01x05 - Christmas Special

[bunniefuu]

This year, rather than going
shopping

why not make your Christmas
home-sewn?

And there we are.

The Great British Sewing Bee's
experts -

Savile Row's Patrick Grant...

That is very handsome reindeer.

..and sewing teacher May Martin...

Oh, I love that, I love that!

..have reunited their
semi-finalists...

Stuart,

Sandra,

Lauren,

and winner Ann for a very special
Christmas Sewing Bee.

Patrick, did you know that
embroidery should look

the same on the back as the front?
I know that!

Let me see the back.

THEY LAUGH

Collective making is something that
people use to enjoy a lot

and I hope that we just remind
people that actually time

spent together just doing something
simple is very special.

They'll be pooling their talents to
produce beautiful Christmas

table linen...

Doesn't it come alive
now that it's all together?

Yes! Really pretty, yes.
There's a little bit of all of us.

..exquisite handmade gifts...

This is the really exciting bit.

..and quick and easy
tree decorations.

Put something nice inside.

And we'll find out just what the
semi-finalists have been up to

since the Sewing Bee.

Welcome to the
Great British Sewing Bee Christmas.

I love a bit of glitter!

MUSIC: "Silver Bells"
by Doris Day

Hello!

Hiya. Nice to see you.

Good. How are you?

CHATTER

It's absolutely wonderful to be back
here and meet everybody again.

It sort of brings back all
the happy memories of last year.

It's lovely.

I've got lots of happy
memories of being in the sewing bee.

Everybody looking at what everybody
else is doing. Are you on time?

We're just here to have fun, so it
feels a lot different. It's good.

So cool to see May and Patrick
and the other sewers -

I've missed them. It's lovely.

Have you made that matching
waistcoat and bag, Stuart?

I have. I've been practising!

Sometimes we lose sight of what
Christmas is all about.

It's about thoughtfulness

and making something by hand
and creating it yourself is

so much more special than going to
a store and spending money.

Sewing bees are just a wonderful
way for likeminded people to come

together to make things.

And it's actually really nice
sharing your skills with

somebody else,
helping each other, sharing ideas.

It's a really
sociable, fun thing to do.

The old-fashioned sewing bees were
collectives of friends

and neighbours who would get
together to share work.

It's something that's largely
disappeared and I think it somehow

reconnects us with the simple things
that us human beings really enjoy.

# Soon it will be Christmas Day. #

Merry Christmas, all of you.

ALL: Merry Christmas!

And welcome back to the sewing room.

We are going to hold a much more
traditional sewing bee.

We are going to sew everything
we need for a beautiful,

handcrafted Christmas.

We're starting off with a table
runner.

There is going to be five panels.

We'll do one and we'll like you
to do a panel each.

We've done a basic colour
palette here.

If you can stick as close
as you can to this,

use anything you'll
like from around the sewing room.

I think, let's just get cracking.

A table runner is a long, thin
decorative cloth,

which runs along the centre
of the dining table.

I totally love that one!

Three tree is our main
feature in our house,

so it's got to be a tree, hasn't it?
OK.

Table runners, they are fantastic

because you can all
contribute a square.

Everybody can experiment
with their own ideas

and it's a wonderful sociable
project to do.

Really, really lovely thing to
bring people together.

Patrick and May's Christmas
runner will be made up of square

panels, which are joined together
using fabric strips,

a border and a backing.

Everyone will decorate
a square each.

May and Patrick's will form the
centrepiece - a patchwork star.

How are we putting the star
together?

We are going to put it together in
rows, we'll have some squares

and we'll have some triangles joined
together to make other squares.

We're joining up a lot of triangles
and squares to make a star?

That's right! OK!

So how is your machining?

My machining is excellent.

You have to be quite precise with
this design.

Yes, these need to be neat.

Shall we cut up some fabric?

Have we got our triangle
template somewhere?

I have something up my sleeve.

I need eight cream triangles.

I feel like Santa's little helper.

While May and Patrick are using
patchwork to decorate their

centrepiece, the other sewers are
using another traditional technique.

I'm going to do an applique design of
a poinsettia because, to me,

Christmas isn't complete without
a poinsettia flower,

so this to me is Christmas.

Applique involves cutting out fabric
pieces that are ironed,

then stitched onto material.

I wanted to do a square that
symbols what Christmas

is about in our house.

It's all about Christmas trees
and baubles,

so I thought I would
go for a Christmas tree

and hope for the best!

I'm going to use
a combination of these fabrics,

but I'm still just mulling over
the details in my head a little bit.

I've got a few different templates
here, the reindeer's caught my

eye and I think that's quite a nice
Christmassy thing to have around.

He's going to be quite cute.

I've got like scissors and cotton
reels, so we'll have a wreath

made up of sewing things, with a few
holly leaves and berries thrown in.

That's kind of what's going round in
my head at the moment.

A wreath sounds so involved!

It's a piece of cake for him,
he's a quilter!

HE LAUGHS

Well, I had better make it good,
hadn't I!?

Do you get all the things
out

that the kids have made over
the years, Sandra?

I do but they're drifting to the
back of the tree now

cos they're getting that old
and shabby.

Whenever we go through the year, I
have to buy a new Christmas bauble.

I do that!

I buy one new bauble every
year that goes on.

We have to buy more than one...

So do you do have a real family
Christmas, Sandra?

Yes, everybody's
there for Christmas.

You need to realise that these two
talk all the time!

Do they?
People walk in off the street?

Sometimes their partners are
there...

We might be here for a while.

Everybody's there for Christmas
dinner.

Everybody sits there stodged.

The sewers' fabric designs are being
attached to the runner panels

using fusible web,
a fibre that melts

when it's heated with an iron,
leaving a sticky residue.

It's kind of like glue, in a way,
that's heat activated.

I've ironed this onto the fabric,
so it's stuck onto it.

But when I peel this off,
there'll be another layer of glue.

But when I iron it again, it will
stick onto the base fabric.

It's good for just holding
things where you want them

to before you sew them, otherwise
things can move around a lot.

Ann's constructing her poinsettia

from over ten separate
layered pieces.

I'm using different coloured reds to
give a bit of texture to the

look of the flower.

They don't have to be too exact.

This is freehand drawing, after all.

And there's my shape and it's
got its sticky backing on it.

I'm worried that it doesn't
look...maybe like a dog

with antlers on.

THEY LAUGH

Oh, dear!

People do that, don't they,
at Christmas?

They put antlers on their dogs.

I've totally got
a picture of antlers on my dog.

Have you? Was that what inspired
this table runner design?

SHE LAUGHS

So this is our Chrisatmas poinsettia.
Now, talk me through where you are.

I'm doing layers of applique,
starting with the wrap-round leaves.

And the central flower...

The central flower is the little
polka-dot fellow.

I really like this idea of everybody
coming together

and doing a piece of something
communal.

It's a great idea because you get
such a variety of ideas,

and there's so much talent out
there.

I've got my elements all cut out,
and what I'm trying to do now is

just place them
into a wreath-like shape.

It's a bit difficult because the
scissors are long and thin,

and it doesn't help me
making a round wreath.

It's sort of coming together.

OK, dog or reindeer?

That is a reindeer.
(Yes!)

Patrick and May are still
working out what goes

where for their Christmas star.

It's a quite a complicated design,
so they're temporarily

sticking their shapes onto a piece
of paper to create a template.

Then it's easy to see which
pieces to sew together.

By Jove, I think we've cracked it.

When you sew this together,
you join those two together

and those two together.

Then you join those squares that
you've made to that square

there and that square there.

We sew them in four strips and then
we sew the four strips together.

Absolutely!

And you end up with a star!

You know what you are going
to do now?

I'm going to have to sew something...

You're going to have to sew some
together.

How many of these do I have to do?

Quite a few. Don't go anywhere.

I'm very interested to see May
and Patrick's work.

I'm going to be looking very
carefully

at Patrick's top stitching.

Mine could be the weakest link
on the table runner, couldn't it?

I've just got to hope
Patrick's no good.

What have you done there?

Have you got three bits of fabric
and sewn them on the back?

It does look complicated!

People that haven't got a machine,
or children who want to have a go,

can literally get them to iron it on
and just stab-stitch it round,

and then they can add pom-poms
and bits and pieces.

Oh, I remember you were
a fan of the pom-pom.

I love a pom-pom. I remember a
particular pom-pom moment.

My bag was lovely.
It was lovely.

And this is the last...

And that's the last one. Fantastic.

Then that forms
the rest of our star.

The patchwork strips are attached
using wedding dress lace pins,

which are so fine they can be

stitched over without damaging
the machine.

So now if we take those pins out...

..and we open this out,

it all matches beautifully!

Presto! Part of our star.

Right. Let's crack on and finish it
off then.

I'm going to use thicker
embroidery thread

and I'm just going to do a little
knot for his eye.

Finished!

It wants to move that way round
a bit but, yes, that's OK.

I think that's it!

There you go. It's going to be
a sewing bee Christmas.

Nice piecing.
They are absolutely amazing

and they're all completely
different.

Incredible. I love your threads.

I'm particularly impressed
with Sandra's star.

May will ensemble and sew everyone's
squares together later

to form the table runner.

I put those the other way round,

so that the reindeer is
facing into the middle.

Oh, that's a good idea,
well done!

Ann came into the Sewing Bee
with over 75 years of sewing

experience behind her.

She was just a joy to watch.

Oh, now that's a delight!

She really is extremely talented,
extremely meticulous.

I think she looks rather good in it!

A very well ex*cuted
piece of sewing.

Gorgeous zip insertion.

Ann won the Sewing Bee with her
classic tailoring techniques

and precision timing.

Wherever I go people come up to me
and say, "Congratulations!"

It's quite extraordinary.

Somebody stopped me
and said, "Do you do alterations?"

I was completely taken aback!

I do not do alterations.

I'm the moderator
of a sewing website.

Come on, dearie!

I put up tutorials and things.

Also, I can go in and if people
aren't behaving themselves,

then I can tick them
off or delete their stuff!

I will always love sewing.
This is me.

This is what I do.
This is what I am.

For Ann, when it comes to Christmas,
it's not about making clothes

but about making
presents for her grandchildren.

So, I'm going to make a teddy
bear for one my granddaughters.

She's 15 and she collects soft toys.

Teddy bears became popular
gifts in 1902.

They're named after
US President Theodore Roosevelt,

who refused to sh**t
a bear on a hunting trip

and the first cuddly bears were
produced to commemorate this event.

Ann's teddy bear is going to be
made in the same traditional way,

from 13 pieces of mohair.

This is expensive fabric and you use
every inch of it that you can.

Ann sourced this teddy bear pattern

and fabric from a specialist
online shop.

Once the pieces are cut out,
excess mohair is

trimmed off the edges to stop fur
catching in the sewing machine.

Everything gets
covered in teddy bear fur.

Don't wear your best black trousers
when you're doing this.

It gives me great pleasure to see
a child's reaction to a soft toy.

When I was I teenager, I made
absolutely masses of soft toys

and I made soft toys for my children
and for my grandchildren.

I think a lot of my soft toys
have become favourites, yes.

Ann starts sewing the arm pieces
together first.

So what I'm doing is I'm
pushing as much of the fur as I can

out of the way as I stitch round.

I don't think I was interested
much at all in the way of soft

toys as a child until I could
make them, then I became interested.

That's now an arm shape.

Arm stitched, this process is
repeated for the other arm,

legs, body and head.

We've got the sides of the head sewn
up and in order to make

it three-dimensional, we're going
to put a gusset over the top.

The bear has a bald nose.

I've trimmed the fur
off the end of the gusset.

I'm not a biologist. I've no idea
why bears have bald noses.

I guess it's the way their born!

The head is the final piece that's
machined.

Ann will finish the rest of the bear
by hand.

I really think that for my teenage
granddaughter,

she's going to appreciate
the fact that this is something that

I have made specifically for her.

Now it's all turned right-side out,
we're ready to do some stuffing.

This is my stuffing stick. You don't
need to buy anything special,

just raid the kitchen.

I think I used that to stir some
sauce a couple of nights ago!

Before stuffing
the arms, joints are attached.

Plastic pellets give the arm
and foot paws a more real feel.

It almost feels also there is
a person inside there.

You need to put some of this wadding
in quickly to stop them coming out.

Once the arms and legs are stuffed
and stitched,

Ann puts the bear together.

That's on, and the last thing
we have to do is stuff his body.

She then gives the bear his face.

Half the nose is completed
before starting on the mouth.

He does need to smile at you

and so it's quite a good idea to put
a pin or something across.

Does he look as though he's smiling?

Yes, I think so. I think
that's quite a good place for it.

Mouth done, there's just the other
half of the nose to stitch.

And there we are.

Back at the Sewing Bee,
May is assembling the table runner

whilst Patrick and the sewers get on
with another communal project.

This time all they have is a needle
and thread.

OK, sewers, we're going to make
personalised table napkins to

go with our table runner.

Just to give you an idea,

this is the handkerchief
that I did for myself,

so I would like, if you can,

just to put the initials of the
person for whom you

are making it and then some little
motif that represents the person.

So perhaps, Ann, you could
make one for Stuart, Stuart

for Lauren, Sandra for me.
Nothing rude, please.

And I will make one for Ann.

Pick anything but maybe try and
think of who you are making it for.

Each take a hoop,
each take a napkin.

It can be any motif you like.

We've done a few for you here on
tracing paper,

so you can trace them on.

If you want to take
some carbon paper

and then just trace over the top
if it with a pencil.

Before carbon paper was invented in
the 18th century, embroiderers

would use the dregs from red wine
to mark out their patterns.

So, Stuart, what initials do you
want put on yours?

Er...

"SH"?
Just "SH"?

Yeah, or you can put "G" for my
middle name.

I think "SH" is probably enough.

I think it probably is.

SHE LAUGHS

As the napkins get under way,
May constructs the runner.

I've got these pieces of fabric
which are called spacers.

I'm going to pin them and this will
form a join

between all your squares.

From year to year, you can actually
change your runner.

You can add extra blocks to the end
of it if your table gets longer.

And that's the last one.

All the panels now have a red
band in-between them

and then we're going to put some
red down the sides.

So now we need add the borders,

and it just frames these lovely
panels and they just come alive.

To conceal all the raw edges,
May pins a length of backing fabric

right side to right side to the
runner and machines them together.

I'm going to leave one end open,

so I can turn the whole thing
through this opening here.

I've sewn round the edges

and what I'm going to do now
is turn it through.

We need to give it
a really good press

and then it's ready
for the Christmas table.

There's an enormous art to
embroidery.

I mean, choosing the colours,

what stitches you use, where you put
the stitches.

Patrick, what kind of stitch would
you use?

A backstitch for straight lines
and satin stitch for filling in. OK.

Backstitching is
when the needle is placed a space

ahead of the previous stitch and the
next stitch neatly fills the gap.

Almost! Good enough!

Satin stitches are placed

so closely together they appear
solid, resembling satin.

Patrick, did you know that
embroidery should look

the same on the back as the front(?)

I know that, yes!
I'm taking a different approach.

Let me see the back.

THEY LAUGH

Get out! Keep on with your own job!

You ticked me off last year
on the sewing bee when you looked

at the back of the embroidery that
I had done and it was inside

a purse and nobody but you,

peering inside the purse,
would have seen it!

Stuart's chosen a sewing machine
motif for Lauren,

while she's embroidering
a measuring tape for Sandra.

I thought she'd appreciate
an inch tape,

even when she eating her dinner.

I even have gone shopping with
a tape measure around me neck.

I can imagine that! I have!
This is perfect, then!

I've forgotten I've got it
round me neck,

and I've looked down
and there's me tape measure!

SHE LAUGHS

I'm doing a dickie bow for Patrick.

When I think of Patrick, I always
think of him in his smart suits.

People are always shocked
when they see me

not in a tailored jacket,
so I think that's about right.

Do you dress casually very often?

Yeah! I don't live in a three-piece
suit.

I'm currently trying to do
a letter "A" for Ann.

There we are, there's an "A".

That's definitely an "A", isn't it?

It's definitely an "A"!

I think, if you like sewing, you
just like the process of sewing

as much as what you're
actually are sewing.

Just sitting and using a needle
and thread

just seems to be
a fascinating thing to do.

The only sewing I've ever known is
sitting in a quiet work room

with lots of people
all sewing together,

so this feels like the norm
and everybody just sits and talks,

they talk and sew.

They all know an awful
lot about each other.

They each other much more intimately
than is probably healthy.

But absolutely, everybody knows
everybody's business on Savile Row.

OK, so we've all finished.

Ann, I've done a little pin
cushion.

It's kind of turned into something of
a crown

because you were our worthy winner.

Stuart, let's have a
look at what you've done.

That's nice! There's my traditional
sewing machine for Lauren.

Oh, I just love this. I mean, that's
just absolutely amazing.

And, Sandra, you've encapsulated me
in green and blue.

To me, that just speaks you,
Patrick. I think it's perfect!

And, Ann, you have taken Stuart and
recreated him in stitch and napkin.

I love it! I love the way
the buttons are just straining,

anatomically correct!

HE LAUGHS

That kind of happened!

Tell me about it!
THEY LAUGH

Stuart was the maverick
in the Sewing Bee, producing

some of the most unusual garments.

I had an absolute ball.

What Stuart bought to the sewing
room was just a sort of joy

and an enthusiasm for the process
of making things.

If in doubt, call it punk...

He grew throughout the competition.

..that's what I say!

Since the Great British Sewing Bee,
Stuart's been rather busy.

I'm at the Alexander Palace
Knitting and Stitching Show,

just generally sewing and
talking at the same time.

Who knew a man could do that?

I shall applique that in the middle

and then make
another 48. That's my quilt!

I've been teaching
a lot of workshops...

Have I met you before?

I don't know. I met you at the
Festival of Quilts.

I'm doing lots of pattern designing
and lots of writing.

If you've got a book, I've got a
pen!

It's probably one of the best thing
I've ever done in my whole life,

yeah!

And this Christmas, at least
one of the presents under Stuart's

tree will be home-sewn
and made of tweed.

I'm making a messenger bag,
a laptop-style satchel,

and I'm making

it for my partner, Charlie.
You know, boys need bags, too.

This one's made in a really
nice heavy wool,

so it's durable and smart.

I'm just making the button
loops now.

I've got my strip of fabric
and I've folded it in three times,

so the raw edges are all encased.

So I've put my lining fabric
right side facing up,

and put my outside fabric
on top of it

and my interlining
goes on top of that.

The button loops are attached
and the three sides are stitched.

I've made this bag
a couple of times, actually.

It's a nice, easy bag
and it's all rotary-cut,

which I like. And it's very quick,
so...it's a good one.

When you're top stitching, it's
really worth taking your time

cos this is the bit that really
shows.

Next, a pocket is
constructed for the inside.

I think for Charlie, two fairly
roomy pockets,

so he can keep things like his keys,
mobile phone will make it useful.

Got to get him organised.

Christmases in Yorkshire,
tend to be family affairs.

I'm not that bothered
about presents particularly,

but definitely about the eating,

lots of lots of that, so all good
stuff.

Stuart stitches the bottom
and sides of the lining together,

with gaps left at the edges.

The reason why that's important is
because

when we bring those two pieces
together to make the bottom

of the box, if you like,

they'll be nice and flat because we
have got that gap in the stitching.

Now what I'm going to do is
stitch across this line here.

The front piece of lining is
attached,

but a gap is left at the bottom.

I often put double pins in,
cos I get a bit enthusiastic

when I'm on the sewing machine
and I just keep going.

When I see those double pins
I know to stop.

And that's the gap that will be used
to turn the bag through later.

The outer bag's
constructed in the same way.

Hopefully it will look like a bag.

Brilliant!

Stuart makes
loops for the strap rings...

Trusty chopstick.

There we go!

..and uses the same
process for the shoulder strap.

At this stage now, I've got
the outer bag inside the lining

and the pretty sides
touching each other.

It's like giving birth, isn't it?

I can see the head.

A bit of top stitching and
the strap's then attached.

Once the toggles are sewn on,
my bag is done.

MUSIC: "Santa Claus Is Coming to
Town" by Patti Page

Next on Patrick and May's home-sewn
Christmas list are tree decorations.

There's something
lovely about having

decorations on our trees that
are made by members of the family.

I think we cherish them far
more than any that we've bought.

This is one that was
made by one of my daughters,

I suspect my eldest daughter,
probably 40 or 50 years ago!

- Wow!

It's really lovely.

What have you
got in your hand, Lauren?

Well, I've got this little one,
which I must have done

when I was about 11 years old,
so don't look too closely!

The stitches are so small!

My mum brings it out every year
and she lent it to me today,

and she was very keen that
I bought it back,

and that it wasn't for me to keep.
She wanted it back.

May is making her decoration to
celebrate a new arrival.

I am going to make a new
decoration for my new granddaughter.

Brilliant! How lovely!

Christmas in our house
starts on the first of December.

The tree is my main feature,
always has been.

It's sort of my pride
and joy that I decorate.

Every year you make something new.

I saw the lid of my pin box and that
just said, "Hang me on the tree!"

What are you doing?

I'm doing a garland,
with hearts and stars

and bells in-between.
Oh, brilliant!

Patrick! Yes, Sandra? What are you
making towards Christmas?

I am making a tweed stocking
from a bit of leftover tweed.

I think that's the nice
thing about Christmas

because you can use all your scraps
ups.

Stuart, what are you doing?

There is something
fantastic going on up there!

HE LAUGHS

I'm making, it's called a clamshell
case. It's a hanging bauble,

but it's actually like a little
box as well.

You can hide stuff in there.

So, what's that stuff?

It's template plastic.
Oh, brilliant!

It's quite rigid template plastic.
Acetate, is it?

Lauren, what are you rustling up for
us?

I'm just making a really simple
little dove with felt

and hearts on it.

Very sweet!

Christmas trees became popular
in Britain in the 1840s after

Queen Victoria's husband,
Prince Albert,

brought the tradition
over from his native Germany.

Early tree decorations included
crystallised fruits and candles.

Something simple like this would be
great for a child to make.

They want to use something which
doesn't fray,

which they can make big
stitches, which is easy to sew.

So I've chosen felt in bright
Christmassy colours

and I've got some matching threads
to sew it all together.

Is this the first Christmas
decoration you've made?

No. I think
I've made one in playschool.

I made an angel for the top
of our Christmas tree with a loo

roll down the middle.

He lasted on our tree for many
a long year.

This presumably is "C" for new
granddaughter Charlotte?

Yes. C for Charlotte, yes.

I'm going to make a heart-shape
hanging decoration.

You're going to sew over
the top of that?

Yes, an embroidery stitch round the
edge of that. How you doing,
anyway?

This is about the simplest tree
decoration ever. Pair of shears,

a little bit of paper, you don't even
need a pattern, you can free hand it.

A piece of cloth,
a needle and thread

and actually you can make
a tree decoration.

Stuart's cut his acetate
leaf shapes,

stuck wadding and fabric onto one
side and is ready to construct.

I've glued my fabric on, making sure
the points are nice and neat.

I'm going to stitch the pairs
of inner and outer together.

I've cut out my little hearts
from the red felt

and I'm just top stitching them
on with a little running stitch.

And then when I've finished this
heart, my two separate doves

will get put together

and I'm just going to stitch all
the way round the outside,

stuff it and then I've got some
of this really pretty ribbon that I

think will look lovely with it.

That will be how it can hang from
the tree.

So I'm just starting
at the point of the star

and just doing a small
straight stitch.

I don't want
the stuffing to come out.

When you get to the point, you've
got to make sure your needle

is down, then you can lift your foot
up and just turn your fabric.

So you haven't got a rounded
point, it's a nice sharp point.

Turn it inside out,
then I'll get my magic little tool,

which Stuart told me
all about when we did the series.

Got your chopstick?

I used to use a knitting needle,

but this is an excuse to have a meal
out.

Then the fun part starts
with the stuffing.

I've put this white
decorative piece on

and I've just used some big stitches.

And it doesn't matter what the
back looks like

because it's all going to be covered
up,

It's not going to show in the end.

I've put two pieces together and
just stitched around the outside,

and now I've got to put the third
bit in, which is the tricky bit.

Cos it's not quite as easy
as putting two flat bits together.

Kind of squish it, like that.

It's just a bit of a fiddle, really.

I think the idea is Japanese
originally,

and they're just like little
accessory boxes that people make.

And the first time I saw one of
these,

a friend had got a mini version of
this.

And she keeps her thimble in it,

and I thought it looked
like a little Christmas bauble.

And I loved the idea that you could
have something on the tree,

which was more than it looked.

I've sewn it on, then the very
last thing that I do

is too trim it all
the way round...

..and there we are.

I think that a nine or ten-year-old
could probably make that.

Just finishing stuffing the star and
what I've done, I've pushed it in

and then got me chopstick and
I've just pushed it into the points

so it's nice and firm.

Well, you don't want soggy corners,
do you?

Sandra's adding her pieces to
an existing bunting.

I just wanted a little
bit of jingle for Christmas.

MUSIC: "Deck The Halls" by
Peggy Lee

Once this is closed up,
he'll be finished.

All I've done is threaded some
ribbon through the end,

so the last bit is to tie a little
knot and then I can open it.

Put something nice inside.

Could be sweets, could be
a diamond ring.

Let's hang them on our tree.

Christmas at my house,

every surface is covered with
Christmas decorations.

My husband has an expression
if he stands still for too long,

he gets decorated.

I do enjoy making
gifts for other people

because I can personalise it or
I can put a little touch on it

that I know they will really love
or appreciate.

27-year-old Lauren was the youngest
member of the Sewing Bee,

but she made it to the final with
her advanced techniques

and well-finished garments.

She is a passionate sewer
and her skill levels were terrific.

In the final week, we were
able to see, really, everything

she was able to do. That ball
gown was truly spectacular.

Since the Sewing Bee, I feel
like my life has hugely changed.

It completely revolves
around sewing now.

Lauren has opened her own
haberdashery.

I've got two girls that work in the
shop with me, and it's like we're

friends that get to hang out
in the haberdashery shop all day.

Oh, yes, yes. Better than that one.

It means a lot to me that I've got
a job that revolves around sewing

or being creative because it's great
that I can do it every day.

I feel really lucky.
It is what I truly love.

I am making a fabric-covered
doll's house

and it's going to be for my two
little nieces.

And, at the moment,

I am just cutting out what is going
to be the walls of the doll's house.

This plastic,
it's just called plastic canvas.

It's almost like a little grid.

It gets used quite a lot for
children

when they are learning how to sew.

Wadding lining is cut,
and the plastic canvas is

sandwiched between it and secured
in place with a tacking stitch.

So now we've got all
the panels for my house ready.

We need to cut out the main
fabric for the house.

It's going to have a garden section,

and this is what I'm going to
use for the garden.

And as it's got a gingerbread theme,

I've chosen this brown
fabric as the base.

So this is the outside of the house
and this is going to

be my walls on the inside. I'm just
going to sew it all the way around.

Turn it the right way out.

Next bit I am going to do is
prepare the roof.

I'm going to use this rick rack.
It will sort of look like snow,

but also a little bit like chocolate
biscuits as well.

It ties in nicely
with my gingerbread theme.

I've got one done,
so I repeat that for the other side

and then I will be ready to sew all
the different panels together.

The first bit is just putting my
plastic canvas and wadding

into my side panel,

so that just gets slotted in and it
should be a nice, snug fit.

So, now I am just sewing
the roof panel onto the main panel

of the dolls house and then I will
sew the interior fabric together.

So, what I am going to do now is
join my outside panel to my inside

and do it with the right sides
together,

so all my raw edges are hidden.
OK.

This is the really exciting bit

because I'll turn it all
the right way out,

and I'll start to really get an idea
what it's going to look like.

Here's my roof. Next comes
the garden...

There it is.

I am going to insert my panels.

With all the wadding panels sewn in,
the house can be decorated.

I'm going to have a snowman, and he
is going to be flying a kite

because I've got a really nice
memory of visiting

my nieces and we all went to the
park together and flew the kite and

they really loved it, it's a really
nice memory that I've got.

OK, so now he's got
the carrot for his nose,

I can get started on some of the
other decorations.

I've been looking through old
Christmas photos with my mum,

and we found this one
when I was only just over a year old

and she made me this Wendy house!

I can remember playing in it
and I loved it!

I think people really appreciate it
when you put time

and effort into making something
that's handmade.

These are the last few stitches...

and then it will be finished.

I'm really pleased with it.

I think it's got a lot of personal
details

that the girls will really love,

and I think they will have a great
time playing with it.

The Sewing Bee is all about sharing
home-sewn gift ideas,

and these quick-and-easy
stocking fillers

can all be made in under
an hour-and-a-half.

My daughter-in-law has been
bitten by the sewing bug,

so I am going to make her a
beautiful sewing box for Christmas.

It's really, really simple to make.

The outside is made from thick-ish
card.

The inside is made from thinner bits
of card -

those could be cereal packets.

Masking tape.

When you fold it up like that,
you've got your box,

you've got your inner
and you've got your outer.

I'm going to make
a Christmas jumper -

the scourge of all Christmases
past - but I'm going to try

and do it in a way that is
really nice.

It's a simple way. I'm not knitting
it but, what I am going to do

is take a really simple reindeer
motif and just applique layers

of wool and melton on top on one
and other to create this pattern.

So what I've done with
the picture of the reindeer is break

it into three colour groups,
which took a bit of working out

but is not beyond the wit of man.

Each one will be cut out,
the fabric will be cut out,

they will all be stitched
together and put on the jumper.

We weren't a big Christmas
jumper family.

It wasn't really a tradition at all.

It's one I would like to start
if I have one of my own.

I think ridiculing
your children by making them

wear idiotic-looking knitwear is
something

we need to preserve as a nation.

When I usually get home from work,
the first thing

I do is put my pinny on
and get the tea started,

and it just saves all my work
clothes getting messed up.

I've decided to make
an apron for one of my friends.

I am making a hot water
bottle cover.

Decided to go for a Christmassy
fabric -

I couldn't really resist it.

I've just put a paper pattern on top

and I used this really cool stuff
called freezer paper.

It's got a paper side
and a waxy side.

For someone like me,
who is a bit cacky-handed

and not very good at pinning
things down, you can just

and put the paper pattern down,
go over it and it sticks.

But then you can peel it back off
again and then you can re-use it.

So if you were making a number
of these, it's a lot faster,

it just sort of speeds
the process up.

I'm going to make a fabric-covered
notebook for my mum,

and I've got this, just a plain note
book here, nothing special, really.

And I've got all of these
scraps of fabric that I just had

left over from other projects.

So, I am just going to join them
up to make a big, long rectangle

and it will be like an envelope that
just almost slots onto the notebook.

I'm making a little coin purse
so that I can put the present

of money that I'm giving into it,
so it's not just in an envelope.

It's just made
from a rectangle of fabric

and I've put a layer of thin cotton
wadding underneath it,

just to give it a little
bit of softness and body.

The fabric and the zip for this
came from Lauren's shop.

Stuart's cut some button holes
for his hot water bottle cover.

I've cut some circles of fabric

and doing a quick running stitch
around the edge.

Once I've got back to where I've
started,

I can put...

..the plastic bit inside and gather
up.

And then I just get the other part,
pop that on top,

push it down and there is the
finished button, all covered.

Before attaching the design
to his jumper,

Patrick checks his reindeer
pieces fit together.

Roughly speaking, although he looks
grumpy now,

I'll make him
a little happier. Hello!

There he is.

What I'm going to do now is start
by attaching in layers,

and then the whole thing will be
sewn onto the jumper.

May's lined and covered the outer
and inner parts of her pyramid.

I'm now going to do my fastenings,
these rings here.

This is my invention.

You take a paper fastener and you
take a little brass curtain ring.

You put the ring to the
back of the paper fastener.

Pop that through, over the top.

Fabric strips are stitched
on to become pockets.

I'm using a curved needle because
it's really easy when you are sewing

on a flat surface, cos it comes
back to meet you as you stitch.

Next, May makes a pin cushion
from triangular pieces of fabric

stitched and stuffed with wadding.

The outer and inner
triangles are then assembled.

Clip it together while the glue
dries, or you can put the two

together and put a pile of books
on top of them.

Once stuck, the edges will be
stitched.

You can put anything inside these.

I've made this
one into a sewing case,

but you can put a little
pouch into the middle for jewellery.

You can customise it to suit the
person you are giving it to.

So when you've done this,
you take a piece of ribbon

and you thread it through...

..and there you are.

Lauren's attached flaps to both
ends of her fabric to make

a sleeve for her notepad.

It means that you can re-use it
again and again.

When that notebook's full,

you can just take it off and put it
on another one.

I'd be more than pleased to receive
an apron for Christmas,

especially if it was in a pretty
fabric with co-ordinating pockets.

I've pinned them on. I've
checked where the pins are and then

I shall make sure they look level
and line them up

with a tape measure, just to make
sure.

If I turned the purse right side out
now, it would be absolutely flat.

So, what I am going to do is make
a sort of box,

so I am going to

machine stitch across that corner...

..and I do that on all four corners.

My little hair bobble's in place,

so I am just going to sew my button
on and I will be finished.

I think it looks great, and I think
my mum will really like it.

Turn this right side out and then

if, I want to give some
money as a present...

I thought, just to finish it off, a
bit of ribbon around the neck.

If it gets cold in Yorkshire,
that will keep you warm and toasty.

How much money shall
we give them?

I think that's probably about
enough.

That is a slightly hurried,
but very handsome reindeer.

I could probably slip it on
and see how it fits.

So there you go.

I think she'll be pleased with that.

I'd like it if I had it.

Sandra was a bit of a rebel
in the sewing room.

You haven't made rouleau loops.

I have!

Sandra and I didn't always see
eye-to-eye on things

like fabric choice.

You like it
and that's the important thing.

But what was so lovely was that
was very much her personality.

She's bright and fun, terrifically
experienced.

All those years of making clothes for
her daughters clearly shone through.

She didn't believe in herself
initially.

Week-by-week she just got better
and better.

Superb.

Immaculate.

Brilliant technique.

And things have continued to get
better and better.

OK, ladies, have you all
done your bit of homework?

Life has been really busy
since the Sewing Bee.

I've gone from the normal mum to
doing classes,

which is something I would never
have dreamed of doing before.

If I was you, I'd re-tack
that in there quarter of an inch.

I'm working at something
I really enjoy doing.

The response has been great,

and it's nice to pass on all
the knowledge I've got to others.

You've done really well there.

I do more sewing now than I've ever
done and it just so enjoyable.

Lovely. That's not too bad, is it,
girls? No.

I'm making a suede gardening
belt for my husband,

just to see if I can encourage him

to spend more time up
the allotment with me.

The belt is made from seven pieces
of fabric, some binding and loops.

It's a nice suedette material.

Quite hard-wearing. When you're
bending down and digging, it's

not stiff and rigid to get
in your way. It'll bend with you.

There we go, so lift those off.

I've designed this with Anthony
especially in mind,

knowing what kind of tools
he uses up the allotment.

A pouch for his secateurs. One
for his mobile phone,

which he has usually got shoved in
his pocket and never hears.

This is a waterproof pocket,
so it will do for your mobile phone,

your seed packets, anything
that you don't want getting wet.

With different fabric, pockets and
attachments, the belt can be easily

be adapted as a gift for anyone,
from an artist to a DIY enthusiast.

I really didn't cut up my husband's
string vests for this.

The stretchy waterproof mesh forms
the last two pockets.

Next, Sandra trims the edges
with binding.

So I'm just doing the top stitching,

and if you fold your binding over
and just make sure it overlaps,

you know when you sew it's
going to catch it the other side.

So there you go, and we'll just bind
all the pocket pieces like that.

That's my little net pocket for
any string or anything.

I'm going to fold that in half
and I've got a silver ring,

which we usually put
clips on for tying the fruit

canes on or you can
put your keys on.

Then, I'll have that one
going down like that,

which will bring it all together.

Anthony always spoils me
at Christmas

and I usually get my wish list.

A new machine would be nice.

Now, I'm ready to sew it onto
the main piece,

which you'll attach to the belt.

It's unusual for me to make
much for Anthony.

I usually do a lot more for the
girls,

so I think he will be really pleased
with this

because he gets a bit left out.

I can always remember a Christmas
with my mum sitting their sewing.

I can remember her making endless
amount of frog door stops,

everybody wanted one.

I think she supplied the whole
of Wolverhampton with them.

So there we go. That's the first
pocket done.

All we've got to do is add the
others.

We can pop the seeds in there,
ties in there.

We've got a little pocket for his
pen.

And he can even put his mobile phone
in there, so I can keep hold of him.

I think I might make myself
one of them with a bit of flower on!

I don't think home-made
gifts are for everyone.

That's really clever!

Any little girl would love that,
wouldn't they?

If your 15-year-old wants
a computer game,

don't give them a home-sewn stocking!

Isn't that fun?

But there is enormous love and energy
in things which are handmade.

It's absolutely fabulous!

Such fun to make! Such fun!

And actually, probably that child
that doesn't necessarily want

that home-made gift at the time
will keep it for ever,

and the expensive toy they ask for
gets discarded after a few years.

And you didn't neaten the edges?
It's just raw edges.

What do you mean, "Didn't neaten
them"?

They are beautifully neat, Ann!
"No" is the answer to that question!

THEY LAUGH

My grandmother, God bless her,
was not the best knitter

in the world but she used to knit us
mittens that looked more like socks.

Every time I pull one out it
reminds me of my grandmother,

and that's lovely.

It's much more thoughtful
and much more redolent than

anything you can possibly buy
in the store, and I think that's why

hand-sewn and handmade at Christmas
is just the thing to do.

This is just very much part of being
a sewing bee.

We've all worked together,

we've all sewn together, created
together, fantastic!

The Sewing Bee has produced teddy
bears, table cloths,

and tweed stocking decorations.

With a bit of time, a needle
and thread, anyone who wants to

can create a beautiful,
home-sewn Christmas.

Cheers!
ALL: Merry Christmas.

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