I was visiting my family in Plymouth when I received the call informing me that I was selected as one of the twelve contestants for season 6 of Sewing Bee. It was unbelievable! I had only been sewing for about 4-5 years and never thought I would make it, but there must have been something they liked.
In my job, I monitor the content of various TV channels, and one day I came across a show called The Great British Sewing Bee. I had never heard of it before, but as I was new to sewing, I was intrigued. When I found out they were looking for amateur sewers for the new series, I decided to give it a shot.
There were three stages to the audition process. The first was a phone interview where they tested my sewing knowledge with questions like ‘what’s a French seam?’ or ‘what is a toile?’.
The second part was an in-person interview in front of the camera where I had to showcase some of the garments I had made. The final part was a pattern challenge where we had to recreate a child’s pinafore within an hour and a half, all while being filmed and interviewed. I remember mixing up the straps on the pinafore, but instead of panicking, I laughed it off and admitted my mistake. I think it was this genuine reaction that caught the producers’ attention.
It was during this audition process that I met Clare for the first time. Little did I know that we would end up being finalists together. She had a unique 1940’s fashion sense that caught my eye, and when I complimented her style, she smiled back. I guess I wasn’t the only one to notice her standout look that day.
We were scheduled to begin filming in August, and we received a detailed filming schedule. The episodes were shot over two days, with sometimes two episodes being filmed in a week. I was fortunate to live only 30 minutes away from the hotel and Tanner Street, where the series was being filmed. I felt sympathy for those who had to travel from outside London for each episode. We all stayed at the Travelodge near Tower Bridge. Despite my close proximity, it was essential to bond with my fellow contestants and establish relationships and camaraderie. Luckily, my flexible shift work allowed me to adjust my schedule and take leave when necessary for filming. I had a very supportive boss who understood the importance of sewing to me and wanted me to succeed.
Before filming commenced, we received briefs outlining the made-to-measure challenge. We were given a budget and had to provide details on the pattern, materials, and a step-by-step guide on how we would create the garment. I immediately started researching patterns and materials as soon as I received the brief. I preferred to draft my own patterns whenever possible, as I enjoyed the precision of calculating measurements and geometry. However, due to time constraints and the need to create briefs for ten made-to-measure challenges, I had to carefully select which ones to design myself.
I’m not entirely sure if all my choices were successful. For example, my tennis outfit was a mix of 50% disaster and 50% success. The pattern and material I chose for the top turned out to be a poor decision. Originally, I had planned to use a vintage tennis outfit pattern, but it didn’t arrive in time for the submission deadline, so I had to make do with what I had.
I never expected to reach the final round of the competition. The other contestants were incredibly skilled and creative. My journey was filled with ups and downs, moments of joy and frustration, leading up to that final challenge.
On the day before filming, we all gathered at the hotel near Tanner Street. Participants came from different parts of the country, but I was just a short distance away, living in Poplar, East London. I could easily take the DLR to Tower Hill and walk across Tower Bridge. Despite the convenience of going home after filming, the production team encouraged us to stay together, bond, and form friendships.
Before reaching the hotel, I took a moment to sit in a nearby park. Nervous thoughts raced through my mind – was I capable? What if I failed in the first round? The anxiety was overwhelming. Despite considering turning back, I gathered my courage and proceeded to the hotel.
Monty, one of the researchers on the program, made sure we were well taken care of and arrived on time for filming. She did an excellent job. In the hotel bar, I met a few of the Bees who had already arrived. As more Bees arrived, we all started getting to know each other.
That night, we all had dinner together as a big group and bonded. I had a nice chat with Terese, who mentioned she was a retired school teacher. She asked me when I planned to retire, to which I replied, “Not for another 20 years, thank you!” It was a wonderful evening meeting new Bees and some of the crew. We would have to wait until we entered the sewing room the next day to meet Esme, Patrick, and Joe.