The Great British Sewing Bee is finally back! Our team here at
Calico Laine have been clearing their Tuesday nights in preparation for the excitement to begin.The sewing bug is gripping the nation and we cannot get enough!
The Wiggle Dress
The contestants were thrown in straight away with the first challenge; the classic wiggle dress. This iconic dress curves over the hip and tapers down towards the knee, resulting in a flattering pencil skirt design. This fitted style gives a distinct 'wiggle' when walking, reflecting it's nickname. We can thank Christian Dior's 1954 'H-Line' Collection for this one! A good wiggle dress is made of a non-stretch fabric with a colour-matched concealed zip. If you are following along at home, our stunning selection of Craft Cottons would be ideal for this project. Made from 100% high quality cotton, our range of colours and prints will bring a beautifully tailored garment to life.
Pro Tip: The trick to a good tailored dress is well-placed darts. To create the best finish, ensure your dart comes to a gentle stop. If your angle is too sharp you can end up creating an unsightly point at the bust or puckering along your garment.
Great British Sewing Bee - The Jumpsuit Challenge
The final challenge of the first episode was to create a made-to-measure jumpsuit. Each contestant created their own version of this classic garment. The shining star was definitely the 'Garment of the Week', Juliet's truly stunning asymmetric jumpsuit. With a bold mix of prints, a fun asymmetric neckline, and above all; a perfect fit, this was a real sewing triumph.
Creating your own jumpsuit can seem like a daunting task, however, here at Calico Laine we have a great selection of simple patterns to get you started. Something closer to Juliet's jumpsuit may require a little more drafting or piecing together of other patterns, but the result is worth the effort. Our selection of printed Cotton Poplins would be the ideal fabric for something like this; the soft handle is easy to work with and lovely on the skin. The wide range of prints allow you to recreate your very own bold print-clashing garment for you to show off!
Are you sewing along with the Great British Sewing Bee? Let us know! We love chatting away about our projects and can't wait to get the conversation started on all our social medias. Send us photos of your creations and swap tips with other sewing-lovers.
