FILMING7th/8th September 2019
AIR DATE6th May 2020
CHALLENGEPattern Challenge – Child’s Smocked Dress
TIME ALLOWED3.5 Hours
POSITION1st out of 10

I wasn’t exactly thrilled about this week. I had never sewn children’s clothing before, so I didn’t know what to expect. But really, it’s just tiny clothes, right? The only time I had sewn childrenswear was during my audition, and that didn’t go as planned, so I wasn’t feeling very optimistic!

The pattern challenge was then revealed – a child’s smocked dress. It seemed manageable, except for the smocking part, which was new to me. I knew it had to be precise and straight. Any uneven stitching would be noticeable on the front.

I managed to do the keyhole binding at the back quite well, even though it was another first for me. I must have pressed and steamed it excessively to make it lay flat!

“The collar is sitting so beautifully flat” – Patrick

“You did the absolute perfect collar. The whole dress looks gorgeous” – Esme

I asked Joe to bring me a yellow button from the haberdashery, and he came back with a huge yellow button. With time ticking away, I just went with it and hurried to attach the button and complete the garment!

To my surprise, the garment turned out really well. I was pleased with how nicely the collar laid and the smocking was pretty decent too! Winning this challenge was unexpected, but it was a great way to kick off children’s week. I felt more at ease and ready to have some fun, especially since the next challenge was the dreaded transformation challenge.