The Great British Sewing Bee is returning to our screens this spring! We can’t wait to see what Series 10 has in store.
Whenever this time of year comes around, I find myself looking forward to two major events in the sewing calendar – Me Made May and the Great British Sewing Bee. #MeMadeMay is a social media challenge where sewists post daily (or as much as they’d like) about their makes. I always find it inspiring to see everyone’s creations and the different ways they’ve interpreted a pattern. I’d recommend having a look if you haven’t followed it before.
The other, the Great British Sewing Bee, hardly needs an introduction. I just love that the cosy competition inspires people and gives them confidence to have a go at sewing their own clothes – it’s beloved by seasoned pros as well as aspiring makers.
What happens in The Great British Sewing Bee?
The Sewing Bee features a series of sewing challenges, usually over 10 episodes. 12 sewists compete in dressmaking rounds set by judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant, which can include anything from elevated showstopper designs to creative transformations from discarded fashion waste. There’s endless enjoyment and sewing inspiration to be found in each episode.
When will the 2024 GBSB series start?
Each year, the series tends to start in late April or May. Last year we had a start date of 24 May, and it’s likely to be similar this time.
Who’s hosting the Bee?
Actor Kiell Smith-Bynoe, who hosted the 2023 Christmas special, is taking over from Sara Pascoe for this series. The Christmas episode was great fun, so we’re looking forward to seeing more from Kiell in Series 10!
Is there a book this series?
Each year, the Bee releases a book to accompany the series – this year it’s called The Great British Sewing Bee: Back to Basics. The book is designed to walk you through creating your own ‘me made’ capsule wardrobe, building core sewing skills as you go.
What should we do in the meantime?
We know, it’s hard to wait for it to come around. In the meantime, check back into WG Studio, because I’ll be posting my top GBSB makes ever. It’s not easy to choose, but every year there are a few makes that stand out from the crowd.
If you can’t wait for Sewing Bee content, have a look over our WG Studio posts about the GBSB from last year.
New to sewing?
The Sewing Bee has made sewing accessible, and inspired the nation to start creating. Seeing the contestants experimenting with different fabrics and styles is a lovely way to think about how you might tackle your own projects.
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