feather_ghyll

We've reached midway through a new series of The Great British Sewing Bee, but with a new judge as well as contestants, and a new location, although the sewing room seemed much the same. Esme turned out to be very knowledgeable, although at times she was harsher than fellow judge Patrick(!). But perhaps that’s because she’s more used to students than the standard of the competition. She doesn’t always know what to make of Claudia, who I think is a scream. while it’s water off Patrick’s back – but what was that ruffled thing Esme was wearing during this episode?

From the first, it was exciting that so many people came to the top, although there were a lot of people whose inexperience told against them. I have no idea what the application process is like, presumably people can show off their best work and some element of picking different types and characters must come into it.

It was sad to hear of last year’s finalist Lorna’s passing.

Episode 2 featured children’s wear, episode 3, lingere, which felled a surprise man, while I think international week was a new theme, although they might have focused it more narrowly. By then my feeling was that Charlotte was the most consistent experienced sewer, with everyone having the capability of excelling if the challenge played to their strengths. In sixties week, Jade (whom I like, but was sure would leave now before the episode started) even managed to top them all by keeping it simple but executing flawlessly. Joyce seems to have been getting stronger, although this week suited her as the one who, for example, had had the most experience on those machines having lived through the sixties. They really are judging on the basis of what they see before them, so as things get even tougher because there are fewer of them, who knows who will survive? And whoever makes it through to the final can win by virtue of the one garment.

I find it soothing and interesting to watch.