it is an idea that I'm making
as I go along.

Right now,
I'm putting in an invisible zip.

I've interfaced the sides of the zip

to make sure that
it doesn't stretch.

Sometimes I love zips,

but if it doesn't go well,
then nuh-uh-uh-uh.

I am trying my best to replicate
what I've got in my head.

15 minutes, everybody.

SHE SIGHS

This is the straps.
There's still a fair bit to do.

I'm trying to attach the zip.

There's just a lot of steps left,
so I'm trying to hurry.

This is where the shoulder's
going to be,

so it kind of gathers it all into,
like, the shoulder bit here.

I'm actually a bit nervous
about this now.

I have made the straps extra long

so that I can adjust it properly
to Tina.

I'm putting the straps together,

but you can't see the fit till
you're more or less finished it.

Oh, God.
I need to move the zip higher.

I'm really quickly trying to just
hand-stitch my lining.

Breathe, Man Yee, breathe.

I'm reattaching the zip to my dress.
How long do we have left?

Five minutes left, everyone.

How should I do the hem?

I'm nervous about doing the hem.

You're in the quarterfinals. Don't
want to put shoddy work in, do you?

I'm just trying to
do the hem quick.

So it's not sort of measured?
No.

Is this quite wild,
what you're doing?

Yeah. But there's not enough time.

Flippin' heck.

The bling is finally being added.

Just finishing the hem.

I don't mind hand-sewing when
I've got plenty of time to do it.

One minute left, everybody.

Which isn't today.

It doesn't go faster!

I don't know if there's time
to finish.

Can I get you to try
and put this on?

Oh, my God.
I can't wait to have a G&T tonight.

I'm just tacking this down.

They're actually earrings.

Oh, my God,
the bodice looks too high up.

Oh, I'm gutted.
That's a little bit big.

SHE GROANS

Didn't finish the sleeve hem.

Needles up, sewers. That's a wrap.

Now it's time for the judges
to walk the red carpet

and critique your performances.

# If I had a talking picture of you

# I would run it every time
I felt blue... #

Five Hollywood gowns,
fit for the silver screen,

made in just five-and-a-half hours.

# .."I love you, love you,"

# On the screen the moment
you came in view

# We would talk the whole thing
over, we two... #

I love the colour of it.

I think the whole thing looks
really stunning.

This seam across the front
and across her bottom,

if those weren't right,
you'd see it,

because this will show
every single shadow.

You put tape in, didn't you?

Yes.
Yeah, it seems to have worked.

And you have French-seamed
throughout.

That is such a lot of work.

And this hem is absolute perfection.

It's lovely to see
that level of finish.

It's a little bit baggy.

Did you stretch it
when you put the binding on?

I think I must have.

But I love this drape at the back,
and that's very '30s.

# Everybody dance

# Why don't you try to
foxtrot your troubles away?

# Everybody dance... #

Brogan, I think this looks
incredibly chic.

All of those geometric panels
shout '30s to me.

You've got a lot of seams,

and you've handled those
really very well.

I love the diamante trim.

You did a rolled hem on the machine,

but I think it's just pulled
out of shape a little bit.

And I think the fit over the bust
isn't quite right.

The bust point needs to be lower.

Turn round.

You can see that this seam
of the strap should be here,

which would make the front lower.

And it's pulling a little bit
where the zip is.

But I do think it looks great.

I like your brooch
and your feathers.

# I've got you under my skin

# I've got you
deep in the heart of me... #

Annie, I think this is the very
epitome of 1930s Hollywood glamour.

You've absolutely nailed it.

All of your seaming
is incredibly neat,

and the fit is exceptional.

It's just skimming the body
in a very delicate way.

The colour is really impactful,

and these little diamante
look really pretty.

I'm just going to look at your
French seams.

They look good.

Overall, I think it is everything
I was hoping for

in a Hollywood 1930s-inspired gown.
It's fabulous.

Thanks so much.

# Don't forget dinner at eight

# Two gardenias at your plate... #

So, Man Yee, this is the same dress
that Annie made,

and I think, again,
it feels very glamorous,

it feels very much of the period.

All of the seams look
very neatly handled.

I do like your fabric.

The knot band is really well sewn.

And I love these brooches.
Mm-hm.

But we've got raw edges
on the side seams.

I think it needed to be
a little neater inside.

And your zip isn't sitting
in the centre at the back.

For me, it stood out a bit like
a sore thumb.

# Midnight with the stars and you

# Midnight and a rendezvous... #

Well, I think it looks
terribly glamorous,

and I think the fit looks terrific.
But, of course,

you've got the advantage
of a multi-way stretch fabric,

and of course, in the 1930s,
they didn't have Lycra.

I think if you'd done it
in not stretch,

it would look more 1930s.

I like that you've got an open back,

but did you need that piece?

I was afraid that it would gape.

It's gaping anyway, and it could've
been a feature. A feature.

And I've just seen you haven't
finished the sleeves. Yeah.

Yeah, didn't have time
to overlock it and do the hem.

OK. How did you do the hem?

On the floor in the last minute.

Right. It's shorter at the side
than at the front and back.

It is a real shame that you didn't
get all those final bits finished

and you had to rush that hem...
Yeah.

..because I think
if you'd got that right,

it would've really lifted it.

Well done, Cristian.
Thank you, Sara.

I have no idea if I've done enough
to make it to the semifinals.

It was a tough judging.

I would love to go through
to the semifinal,

but I knew that the fit on the top
wasn't right,

and I think you always
want to do well.

Sorry.

We've celebrated the past this week,

but will any of them
stand the test of time?

Annie's Made-To-Measure
was fabulous.

She sewed it really nicely.

It's definitely very Hollywood.
Yeah.

I think Debra's was more ambitious.
The drape at the back's really '30s.

But there were more errors in it.

So is it the person who's aimed high
and come a little short,

or the person who maybe played it
a little safer?

We had some surprising people
at the bottom.

Well, the most surprising, I think,

was that Brogan was sitting bottom
after the first two challenges.

Cristian was sitting
a little above Brogan,

and I think both of their dresses
had some issues.

If we start with Brogan's,
the style feels very 1930s...

Mm. ..but the fit over
the bust wasn't great.

Cristian changed his design
midstream.

He shouldn't have put
this other strap in.

And it doesn't have
that fine finish.

It did fit well,
but in a way, it would...

Yeah.
..cos it's stretch.

We asked for a bias cut dress,

and you can't make a bias cut dress

out of a multi-way stretch fabric.

So we have to decide
whether Brogan has done enough...

Yes.
..to take herself above Cristian.

You will all go down in history
as fantastic sewers.

We only have two events left
for the timeline.

First, Patrick, can you reveal who
has won Garment Of The Week?

Our Garment Of The Week
this week is...

..Annie.

APPLAUSE

Thank you.

It really is the very essence
of 1930s glamour.

Very Hollywood.

Oh, wow.

You've all worked so incredibly hard
and been so fantastic,

but only four of you can go through
to the semifinal.

Unfortunately, the person who is
leaving the sewing room is...

..Cristian.

Are you sure?
LAUGHTER

We'd love to keep you, but...
Yeah, we would love to keep you.

My time on the Sewing Bee
opened the road for sewing

for me again cos I kind of left it
on the back shelf for a while,

so it's absolutely
lit a fire in my belly.

Aww, Cristian!

Do you know, I'm absolutely gutted
that Cristian's going?

He's such a great gentleman.

I've learned a heck of a lot from
him. I'm going to miss him terribly.

I've made some friends for life,

and I wouldn't change anything
for the world.

Well done. Thank you so much.
Fantastic.

We lose a lot by losing Cristian.

His joy for clothes, his ambition.

But on the Made-To-Measure,

the quality of the finish
wasn't quite at semifinal level.

And well done, Annie.
I'm literally like, "Oh!"

I've got Garment Of The Week. Eee!

I'm just literally like...

This week has been very low
and very high.

Well, it's been difficult.

I 100% thought I was going.

I am a semifinalist.

How?!

Next time...

Wow.

..we're jetting to Japan
for the semifinal...

I think it looks really origami.

..as the sewers wrestle with
a sumo-sized Pattern Challenge...

I'm using the big table.

..take on distressed denim
in the Transformation...

This couldn't be more not my thing.

..and fold under pressure
in the Made-To-Measure.

If there had been a Teletubby
who was, like, a sexy lady...

Who will be speeding
like a b*llet train to the final?

I can do this!

And who will fall
like cherry blossom?

Oh, no.

Would it not be better
just to measure your model?

I'm saying nothing.