The Great British Sewing Bee 2023 – Series 9 Sewing Inspiration
Wow, what a season that was. All good things must come to an end (sob!) but we aren’t ready to let go of the joy that the Great British Sewing Bee series 9 has brought us just yet. We eagerly watched everything the contestants made (while jotting ideas into our sewing inspiration notebooks) and relished the challenges the judges set.
If you are a purist and want to try to recreate the exact looks from series 9 of the Sewing Bee, check out our sewing pattern picks for each episode – with a coordinating chatty video to enjoy!
We know lots of you have also been eyeing up some of the outfits that judge Esme Young, presenter, Sara Pascoe and the finalists wore on the show, so we’ve found some patterns for recreating the looks if you fancy! You might want to grab a huge cup of tea for this lot… it’s a bumper blog post!
We thought that Sara Pascoe brought it from the very first episode of The Sewing Bee. It has to be her best wardrobe yet! It was fun, colourful and full of interesting silhouettes and details. We have seen lots of comments on our socials asking for help finding patterns to recreate her looks from the show, so we have a few suggestions up our sleeves… oh those sleeves! Sara did showcase some excellent sleeves.
If you were captivated by Sara’s sparkly, ruffly, dreamy number, you could recreate the look with the Liberty Rosanna Ruffle Top. If you loved the colourful dress with pretty puff sleeves, you could sew your own using the Vikisews Deborah Blouse and add a gathered skirt to extend it to a dress. Don’t forget to add pockets! Boilersuits were a big takeaway from Utilitarian Week and we admired Sara’s version. Try the Homer + Howells Lennox Boilersuit and a playful print to recreate this look.
There was a lot of love for the gorgeous blouse Sara wore on Fashion Icons Week and I’m afraid to say I haven’t found a perfect match to make your own. But, I found the perfect sleeves which were exactly what everyone fell for. The Vikisews Edwidge Blouse has all that striking volume and a glamorous feel to it. Finally, if you loved 90s week as much as I did, you will have also loved Sara’s blazer. I think the Eteri Blazer is a great option if you want a bit of drama.
We may have already enjoyed our homage to Esme’s style – Get the Look: Esme Young, where we rounded up some pattern matches for our favourite looks, but we have a few more to share. We loved what she wore in this series so have added a few pattern options to the list if you want to Esmeify your wardrobe!
Were you bowled over by Esme’s bomber? Us too! You could sew your own slinky number with The Maker’s Atelier Sport-Luxe Bomber. Esme loves a shirt dress. I think The Assembly Line Shirt Dress is very reminiscent of one that Esme would rock.
You’ll spot twists and ties on Esme’s garments, and we spied some very on-Esme-brand versions this series. If you want to channel this detail into your own wardrobe, try the Named Kielo Wrap Dress or the Trend Patterns TPC18 Twist Dress. I also wanted to include The Assembly Line Box Pleat Dress and pleats are another big detail you’ll find on Esme’s outfits.
Asmaa’s style in one word is elegant. She wears gorgeous, flowy gowns that usually feature detail at the bust or cinching at the waist. Another key element of Asmaa’s outfits is stellar sleeves. Oh, and she does love a tier or two. From our stalking Asmaa’s Instagram, @sewgical_endeavours, we can see that she is quite the pattern hacker and creates a lot of her garments by mashing different patterns together to create something spectacular. Asmaa seems to be partial to Burda Style patterns.
If you would like to recreate Asmaa’s style without the sewgical skills she has for joining patterns together, I have some ideas for you! The Fibre Mood Karlene Dress ticks all the Asmaa boxes. Sleeves, tiers, bust detail and cinched with a tie belt. The Style Arc Philomena Woven Dress has delicate shaping under the bust that’s created by shirring – which will make it really comfortable to wear.
If you’re sewing for autumn, the Fibre Mood Holly Dress is an excellent choice. It has a standing collar, subtle gathers and is cinched at the waist with a tie. The Assembly Line Mulit-Sleeve Midi Dress delivers all the chic elegance that epitomises Asmaa’s style. Finally, I think the Fabric Godmother Peony Dress is absolutely something Asmaa would wear.
Tony’s style in one word is laidback. He wears really fun shirts that give you a hint of his humorous side and those shorts are a bit of a giveaway that he lives on the coast. Every outfit is topped off with a beanie hat, and if he’s sewing, a double set of glasses. His signature style is a big part of the reason we will miss Tony from our screens on Wednesday nights! Be sure to follow Tony on Instagram, @tonyr.maker, to see what he makes next.
If you want to get Tony’s look, I have two shirt pattern options for you. First is the Merchant & Mills All State Shirt which is inspired by American shirts of the fifties. Another brilliant option is the Wardrobe by Me Tropical Shirt which has a convertible collar and looks incredible in fun prints.
In the shorts department, I have two options for you as well! The Wardrobe by Me Loose Linen Pants that can be made as shorts and the Wardrobe by Me Cargo Shorts. To top the look off why not sew your own beanie?! The Merchant & Mills Docker Beanie is a neat little pattern. There you have it… a Tony-inspired ensemble!
Mia’s style in a word is playful. Mia has such a fun look that combines retro floral prints with pops of colour – especially pink which Mia confessed is her favourite colour! Mia loves layering and playing with oversized silhouettes alongside more delicate strappy cami tops. You have to go down the rabbit hole of Mia’s Instagram @miasartyfarty, which is full of creative looks. We saw how much Mia loved crochet on the Sewing Bee and you’ll find loads more, plus some wow-worthy upcycling projects (a tablecloth to dreamy top) on her inspiring account!
Keen to create a Mia-style wardrobe? A strappy cami with a flounce is a must. I have two options for you, the Fibre Mood Viola Top has a pretty button back and the Sew Love Patterns Mia Top (and Dress) is just as lovely as its namesake. I think Mia would love the bow-like detail on the front. Mia wore a couple of very cool pairs of dungarees on the show and my pick for recreating her loose, relaxed dungarees in the Fibre Mood Constance Overalls.
Mia wore a couple of pairs of punchy trousers and my detective skills led me to the pattern she used, the Anna Allen Helene Selvedge Jeans. It’s a great pattern as you get three leg shape options and can sew some shorts. Finally, I’m throwing a little something into the mix that I think is Mia’s style to a t. Imagine the Makyla Creates Camille Top in a retro floral print. Mia, you need this in your handmade wardrobe!
Don’t forget to check out the pattern picks for every episode of the Great British Sewing Bee series 9 and if you’re binging previous series to fill the hole in your Sewing Bee life, we have pattern picks for the previous series (including the Christmas specials) too!
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I’m sure that Mias first cami with the scalloped top edge is cut down of the Lydia Naomi Bubble Frock. (I could be wrong of course.) Fab feature. Have really enjoyed it, as well as the weeklies and will miss it now that GBSB has come to an end.