12x08 - Episode 8

[bunniefuu]

...the sewers got saucy
in Music Week.

K-pop bondage!

Anna showed real disco flair
and danced home triumphant.

I might make myself a pair.

But a clash with a cone bra...

Got holes all over the place.

...and a bodged bucket hat...

It doesn't fit.
Adele.

...meant no more wrong calls
for Adele.

I'll remember it
for the rest of my life.

This time it's Literary Icons
Week...

I'd definitely be the Watson
to your Holmes.

...with a place
in the semifinal at stake.

That'll do, that'll do, that'll do.

Who... Deep breaths.

...will have a best seller
on their hands?

It's got tons of character.

This person's had fun.

And whose story...

My hands are shaking, but apart
from that, I'm totally fine.

...will come to an end?

I've not seen you like this before.

I know. This is a Gothic nightmare
happening over here.

Quarterfinal! Oh, my gosh, yeah.

I can't believe we've made it
to a point

that can have the word final
in it.

This week is Literary Icons Week
and I'm very excited.

We've been kind of speculating
what the pattern challenge might be.

I wondered if it might be a little
Paddington duffel coat,

which would be really cute.

I was thinking it could be like
a little Peter Rabbit jacket,

but I don't know whether
that's just wishful thinking.

Also Miss Haversham. We could make
a big old wedding dress.

I'd be down for that.
Oh, back on this side.

I love The Addams Family.
I mean, I think that's a comic book,

not a book.

But I am actually dressed
as Wednesday Addams today.

I've said this to the guys
since week one.

The pattern challenge is going to be

a Deerstalker hat
from Sherlock Holmes.

Sherlock Holmes is such
an iconic outfit

and it's an iconic silhouette,

and we haven't made a hat yet,
so I am very ready to be wrong.

But I'm so sure that I'm right.

Welcome back, my pioneering
pattern plotters.

Please come forward.

♪ Long time ago, long time ago,
yeah, yeah, yeah... ♪

So another chapter
in the Sewing Bee story begins.

And this week
we're celebrating authors,

their characters, and the fabulous
fashion they inspired,

because it's Literary Icons Week.

So, Esme, pray tell,
what say you?

Here we go.

Oh! Yes!

I called it in week one.
You guessed right.

Yeah, weeks ago.
She's going to be insufferable.

What we're doing is,
we're giving you a pattern

for a Deerstalker hat
inspired by Sherlock Holmes.

The character was made
by Arthur Conan Doyle.

It has six panels,
back and front peak,

two flaps with ribbon at the bottom,
and a button on top.

You'll find a selection

of sleuth-tastic tweeds
in the haberdashery.

You'll find buckram, canvas, ribbon
on the table.

As Mr Holmes said,

"The little things are infinitely
the most important"

so pay attention to the details.

Mm.

The game is afoot.
You've got three hours.

Your time starts now.

That's beautiful.
The yellow's nice.

Let's be cheery.

I have gone for this kind
of bluish kind of tweed.

And then this orange lining.

Gone for a dark green lining.

I was hoping to go
for heritage colours,

so I think the green and the grey
will look nice together.

I've gone for this
lovely bright yellow.

I don't think Sherlock Holmes
would wear this,

but I think I will wear it.

I might send mine to
Benedict Cumberbatch.

I think Benedict Cumberbatch
is really dishy, yeah.

Well, I think this Deerstalker hat
has to be

one of the most iconic garments
from the world of literature,

as worn by the great
Sherlock Holmes,

but it's also a really
nice challenge.

I think it's difficult
because I imagine

they'll never have sewn one of these
before. What's also difficult

is you've got six pieces
in the crown of the hat,

and they need to be cut exactly
the right size,

because the way this hat is made is

the peak is exactly
two panels' wide.

The ear flaps
are each one panel wide,

so between the six panels,

they should all line up
perfectly all the way around.

We don't want a gap here between
the flaps and the peaks. Yeah.

The flaps are very much,

you know, those kind
of spaniel's ears.

If we take them down,
you can see we've got

a nice even curve here.

And you can see that
the button is well anchored.

Is there anything else
they might find challenging?

We've also asked them
to line the inside,

and we've asked them to put
a grosgrain band inside.

This grosgrain band needs to be sewn
down with a neat top stitch

all the way around the edge.

The whole thing just needs
to be neat, tidy, well pressed.

Fiddly? Yeah.
Definitely fiddly.

Well, let's see how they get on.

Jeez, have you seen
how many things we need?

It's like a million of the same
pattern piece.

Holy Moley! Let's see how it goes,

cos there's going
to be a lot of steps to this one.

The first step is to cut 31 pieces.

The canvas and buckram pieces
are fused to the crown

and peak pieces to add structure.

The six crown pieces
are stitched into pairs

and top stitched before being
sewn together to form the crown.

The earflaps are constructed,

then attached to the crown between
the two seams of each side panel.

The peak pieces are sewn together,

turned right side out and attached
to the crown at the front and back.

The lining is assembled
and inserted into the crown,

with a sweatband sewn in
to finish the raw edges.

Finally, a fabric-covered button
is created

and hand-sewn to the centre
of the crown.

So you guessed it first up.
I had a gut feeling

that this was an obvious thing
that we hadn't done yet, a hat.

And if there's any literary hat,
it's got to be a Deerstalker.

Thank God you're here, because
I don't have a clue what's going on.

I'd definitely be the Watson
to your Holmes, wouldn't I?

I think we'd make a good pair.

We would make a good pair,
wouldn't we?

In order to crack this case,

the sewers must cut
every patterned piece precisely...

I'm just pinning these pieces on.

I want the pieces to all be
exactly the same size.

...as any mistakes
at this stage could cause

the other elements of the hat
to become misaligned.

I would usually use weights,
but this is going to have to be

quite precision-led,
so I'm using pins instead.

Morning. Morning.
Good morning.

So you're just cutting out
with weights?

I am. I did start to pin. However,
I was finding I was moving the piece

more trying to pin it than I...
Really?

...I was going to weight it down.

I mean, you've cut it now. Yeah.
But all of your panels have got

to line up with all of your flaps
and your peaks.

So you've got to get that bit right.

If you don't cut it right,
you can't sew it right. Yeah.

Yeah. Those look pretty much exactly
the same size to me.

They're all looking very similar
at the moment.

So that's good.

The judges did inspect my panels.

They noticed a few discrepancies.
So, yeah,

I've gone back over them all anyway
just to double check.

And there was a couple of slithers
and bits that I've taken off.

So I'm hoping that
we're all good now.

But, yeah,
I'm not going to... Try not to let

that chitchat knock my confidence
and keep going.

Morning. Morning. Good morning.
Show us your fabric you're using.

So I'm using this lovely
kind of herringbone tweed.

With the blue. With the blue

and a little bit of rust
and little really nice slubs in it.

Yeah. They're gorgeous.

And, actually, I've gone
for this color lining.

And I think your slub
picks up that ribbon.

Yeah. Just really nicely.
Yeah, that was the thought.

Have you made a hat before?
I've never made a hat before

and I've never worked with tweed
either. At all? No, I haven't.

So, yeah, I'm quite interested
to see how it takes shape,

you know, cos I imagine the tops
are going to be tricky.

Well, the whole thing's
kind of tricky.

I know, it's small as well. It's all
about precision.

It's quite pernickety.

So I'm just threading up my
machine now

so I can start actually
on the stitching.

We are stitching the top
panels together.

To ensure a perfect fit,

the pieces must be sewn together
with millimetre accuracy.

It did specifically say
in the instructions,

make sure you keep a centimetre
seam allowance.

Which is trickier to do
when the tweed is fused with canvas.

It has its difficulties,

because it's quite stiff,
but it's just such a lovely quality.

Morning.
Good morning. Morning.

Show us the fabric you're using.

So, it's this? Yes.
This, like, green... Tweed.

Yeah. Have you made anything
in tweed before?

I've made two woollen,
like, overcoats.

One for my partner and one for me.
Not matching, but, yeah.

So I've worked with wool before.
That's good.

So I've assembled three pairs
of crowns.

And then you put the pairs together.

They're going to be looking
for six equidistant sections

like a pizza.

It is starting to look like a hat.

And it's actually, like, round.

It's so cool to think that you can
actually make these things.

So this last seam is quite tricky,

because the instructions
actually say,

"Hand-sew the last
few centimetres."

We have to finish it by hand
because you can't really get

the accuracy with the sewing
machine to make sure

that you're finishing with,
like, a little six-point star.

So I have completed
the outer hat section,

which is all assembled

and top stitched, matched
together quite nicely.

So I think going back

and just double-checking
those panels did a treat.

I haven't tried it on my head.

That's a point.
Does it fit the head?

Is it big? It's too big
for the head.

Maybe I completely messed up
the sizing somehow,

because mine's definitely
too big for the head.

Pretty sure everything
was cut out right,

so I don't know where that's
gone wrong, if it has.

It's too late now.

Sewers, you're halfway through.
Are we actually? Yes.

Earflap time.

Place one on top of the other,
right sides together

so the ribbon
is sandwiched in between.

It's the ribbon that
I've chosen cos it's got

that kind of nice
burnt color through it.

I've gone for a gold ribbon.

It's a really nice
complementary color.

Like, it matches the
outer fabric really well.

So what's your favourite books,
then?

I love Irish tragedy books.

You know, books where something's
really gone wrong

in a family
and it doesn't get better.

Yeah, I know what you mean.

I like to read Take A Break
for the same reason.

Oh, do you? Yeah. When it's like

"My husband had an affair
with a raw chicken."

Do you know what? Great,
because my life isn't that bleak.

So I've just turned
the earflaps through.

So I'm now going to top stitch
around the seams.

So the top stitching. It's really,
really close to the edge.

It's three mil, so it's teeny weeny.

Yeah, I think those look
pretty curved.

Gosh, it looks so cute already.

Hello. hello.

How are you feeling about it all?

Is it going well?
It looks nice, doesn't it?

I'm quite enjoying it.

You all seem quite relaxed
and mellow today.

That's so cool. Is it? I do suit
things naturally. Anything.

I'm just quite fabulous.

Pin the earflaps in place.
Each flap should sit exactly

between two seams of the crown.

Yeah, it's lining up really well.
Looks pretty good.

So I'm just deciding where
to put my earflaps.

They've got to be perfectly between
two seams of the crown,

and then you obviously want
the other one on the opposite side.

I think it's coming on. It looks...

Do you remember Dastardly
and Muttley from Wacky Races?

It looks like that.
It's cute, isn't it?

Yeah, it is cute.

Let's do some peaks.

I am just about to stitch the peak
just around the buckram.

But I've never used buckram before.
It's really stiff.

I am stitching these
right sides together

and then trimming down
the seam allowance like this.

So whenever you've got
a curved seam,

you want to sort of clip into it,
because it just won't want to turn

and sit nicely if you've got
all the seam allowance there.

Oh, this is tricky to turn
right sides out.

Oh, that's cool.

Yeah, it makes a really nice shape
when it pops out.

Yeah, it does.

Outer edges of the peak should meet
the edges of the earflap.

If the sewers have correctly cut

and assembled the crown panels
and earflaps...

That's all right, I suppose.

...then the peaks
should fit perfectly.

How are you getting on?
Good, yeah, I've got some...

Looks like you're nearly finished.

...meeting and it was just this one
that wasn't quite meeting.

And I found if I, like,
slightly overlap it,

but not quite,
it seems to hold it better.

Otherwise it pulls itself apart
with the stitch.

I'm sure you're learning lots.
I'm loving it.

Yeah, I'm learning so much.
Good!

Sewers, you've got 30 minutes left.

We're on to the lining now.

Yeah, but I'm conscious that
there's still quite a bit to do.

It's just tricky, cos the lining
is incredibly slippery.

Like the tweed panels,
the lining must be meticulously

finished off by hand.

I just want to get it done.

My lining is in, and now I'm just
doing the kind of sweatband.

I'm just pinning the ribbon on
around the edge of the hat

so that it will end up flipping in
and storing all of the lining.

So this stitching line needs
to be really, really precise,

otherwise the seam where you
sort of turn the hat out

will look all a bit bulky.

Trying to sew through quite
so many layers of tweed

is a little tricky.

It's the quarterfinal
pattern challenge.

So they weren't going
to give us anything easy, were they?

If inserted correctly, the sweatband

ribbon should be completely
concealed inside the hat.

My ribbon's not laying flat,
annoyingly.

I don't know what's happened.

You've got five minutes left!

Ok, button time.

I have never covered
a button before.

Place the button face down
in the middle of the circle.

Gather the fabric around the button.

We're doing it by hand,

because it's such a tight curve
and you want it really precise.

There seems to be a little
piece of machinery

that we can use for it,
so hopefully it won't be too tricky.

So this secures
the back of the button

onto the front of the button.

Ah!

I think that worked.

Ok, sewers,
you've got one minute left.

I don't know if I'm
going to get it all done.

I'm going to try.

My hands feel very shaky.

I do need to make sure
that it's super secure.

I'm actually a bit sad we have to
put the button on,

because I was, like, really pleased
at how well the edges matched.

The button's on.

Just giving it a final press.

Needles up, sewers,
that's your time!

Bring your hats forward.

Well done, pal.

♪ Ah oh, ah oh, ah oh... ♪

Five Deerstalker hats inspired by

Arthur Conan Doyle's
Sherlock Holmes,

made in just three hours.

I think they look pretty good
from here.

But when we get closer, maybe not.
Yeah.

I think judging these is not going
to be elementary, my dear Esme.

♪ Ah oh, ah oh... ♪

Looks pretty good.
It's pressed up really nicely.

It looks nice and crisp.

One thing for me
that really jumps out

is these gaps between
the flaps and peaks.

Let's have a look inside.
Let's have a look inside.

Your band is on nicely.

The lining is pretty neat.

Top stitching throughout
is really nice and neat.

And your covered button
is perfectly centred.

I mean, it's all neat and tidy.

It's just it's not
lining up perfectly.

I think this burgundy ribbon picks

up little flecks of burgundy
in this tweed.

So that is a really
nice combination.

There's a little bit of a gap here.

It doesn't line up with the seam.
Shall we have a look inside? Yes.

The band is neatly sewn on,
nice and consistent.

We've got no overlapping
edges there.

I think that's nicely done.
I think that's pretty spot-on.

You've got quite a big gap
between the peak and the earflap.

And also on this side.
At the back there.

Yeah, it's quite uneven.

You've got quite a big gap there
and a little gap there.

Let's have a look inside. Ok.

You haven't joined your ribbon
at the end.

Shall we get flaps down?
The covered button is nice,

but it's not quite on as tightly
as we'd want it to be.

It's just sitting a bit proud.

I do like this fabric,

but the inside ribbon
is showing there.

In fact, all the way around you can

see a little bit of grosgrain
just peeping out.

The gaps are a bit big.
Again, I think you've not quite got

all of your peaks and earflaps
lined up with your seams.

Shall we take the flaps down?

Let's look at the...

Looks a little loose,
doesn't it? Yeah.

Wobbly. Yeah, I do feel
like the hat

is slightly stretched out.

It's a slightly looser tweed
than some of the others.

It maybe just... It might have
stretched when she pressed it.

Yeah.

This guy looks very neat and tidy.

I think the combination of this
almost browny burgundy,

it just looks very rich
and very chic.

The flaps are lined up well.

Actually, yes,
you've done a very good job.

That is fantastically neat.

Let's look at the inside.

Here it's very well lined up.

Sorry!

Lovely shape on the ear flaps.

Top stitching is perfect
around the edge there.

Well done.

Patrick and Esme will now
rate the Deerstalkers

from worst to first.

In fifth place, it's Anna.

It's just stretched out a bit

and we could see that band.

In fourth place is Heather.
Third is Rebecca.

In second place is...

Emma. It was really nicely sewn

and the grosgrain
was really well sewn in.

Which means in first place,
it's Beth.

Yay! Thanks, guys!

Pretty near faultless.

Beautiful sewing throughout.

Every detail pretty much on point.
Well done. Thank you.

I'm feeling really great about that.
I got number one!

Well done, Beth!

I think I might be making more hats,
you know.

Third place is a great place to be
in such a talented pack of sewers.

And I really love that hat.

I'm really excited
to get to wear it.

I could do with it right now.
It's chucking it down!

I mean, I think
the hat was all right.

Just everyone's was so good

that, like, all right
isn't good enough.

We've got a transformation coming
next, which I do always enjoy.

So it'd be nice to maybe do
a bit better in that,

in the transformation, just to
climb up the ranks slightly.

Welcome back, sewers.

Now it's time for the
transformation challenge,

which, very much like
Dr Frankenstein,

you take something
forgotten and discarded,

sew it together,

and turn it into
something brand-new,

hopefully less terrifying. So,
Patrick, what have you got for them?

Well, let's hope
Miss Trunchbull here

doesn't have to dish out
any punishments.

Inspired by Matilda,
we are giving you school uniform.

Now, we'd like you to transform
these into an outfit

you might imagine a
grown-up Matilda wearing.

Oh! You can take five items
from the haberdashery.

You can pick trims and fastenings,
but no extra fabric.

Now, Matilda was intelligent,

independent,
and even rebellious, like me.

Use your creativity and imagine

what Matilda would have
been like as a grown-up.

The judges can't be here for this.

They're off to have a slice
of cake with Bruce Bogtrotter.

So off you go. Be gone!

Ok, you've got an hour and a half.

Your time starts now.

♪ We don't need no education... ♪

Help me with the things.
Oh, gosh. I like the pink.

This is really hard.
Ok, for an adult...

I did read Matilda, and I remember
the first movie with great fondness.

I did like Matilda.
I was a bit jealous that she could

move things around with her mind.

I feel like that's
a pretty cool skill to have.

I think this is a good challenge,
cos a lot of this stuff

gets thrown away every year,

and I think Matilda is one of
those great literary characters

that lots of people growing up
really identify with.

So the challenge is,
what has Matilda become?

Has she remained kind of rebellious?

Has she become,
you know, a quiet librarian?

I'm sure she's still rebellious.
Do you think? Yes.

They've got loads of stuff
to play with.

There's loads and loads
of colours,

so how they use
those different colours,

I think, will be an important
part of how they tell the story

of grown-up Matilda.

We've given them
children's uniforms,

but they've got to make
something for an adult,

so I'll be intrigued to see
how they pull that off.

Well, I've got to go.
I've got 500 lines to do.

I must sew better,
I must sew better.

I was really glad to see
these gingham

school uniform pinafore dresses.

I'm going to play around
with color blocking.

I'm going to start with the top

and then I may do a separate skirt,
or I may make it into a dress.

I am going to make a pleated dress.

I want to ideally try and have
some kind of like gathered bodice

with the ribbon,

a bit like the adult version
of that, the little nod.

I mean, maybe
she'd be studying a PhD.

Maybe we're not too different,
you know,

other than the fact that
I don't have any magic powers.

Did you ever think that maybe you
could be like Matilda as a child?

Yeah, I was definitely there...
Trying...in my room, you know...

Looking at a book. Yeah. Going,
"I can make that move."

But, alas, I never did.

I've put, like, a skirt up here
to make, like, a top.

And then I've taken the lapel from
a blazer

and some pleats from a skirt.

And I'm going to make them
into, like, shorts

with little pleats on the side.

I think what I really
need to make sure is

that I don't end up making something
that looks like school uniform.

I'm going to make a pair
of kind of city shorts

and a top that's like woven
with the blue and the pink fabric.

I think I want to try
and make use of some

of some of these buttons and pleats
and things.

Yeah, I don't know.

I think I'm going to kind
of pin and see what happens as I go.

So this is your top? Yeah.
So I just really remember

her wearing that bright-coloured bow
in her hair. Yeah. Yeah.

And I thought she wouldn't wear it
in her hair any more,

but I think she would still have...
She might have a little bit.

Yeah. So what do you think
she'd be like now?

I thought she'd be a lecturer. Yeah.
She'd have taken after Miss Honey.

Yeah. I thought Miss Honey was a bit
of a wet fish, actually.

I want her to be changing the world.

I'm right. You're wrong.
I'm big, you're small,

and there's nothing you can
do about it.

You're halfway through!

Right, I'm going to have
to start sewing in a minute,

cos at the minute
I've just pinned everything.

I've used two blazers and
a pleated skirt to make the shorts.

The rest of the blazer is coming
up into the top here

to make kind of, like, a swoosh.

And then I'm going to slash it
so it's asymmetric.

Make it a bit cooler.

Can't just be a grey skirt.

I've kept pretty much
all of my skirt pieces

from all of the dresses,

and I'm going to make a sort of
tiered skirt out of what we have.

And because this is reasonably neat,

I'm just going to top stitch this
in,

rather than doing anything
more complicated.

So that is basically
the makings of my shorts.

They're like little bloomers,
aren't they?

Right, let's see what we can do
for a top.

Hello. Hello. What's
going on here, then?

I've ended up going a bit punky
with it, because...

Punky's cool, isn't it?

I just thought she just wouldn't be
afraid to go against the grain.

I think she'd be quite
a rebellious character.

So maybe this is Matilda the punk.

I'm adding the final tier,
so this will finish the skirt.

Esme did want it a bit punk.

This is not punk,
but this is very me.

Bruce Bogtrotter,
you've got 15 minutes!

Ok, that's good. That is a
good amount of time to have left.

I do need to do well
in this challenge,

so hopefully it looks Ok.

But I can see some very,

very creative things
around the room as always.

One color going down the way
and one color going across the way.

That's the idea, anyway.
It's like a Battenberg cake.

Right, just trying
to put some final bits in.

There's more I'd like to do
on the top if I have time.

How many mins?
You've got five minutes left.

That looks fabulous, doesn't it?
Aw, thanks very much.

Not sure I
would wear it myself,

but it is quite cool.
Oh, this is really funky.

I think maybe I'll do it like that.
And then could you get a pink?

Not that I'm allowed
to get involved.

I'd better go, actually, cos
I'm getting too involved. Ok.

I think it's just going to be a hem
job and that's probably it.

I'm going to try
and get one more button on,

so it's a little bit less risque
than it is currently.

You've got one minute left!

Get your mannequins dressed
or you're going in the chokey.

I think that looks pretty good. Oh,
this is not on the mannequin yet.

I don't know if I love it,
but it's done now.

I would like to have got rid
of that ruffle,

but we'll say it's
part of the design.

I've forgotten how to tie
a bow in the stress!

Ok, needles up, sewers,
that's your time.

Bring your mannequins forward

and muddle them up
a little bit, please.

Oh, my God, guys, these are awesome.
Wow!

♪ We don't need no education... ♪

Transformed from school uniforms,

five outfits fit for
a grown-up Matilda.

Well, when we wanted to play
with our school uniform,

all we did was shorten our tie
a bit and tuck the back end bit in.

So this is a whole other level.

♪ No dark sarcasm
in the classroom... ♪

The whole of the top
has been rewoven

with strips of old pink
and blue school shirt,

which I think is really,
really effective.

Yes, definitely.

And then we've got
a pair of culottes

that look like they've been made

from a couple of different
pleated school skirts.

And they put this blue ribbon here,

which goes with the top.

I think overall this feels
very successful.

It feels like it's come from
the same world as Junior Matilda.

Somebody's been to the Esme
and Patrick bow-tying masterclass.

We've got bows everywhere.
Yes, this person's had fun.

And they've threaded
this red ribbon through.

It's kind of boys' trousers,

which is a nod to kind of
tomboy Matilda,

it's kind of girlie Matilda
in the gingham and the bows.

It's got a bit of everything.

I think it works really well.
It could be a bit sexy.

I like it a lot.
I think it's really clever.

I love the jacket turned
into a pair of shorts. Yes.

The shorts are actually
a really nice shape.

I love this collar and lapel.
I think it's very amusing,

and I like how we've got a bit
of the red in the grey.

I think it works really nicely,
and then it sort of starts flat

and moves into this
pleated section over the shoulder.

I mean, there's
a sense of intelligence

and rebelliousness in this,

which I think directly ties it back
to Matilda, which is great.

So we've got different sections,
different fabrics.

We've got the straps at the back.

It's a different Matilda,
who's grown up in a different way.

Maybe she's become a librarian
in the Midwest.

Or maybe she's gone to a convent.

This is like a summer dress
at my school.

I think the whole thing
has been constructed really nicely.

It's got a very different energy
from some of the others.

I absolutely love the placement

of the plain greys
and this grey and red tartan.

I agree.
I think it's great.

Love the way they've constructed it.

I love that they've lined up
the button stands

from different bits of different
garment across the body.

I think the whole thing
is so graphic and so interesting.

And I like how they've used
different garments

with different fabrics,
but it all goes together well.

Yeah, I think it definitely
has a strong streak

of rebelliousness
running through it.

Patrick and Esme will now
rank the transformations

from worst to first.

Ok, judges, what do you think?

Well, they were all
fantastic, actually.

But in fifth place is the
gingham dress,

on the far right.
It's Rebecca.

I think all we could think was
that it still feels more

in the world of school uniform
than some of the others,

but a really, really
lovely transformation.

Super wearable. Great. Thank you.

In fourth place is Emma
and in third is Heather.

So in second place...

...is the one shoulder outfit
with the shorts.

That is Beth.

We really liked the lapel
on the top of the shorts

and we really liked the top.

It was clever. Thank you.

Which means in first place,
it's our tartan tearaway.

We just loved the energy of it.

The placement of the different
elements at different points

in the garment was super clever.

The whole thing worked really,
really well.

Well done. Thank you. Thanks.

I'm really happy with that.

Yeah, I can always rely on
the transformation to cheer me up.

I learned that I'm pretty good
at guessing pattern challenges.

Not so great
at guessing transformations,

but I also feel like
the pack is very even.

So, I think a lot is going
to come down

to the made-to-measure tomorrow.

So, Literary Icons Week.
How are we doing?

I think the Deerstalkers
were super iconic.

I mean, they're a fantastic
little row there.

Which one would you wear?
To be honest,

I think I'd go either
Beth's or Rebecca's,

color-wise, maybe also Emma's,
but they're all really nice.

Anna's usually so great
on these pattern challenges.

Her usual flawless standard's
a little bit low there.

So she was bottom for that one,
which is a first. Yes.

And who's on top at the moment,
then?

Well, Beth's had a great day
across both challenges.

She came first in the pattern
and second in the transformation.

So Beth, I think,
is top of the pile at the moment.

We've got a couple, in Anna and
Emma,

who had one particularly
good challenge,

one less good challenge,
and then Rebecca and Heather

were both sort of down
towards the bottom on both.

So it's quite tricky.
It's going to be really tricky,

because they're all very close,
aren't they?

And they're all really good.

So God knows what's going to happen.

One challenge remains.

Here we go!

In just a few hours,
four sewers will go through

to the semifinal
and one will be sent home.

Can't quite believe I'm still here.

I'm really, really
excited about this one.

Welcome back, sewers,
and hello, models.

Today it's the
made-to-measure challenge,

and the judges would
like you to make an outfit

inspired by literary icon
Jane Austen.

Jane Austen wrote classics
like Pride and Prejudice

and Sense and Sensibility

during the Regency period,
a period of elegance,

empire lines,
and emotional repression.

Ok, you've got five hours.

Your time starts now.

As one of the most
ambitious challenges yet,

the sewers were given an extra hour
to cut out their pattern pieces.

This is for jacket,
jacket, jacket, jacket.

There's a lot of pieces today.

Now they have the task
of fitting them to their models...

Oh, that looks really good. Ok.

...to create gowns fit
for a Jane Austen heroine.

So today we're making
a Regency dress.

A nice empire line dress.

So an empire waistline
describes a waistline

that sits just below the bust.

So during the period,
they ditched the corset,

it was far looser,

far more movement
within the dresses,

but the bust was very accentuated.

So, tell me about fashion
at the time of Jane Austen.

We know this period
and the costume really, really well

from television and film.

The women's fashion dominated
by the empire line.

So what kind of things
could they do, then?

Fabrics-wise, they could do
anything from printed cotton

all the way through
to embroidered silk.

That might be quite a tough
thing to work with. Definitely.

What I think they'll find difficult

is putting their
personality into it.

So kind of taking the inspiration,
but evolving it to fit them,

to modernise it? Yes.

So they don't have to be
historically accurate in this?

No, but it does need to feel
like it comes from that period.

So we're not expecting them
to sew it by hand.

Think how long
that's going to take.

That's true. They had a lot
of time back then, didn't they?

Always sat in the
drawing room, bored.

I'm really excited about this one.
It's going to be fun.

It feels like quite
a full circle moment,

because I first got
into sewing through

learning about fashion history

and looking at
period drama costumes.

Now I'm here on the
Sewing Bee making that.

So that's pretty, yeah,
quite special.

I am so excited
about this challenge.

I really, really
love historical fashion.

This is gorgeous. Yeah.

So this is an Indian
block print cotton.

These fabrics were getting imported

for the first time
in the Regency period.

So the outfit is a day dress
and a matching jacket.

Very ambitious to do both
a jacket and a dress. Yeah.

Rebecca's keeping her
printed cotton dress

relatively simple,
as she's given herself

an extra task of constructing
a pink cropped jacket

with a double collar
and contrasting white piping.

The outfit is inspired by Emma,
so I'm doing,

hopefully, a very,
very true to the time period.

The book, not the other sewer
over there?

Well, she is my inspiration
in all things, but, yes, the novel.

So I want this to really feel

like it's just Emma Woodhouse
out for a promenade.

She's obviously a super feminine,
very fashionable young woman.

So I feel like this outfit
really sums her up.

While Rebecca's aiming to create
a demure day dress for her muse,

Emma's chosen a more
colourful character.

It's an outfit kind of inspired
by Lydia Bennet,

the youngest child of the
Pride and Prejudice girls.

I quite like her character.
She's a bit flighty,

she's a bit flirty, she's like
quite a cool little sexy rebel.

To reflect Lydia's
rebellious nature,

Emma's gone for
unconventional colours.

Her yellow and pink
embroidered lace will provide

the overlay of
summer evening ballgown,

which will be underlaid
with acid yellow satin.

This is zingy stuff, isn't it?
Never mind Regency,

let's go full saturation.
Yeah.

Can't help yourself. You know,
I literally can't.

I know! It does have more of a
Bridgerton costume feel to it.

But Emma's bold colours...

I think Patrick slightly dismays
as to my color choices every week.

But you know what?
He can go whistle.

I love my colours.

...are in stark contrast to Anna's.

I'm doing Goth Austen over here.

Gothsten. Gothsten, yeah. Gothsten.
That's what we're doing.

I'm imagining if Tim Burton
was directing Northanger Abbey,

which was originally written
as a satire of Gothic literature,

so there's like a link in there.

Yeah, because you're allowed.

Because it's in the books.
Oh, you found a little loophole.

Yeah. I love it!

Anna's monochrome masterpiece
will consist of

a white muslin underdress

and a black cropped jacket
with a dramatic pointed collar,

long mesh sleeves,
and power mesh overlay skirt.

So how are you going to do
the pointy collar?

Oh, I've got some wire. Ok.
So it would be like...

Lovely. Look forward to seeing it.

All of the sewers' bodices include
the iconic empire waistline...

Just got the lining of this
that I'd like you to try on.

...and being the focal point
of the dress...

I just want to check the front,
see how we're sitting here.

...it needs to fit perfectly.

Right, I'll take that dart in
a little bit more.

But if constructing a well-fitting

empire line bodice
wasn't hard enough...

I think that looks pretty good.

...Emma and Heather are adding
a lace overlay.

So you've got the lace
and then you've got a lining,

and then you've got another lining.

So you've got three layers
of fabric over the bust

and over the back.

It feels like it's taken
a very long time to get here,

but there's just so many pieces
for such a small bodice section.

I need to get a bit of a wriggle on

so we can start getting to work
on the skirt.

Heather will use the scalloped
edge of her lace overlay

to form a ready made hem
on the skirt

and puff sleeves of her
Regency day dress.

So are you going to keep it
to the historical accuracy,

or are you going
to go off on some mad...

We've got Goth Austen over there.
Are you going to do anything mad?

No Goth Austen over here.
It is very stereotypically Regency

in terms of the design,
in terms of the shape. Lovely.

But I am going to add zips.
Hear that? Goth?

Sticking to the rule book!

Yeah.

Yeah, no, I've gone for
what I traditionally think of

as a Regency outfit.

And the world of Regency clothing
we know and love today

is partly thanks to
Jane Austen's novels.

When Austen was born in 1775,

women's fashion was undergoing
a major shift.

Global events like the
French Revolution in 1789 meant

elaborate and heavily
structured dresses worn by the likes

of Marie Antoinette were rejected
in favour of the simpler,

empire line silhouette.

Regency fashion was new and daring,

with high waistlines
and light muslin dresses.

This translucent fabric replaced
the heavy, stiff styles

from before and after.

As a keen observer of society,
Austen used clothing

in her novels to depict class,
moral character and economic status.

Austen loved fashion.

In her letters,
she wrote about new dress styles,

buying gowns and balancing
style with money.

Today's screen adaptations
of her novels have helped

make Regency fashion
instantly recognisable.

Films like Emma aim
for historical accuracy,

carefully recreating fabrics,

colours and the way
that clothes were made.

While Austen-inspired
TV series like Bridgerton

have encouraged modern fans
to bend the rules.

From Austen-themed ba*ls
to the social media trend

Regencycore, people still enjoy
the romance of gowns,

shawls and bonnets.

Proof that the Regency look
is timeless.

I'm now just working
on the skirt of the dress.

There are six pleats
in the back of each skirt panel,

and these just create
a lovely shape.

I think I will maybe leave
the zip in the hem till last,

cos I really want
to get started on my jacket.

Emma, how are you doing?
Where are you up to?

I am prick stitching my neckline.

I have not even put my sleeves
into my bodice.

Have you done your skirt yet?
No, I have not. Have you?

No, me either.

There's safety in numbers, huh?
Exactly!

So, yeah, that bit's
kind of done now.

It's got a very ghostly presence,
which is what I was hoping for.

That's gorgeous already,
isn't it? Well done.

But I've got to make
a matching jacket,

so that's going to take time. Well,
I'm going to get out of your hair.

Thank you. Good luck.

I have pretty much made
the underdress now

and then I'll work
on the outer dress.

I've just got a lot to do,
because I'm basically doing,

like, two dresses.

Beth's double dress will be made
up of an embroidered

and beaded silk outer dress,

featuring handmade trim
around the neckline and hem.

Lenticular slits down the front
will reveal her underdress,

which she's made from silk
that has huge sentimental value.

My mum went up into the loft
and brought her wedding skirt down.

Oh, wow! That's fabulous.

I think she just really wanted it
to have, like, a second life.

Oh, nice.
The back of the underskirt is with,

like, a muslin or cotton lawn,

so only the visible bits
will be in that fabric.

And there was like a train.

So from the train,
I'm then making trim.

What a nice story! Thanks.

And to use your mum's wedding skirt,
that's brilliant.

I need to do a good job, don't I?
Yes, you do. Yes, you do!

I do, don't I?!

Ok, sewers, you're halfway through.

I'm now working on the skirt.

It's usually easier if you press it,

but I don't really want to press
this lace.

I don't want the mesh
or anything to melt.

I'm just doing the side
seams of my skirt.

I was going to French seam them

but to be honest with you,
I don't have time.

So, I'm doing it with
the overlocker.

I am working on my little
Goth jacket.

Because I've got quite
a dramatic collar,

I am going to be adding some wire.

So, I am applying the piping
onto my four collar pieces.

Sewing piping round a curve

is not the easiest
thing in the world to do,

but if it works,
it's going to look great.

I've put, like, the wire into a
channel in the seam allowance.

It's just a lot of layers
to deal with, with this seam,

and I obviously don't want to sew
through the wire.

It's just going to be a little
bit fiddly.

As is sewing the beaded fabric
for Beth's overdress.

As I'm sewing,
I'm having to make sure

that I don't have any beads that
are on my stitch line,

because that's when they crack
and break the needle.

So, I'm just having to
kind of unpick them as I go.

It's just a bit time-consuming.

So, my collar is on.

And, yeah, I just...uh, this...

I might just unstitch and
re-lay the very, very top edge,

cos it just looks
a tiny bit uneven.

Where are you up to?

I'm just putting
the sort of waistband on the jacket.

Yeah. I'm a little bit behind
where I wanted to be.

Are you? So... Ok. Yeah.

I've got to do sleeves
and a sort of overlay on there,

so there's just a few elements to
that that need a little bit of time.

Ok. Just go faster.

That's my advice. Yeah!

Sewers, you've got one hour.

I need to add the puff
to the sleeves,

I need to insert them
and we need to hem.

So, we've still got
quite a bit to do

but I'm optimistic that we're
going to finish.

So, I am currently
creating my sleeves,

which I've got
a gather at the shoulder

and a gather at the bottom.

Just want to make sure that it's
symmetrical on both sides,

cos I know Patrick loves
a symmetrical collar.

I am making the trim that's going
to go around the neckline.

I'm a little bit behind
what I wanted.

The thing that I really want to do

is get the trim on the bottom
of the dress

as well as round the neckline.

Still got little bits to tweak on
the bodice-y bit,

but I really want to get
the sleeves done,

cos I've no idea how long
they're going to take.

I'm just doing some hand
stitches in the trim.

This pouffe that you
kind of see here

is sort of mirrored in the shaping
that you'll get down the front.

Right, two sleeves in.

They look as they're meant to,
I think.

I thought the edge was too beautiful
not to make the most of it.

Both Anna and Rebecca have given
themselves quite a lot to do

with making a jacket and a dress.
Yes, that's true.

Rebecca's sort of twin collars
are on.

Looks really nice, actually,

the white piping
on the pink Spencer jacket.

How's it looking at the back?

Lovely.

Anna's a bit behind.

I'm just really stressed now.

I just feel like I've still got
so much to do.

Looks like what she's making
is really exciting -

but I don't know
if she's going to get it finished.

Everyone is feeling the time
crunch in this challenge,

so we're all in a similar boat.

We all are being super ambitious
and wanting to get a lot done.

Sewers, you've got half an hour.

Oh, my God!

Deep breaths.

My hands are shaking but apart
from that I'm totally fine.

I think what is going to be in my
best interest

is to just finish this dress really
well with only the neckline trim on.

You feeling stressed?

Yes. I've not seen
you like this before, Anna.

I know. This is a bit of a Gothic
nightmare happening over here.

Yeah, how many things have you got
to do, do you know?

I need to put a fastening on this.

Yeah. But then I was going to
put like a kind of overlay,

and I don't think I've got time
to do the overlay. Ok. Ok.

I don't know if I'll bother.

I'm doing my frog closures.

I would normally, you know,
very carefully measure and mark

and all of that jazz,
but we don't have time.

I need to put ribbon on the side,
though, in order to tie it.

I believe this is the way it
would've been done back in the day.

So, basically,
you attach that to the dress,

the inside of the dress,

and then you can tie
with the cord underneath.

I've got a little hook
and bar kind of closure.

Oh, God, my hands are shaking
too much to hand-sew!

I'm always impressed with the calm
energy that Beth radiates.

It's like you're not
even in a competition -

and you've got your slippers on.

Do you think that helps you
feel more mellow?

Yeah, maybe.

Maybe those guys should get some
slippers for the room.

Do you hear that?
Slippers, everybody!

Oh, I think I need
more than slippers right now.

Sewers, you've got ten minutes left.

Just need to get this hem on.

I think we'll get it done.

It's going to be tight -
but when is it not?

Not the neatest hem I've ever done,
but it's done.

We're zipping.
We don't want any disasters.

Why is that not working?

It's going to have to be held
with hook and eyes,

cos it's just not going to stay.

I've got this overlay piece

which I'm just going to
get in as quickly as possible.

Oh, my God.

The opening at the back,
it's like a kind of curved keyhole.

Just putting some hooks in.

I really need to make sure that I've
got something fasten-able.

That'll do, that'll do, that'll do.

Press.

Press, press, press.

Trim, trim, trim.

Let me just get these threads out.

It's going to be tight.

Sewn the wrong piece on.

Oh, my God. Aah!

I've just sewn it the wrong way
round, and I shouldn't have...

It looks... Oh, God.

Ok, that's one minute.

Get your models dressed.

I can't believe this is happening.

Oh, my goodness.

That hasn't worked the best.

Just got me coming round
with these, like, massive shears!

It's like it looks terrible,
cos it's the wrong way.

And needles up, sewers,
that's your time.

Ok.

There we go. Yeah, just make sure,
like, give this little bit of tug,

just - cos it does meet.

Looks really cute.

I felt like it would've looked
so good if I had another hour.

I'm really, really happy with it,

and that's what's important!

Argh!

Five Jane Austen-inspired outfits

created in just five hours.

I think it's stunning.

Watching it come down the catwalk,

it almost was like Grace had just
stepped out of an Austen production.

We know you used your mum's
wedding skirt.

Mm-hm. Yeah.

Which is this. Which is great.

She'll be pleased, won't she? Yeah.

I think there are so many
interesting visual cues

that you've created
that take it back to that period.

All of this detail, I think,
is fabulous.

I think the shape that
you've created,

the lenticular slits
down the front are really clever.

The detail here
with this almost couched satin

is a detail I've not seen before,

and I think it's worked
fantastically well.

The fit looks absolutely perfect.

It's just creating so much elegance.

Let me turn you around to the back -

and it's even better from the back.

Thanks! The shape on the back
is just fantastic.

It really, really captures the kind
of mood of Austen

in a lovely kind of opulent way.

Thanks.

It looks like it's come from that
world of Jane Austen very clearly.

The overlay fabric works really
beautifully

with the fabric underneath.

Yeah, I like the fabric a lot -

and I like that you used this shape
on the bottom of the sleeves too.

It looks great.

Can I turn you around to the back?

Your seam's a bit bouncy
down the back.

I ran out of time
and I did forget to press it

and I spotted it on the runway and
I was like, "Oh, that back seam!"

Ok, yeah.

But it does have a nice feel to it.

It does have an elegance to it -

and it definitely
feels of the period.

I really like this fabric -

and, of course, it's pink.

Yes. Well, I think it's pretty good.

Let's look at the back.

What's going on here?

Well, in the pattern
there's actually no closures

given from the ribbon
at the underbust to there.

So, I've put in a few hooks
and eyes at the last minute.

The gape at the back is a bit
off-putting, actually -

but the fit around the top
of the back,

the fit around the sleeves,
that all looks nice...

Hmm...if I turn you back
round the front -

but it's a great-looking dress,

and the two fabrics have worked
really, really well.

It is a shame about the finish down
the centre back. At the back. Yeah.

The two fabrics work really nicely
together, and I love the print.

That's a really nice choice,

and I think the pale pink that
you've chosen

for the Spencer jacket works well.

It is just gaping a touch

between the bottom two buttons. Mm.

I think the quality of the piping
in the collar is absolutely lovely.

You've got one that's just standing
a little bit proud,

and it is just a bit distracting.

And it goes up at the front. Mm.

I know it goes up at the back,

but it looks more intentional.

I'm going to look at the hem.

Do you need to?

Ooh.

You obviously didn't have time.

I wanted to push myself
to be ambitious with this one.

Yes. Well, you have been ambitious.

I think it's unfortunate that this
side's higher than the other side.

Anyway, well done.

Thank you.

So, this was Jane Austen
meets Tim Burton -

and I think it really nails
that brief.

It's got tons of character,

and there's lots in it that's super
original, and I really, really like.

The piping is a clever feature.

It's absolutely accentuating this
amazing collar that you've created.

Oh, it's just really nice.

I think it looks great.
Thank you.

The jacket, it's really well made.

The finish on the skirt
of the jacket is a bit ragged.

Yeah, I sewed that on
with about two minutes to go...

Right...and then I...

One of the panels, I sewed it on
the wrong way round. Ok.

This bit, absolutely perfection.

That bit, far from perfection.

It was very stressful!
But do you know what?

Because you've got these kind of
raggedy, trailing Tim Burton-y...

...whatever we call them,
you sort of get away with it.

I think the whole thing looks great,

and you really went to town,
didn't you?

I did! And you had a big vision.

Yeah! And you did it.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

I did feel very
stressed in that one,

I really didn't think
I was going to finish -

but then to have some nice comments
at the judging was really lovely.

I absolutely love my outfit.

I'm really, really hoping
I've done enough to stay.

I want to be here
for as long as I possibly can,

and we're so close to the end now.

I've always had in my mind a pecking
order

of where the sewers are placed,

and I think I've definitely
reached the end of my run.

So, it's the end
of Literary Icons Week.

How's everybody done?

On the whole, I think they've done
a very, very good job.

There's a real difference
in the characters,

but they've all got that sort
of sense

of Jane Austen about them. Yeah.

For me, Garment of the Week
is between Heather and Beth.

Heather's is really simple,

but I like that she used
the edge of the fabric at the bottom

and on the sleeves.

Beth's was more ambitious.

It was two dresses in one.

I really like the band

she put around the neckline
from the wedding skirt.

Then we've got the two
that are sitting at the bottom.

Right. Emma and Rebecca.

Rebecca's has got execution flaws,

the outfit just doesn't quite
work as an ensemble.

And the front of the jacket
doesn't line up. Yes.

Emma's has got an execution flaw,
but it's a bigger execution flaw.

It is untidy and it's gape-y

but the colours actually work
really well together,

and I think, when you saw it coming
down the catwalk,

it looked great.

I'm not sure how we judge this one.
No.

Difficult. It's very, very close.

Shall I put the kettle on?

Can we have a gin and tonic?

I can sort that out.

So, that marks the end
of Literary Icons Week.

You've all done absolutely amazing.

So, first up,
it's Garment of the Week.

Patrick.

Our Garment of the Week
this week is...

...Beth!

Such a beautiful dress.

The fabrics, the techniques,
the combination,

the feeling of it, beautiful.

Thank you. Well done!
Well done, Beth!

Thanks.

And now for the difficult bit.

One of you does have to go
home today.

You've all been amazing.

It's getting very serious now.

You know, it's up here,

so it's been very
difficult for the judges.

But unfortunately,
the person going home today is...

...Rebecca.

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

I'm feeling incredibly
proud of myself.

I never thought I'd make
it to the quarterfinals,

so it's been a privilege every
single step of the way.

Give me a hug.

I'll really miss Rebecca.

She was such fun.

And making a dress and a jacket
was a lot of work -

but she made so many mistakes.

Doing all of what I've achieved,

being in pain the whole time,
it's just...

I'm so proud of myself,

and I hope that anyone who is living
with an invisible disability,

or any disability, knows that
they can do incredible things.

And well done, Beth!

That feels really good,
to have got Garment of the Week.

The fact that I was able to use my
mum's, like, wedding skirt in this,

and that is part of what got me,
you know, to this moment,

is just really special.

Beth's story had a very happy
ending, this Literary Icons Week,

with her first Garment of the Week.

Beth's made-to-measure just had
a feeling of Regency,

there was beautiful detailing in it.

Just everything about it was
just perfection.

I have survived!

I'm going to be a Sewing Bee
semifinalist!

Oh, what the hell?!

Next time, it's a wardrobe
heroes semifinal.

Let's go, let's go.

Hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo!

The sewers face their toughest
pattern challenge yet...

I don't know where to
start on the zip.

...give old shirts
a new lease of life...

This is like the eccentric aunt.

...and take on a timeless classic.

If someone else was saying this
I'd be like, "They're a goner."

Who will tailor their way
to triumph...

We have to pull out all
the stops at this point.

...and who will fall
at the final seam?

That's the classic "should've read
the instructions".

Ugh.