12x04 - Episode 4

[bunniefuu]

Oh, I was going to go for that.
I'm sorry.

But they can choose however much
trim they'd like to embellish it.

Is that too many?
I don't want to be greedy here.

Grab it, take it, figure it out.

I've never worked with something
as beautiful as this.

I can't stop touching it!

I wanted the beige

but I wasn't willing to have
a scrap with Anna about it.

Essentially, the back and
the front is just one piece

and it's folded with
a hole for your head.

Simple patterns are quite scary

because they need to be
really precisely done.

So, Erika, talk me through this top.

In Mexico, we have plenty of designs
for this folkloric top.

In the communities that I work with,

the designs portray how they see
the environment they are living.

So, apart from the ribbon on the top
and the one on the bottom,

I'm looking to see
the creativity inside this space.

On the pattern,

we have marked where the outside

of the outside ribbon needs to go,

which will then dictate where
they put any subsequent ribbons.

Because it's very simple,
the sewing has to be accurate. Yeah.

Everything is in parallel lines,

and if they're not,
it'll be very obvious.

Is there anything else
they need to consider?

They have to go round the corner.

They've got to mitre
the nice, clean right angle.

We've also asked them
to put the facing on

before they sew
this last line of braid

and that is to secure
the facing behind -

so it is important that they
do it in the right order.

Well, I can't wait
to see how they get on.

Viva Mexico! Oh! Viva Mexico!

It's really cool that
it's hand-woven fabric.

It does make it feel much more
special to work with.

Part of me's crying inside
because it's so pretty,

I got cutting anxiety.

The Mexican folkloric top is
made from two patterned pieces

and lengths of trim.

First, interfacing is fused
to the neck-facing piece,

and then put to one side.

Next, the sewers position

their choice of outermost
and innermost ribbons,

leaving space in between

to get creative with
their own unique design.

Once happy with how
they're arranged,

each ribbon is topstitched
in place along all of its edges,

folding at each corner
to create a neat mitre.

Before topstitching
the innermost ribbon,

the neck hole is cut out,

and the facing is attached and
turned through for a clean finish.

The final ribbon is then
topstitched in place,

securing the facing behind.

The top is folded at the shoulders

and side seams are sewn up
to the armhole.

Finally, the armholes and hem

are turned under and stitched

and the top is given a final press.

Hello! Hello.

You chose a nice color.

It's, like, really open to put
many colours as you want.

That's exactly what I was thinking.

I sort of wanted
a neutral background,

and then I've gone for
a variety of coloured ribbons.

Ooh. They are all
different color palettes

so it's a little bit...
challenging, I guess.

I cannot picture it well in my head.
I don't know if I can't either!

Hopefully, it'll tie together
on there... Yeah.

Let's hope so. Yeah.

"Fuse interfacing
to the facing piece."

Just making sure I've got the
right side of the interfacing down

to make sure that
the glue is definitely

going to go on the fabric
and not my iron.

It's amazing, actually, to think
of the people who sat and made this.

It's a real handmade fabric.

I feel like I just really
want to do it justice.

I don't want it to come all the way
to England and then get butchered.

Oh, sh**t.

Oh, I'm having a bit
of a nightmare with this.

I put my iron on too hot,
melted my interfacing.

Right. We're just going to patch it.
It's fine. Everything's fine.

Hola! Hola, Sophie.

Have you been to Mexico?
I haven't been to Mexico.

To be honest, I can't really
afford the sun cream. Right!

I'd need that much sun cream
for all my family.

What factor do you wear? Factor 50.
I do. And all my kids.

I think that's just wise, in't it?
You keep safe.

Now, we are starting to do the trims
and the braids, I think.

With trims in all sorts of
thicknesses and colours on offer...

Pink, blue, pink, blue. Yes.

...the sewers must decide
how to arrange them

for the strongest visual impact.

I've managed to pick ones that are
all of slightly different width,

so I think maybe we're going to go
chunky, and work our way down.

So, I'll do one of this because
if you do a really wide one,

you're going to have to put
the others really tight and narrow.

Hello! Good morning.
Good morning, good morning.

You've gone with all quite

thin ones, haven't you? Yeah.

Have you any idea how to
accommodate all the ribbons?

I will be going from thin to thick,

or going from thin to thick,
thin to thick.

You haven't really got
any thick, though.

That's slightly thicker.

That's what you're calling
the thicker one. Ok. Ok...

You need to think, do you prefer
more plain or more crowded?

Just placing my teal
and gold ribbons on.

They're all quite jazzy -
it being Mexico.

As the sewers change
the direction of their trim...

It's just about turning


so you end up with
a 45-degree fold.

...they need to form mitred corners
for an elegant finish.

A mitre in carpentry
looks really nice

because they go together at a 90.

But with fabric, there's
so much wiggle and movement,

that makes it a little bit harder.

I did my trim before and it
didn't work out very well,

so I'm trying to make sure
I get this right.

The instructions say to pin. And,
as you can see, I am not pinning.

Oh, look at that. I've managed to
pattern match my little ribbon join.

Oh.

Now, that, sadly, does not look
right. But there we go. Ugh.

It's gone pretty well.

I've pinned all the outer edge.
Looks pretty good.

Once decided on the layout
of their ribbons,

the sewers can start attaching them.

I'm just sewing on my first ribbon.

I am so nervous, my arm hurts.

My corners look really neat.
So far, so good.

Hola! Hello. Are you excited
for Mexico Week? I am, yeah.

I've even got my little Frida Kahlo
pin on. Oh, nice!

Oh... She's not Mexican,
though, is she?

Yeah. Frida Kahlo.
She is Mexican? Yeah, yeah.

I thought she was Nicaraguan,
actually. Oh? Was she?

No, she was Mexican.
Oh, no, she is Mexican!

I've got one layer of trim attached.

So, now, I have to do this
all over again.

You're halfway through!

Okey-dokey.

I'm just putting my
second ribbon on.

It's quite a stretchy fabric, like
the lace, but I think it looks nice.

I just need to make sure that
the gap between the two ribbons

stays constant.

Oh, God.

Some of my spacing is not,

like, millimetre perfect.

Maybe I should have pinned.

So, you've had a look around now.

They're all very creative,
aren't they?

Yeah. Different perspective,
different taste.

The folkloric top is
what they're making today.

But what are the other
Mexican outfits?

So, this is a huipil -

a sacred garment usually worn by
women in Mexico and Central America.

This one is from Yucatan.

Here we have a huipil from Oaxaca.

Just the people that belongs
to those communities

have the right to create them.

And the names of the garments,
they are also sacred.

This is a huipil -
this is not a blouse or a kaftan.

So, what's the difference between
the folkloric top and the huipil?

A folkloric top is
their own interpretation,

using their own creativity

of a blouse that can represent
the Mexican culture.

So, I wait to see. Yeah. Exciting.

Una hora!

Jeepers! One hour left.

I'm happy with the ribbons.

I now need to cut out the neck hole

and attach the facing.

A well-sown facing creates
a neat, stable neckline.

I'm going to stitch around,

and then I'm going to
sort of fold it inside,

and that means you won't
have any visible raw edges.

The facing needs to be added
before the last ribbon

for the ribbon to secure it inside.

So, I've sewn all my ribbons.

I'm just about to do my facing.

Uh-oh.

I think I've done this wrong.

Have you?

Yes. I've put my neckline
ribbon on already,

so that's going to be tricky.

Aye-yi-yi!

How are you getting on?

Uh, not great.
What do you mean, not great?

I did the neckline ribbon
before I put the facing on. Oh...

You shouldn't have told me. I know!

I'm just stitching on
my last row of ribbon.

It's just a little bit wobbly.

Have you been to Mexico?
I haven't. I like the food.

Where's the best place you've been?

There's a few in Brighton
that I quite like. Um...

Sorry, no, I don't mean
Mexican restaurants!

Oh, I thought...
What are you on about?

I mean, where's the best place
you've travelled to? Oh, travelled

in general! But if Brighton to
a Mexican restaurant

is as far as you've gone...

Yeah, that is pretty much it.
..that's quite bleak, isn't it?

That is bleak.

The innermost one is meant to sit


but there's about
a centimetre available.

So I'm thinking I might just
make this trim really narrow

and use the snippet
that's coming off!

So it's going to be
really tricky to sew.

Treinta minutos!

That's 30 minutes.

I'm glad she translated it then.

Side seams and armholes.

Match the side seams, and stitch.

You sew down the sides,

and then you cut a little notch
for the armholes.

Ok.

I think I'm happy, but it's
hard to tell until it's done

and you can step away
and look from it.

But I've had no disasters.

"Topstitch just under 1cm
from the edge."

But that'll cut into your ribbon.

Does that cut into your ribbon,
Anna? No.

Oh...just me, then!

I don't think I've sewn it
particularly beautifully,

to be honest.

We have a tunic, and it just
needs a hem and a press.

Oh, no. I think I have
c*ck up my ribbons.

Mine is far closer together,

whereas everyone else's
seems down to the waist.

I've completely got it wrong.

Ten minutes left!

Awoogah!

I'm just trying to bodge
that neck hole

to pretend that
I didn't do it wrong.

Nothing's wrong here.
Nothing to see, nothing to see.

I'm just going to press it now.

Busy unpicking this little corner.

But it's not massively wrong -
it's just been ironed incorrectly.

Sometimes you do
the most idiotic things.

I don't.

I'm sure you don't, darling.

"Uno" minuto!

Argh...

Get your mannequins dressed!

Got threads everywh... Oh, no.

In a bit of a tangle here.

Just got to trim that off.

I'm not super pleased with it.

I know that my ribbons
aren't mathematically quite right.

Wow, that's so cute.

I'm just gutted.

It is what it is.

Tiempo arriba!

Needles up, sewers!

Love it.

I've got it finished. So...phew.

It's not sewn accurately at all.
No, neither is mine.

♪ Marima, au! Costenita soy... ♪

Nine Mexican folkloric tops
made in just 3¹/₂ hours.

So, judges, what do you think?

Very emotional to see Mexico here.

Yeah, they look terrific...

...from here!

♪ Siempre manda el amor. ♪

To me, it looks really Mexican.

Mixing the black with the plain
make it look more folkloric.

The quality of the construction
is really first rate.

The spacing between braids
looks really even.

Beautiful, sharp mitring.

Slightly imperfect at that corner
but I'm being very, very nitpicky.

You have sewn it really nicely.

Your corners, particularly
on the narrower ribbons,

are nicely mitred.

Beautiful, neat, straight lines.

Lovely, even spacing.

The facing's put in pretty well.

But these narrow ones
sort of disappear.

Maybe you could have used
a thicker one to give more shape.

I think it's a cracking combination.

I mean, it does look
very traditional folk.

I like that you've done four lines
because it's giving it more impact.

Did you freehand these?

Yeah. I find when I pin, it's
less accurate than when I just sew.

There are a couple of bits where the
spacing has gone a little bit awry.

But super-neat facing.
Beautiful corners.

These kind of ribbon
that you chose -

for me, is like my
kind of combination.

But you were meant to make
the ribbon lower.

Yeah. I realised at the very end
that I'd miss my line altogether.

You've sewn it
really, really nicely.

The neckline,

all of your corners
are really nice and neat.

It just is missing a pretty
crucial section that we'd asked for,

and so we have to kind of
mark you down for that.

This knitted braid with the
base fabric is really beautiful.

But it was quite stretchy,
so quite tricky to sew.

Yeah. I don't like some details.

This ribbon is a little bit
wrinkled, maybe.

But I think, in general, it's a good
combination of colours. Thank you.

The thickness of
the ribbons matches.

You've put the facing in well.

The application of this
top ribbon, it's odd!

It's just a bit
agricultural-looking.

Yeah, I really like it.

Oh, yay.

You managed to make it glamorous.

The balance between the thick one,
medium and a really thin one -

it's perfect.

Where was this one from?

It's the same, actually, as the
other one, but I trimmed it down.

That's what I thought.

It's very nicely made, actually.

Great spacing with that
first row around the neck.

Beautiful straight lines.

You've absolutely nailed
the corners.

Spot-on. Thank you.

I don't know what
you've done here

but you've got this tape
right on the edge of the neck hole.

I did read the instruction
but I should have left

the neck tape after the facing.

All right. I was going to pretend
it didn't happen. Well...

...you pretend all you like!

It's a shame.

And, actually,

I'd like you to have
a thicker ribbon,

because these are very subtle.

I mean, there's
a catalogue of errors.

You've marked the line,
but then you've sewn your tape

on the wrong side of the line.

That means you've got
no room at the side seam,

you've got no room at the armhole.

Didn't you put this on first?

Yeah, I did the same as Minnie.
You've got no gap.

I just think it's a big shame
that this is too low.

Yeah. And that you sewed this
before you put the facing on.

C'est la vie.

The judges will now rank the
folkloric tops from last to first.

In ninth place, it's Tim.

One mistake led to another mistake.

One of those we're going
to chalk off to experience.

Eighth place is for Minnie

because the ribbon was put first
before the facing.

Heather is in seventh place.

Adele in sixth.

Lewis fifth.

Rebecca fourth.

And Emma is third.

Second place...

...is Anna.

I really, really like
the mix of colours.

Very artistic. Thank you.

So, in first place is Beth.

You did a really good job.
Thank you.

So I just came first,
which is pretty cool!

I feel like, up to this point,

it's been quite bridesmaid
territory for me -

which is a great role. I mean, like,
who doesn't want to be a bridesmaid?

But I'm really happy to
have come first in this one.

I was just gutted because
I really liked the top.

And then as soon as I looked
around, and I was like,

something's off.

And then I clocked it,
and I was like, oh!

Frankly, I've had better days
at the office.

An error just got compounded,
and I knew I'd made it.

But we're not going to dwell on it -

we're going to move onwards
and upwards.

Now it's time for
the Transformation Challenge,

where you take something
old and unwanted

and turn it into something
nuevo y fantastico.

So, Patrick, what are you
going to have them do?

We're hoping to see something slick.

Oh!

We're giving you manteles de hule -
or oilskin tablecloths.

We use manteles de hule in Mexico
for indoors and outdoors tables.

This stuff is pretty stiff,

so we want you to use the structure
to create a sculptural garment.

You can take one tablecloth each.

You're allowed fastenings but you
can't take any decorative trim.

What we want is the tablecloth
to do the talking.

So, the judges
can't be here for this,

so they'll be bobbing off
to bash a pinata.

Adios!

You have an hour and a half.
Your time starts...now.

Oh...

They are big, aren't they?

Ooh. Should I go for something
different? No, I like this one.

I've never made anything out
of a tablecloth before,

let alone an oilskin tablecloth!

I really need this challenge
to go very well.

Yeah. Transformation does
not come easy to me at all.

I've got some nice tablecloths
from my mum and dad's house.

One of them my dad acquired from
the reception area of a hotel.

And on the way home in the car,
my mum was saying,

"That tablecloth was so beautiful.
I love that tablecloth."

And my dad went, "This tablecloth?"

♪ Si, senor! ♪

So, a manteles de hule?

It's really traditional.

Last time I saw one was
in my grandma's place,

so it's quite funny to see now
what they are going to create.

I'm really excited to see
what they come up with

because it's so sculptural.

It can stand up on its own.

They can use this fabric
to make some amazing shapes.

Imagine if they gather it,
it would be...phew!

They could gather it, pleat it,
they can fold it. Yes.

It probably will be quite difficult
to sew, actually.

We've said they can't use
any other decorative trim

but they could use the pattern to
create the effect of decoration.

Yeah. They need to think what
it looks at the front, the back,

and what it looks at the sides.

It really needs to be something that
takes our attention, I guess. Yes.

Well, this challenge is
going to be...no picnic!

It's very stiff, like,
you know, I can put it up

and it's not going to
really fall down that much.

Oopsie-daisies!

Mm-hm...

So, my idea is to make a dress

that's almost like a slinky,
by piling circles together.

I just quite like the circles
and I feel like

I can use them
in an interesting way.

I think I'm going to make a skirt.

Could be a top.
It's just got to be, like, big.

I'm going to try it with
pleats and puffed out.

I do like a puffy sleeve.
It is very me.

When life gives you oranges
on a tablecloth,

try and botch together a coat.

Hello.

You seem quite jolly.
Yeah. I mean...

Is it just a facade? I feel like
I'm at a point with these now

where you've just got to do
some sewing.

Sort of jolly nihilism?
Exactly. Yeah.

I enjoy jolly nihilism. Yeah.

It can lead to some pretty good
nights out. Yeah, yeah!

I saw the fabric and instantly
thought parka, the Gallaghers,

because I just thought
waterproof jacket,

like, a big circle kind of shape.

And then maybe, like,
a really boxy hood.

I want to make a gown.

I want to add ruffles.

I quite like the brief because

there's lots of different directions
you could take it.

Yeah. But, obviously, the direction
is always going to be pink.

Yes, I went pink. Yes.

So I've created
this sort of fan shape.

Ooh, nice.
So that's going to be the bodice.

And I feel like that's pretty
sculptural. Oh, gorgeous, yes!

I've decided to make a bodice
in the shape of a kind of fan.

Well, I'm putting in a zip.

I thought I'd just make
a kind of basic top

and covering in as much


A battle of the fans!

If they've got fans on it,
so have I!

Hola, guapa!

What have you had a few guapos
in your time?

That's my husband there.
Oh, he's lovely.

Yeah, he's guapo.
Yeah, he's very handsome.

He was a piano player.

I'd love to play an instrument.

Do you sing? I can beatbox.

I got a bit overexcited.
I mean, that was really good.

Was it? Yeah, that was really good.
Says the musician!

Sewers, you're halfway through!

Oh...

It's looking pretty
sculptural so far.

Those are my top two circles.

I'm going for redemption
on the hoods.

Huge.

It's a very tricky fabric.
It's hard to fold it.

I don't know if it'll gather
very well.

Ooh. Maybe it could be quite fun
if the shapes were actually

attached with a zip.

It's funny how we've both gone
for fans.

Well, we both had the same thought.

It's structural fabric,
how do you get strength?

Yeah, how do you get strength?

There's room enough, I think,
for multiple "fannage"!

The colour's fab, isn't it?

It goes well with your dress,
doesn't it? I'm Mexican themed.

I can't sew, but I can bring
a little bit of Mexican energy.

What is it, Adele?

It's a puffy-sleeve thing,
but it doesn't fit.

So, I've picked out some colours
from the tablecloth for the zips.

I didn't know that this was in
my brain, but apparently it is!

Added my sleeve, so it's
looking more structural now.

We've got the circular,
we've got the boxy.

I'm making a very, very quick
pair of panniers.

They wanted sculptural.

It was too small, so I've put,
like, a lace thing on the back.

But I need just to put some sort
of peplum on the bottom.

The judges, um,
are probably looking for

something a bit more sculptural
than what I've done.

Sewers, you've got 15 minutes!

Please tell me that's enough now.

My strategy is to sew as many fans
on until we run out of time.

I really like the round shapes,
so that's why I've kind of got

these random little round patches.

I've now attached
the circular sleeve straps.

Yeah, that looks really cool.

I'm still doing a hood, but
I'm going to do it as a square,

so in the way
I've done the shoulders.

I'm trying for the peplum.

So it's all one great big ruffle.

Oh, it's going to be
such a joy to sew!

You've got five minutes!

Pfft!

I'm wondering whether, like, I
could make, like, a little beret.

It has definitely evolved
from a bodice.

I thought I'd try and use up
this triangle that I'd already made

and make some kind of a bag.

Oh, I can't work out
how to sew that. Ah, bother it.

The tablecloth is doing
a lot of talking.

Come on...breathe in.

Can I get this on the mannequin?

So sorry!

"Uno" minutos!

I'm just going to tie it on.

Oh, panic, panic, panic!

It's definitely giving shower cap
because of the material.

It's certainly structured.

I'm trying to thread this,
but I keep shaking.

Needles up, sewers,
that's your time.

Bring your mannequins forward

and muddle them up a little bit.

Ooh, look at all the fans!

They're going to be well impressed
with these, I think.

They're certainly sculptural.

♪ Soy pura mexicana
Nacida en este suelo

♪ En esta hermosa tierra
Que es mi linda nacion... ♪

Nine manteles de hule transformed
into sculptural silhouettes

in just 90 minutes.

And the judges don't know
whose is whose.

It's definitely a fiesta.

♪ Viva Mexico Viva!
Viva Mexico Viva... ♪

Wow. Right. Ok.

They've used the stiffness
of the oil cloth

to really dramatic effect.

I'm a bit intrigued by this.

Do you think it would be
comfortable?

Maybe the sleeves are too tight.

I'm not sure if it will be
my favourite piece

just because it looks
really like a balloon.

This person's
really had fun.

I like the matching hat.

And I really like these circles
so they can cover the back.

It's super sculptural.

The whole thing, I think,
hangs together really nicely.

We have quite a famous sweet
called a flying saucer

in exactly this shape,

and it reminds me of that, as well,
in a nice way.

They've picked out
the colours of the fruits

and matched those with
the colours of the zips.

I really like that
you can remove these things.

We could take this off.
Yeah. It's a scarf.

This is fabulous.

I love the front. It's all pleated.

You've got this beautiful sunray
coming out of the centre.

And then we've got this lovely
kickout, and it is super sculptural.

It's my kind of dress.

Maybe next time that I visit
my grandma, wear this!

It looks a little bit
like a raincoat.

I really like the back.

I think these sleeves are hilarious

and they echo the hood.

It's really clever.

I'm going to say
I'm quite a big FAN of it!

It reminds me like an umbrella.

It's definitely like a sculpture.

Maybe with more balance.

I wish they'd put
another fan on the back.

Well, we've got more fans.

Actually, the front of the bodice
is really nicely engineered.

The shape of the skirt is good, too.

The whole outfit feels
very wearable.

I like the little fan here.

But maybe if they could
add another one here.

We have a rain jacket -

which seems like
quite a sensible use

of this waterproof tablecloth -

with an absolutely enormous hood.

It's a piece that everyone
could wear,

especially in England.

Whilst the hood is pretty dramatic,
I think there could have been

a more interesting use of
the stiffness of the fabric.

Wow. I really like the size
of the big ruffles.

I think the ruffle
echoes the dahlias.

It feels kind of petal-like.

The whole thing really looks
fantastically well considered.

I think it's got really big drama.

The judges will now rank
the garments from bottom to top.

These are all very, very good,
and you can all be very pleased.

Ninth place is...

...the raining jacket
with the oranges.

Lewis...

...you missed the part of
the sculptural rule.

In eighth place is

the yellow top
with the puffy sleeves.

Adele.

It wasn't as sculptural
as the others.

In seventh place is Tim.
Emma is sixth.

Heather fifth, Anna fourth,

and Beth is third.

In second place is
the orange one, Minnie.

We really, really liked it.

Thank you.

Which means, in first place,

is the extraordinary
pink gingham dress

with the sunray-pleated bodice.

Rebecca, it was both
fabulously sculptural,

very, very wearable,
and very dramatic.

It's absolutely a triumph.
Well done. Thank you.

I...can't believe
how well that went.

Pink is definitely my lucky color.

I'm going to keep sewing with it
until I can sew no more.

I'm really gutted, actually.

I really liked my outfit.

But I'm trying not to let it
affect my confidence

and go in tomorrow
with my head held high.

I've kind of been
in this position before,

thinking I am 100% going home,

and then, my made-to-measure seems
to have gone quite well.

So, yeah, I've just got to
sort of hope it comes off.

♪ ..Los corazones! ♪

♪ La cucaracha, la cucaracha

♪ Ya no puedo caminar... ♪

For the final
challenge of Mexico Week,

the models are back
to spice things up.

I've got to smash it
out of the park today.

I'm just going to, yeah,
make sure I nail it.

We need to have fun, and work quick.

Welcome back, sewers.

Today, it's the
Made-To-Measure Challenge.

The judges would like you
to make an outfit

for a Mexican festival,

and there's loads of festivals
throughout the year in Mexico,

from the Guelaguetza,
to the Dia De Los Muertos.

You've got five hours.

Your time starts...now.

Vamos! Ok, let's get to this.

The sewers have practised their
Mexican festival outfits at home.

Can I just do your arm length?

Now they need to perfectly fit
their designs to their models.



I'm very excited. There's so
many festivals and outfits

that we could have gone with.

I really wanted to do the
Festival of the Radishes,

but I thought my model
wouldn't be best pleased

if I dressed her up in radish!

So, Erika, there's lots
of festivals in Mexico.

What's your favourite?
Day Of The Dead

because it's the day when our
beloved ones that have passed away

come back to visit us.

So what have you specifically
asked them to do?

Choose a festival,
and then make a costume

that looks and feels like something
that would be worn on that day.

They may need to simplify it -

I suspect some of these costumes
may take weeks or months to create.

What do you think
they might find tricky?

Well, some of these outfits will
have a lot of embellishments.

Putting the ribbon on,
and all the gathering -

that could take them hours.

I think that's going to be
the challenge,

just to make it feel outstanding,

because the original ones
are outstanding.

I think I'm going to going to
end up drowning in red fabric.

Yeah. It's beautiful, though.

I think festivals should be about
color, should be about dressing up.

It's a party,
so it should look the part.

Hi. What are you creating?

I chose the Festival of St Cecilia.

Ok. Because I actually
met my husband

in St Cecilia's Hall in Edinburgh.

Aw! Yeah. I love it,

so I've made a kind of a zapateado.

Well, zapateado is a dance.
I love zapateado.

Emma hopes to dance her way to
victory with her zapateado outfit.

It's decorated with
yellow and orange ribbons

and treble clef trim to honour
the patron saint of music.

Saint Cecilia also was burned
for being a Christian.

That's why I've chosen the orange
and the yellow fieriness. Ok.

Maybe one day you can lend me
the dress to dance.

Maybe you could teach me to dance.
Yes!

Whilst Emma's inspired
by a musical martyr...

Look at my lace.
It's got little treble clefs.

...Minnie's drawn to the origins
of her Mexican festival outfit.

The dress is called
the China Poblana.

I did a bit of research.

It was said a South Asian princess
was abducted to Mexico.

Her personal style merged with
Mexico's traditional style.

And here comes
the China Poblana dress!

Minnie's Independence Day outfit

echoes the colours

of the Mexican flag

with a green and red

flip sequins skirt

and a white blouse accented with

Mexican-style embroidered fabric.

I'm honestly quivering inside
cutting into this.

I just want to do this justice.

Right. Top section.

I'm just cutting out the pieces
for my floral yoke blouse.

I've got six bodice panels,
puff sleeves,

and also a collar.

There's lots of elements
to this bodice.

If you turn around for me.

I am making a Jalisco ribbon dress

for a Mexican Independence Day
folk dance.

I love to dance, so I feel like
a dress made for dancing

seemed like a really
cool, cool thing to me.

The bodice of Anna's dress

is sewn with princess seams

and fastened with an invisible zip

at the back.

The dress' double-circle skirt

and neckline are decorated

with rows of different-coloured

ribbon and lace trim.

It seems very difficult,
even for five hours.

I'm modifying it slightly in that
they're traditionally floor length,

but I'm making it
like a mini version

just so there's a bit less hemline.
Ok.

Sewing all that ribbon on
could be a problem.

I'm just going to have to do it
really quickly, I think.

Yes, you are. Yeah.

I'm trying to race ahead
and finish my top

because I've got loads of trim
to put on at the end.

When I pin the yoke on my model,
it looks a little bit small,

so I just added 1cm on the yoke.

Hopefully, it won't come back
and bite me.

So, what's going on here?

It's the Fiesta De Grande De Enero

and I'm making a Chiapaneca's dress

to celebrate women and
femininity and strength.

This is great for the gingernuts!

Adele's take on the Chiapaneca dress

is made up of a gathered skirt,

decorated in rust-coloured lace

and rainbow trim,

and a ruffled off-shoulder top.

Being off the shoulder,
I thought it was quite sexy.

I thought Esme likes sexy things,
doesn't she?

Yes, and we're all trying to
constantly appease Esme. Yeah.

I'm not with these, though.
She's not happy about that.

Me and Heather are making
very similar.

I think we've got the same festival.

But our actual outfits
are very different.

Yeah, ours are different.
So I think it'll be really nice.

And our fabrics are different. Yeah.

I've gone for various
different prints.

There's, like, pink in them all.

So, hopefully, the judges
will think it's cohesive

and I've packed in as much color
as possible.

Also to celebrate the Fiesta
Grande De Enero,

Heather's version of the Chiapaneca

dress is a top and a skirt

made from four gathered tiers

of different floral fabrics.

So, you're not
putting decoration on?

No, I am one of the very few
with no ribbons or trims. No.

I've gone for lots and lots
of gathering.

And why did you choose
that celebration?

It really reminded me of
Harvest Festival

which was one of my
favourite things at school.

It's also celebrated in January,
and my birthday's in January.

Maybe you can wear it
for your birthday, I mean...

Yeah! ..it looks beautiful.

It'll probably be raining
or snowing for my birthday,

so maybe with a big thick coat
and some thermals underneath!

Whilst Heather hopes
her fabric combination

comes up smelling of roses...

I'm excited to see how the florals
actually go all together.

...Tim's also looking to impress
with his flower arrangement.

I've got a really colourful jacket
with this fabulous fabric

and I'm pattern-matching
down the middle

so it matches across the buttons,

which just means I need to
get everything well lined up.

What festival is this outfit for?

The Tlaxcala Festival.

The carnival features
male dancers called huehues.

Huehues, yeah. Huehues.

They wear the most amazing costumes.

They've got a big, colourful cape

and they've got a massive
headdress of feathers.

The jacket takes its inspiration
from that cape.

And then we've got feathers
on the collar.

Tim's version of the huehues'

costume is a feast for the eyes,

with a feather trim around

the neck of his jacket,

white fringe under the arms,

and white pom poms sewn into the

side seams of his velvet trousers.

It sounds a bit Liberace!

Yeah, Patrick, you know me...
Like, it's got everything.

...it's camp as Christmas, darling!
Yeah.

Quite a lot to do.
It's a lot to do. Yes. Yeah.

I cannot imagine how it is
going to be, the result,

but it sounds exciting.

Whilst Tim makes his outfit
from top to bottom,

Lewis has opted for
a different approach.

So, I've got to make trousers first,
then I will make the shirt.

Tell us about the festival outfit.

It's like a male dancer's
guayabera shirt,

some white trousers,
and a big red neck scarf.

Based on the Veracruz Carnival -

they do something called
the burning of the bad humour.

All the dad jokes go in a fire...
Yes! That sort of thing.

...so they get consigned to history.

Where I live, we have a big festival

where we burn big
effigies of people.

And I thought, well, that's great,
I'll go for that one, then. Ok.

For his dancer's outfit,

Lewis is making drawstring trousers

and a guayabera-style shirt

with broderie anglaise inserts,

a collar and cuffs.

The outfit is completed

with a red neckerchief.

I've got a lot to do, so

I just really, really don't
want to run out of time

to make my shirt well.

Whilst the festival outfits
need to look celebratory,

the details still demand precision.

I am adding this trim on my blouse.

It's very fiddly.

It's all embroidered, so
the embroidery is quite kind of

lumpy and jumpy.

I've got to gather the sleeve
onto the cuff,

as well as onto the bodice.

So, a lovely little sleeve.

It's got these really
dramatic gathers,

so it should give a nice, like,
billowy sort of poofy shape.

Oh, it's cute.

Ooh. I'm struggling a bit.

I find the drawstring hole
quite hard to do.

It's a bit of lack of experience
on my part

and it's just put me behind.

You're halfway through!

My top is done-done now.

With upper halves complete...

It sits quite nicely
over your front.

...the sewers can
turn their attention

to the lower part of their outfit.

The skirt is where
the magic happens.

They have loads and loads of
movement and fabric and ruffles.

So much fabric!

Traditionally, these skirts
can be in any color

as long as it's bright and sunny,

so I went for this
lovely sort of sky blue.

Rebecca's satin skirt

will be decorated with trim

and paired with a gathered blouse.

The outfit is worn to dance

the chilena de Pinotepa Nacional

at Guelaguetza, a festival

celebrating the indigenous cultures

of the state of Oaxaca.

I used to be a competitive
ballroom dancer.

There you go. Saw it!

Um... So I really wanted to do
something inspired by Mexican dance.

The man represents a rooster,
and a woman represents the hen.

I might do you a little performance,
see if I can become the hen!

For the sewers to achieve
a celebratory silhouette,

the skirts need even gathers
to create fullness.

I've got four different tiers.
There's a lot of gathering.

Big ruffles is not something
that I normally make for myself,

so this is definitely
new territory for me.

The dress is worn during
the escaramuza charra.

It's almost like dressage,
but in teams.

The idea is that it would be able
to sit over the horse

as the women are riding horseback.

Beth's ruffle dress takes

inspiration from El Dia Del Charro,

a festival celebrating

Mexico's tradition of horsemanship.

The bodice features

embroidered flowers,

whilst pink and green ribbon

decorate the voluminous skirt.

I think you are choosing
a good combination of colours.

Yeah, I like pink and red.

No, brown. Pink and brown. Brown!

You're learning quickly!

A pair of trousers. There you go.

So I'm going to faff about
trying to make a shirt now.

The length looks good.

With the shells of
their outfits sewn...

Right. Ok. Trim.

...the sewers can start applying
their embellishments.

I'm putting on my bling.

Got a blue, yellow and a green.

It is a case of getting as much
excitement on there as possible.

I have no time to think.
I have no time to panic.

I just have to get metres and
metres and metres of lace on.

Rather than applying
three lots of ribbon,

one wider ribbon, and then
one narrow ribbon on top.

Oh, no.
Yes, I knew that would happen.

The fringes have come
out of the edge.

It's important that it's all inside
and doesn't get caught.

Each color of this...

It's because St Cecilia was
burned for being a Christian.

She was burned?

I mean, they would have
burned us back in the day.

I know, we would have been
absolutely burnt. Absolutely.

Some people you meet and you think
you'd be great to get drunk with,

and you'd have been burnt
at the stake. Absolutely.

You've got one hour!
Tienes una hora!

That's a good effort. The
feather trim on the collar.

Get the trousers started.

I have got to get
a significant shifty on.

I do you think time is going
to be tight, and I'm thinking,

do we do three tiers,
do we do four?

Just marking out the placement
for my last row of lace.

I've got the orange ones on.
I need to put the rainbow ones on.

Yeah, reasonably happy with that.

I'm hoping when I put the zip in,
they kind of match up.

How are you getting on?

I had a bit of a mare

and snagged up one of the holes

for my drawstring.

It's just put me behind,
to be honest.

So, is this the shirt?

So, I've panelled my broderie on.

But, yeah, it's quite tight
to make a whole shirt!

It's trouser time!

And this fabric moves so much.

Tim, I think he is just
finishing the bottom part.

The trousers are still flat,
in pieces.

You know, it's about now
that I think,

why did I choose stretch velvet?

To sew, it's really difficult.

Putting my cuffs on now.

I wish I was doing this
about an hour ago.

Lewis is doing a whole white outfit,
and this red tie.

Making a pair of trousers
AND a shirt... Yeah.

It's a long time.
..It takes a while.

But he's not even sure
he's going to finish. Oh.

I need to do all of my buttonholes
still, and make a neck scarf.

Yeah. Not ideal.

Finished the third tier
of the skirt.

Ideally, I wanted four, but
I don't think I'm going to have time

if I want to be able to finish
the hems of everything.

Heather's looks great, actually.

All three tiers are
in different fabrics.

She still has to hem each one.

Well, that could take a while.

I wish it could go even faster!

You've got half an hour left!

I'm really throwing this together.

I need to do a waist sash.

Does it have a belt, Beth?

It has a green ribbon
that I'll tie right at the end.

So this is my neck trimming.
I want this V to meet in the middle.

It's just important to try
to get a nice, clean point.

The ribbon pretty much lines up
across my zip there.

There's no time to pin.

I'm just literally going to
whack some trim on.

Just drowning in skirt.

Ugh, see, I thought
I was nearly finished

and there's just
more and more and more!

I wasn't going to put
a bottom one on, but I might.

I am just overlocking
the third tier,

and then all the hems will be done.

I might try and go for
the last tier.

I'm putting the last frill on.
I went for it.

I'm going to try.

The trousers are trousering Ok.
I haven't had a fitting yet,

so I could discover
some horrendous errors.

You're very good at putting
patterns together, aren't you?

It was a long time in the fabric
shop, like, this one and this one?

This one and this one?

The lady in the fabric shop thought
I was a little bit crazy.

Eccentric.

Oh...this fabric just
moves around so much.

Come on, come on, come on!

Oh, in they come!

I'm just about to put
the embroidery on.

Literally need to close up
the other side of all of this.

I think it might be a bit too much.

I'm trying to lob in a buttonhole
as quick as I can.

I'm a bit scared of
these buttonholes.

I'm just trying to add
a few stitches.

Yeah, I'm doing it!

One minute! Nearly there.
Get your models dressed.

There's not much I can do now.

Ok. We have the layers.

It's got one button,

which I've actually heard is
a traditional Mexican style.

You need to dive in.

Nice.

Oh. Wow.

The moment of truth!

I don't know how to do
a proper bow.

That's your time! Needles up!

I can't believe
I got that last tier on.

Ah, I've just not finished at all.

It's missing the red neckerchief.

I'm feeling like I want
a nice cold pint of beer!

Or a margarita!

♪ Me nace del corazon

♪ Decirle que usted es mi vida

♪ Que no se vivir sin usted... ♪

Nine outfits for a Mexican festival
made-to-measure in just five hours.

♪ Pero es que no aguanto mas

♪ Este amor me calcina

♪ Me nace del corazon. ♪

Beth, I think the shape
of this dress is fabulous.

The whole thing feels
really well proportioned.

I also really like
the consideration of the flowers -

you haven't mirrored them.

I like it,
it looks really high couture.

The ribbons here,
it's, like, really elegant.

But this one looks
a little bit last minute.

That will just make it
more luxurious.

The sewing is exemplary.
It's just the ribbon.

♪ Paloma negra,
paloma negra

♪ Donde andaras... ♪

I like the style of the skirt

and the evenness between
the ribbon and the lace.

It looks pretty good.

The top is just missing
a little bit more of shape.

Something with more fit
will look much better.

But I think you've done well,

and you've done a lot of sewing
that's really neat and tidy.

For me, it's a really unique piece.

You are, like, portraying
the Mexican culture,

and also a personal story.

I just really like the way that
you've played with the ribbon.

This is the patron saint of music.

I love that you've found
musical lace.

But the middle piece looks
like it's going to one side.

It looks very well considered.

Just some of the sewing
is slightly on the wonk.

I love that you've used sequins.

And I love this embroidery.

Of course, it gives
this Mexican vibe.

I do think, because this
embroidered fabric is quite stiff,

and you've bound the edges,

it is sitting a bit proud.

You should have taken
a bit out of the shoulder,

but I think it's great.

I love the sequins. I'm going to...

♪ Me gustas mucho

♪ Me gustas mucho tu. ♪

I love the colours.

They feel very much on point
for festival attire.

And you have applied
miles of ribbon.

You've obviously gone a little bit
rapido around the bottom...

Yeah...and it is having
a bit of a wobble.

But on the top, your invisible zip

goes through all sorts
of layers of ribbon,

which must have been tricky.

I really like how you manage
the short version,

but I don't understand the length.

I think it needed one more tier.

You know, your length,
or floor length. Yeah.

Wow.

For me, this is a piece of art.

There's a lot of creativity here.

I really like this fabric.

You've matched this very nicely.

You've got six buttons
down the front.

You've managed all of these
different elements

actually really pretty well.

But the crotch is too high.

Look at this drape.

I think it has a unique spirit about
it that I've never seen before,

so well done. Thank you.

♪ Sabes... ♪

From a distance, the whole thing
actually really works.

It's well made.

The gathers are good,
and it bounces.

I'm not sure about the colours
that are kind of a rainbow.

I think it looks
a little bit overcrowded.

I think I probably agree with Erika.

These are a bit bright.

But, in general, I think
it's a nice shape of dress.

I don't know how you managed
to coordinate all the colours.

You've really thought about using
all these different prints

and it's very nicely made.

I'm so pleased that
you put the fourth tier on.

So am I.

It's so easy watching
Kit come down the runway.

It moved so nicely.

It's the type of representation
of a Mexican woman

that I would like to portray.

I just think it's great.

Thank you so much.

♪ Para bailar la bamba

♪ Para bailar la bamba se
necesita una poca de gracia

♪ Una poca de gracia... ♪

The original costume
has a red thing on the neck.

But then, I saw that you added
on the belt.

Did you plan it this way
or it was just lack of time?

I didn't manage to finish the shirt.

The neck scarf was the thing
I'd left to the end.

I like that you've got
the broderie anglaise here.

I think that's great.

You've not done a bad job,
but you've only got one button.

Making shirts and trousers
takes ages.

You've given yourself way
too much to do in the time.

But hats off to you for aiming
for something so complicated.

It's a bit disappointing. I really
wanted to do a good job of that

and bit off more than I could chew.

I was really shocked
by the comments.

I was a little bit choked up.
I got a bit teary.

Hearing Erika say it was
a piece of art was amazing.

Yeah. Really great.

It was the...best thing. Yeah.

I always think I've not done enough.

I'm really praying
that I have because

I'm desperate to
get through to next week.

That's the end of Mexico Week.

And I think we all just
want to say thank you so much,

Erika, you've been amazing.

Now, it's time for
Garment Of The Week.

Our Garment Of The Week is...

...Heather!

Oh!

Thank you.

It absolutely encapsulates
the spirit

of the best of Mexico's tradition
and the festivals.

We absolutely loved it. Well done.

I'm very excited to tell my mum,
she's going to be chuffed!

Unfortunately,
we've come to that time again

where someone has to go home.

And this week,
the person going home is...

...Lewis.

You've been fabulous,
and we'll all miss you a lot.

You've been brilliant.

Firm handshakes all round,
firm handshakes, firm handshakes.

Well done. Very nice.

Do we not get a firm handshake? No,
no. I'll give you a hug, Patrick.

Ah! That'd be lovely.

I'm really, really happy
with how far I've got.

I think it was absolutely,
you know, my time to go.

Aw. Cheers, Sophie.

Coming on here has been
a really good way

to show that you can do something
completely out of your comfort zone

and learn lots, and have a fun time.

Will you give me a hug?
Of course, of course.

I'll miss Lewis just because

there's something
really hilarious about him.

Can I ask you something? Yeah.

Do I dye...?
No, I don't dye my hair!

I'm...!

I think, for Heather, it all
just came together beautifully.

When I saw it walk down the catwalk,

it felt of that
Mexican festival world

but it also felt contemporary.

It was everything that I was
hoping to see from this challenge.

Come here! You did it!

I'm so proud.

I just appreciate all the heart
that they put into all the garments.

And I feel so lucky to have this
chance to share the Mexican culture.

Hello?
I won Garment Of The Week!

Oh, my God, no! I know!
Oh, my God, I'm so proud.

Oh, well done, darling. Thank you.

I can't believe it.
No, darling, I can.

This is where you're going to shine,

I told you you're going to do this.
Thank you.

Next time...

That's incredible.

...it's Sports Week.

♪ Duh-duh-duh! ♪

The sewers make a splash
with the pattern...

I love that.

...turn surf sails
into a two-piece...

Oh...I'm so sorry.
Did I attack you?

...and make embroidered
bowling shirts.

Wow.

Who's heading for a strike?

This is one of the best things
I've ever seen in here.

And whose effort... No!

...will end up in the gutter?

I've got glue stuck on my shirt.
I'm in disbelief.