Oh. Hi, viewers.
A serious message before
today's show.
As it's lingerie week,
we may be using words you might not
expect from Sewing Bee.
Words like bra and knickers.
If you're watching with family
members,
we understand that this may
cause awkwardness
and embarrassment.
If you would like a bleeped,
pixellated version
of today's show, there isn't one.
Boobies!
Welcome to The Great British
Sewing Bee.
Last time...
So what was the first concert you
ever went to? Craig David.
..the sewers made a song
and dance in music week.
I'm so sorry. I don't have a clue
what I'm doing.
Annie's blue Bowie dress
wowed the crowd...
I think it's really striking.
..whilst Man Yee struggled
with sizing.
I guess I'm just not used
to fitting for people.
But with an imperfect parka and
muddled Made-to-measure...
I don't think the print goes
with the style.
..it was Angela who said goodbye
to the sewing room.
Now it's lingerie and
sleepwear week...
ALARM RINGS
Oh, I'm awake, I'm awake.
..with a very personal
Pattern challenge...
It's amazing we'd be like,
"Yeah, that'll keep my boobs up.
..a long john Transformation...
At least it'll be warm.
..and a luxurious menswear
Made-to-measure.
Dressing you like your mum.
Who will make it through to
the quarterfinal?
Ooh!
And who will unravel?
Honestly, this is very, very hard.
# All those bedtime stories
# All those bedtime stories...
We've made it to week seven.
I didn't think I'd get this far,
so, yeah, I'm really excited.
Oh, lingerie and sleepwear week.
I think that's going to be
a challenge.
Traditionally, they're slippy and
slidey fabrics, aren't they?
Bras, that kind of thing.
So really apprehensive.
Can't live without my dressing gown.
The fuzzier the better.
I probably look like an 80-year-old
granny most of the time.
I can't believe I'm still here.
I honestly don't know how.
It's a miracle.
# Bedtime
# Bedtime stories... #
Hello, sewers. Come forward.
This week, we're going to be
concentrating
on what is underneath
your clothes.
No, not your skeletons.
You've gone too far.
We're going to be working on
lingerie and sleepwear.
Twit-twoo. Esme, tell them more.
Here we go.
Ooh.
THEY SIGH
What we've got is matching
bra and knickers.
Wow! What's worse than a bra?
A bra and knickers.
THEY LAUGH
We'd like you to make your
set from lace.
And there is many other
components
you'll need to assemble precisely
to complete the set.
You have three hours and 45 minutes,
and your time starts now.
The lace and all the bra's
components
have been organised by colour.
I think I'll just do pink.
I actually quite like the grey.
I think it looks quite nice.
I bought this bralette
and knicker kit
that I thought I would make
if I get to this stage.
Yeah, I didn't get around
to making it.
And now I'm like, "Why did I not
do it?"
I've never made any items
of underwear.
It could be a wildly inappropriate
Christmas present for people,
making them sexy pants.
As it's probably quite obvious,
I'm not wearing a bra.
So I've no idea how it works.
I'm excited to be learning more
about underwear this week.
I've often thought about
wearing it.
This is a classic lingerie ensemble,
and it presents, I think, some very
tricky challenges.
We have a lot of pieces.
A lot of those pieces
are quite small,
so it's really going to test
their precision.
We've asked them to put elastic
all the way around the legs,
round the cups.
They could end up stretching
the edge
so it's not tight to the body.
So they've got to sew all of these
quite tricky fabrics together
and make sure that every piece
is perfectly neat,
because if you're slightly off,
you will end up distorting
the overall shape.
We will really notice if
it isn't symmetrical.
Esme is the big underwear
expert here.
I know nothing about it. But...
Well, I think you do, actually.
SARA LAUGHS
The first step is I cut out the
pattern pieces from the lace.
The cotton and the power mesh.
The lace is lovely, actually.
Really pretty.
The lace is going to be difficult
to sew with cos it's stretchy.
And also, we've got power mesh
as well,
so that's quite a bit of, like,
difficult fabric to work with.
And there are plenty
of opportunities
to get your knickers in a twist
with this.
The pattern for the lingerie set
is the fiddliest so far.
Starting with the knickers,
the gusset is inserted,
the sides are sewn up,
and the elastic is added
to the legs.
Next, to the bra. The lace front
and side cups are lined
with the power mesh.
These are sewn together with the top
edge to form the bra cups.
They're attached to the underband,
which is then inserted with
the underwire.
Elastic is sewn onto the bra edges,
the straps are added,
and it's finished at the back
with a hook and eye tape.
Morning, Annie.
Morning.
Morning. How are you feeling
about this challenge?
I am really enjoying, like,
learning new stuff.
But I would never put myself under
this stress before. Yeah.
So hopefully it'll be all right.
Well, you know,
less than four hours from now,
we'll know whether you're
any good at it.
Yeah, exactly.
So this is where I start making
sure it's placed nicely,
and then, as time goes on,
throw it together.
Have you ever made any
underwear before?
I have never made any
underwear before.
I don't even know how
a bra is constructed.
I do a course on underwear.
Oh, do you? So this was
your idea, then?
THEY LAUGH
Someone just ran up to me and went,
"Gill's on her gusset."
All of us are on our gussets
all day long. Yeah.
The gusset is the only part of
the lingerie set
that's made from a breathable
cotton.
You never really look that closely
at the gusset of your underwear.
The gusset needs to be sewn to
the knickers accurately.
Breathe, Gill.
GILL SIGHS
Otherwise it won't lay flat.
Oh, my God. Already I'm confused.
And if sewn correctly,
the gusset should cover the whole
of the crotch area.
I don't know if it looks a bit
smaller than everyone else's.
This is usually the point I find out
that I've made
one massive mistake early on.
Looking good.
You could leave a little bribe
in the gusset
pocket for the judges.
You could have one of those in.
But I don't know if the stick
would be dangerous.
Have a little chocolate instead.
OK. Yeah.
Yeah, if I put a little chocolate...
Yeah.
A little bribery. A little treat.
Yeah.
I think we need to insert
the elastic now.
The elastic will just keep the lace
nice and flat to the body.
You don't want baggy knickers.
Right, then. Come on, Gill.
I like your languishing lady.
She's just having a bit of a rest.
Course she is.
Mid getting dressed. Once you put
your pants on,
I always have a nice little
lie down. Yeah.
Is it wrong to be excited having
made a pair of knickers?
Can't we just stop here and say,
"Yeah..."? "We did it."
Yeah.
Art is pain, everyone,
and we're only halfway through
this exquisite t*rture.
I need to get a wriggle on,
though, now.
Starting on the bra.
I'm just trying to think how a bra
is constructed in my head.
Anybody want to take it off
to have a look?
The sewers start with the cups,
which are formed from three panels.
These pieces are so strange.
You're just thinking,
"What are they?" you know.
Two of the lace panels are backed
with power mesh
to give the bra more structure
and support.
I'm putting this side
together here.
The top sheer lace panel
should lay flat
so it doesn't pucker under clothing.
There is no room for error
because everything is so small
on this.
We have a cup.
One cup down,
now the sewers must duplicate it
for perfect symmetry.
You know, normally, when you
make something,
you have a little bit of
wiggle room.
And I think, on this, you won't.
If I get it wrong, it'll mean that
I have a boob pointing out,
probably in a place it's not
meant to.
One of the cups,
I've sewn one of them
the wrong way around.
That's what happens when you don't
know how a bra is constructed.
The wearer might have slightly
wonky boobies.
I don't think I'd be volunteering
to wear this bra.
The judges have asked for lace,
which has been a popular choice
for bras
because of its delicate
construction.
Before the 19th century,
lace was made by hand,
which made it the preserve
of the rich.
Then, in the early 19th century,
the city of Nottingham became the
lace capital of the world,
thanks to the invention of
an automated machine.
A man called John Heathcoat invented
a bobbin net machine.
Now, this was based on
the observation
of bobbin lacemakers,
and really trying to mechanise what
they'd been doing by hand.
Machine makers were already
in Nottingham,
and it was also ideally placed -
it had canals, railways.
Within a few years, lace fever
took hold
and Nottingham was full
of manufacturers
trying to make their fortune.
And eventually, the market was
saturated with products.
But trouble was brewing.
The Luddites emerged in 1811
as a violent force against
the changes of the textile industry.
The mechanisation of so many
of these processes
was really putting people out
of work.
There was an economic crisis,
and people blamed the machines.
In 1816, Luddites smashed up
the lace machines.
Fearing for their livelihoods,
lacemakers made a bold decision.
Many lacemakers decided
to leave Nottingham.
Many crossed the Channel to France.
Nottingham lacemakers were
drawn to Calais.
It was similar to Nottingham
in that it had
the infrastructure to support trade.
By the 1840s,
over 1,000 Britons lived
in the Calais region.
They had their own church.
There was even an English language
newspaper,
The Calais Messenger.
And from here, Nottingham lace
became more accessible,
not just around the UK,
but across the globe.
An hour left.
And what then? Does art ever finish?
No, it lives on without us.
You've got one hour left.
Oh, my God! So we're just attaching
one of the cups.
The sewers need to align the cup
pieces in the cradle correctly...
I need to make sure everything is
lined up as it should be.
..to achieve a smooth shape
over the bust.
Which is easier said than done.
You've got lace, you've got stretch.
Tiny pieces. Lots of things can
go wrong here.
It's just getting the cup in
and sitting right.
I've done mine wrong.
I've not placed the cups
in properly.
I'm just not happy how the cups
are lining up
right at the very top, so I'm
just unpicking
and I'm just going to edge it
round a little bit.
I'm going to have to do a bit
of an adaptation.
That will tuck. It's not going to
look smooth under the clothing.
I have made one major mistake in it.
Have you?
Yeah.
Three boob holes? We've got
additional pleating
in an area where there shouldn't
have been additional pleating.
No-one's ever taken anything
back to the shop and gone,
there's pleating here
that shouldn't be here.
Do you want to tell Patrick
and Esme this?
I do say this all the time.
I go, "Get a life, guys."
So now I think I have both cups.
With cups sewn into the underband,
the sewers move on to the elastic.
Here we are. Measure out your
elastic.
Which will give the bra its
all-important support.
I mean, I've not really used
elastic before.
And I'm just winging it.
The elastic is applied to either
side of the band
and over the top of the cups.
So you have to, like, kind of
stretch as you go
to make sure the tension is right.
The sewers must be careful not
to stretch
the elastic out of shape...
It's definitely very precise.
It's not really my forte.
..or they'll end up
with a baggy bra.
So I think it's just, like, making
sure you have control
of the elastic at all times, really.
I'm doing a zigzag stitch,
so it will help with sewing
the lace and the mesh
because they're both stretchy.
Bloody fiddly, and I'm not really
good with my fingers.
So I'm doing the channel for
the underwire now.
This is why bras are so
uncomfortable.
Look at this.
It's just not the one, is it?
It's amazing we'd be like,
"Yeah, that'll keep my boobs up."
Yeah.
"That'll be against gravity.
"Yeah, that'll do it."
Now I think maybe I had
too much time.
You've only got half an hour left.
Speedy, Gill. Come on.
Speed. Speed.
I'm just attaching the straps to
the front and the back
with a small zigzag stitch.
Did you struggle getting through
the thicknesses, Annie?
Yeah.
I've sewn the straps wrong.
I've sewn them on the outside
of the loops.
What the hell have you done, Gill?
Go back to bed.
The worst has passed, 100%.
Are you sure we've got to do
the hook and eyes?
It's actually really hard.
Which side is over which?
Like this.
That's how you put a bra on.
So the right goes over left.
You just want to make sure that
you're not hitting
any of the metal.
There's some dangerous stuff
going on down here
because we've got iron bits that
are hiding underneath
a bit that doesn't look like
it's got iron in it.
Ahh!
I just want it to be really neat.
Five minutes until you show Patrick
and Esme your pants.
No. No. No, I'm not done yet.
The machine was struggling a bit,
so I'm just hand sewing it. Ah!
OK, that's me broken a needle.
The last bit, thank God.
It's a snazzy bra, isn't it?
It's a bra for a very small
boobed girl. Yeah.
I don't like how un-neat that looks.
The moment of truth.
Get your underwear on!
You've got one minute.
This has been a tough gig.
In we go.
Everyone seems to be ironing
the boobs.
Oh, it's done, it's done, it's done!
That's what we do in the morning.
We iron some boobs.
I'm just hoping that
the fit is right.
I don't know if I've put the pants
on the right way around.
Ah, my God. My hand's actually
shaking
from trying to put this bra on.
I don't know what I'm doing here.
Needles up, sewers!
That is your time!
Don't be shy - bring your underwear
forward for judging.
That was so stressful.
I actually need a hug right now.
Come on, girls.
Yours fits really well, there.
Does it?
Yeah.
# I know something about love
# You've gotta want it bad
# If that man's...
Six lacey lingerie sets made in
just under four hours.
I have to say, I am enormously
impressed.
So am I. It was a difficult
challenge.
Man Yee.
# Tell him that you're never gonna
leave him
# Tell him that you're always
gonna love him. #
This looks very neat.
You've put the elastic on the
knickers really nicely.
The gusset looks very neatly sewn.
You've attached the straps correctly
on the inside.
The only thing -
this front piece here is
a bit skew-whiff.
And it is fractionally distorted.
But otherwise, I would say it's a
really excellent bit of sewing.
The knickers look pretty good to me.
It isn't perfectly symmetrical
in the centre.
This side goes further over.
So it's not mirrored.
It isn't sitting completely flat
at the side of the cup here.
The knickers look really
beautifully sewn.
Very, very neat. Incredibly flat.
It's symmetrical at the front.
Can't see any of the underwire
poking through.
The hook and bar looks well put on.
It's really nicely made.
I love the fabric.
This tiny bit of sparkle.
Tres chic.
You've turned your gusset over...
Yeah.
..and then you've topstitched it.
It's giving you a little pronounced
bump at the gusset,
which looks a little unfortunate.
The construction of the cups
looks pretty neat.
The strap's correct on the front,
but not the back.
Did I not stretch it enough?
No, I think you've stretched it
too much. OK.
Your knickers are sitting very flat
to the body.
You've put the elastic on
really neatly.
Let's look at the gusset.
BROGAN LAUGHS
Well, it looks pretty neat.
You've attached the straps
on the outside.
They should've gone on the inside.
OK.
The quality of the construction
across the cups is very neat.
Looks very wearable.
It's a good job.
There's quite an obvious mistake
right in the centre front,
which is really unfortunate.
You've had to tuck in quite a bit
of this panel into that seam,
and it's giving us a pleat
right at the centre
that we definitely don't need.
You've sewn the straps on to
the outside.
You've put the elastic on really
neatly all over.
It is just a shame that you've made
a bit of a blunder at the front.
Yeah, in the worst possible place.
Patrick and Esme must now rank
the lingerie sets
from worst to best.
In sixth place, it's Gill.
Just a very obvious flaw in
the front, unfortunately.
Fifth place is Cristian.
It was a bit skew-whiff.
In fourth is Debra.
And third is Brogan.
In second place...
..Man Yee. Very, very little
to choose
between first and second,
but just a slight inaccuracy
here and there.
So in first place is Annie.
APPLAUSE
You did a really good job.
Thank you.
That's two on the bounce now.
Pressure's on.
Pressure's on.
Yay!
I'm really, really happy
I got first.
Pattern challenge for me is really
hard cos I've never done
any of them before.
So I was like, "Yeah, I feel quite,
like, proud of myself, really."
Do you know what? I had considered
going home to make some knickers,
but now I think I've got
a lumpy gusset
I need to rethink my construction
technique or go to the doctor.
Or both.
Nobody really wants extra pleats
in the cups.
That would not look good.
I don't think.
# Before it's too late
Fly away
# Oh, fly away... #
Welcome back, sewers.
Our next challenge is
the Transformation.
This is the one where you take
saggy old cast-offs
and you give them a comeback career
as a brand-new item of clothes.
Patrick, what are they transforming
this week?
Well, we hope this challenge
will warm your c*ck.
Thermal sleep sets.
They're comfy, but very plain.
We want you to turn them into
a garment for going out in.
You cannot use any other fabric,
but you can use however much trim
you want.
Patrick and Esme are going to take
40 winks during this challenge,
so they won't know who
has made what
and they'll be nice and refreshed.
Nighty-night, guys.
You have an hour and a half
for this challenge,
and your time starts now.
Here we go.
Ooh, gosh!
Oh, dear.
Wow!
Oh, I'm liking the colours, though.
It was a bit of a surprise.
I didn't expect to have difficult
fabric like this as our challenge.
At least it'll be warm.
I was so impressed at how much
you took from the rail.
I was like, "That is a girl who
knows how to shop."
Right, let's get this show
on the road.
I suspect, with people eating
and drinking outdoors
and living with the windows open,
there's probably been quite a lot
of this kind of stuff
bought and worn over the last
few years.
The colours. They're all pastel.
So, for them to make something
eye-catching,
they're going to have to be
really clever.
I think what trim they choose,
and how they use that trim,
is important.
It has to look part of the garment.
Yeah.
I think it's quite a fascinating
challenge.
Yeah. It's kind of nana to Rihanna.
Ooh.
I'm a little bit nervous about
whether I can pull this off.
Thinking of going along the lines
of, like, a sweatshirt
with a ruffle and a bow.
Got a rough idea that I'm going
to do a gathered top.
I'm going to try and add
a sleeve on to it.
That may be difficult with the
fabric that I've got.
I'm kind of making a dress,
but I have got quite
an interesting,
intricate detail on the top.
Like a cage strap. Ooh!
I really don't know whether
how it's going to look.
You're sort of making strips to
intertwine with each other?
Yeah, but more like...
Shredded Wheats?
I'm going to make a dress.
But I'm kind of just embracing
the granny chic,
and I'm going to do, like,
a really dramatic,
big frilled neckline.
Er, I've got in my head
a tiered dress
with, like, very thin stripes.
But I want it to be quite wide
and baggy.
Let's hope I've got enough fabric
in there to use.
I've just been plaiting
and then trying to put the two
bits together
so I can make this little
mini dress.
We had a lot of gusset chat earlier,
and I like how you're putting
a gusset right
in the judges' faces, in the middle
of your outfit.
Yeah.
If you want to have a bath
before bed,
you better jump in there now.
You're halfway through.
Right, I'm going to start making it
into a dress.
I'm going to put a cute little skirt
on it.
Right, a skirt.
Skirt, skirt, skirt, skirt.
So I'm just trying to make the
structure of the skirt now,
which we're going to build on
the tiers.
I've no idea how I'm going to
assemble it right now.
And I think I'm going to have, like,
things coming out.
Yeah, it's looking a nice length.
So this is my skirt coming together.
Just get something on there
at this point now.
This outfit is probably best for,
like, a picnic in the park.
Perfect.
A bit of quiche. Some wine.
And it's made out of thermals,
then everyone would be like,
"Oh, Jenny, aren't you going
to get chilly?
And she'll be like, "No way."
But it is quite see-through.
That's the thing about Jenny.
She's got a great figure and she's
not afraid to show it off.
Once upon a time, six sewers
were sewing.
"How long do we have left?"
they asked the kindly Sara.
"30 minutes," said the Sara,
who was very pretty.
I've constructed the sweatshirt
but I now want to make
a collar piece here.
So it's a little gathered top.
I want to do, like,
a statement sleeve,
but I just don't know if I've got
enough fabric in what's there.
I'm just creating a dart
up this seam
to make it fit a bit more
flattering.
This is the neckline that
I'm doing now.
I would wear something like this
for sure.
Who do you think would wear it?
She's recently divorced.
Yeah.
She's been down the gym.
She's got abs to die for.
So this is just, you know,
for a Tesco trip.
She does a couple of selfies
in the car -
mum life, hashtag.
Then she becomes a famous fashion
blogger and her husband dies.
And what's she called?
Barbara.
The colours are cute,
but am I doing enough?
I don't know.
I've still got so much stitching
to do, though.
I'm such a big fan of things
like this
because I think it makes people look
like lovely, fancy lady
velociraptors.
Well, that's exactly the look
I was going for.
OK, wash your teeth and
get your jimjams on.
You've got 15 minutes till bedtime.
15 minutes!
Oh, my God!
Is it actually 15 minutes?
I just need to do the fun bits,
otherwise it'd just be
a boring sweatshirt.
I think my favourite thing about
the Transformation
is just going to the haberdashery
and choosing all the trims.
I wish I could have enough time
to sew,
but this is all I can do for now.
I'm not sure what the judges
will think about this.
Yeah, I just decided to go with
this trim for the skirt.
It's like...
ANNIE GASPS
And now I'm going to sew the buttons
on down the middle.
This is going to become, like,
a V-neck-ish top.
Cos I need something underneath.
You can't really go out in
just that, can you?
Oh, lady, which way up do you go?
Now I'm just trying
to cut some flowers
to kind of put them randomly
on the top.
Putting a bit of grey trim
down the side.
I just thought I'd try some
haberdashery for a change.
Cristian, this is fantastic.
They're going to think Brogan
made it.
THEY LAUGH
I'm just weaving this chain through.
I feel like it just needed something
to lift it a little bit.
One minute left, everybody!
Oh, my God.
Is there any, like, daisy stuff?
Annie? Do you think it needs
the waist tie or not?
No, I think the waist tie.
Do you think?
I have managed to sew them all,
but now I need to cut the thread.
Oh, my hand's shaking from this.
How's Babs getting on?
Babs is almost fully dressed.
Yay!
Aw, it's such a hard decision!
Right, come on, May Yee.
Let's do this.
Needles up, sewers. And big yawns!
If you could bring your mannequins
up the stairs to Bedfordshire,
and muddle them up.
# Something tells me something's
gonna happen to you... #
Six sets of thermals transformed
into going-out outfits.
The judges have no idea
whose is whose.
Welcome back, sleepyheads.
We've got lots of going-out
clothes here.
Oh, I should say! Were they worth
getting out of bed for?
Definitely.
# Something tells me something's
gonna happen tonight... #
I really like this lattice...
..almost slightly bondage-y
looking top.
I'm much more interested in it
without the flowers.
Me, too, actually.
So it's been glued in place,
I guess just for speed.
Well, for me, that doesn't matter.
It's about transformation.
I like this a lot, actually.
I do, too.
The plaited halter neck...
I love it.
..works really well.
And actually, the addition of the
gold chain works really nicely.
These are leggings, aren't they?
Yeah.
Really clever.
I think the whole thing does
work together.
I think, in this case, the daisies
are adding to the design.
I think this is an absolute
transformation.
Creates actually a very
flattering line.
As you say, a pretty dramatic
transformation.
OK, so we've got a sort of
asymmetric boob tube
with a sleeve and a gathered skirt.
This sleeve, I think it's a shame
there wasn't another one.
And what do you think about
the trim?
It's got a sort of touch of the
Disney princess about it,
this sparkly lace with that pink.
I'm not overwhelmed by it.
I mean, this one has gone full
Little House on the Prairie.
I really like it.
I think this bib is great.
I have to say, I'm not very keen
on the bib.
It looks like a milkmaid to me.
I mean, it feels Victorian.
I think it feels a bit posher
than a milkmaid.
It's got sparkly buttons.
I like the tie.
Again, I think it all feels
connected and joined up.
I really like this.
I love this little frill
down the front.
I love the two bows.
PATRICK LAUGHS
I mean, you can't... We've got
a point where now
just one bow isn't enough for you.
I think it's got real impact.
It has a very sporty feel
that I associate with somebody
like Chanel. Yes.
I think the colour combination is
very simple and very effective.
Yeah. Me, too.
The judges will now rank the outfits
from worst to best.
In sixth place is...
..the pink top and the grey skirt.
That's Gill.
I think it's a big shame you didn't
get the other sleeve on.
Fifth place is the green dress
with the lattice top.
Actually, it was a very clever idea.
Didn't love the daisies.
Fourth place is Brogan.
And third is Cristian.
In second place is the blue dress.
That's Annie.
I think it looks great,
and I loved how you used
the leggings.
Which means, in first place,
is our grey and primrose
yellow sweater.
That's Debra.
What?
You sure? Debra, we thought it was
ever so chic.
It has nods to the House of Chanel,
it looks very wearable.
It's fab. Well done.
Thank you. That's the greatest
compliment.
Oh, my God. The C-word was used.
And I love Chanel!
It's my favourite fashion house.
Never again am I sticking daisies
on the garments.
Like, why did I do that? Ugh!
I am glad that day one is over.
And I am ready to go home and
put on some sleepwear.
Definitely going to put my best foot
forward for the Made-to-measure.
There's so few of us, you just
can't give up now.
# Je t'aime
# Je t'aime
# Oui, je t'aime... #
Just one challenge remains in
lingerie and sleepwear week,
and one last chance to make it
to the quarterfinal.
From underwear to thermals,
there's certainly no secrets
here any more.
What have you made of their garments
this week?
The bra and pants set.
I mean, there was some tricky
sewing involved.
I think, unfortunately for Gill,
she made one major mistake,
and it was right at the front.
But I think they're very, very close
actually this week.
I mean, they really look very
professionally made.
So, going from professionally
made to...
To professionally transformed.
There are a couple of absolutely
exceptional
transformations there,
and those are Annie's and Debra's.
Debra. She's had difficulty
in the past
with the Transformation,
but she really hit it on
the head this time.
Well, that is the first time Debra
has won a Transformation. Yeah.
Yeah. What I thought was
really clever
about Annie's is how she used
the legs.
She plaited them.
Yeah.
Fantastic.
Yeah.
Who could be going home?
Sadly, I don't think it looks good
for Gill at this point.
She has come bottom
of both challenges.
But if she makes a fantastic
Made-to-measure,
and if any of Brogan, Man Yee
and Cristian slip up,
then she could easily stay and
one of them could go.
I mean, Gill's won
Garment Of The Week.
Yeah. So she can pull it
out of the bag.
Mm. Yeah. Well, things are
hotting up,
but that might be cos I've spent
so much time around mannequins
in their undies.
It's the Made-to-measure,
and the mannequins have been
replaced with models.
Hi, I'm Man Yee.
Hello.
Time for the menswear now.
Welcome back, sewers.
And hello again to our models.
I hope you all got out of the right
side of bed this morning
because this week's Made-to-measure
challenge is to make a pair
of luxury pyjamas for a man.
Now, I know that many men have
quite low standards,
but the judges will be looking
for luxury.
Not just an old pair
of boxer shorts.
And because this is Made-to-measure,
those pyjamas should fit your model
as snug as a bug in a rug.
But not too snug.
No.
You have five hours for
this challenge,
and your time starts now.
So if you wouldn't mind just
standing up for me.
The sewers have been able
to practise
making their luxury pyjamas at home.
Let me measure your chest, then.
Yeah.
If you just put your arms up.
So now they must adjust the pattern
pieces to fit their models.
It's like more of a relaxed fit.
Yeah, that's fine.
Perfect, really.
Well, this is a good start,
isn't it?
I'm happy with that, so go
and get warm.
I'll go get my beauty sleep now.
CRISTIAN LAUGHS
Enjoy.
So you're going to have to explain
this one to me
because I think that any nightwear
is luxury
if it doesn't have food stains
down it.
Well, one thing that will
make it luxurious
is the fabrics they choose.
So, if it's in silk,
that is luxurious.
But silk is a very slippery fabric.
They could really mess up there.
OK.
Yeah.
If they chose cotton,
it would make life much easier
for them.
So what are you looking for
from a design?
As ever, the design is entirely
up to them.
But one consideration is that they
need to be comfortable
to wear at night.
So they need to be well fitting,
but not tight fitting.
The thing that usually sets luxury
pyjamas apart is the detailing.
Piping around the edges of the
collars and fronts.
And pockets. Piped cuffs.
Piped pockets.
That, for me, spells luxury.
It's about fine finish, I think,
on this challenge.
So, with pyjamas, how different
will their designs be?
Well, they could have short sleeves,
and they could have shorts.
I mean, I've got old nightshirts
that are just a short placket,
so they're not open all
the way through.
I've got nightshirts that are
below the knee.
Are you sure you want to say this
on TV? Ones without collars.
Yeah.
I don't do menswear at all.
It is easier cos you don't have
to factor in boobs.
This is my dream, to actually
make menswear,
so I do expect a lot from myself
and I want to do well.
You'd be surprised how much work
goes into a pair of pyjamas,
but that's why they're luxury,
I guess, isn't it?
PATRICK: Morning, Annie.
Morning. Morning.
Tell us about the pyjama set you're
going to make for us.
So I'm making a pyjama set
out of silk.
Paisley, so it's quite a classic
pattern. Yeah.
But it's quite nice and colourful.
Lovely. Wow.
Inspired by what?
It's made for my boyfriend.
I wanted it to be quite luxurious.
So I don't know if you know
ASAP Rocky?
Yeah, met him.
Have you?
Yeah. Well, I really love him as,
like, a fashion inspiration.
There was actually a Vogue
photoshoot
where he's wearing all pyjamas
and robes and stuff.
I mean, I think it could look
fabulous.
Hopefully it looks fabulous.
Annie's rapper-referencing pyjamas
will feature black piping
and fasten with four black buttons.
Her silk paisley print fabric
shows she's taking
the luxury brief seriously.
It's lovely to feel silk
of this quality.
I mean, it's very, very beautiful.
But it's actually very mobile,
this fabric. Yeah.
Every little move...counts.
Will distort it, yes.
Yeah. Yes, exactly. Really important
to cut it out well.
That's why I'm taking so long.
It takes forever to cut, doesn't it,
Annie? I know.
Annie is not the only sewer
following in the footsteps
of a fashion icon.
DEBRA: Luxury for me is the
'20s and '30s,
and I was thinking of
Noel Coward and,
you know, his dressing gowns.
Yeah.
Very iconic, yeah.
Very famous, weren't they?
He was an incredibly stylish man,
and you're right, I think he does
conjure up a certain
world of luxury that...
Yeah.
..I think is very appropriate
to this challenge.
Debra's short-sleeved set will be
made from Duchess Satin
and will feature a rounded collar,
contrast red piping,
and breast pocket.
I've really given myself some work
cos there's pattern matching.
Ooh! Even the little sunbeams
have to be matched up.
Yeah.
Oh, wow!
Do you wear jimjams?
No, I'm more of a cotton nightie,
Jane Austen kind of person.
Oh, really? Are you?
Yeah.
High necked, low hem?
And a bonnet.
Yeah.
No!
THEY LAUGH
While Debra's heading back
to the past...
MAN YEE: I like the shine
on this satin.
You can see there's a bit of
a sheen to it.
..Man Yee's inspiration is
a lot closer to home.
So, the first thing I thought of
was my dad.
Yeah. Oh, right. Er, you know,
there's not really
that many men in my life that
I've seen in pyjamas.
Right?
Well, that's true. Yeah.
Well, yeah.
Man Yee's tribute to her dad will
feature contrasting cuffs,
collar and white piping.
And in a bid to win favour,
a bee on the breast pocket.
Your dad, did he like navy?
He loves navy.
Like, he wore a lot
of navy clothing.
I know it's a plain colour, so any
imperfection will show.
Yeah. Also, because of that satin
finish on it,
you will see any little shadows
and puckers.
Yeah. So it does need to be
very neatly sewn.
Do you have any
tips on sewing?
Sew it really well is my tip to you.
I'm starting the top of the pyjamas.
It's the hardest bit, so I'd rather
get out that out of the way first.
Right, come on, then. We're going to
nail this, aren't we?
Achieving a high-end luxurious
finish isn't easy when sewing
slippery satins and slinky silks.
This is quite tricky.
It's like having two bars of soap...
..against each other.
It's really nice and, like, drapey.
I really, really hope
I do it justice.
So what I'm doing now is
a stay stitch,
so it doesn't go out of shape.
You know, the little touches like
this make all the difference to the
finish.
But Brogan has chosen
a fabric that's as comfortable
to sew as it is to wear.
It's a cotton lawn that I'm using.
So it's kind of like
the luxurious version of cotton.
Cotton lawn is absolutely
lovely to sew with.
It's really stable.
It's just a dream.
Brogan's lightweight pyjama set
will be made up
of a pair of shorts
and a matching short sleeve shirt.
The sleeve edges, pocket and collar
will be finished with orange piping,
and she's taken inspiration from her
own extensive PJ collection.
Oh, I don't have, like, a
ridiculous amount. Maybe like 15.
Brogan, that's excessive.
Not ridiculous but excessive.
Man Yee, how many pairs
of pyjamas do you have?
Make me feel better here.
I have one pair of pyjama bottom.
One?
Yeah, one.
My goodness me.
Maybe I am excessive.
So the piping now.
For extra sophistication,
all of the sewers are
inserting contrast piping
to embellish their seams.
I've never done piping like
this before.
Just need to take our time
with the sewing.
So I'm using a zipper foot
to make sure I can get as close to
the piping as possible.
You know, we're getting closer
to the quarterfinals,
so, uh, you can't leave anything to
chance at this point.
If it's not sewn
with absolute precision...
Any uneven piping could just
really ruin the look of the pyjamas,
and I've come so far,
I'd hate to mess it up now.
..their luxury pyjamas will go
from riches to rags.
Let's see if it's all OK.
Perfect. Cool.
Come on, Gill.
I need to stop shaking.
And after a difficult first day...
There's a very
strong probability
that I'm going to go home,
but I want to go further.
..Gill's hoping her choice
of fabric will bring her good luck.
There's little fishes on there.
I'm doing orange piping,
inspired by goldfish.
Because if you dream of them,
it brings you peace and happiness.
Does it?
Have you ever dreamt of goldfish?
No. No.
Gill's attempting to impress with
a collarless shirt
fastened with buttons,
and a pair of ankle-length
trousers.
Are you going to pipe it everywhere?
Not everywhere. I mean,
I've done different versions of this
and I've been testing it,
trying to get the placement of
the piping right, so it wasn't...
Yeah. ..overwhelming.
I've never done it where I've
been absolutely happy with it.
OK. But then I'm
never satisfied, so.
No, you are your own worst critic,
aren't you?
Perfectly placed piping isn't
the only fancy finish
Patrick and Esme are expecting.
So now I'm just putting
the sleeves in.
But they've both been
French seamed.
To ensure the inside of their
pyjamas are as immaculate as the
outside,
the sewers are creating
French seams.
I think most people are doing
French seam
because it is, like, it
literally exudes luxury.
You're essentially sewing
the seam twice,
so you sort of encase all
the raw edges in.
So you actually start
with wrong sides together,
and then you flip it
and sew right sides together.
But it also means that it's
harder to adjust,
and you've got two seams
to unpick rather than just one.
Ah!
I just need to
unpick this bit of the seam.
French seam means it's
going to be difficult in silk.
But Annie is not struggling alone.
This is a silk satin.
Very soft, very light.
It is quite fiddly, but I quite
enjoy it cos it's challenging.
It's all about the finish,
the finesse of the garment,
and that it looks perfect.
Cristian's matching his
tricky-to-sew paisley satin PJs
with his own covered buttons
and contrast pocket and collar.
I tell you what it's like.
Please don't be offended.
Come on. Bring. Hugh Hefner.
THEY LAUGH
Thank you.
I think they are quite, you know,
older type of guy.
Yeah. Um, I didn't have
an inspiration behind it, I just...
You didn't?
..wanted it to look quite luxurious.
What about your boyfriend?
Does he not like pyjamas?
We don't really wear pyjamas cos
when I feel cold,
I just put the heating on.
It's... I don't put layers on.
That is fancy.
That's the real luxury right there.
THEY CHUCKLE
Stay awake, everyone,
you're only halfway through.
Do you want some coffee?
Mm, yes, please.
The French seams take such
a long time.
I know, they do.
Pattern matching is going OK so far.
The two sunbeams at
the top are in the right place,
so I'm fairly happy with it.
With their tops coming together,
there's one last chance
for alterations.
I'm just checking the overall fit
before I sew up the side seams.
Yeah.
Check that we're not looking too
baggy. Oh, I'm happy with that.
Great. That's good.
Thumbs up. That's fine.
Oh! There seems to be an issue,
I don't know, with the hem.
Think I caught too much of the
actual facing.
It is quite visible,
so we need to be very careful.
Honestly, this is very, very hard.
No. Come on.
That's just broken. Hmm.
I was sewing the buttonhole on
the machine,
and the thread broke
halfway through,
so it's not as neat and,
on the underside, it's really,
really untidy.
Oh, oh, no, I'm awake,
ALARM CLOCK BLARES
I'm awake, I'm awake.
Just one more hour, guys.
I should be further ahead, really.
I've still got quite a bit left
to do on the jacket.
I still need to do the sleeve cuffs
and the buttons on my top.
So I'm really trying to get
a move on.
Think we're all struggling for time.
We all seem to be in quite
similar places.
So, yeah, it's tough, this one.
I don't think any
of them have started the trousers.
And they haven't got that
long left. Yeah.
Just a quick iron before we
start the trousers.
Cristian's, to me,
looks a bit of a mess.
His facing's too short. Yeah.
And the whole thing is pulled up.
Drapey... Yeah.
..slippy fabric. Yeah.
You really want the buttons
to be evenly spaced.
PATRICK: Brogan's top looks pretty
well sewn.
My only issue is
because those buttons are so small,
it looks like a shirt,
not a pyjama top.
Like a Hawaiian shirt. Yeah.
Four to go. Debra's top,
with the look of that giant kind
of almost polka dotted fabric,
with... Yeah, no, I like it.
..the burgundy trim looks
absolutely fantastic.
Right, right, right, right, right,
right. Next step is...
Gill, her buttonholes
I don't think are perfect.
But again, she's got a lot to do.
I mean, she needs to decide what
she's going to do. That's true.
And she needs to do it
very quickly.
When I practised this at home,
I completed it all in the time,
and it was fine.
And then somehow, in the sewing
room, time is just disappearing.
I think it'll be really cute, right?
If I have like a little bee here.
A little signature sort of thing.
30 minutes to go.
Oh, my gosh.
This is going to be tight.
That's not long enough
to do French seams.
Plan B.
Going to overlock the raw edges,
cos I think it's more important
to get a finished garment up there.
I mean, the finish is not
going to be what it should be.
I'm doing my shorts now.
BROGAN: My shorts are going to
have an elasticated waist,
and then they've got
a front button fly.
It is quite a long process,
the trousers.
Think I've bit a bit too much than
I can chew.
I just thought it would be faster.
Is that because of
the slinky material? Yeah.
Oh, Cristian, it's very hard,
isn't it?
We'll get here in the end.
I don't know now if
I measured these right or not.
I mean, we're beyond if it fits
properly or not, really.
Ten minutes, everyone.
Oh, my God.
We're going to do some speed sewing
now. Fastest hem in the west.
Panicking a little bit, so I'm
really trying to get a move on.
Do you want me to iron the front?
Yeah. Oh, my God. Anything.
Please, iron it.
Oh, Scott, you're amazing.
What on earth is happening here?
Man Yee? Yes?
How did you make this happen?
Please tell the women
of Britain how you...
You, you met this man this morning.
MAN YEE LAUGHS
Whoo. I have never been this
far behind.
Uh, I'm just doing the waistband.
I'm hoping I've got
enough time to finish.
I'm literally just rushing it.
You've got one minute left.
Get your models to stop doing your
housework for you,
and put their luxury pyjamas on.
I'm literally sewing to
the last minute.
Last stitch, and then I'm going to
put the trousers on.
Now let's try it on.
It's done. Yeah.
It's a bit snug, isn't it?
Are you all right?
Look at me,
dressing you like your mam.
Needles up, sewers.
That is your time.
We did it.
Let the luxury snoozefest begin.
They don't look too shabby.
I mean, as happy as I can be.
It was literally last-minute
finishing.
That looks great.
I'm happy with that.
It's fabulous. Well done.
Thank you.
Bloody hell, that was exhausting.
# He's my big, bad handsome man
# Yeah, he's got me in the palm of
his hand... #
Six pairs of luxury men's pyjamas
made in just five hours.
# Cos he's my big, bad handsome man
# I'm so glad that he's mine
# Cos he's my big, bad
# I'm so glad
# That he's my big,
bad handsome man. #
I think this fabric, which I'm sure
was really difficult to sew...
Difficult is, yeah.
..looks very pyjama-y.
This fabric's got really
beautiful drape,
and I love that you've made
full-length sleeves
and full-length legs.
Now, the sleeves...
They're slightly long, yes..
Slightly?
I just want those sleeves
to be there. Yeah.
It's a little bit wobbly at
the front,
where the buttons are.
Can you see this hairy bit?
You haven't caught the inside of
the French seam in properly.
I think with the exception of
the sleeve length,
the fit of the overall isn't bad.
There are just a few issues.
# So every day I spend my time
# Drinking wine, feeling fine
# Waiting here to find the sign... #
I really like this fabric,
and it does definitely look like
pyjama fabric.
The fit on the sleeves is nice, it
looks like it fits on the shoulder.
The front looks
a bit wibbly wobbly to me.
And it's wobbly around
the bottom hem.
And it is riding up a lot at
the front.
The shorts also are very uneven.
The piping looks neatly put in.
The colour,
the combination with the piping,
all of that works very well.
I just think it's been
a difficult sew.
# Your love gets sweeter every day
# Your love gets sweeter every day
# Your love gets sweeter every day
# Your love gets
sweeter every day... #
Brogan, this is very,
very neatly sewn.
Your piping is very neat.
The fly construction is very,
very neat.
I like your choice of fabric
and print, and the orange piping.
I think you haven't placed
the buttons quite evenly.
It's nice and flat here,
but not there.
Because it's got square collars,
because it's short-sleeved,
because it's shorts,
because it's cotton, and because
it's got very small buttons,
I think it feels like
a fantastic beach co-ord,
not quite enough like a pyjama set.
# I've been cherishing
# Through the perishing winter
nights and days
# A funny little phrase
that means... #
Your choice of fabric is great,
the print,
and the little touch of red.
It's the burgundy buttons,
I think they look very smart indeed.
The collar is fabulous.
Beautiful shape.
The quality of the piping is
absolutely fantastic.
And you've matched that pocket
extremely nicely.
I would've liked it slightly over,
cos it almost looks like it's
under his arm. OK.
So you did do your French seam.
Throughout, yeah.
Very good. I managed.
It's quite a stiff satin,
and because it's got short sleeves
and short trousers,
it doesn't look 100% pyjama-y
to me. OK.
# Goodnight, sweetheart
# All my prayers are for you
# Goodnight... #
Man Yee,
these look absolutely fabulous.
I think these are
the very height of luxury pyjamas.
The colour combination
works beautifully.
Using the white piping,
you really took a risk there
because it jumps out at you.
But you've done it really,
really neatly.
The way this piping splits
the two colours at the cuff,
and at the cuff on the bottom of
the trousers, looks so elegant.
I also love the bee.
The button spacing is
absolutely perfect.
They look absolutely fantastic.
I mean, genuinely knockout pyjamas.
Thank you.
# Sad sweet dreamer
# It's just one of those things you
put down to experience... #
I really, really like this fabric.
Yeah, I really like
the look of them overall.
They have a quite Chinese feel.
The width of the trousers,
the proportion,
obviously the round neck.
It looks, to me,
a bit tight on the neck.
I agree.
The fit on the sleeves is nice,
the fit on the trouser
length is good.
I think the shoulders could do
with being a little wider.
I like that you've
put orange piping on,
and I love you've done
your drawstring.
Right, let's see the inside.
You have a raw edge here.
Yeah. One sleeve's better
than the other.
I think that you may have selected
the one that isn't as good as the
other one.
- Surprise, surprise.
- Yeah.
The hem, you've overlocked it,
so that isn't that luxurious.
No.
They are unusual, and I think the
overall design of it,
and the shape of the top
particularly,
I think, is very successful.
Thank you.
That was the hardest
Made to Measure.
The fabric did not want to behave,
and my time management
wasn't the best.
But I managed to get something
out there.
But I'm not sure that it's enough.
I'm so relieved. Hearing those
comments from the judges,
it was a knockout, it was fabulous.
I want to hear those words again
and again, please.
I feel really good actually.
I know the judges thought my
pyjamas maybe looked
a bit more like a summer set,
but you can have a little siesta on
the beach in my little coord,
so that counts.
I mean, I'm happy that I finished.
Gutted that, you know,
I've made silly mistakes.
I don't think I've done enough
to keep my place in
the Sewing Bee actually, no.
I think it is my time to go.
Well, they've certainly worked
very hard, haven't they?
No-one's been sleeping on the job.
How do you think they've done in
lingerie and sleepwear week?
I think the luxury PJs were
a deceptively difficult challenge...
Yeah. ..and we got a couple
of really good ones,
but then there were a few people who
really did struggle.
Some of the fabric was really
difficult to sew.
Like Cristian's and Annie's.
Yeah. Who's really stood out?
I really liked Debra's.
I love the look,
and I think the way that she sewed
it was absolutely beautiful.
And then Man Yee's is brilliant.
I don't think we've seen that level
of precision in her sewing before.
Her sewing. No.
There are a couple of people
who were struggling
before we went into
Made to Measure.
Well, it's between
Gill and Cristian.
Mm. Gill's bra has got the little
tucks... Yeah. ..at the front.
And her transformation was kind
of boring.
And actually, Cristian's
transformation, I think, was very
successful.
And Cristian's bra
and pants were pretty good.
So I think Gill was clearly sitting
at the bottom
before the Made to Measure.
Just a question
of whether Gill has done enough
and Cristian has done badly enough
to overtake one another.
Ooh, it's close. Yeah.
It does feel close.
And they're both extremely good.
Mm. And it does feel sad that
either of them need to go,
but I think in my head,
I know which one it needs to be.
Well, we need to have a chat then.
We do.
Dreamy sewers, you have all been
incredible this week
and worked so, so hard.
Just a couple of things left
to do before you can rest.
First, Patrick,
would you reveal who has
won garment of the week?
Our garment of the week this
week is...
..Man Yee.
APPLAUSE
Man Yee, it was the absolute
epitome of understated luxury.
It really was first class.
Well done.
Aw, God. Thank you.
Very well done.
And unfortunately somebody
has to leave.
You've all been absolutely amazing,
and you should be so, so proud.
But the person who's going
home is...
..Gill.
It's the right decision. Eeks.
Give us a hug. Aw.
Aw. I've just loved every minute
of this Sewing Bee experience.
It's been phenomenal.
I've met friends for life.
I've learnt so much about sewing.
And then, unexpectedly,
I've learnt a lot about myself.
It's been life-changing for me in
a completely unexpected way.
Before coming into this,
I would always wear
a prosthetic limb,
and I have done for
the whole of my life,
and coming into this, I knew that I
wouldn't be able to do that.
It's kind of made me
realise that I don't
need to do that any more,
so you've kind of like set me free.
On a whole different level.
So thank you.
Aw, thank you. No going back now,
I'm properly out.
Yay.
I find myself wondering how
Gill manages
to sew such exceptionally
beautiful clothes.
Sewing is hard with two hands.
To do what she does,
she's shown such amazing spirit.
It's so sad to see Gill go.
We all love her so much.
I feel drained,
I feel sad that Gill has left us,
but I'm happy that I'm still here
and I get a chance
to prove what I can do.
Next week is the quarterfinal.
The standard has been up and up.
Three of them have had garment
of the week.
It is really hard
to decide between them.
Well done. Thank you. Thank you.
Can't believe I just won
garment of the week.
I never thought I'd get one.
I honestly didn't really expect
to get this far,
and I really need to go practise
my next challenge now.
Next time... Let's do this.
It's the quarterfinal.
Flipping heck.
And we're heading back to the
'30s...
She looks good, doesn't she?
She was around in the '30s.
..as the sewers tackle
a perplexing pattern...
Maybe pockets were extra
confusing in the 1930s.
..get shirty in the
Transformation... Not feeling it.
..and make a Made to Measure...
They're glamorous,
aren't they? They're gorgeous.
..fit for the movies.
We want to be transported
to Hollywood.
Whose name will be up in lights?
You absolutely nailed it.
And who will be history?
It's the quarterfinals.
Anything can happen now.
This is when people turn.
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08x07 - Episode 7
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Amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain's best home sewer.
Amateur sewers take on challenges as they compete to be named Britain's best home sewer.