Insider Tips For Future Sewing Bee's.

Reliving The Great British Sewing Bee - Class of 2014 Reunion. 

Great British Sewing Bee Class of 2014.

With the BBC revisiting our time on the Sewing Bee with the Class of 2014; You know that this means term time for the Class of 2105 is just around the corner. Who is excited? I know that I am! 
Watching the reunion show brought back all those wonderful and sometimes very stressful memories. So much so that having been through that experience and coming out the other side, I felt I wanted to share a few little insider tips and advise for any future sewing bee's.  So here goes...... 

Jenniffer Taylor's five Insider Tips For Future Sewing Bee's. 

Keep Your Head! Jenniffer Taylor's Five Insider Tips

1.       Keep your head –

Us crafty lot can become very devoted to our makes. I know that I feel like I have put a little bit of myself into each project, so to have feedback especially negative feedback, you cannot help but take it personally. I know I did while on the show. My advice to any sewer is to not take it to heart. You can only improve and learn with every ‘rubbish’ garment and mistake you make. Keep your head and listen to the feedback. There will always be little nuggets of great information that you can learn from. You cannot be amazing all the time, even if you do try and strive for perfection.

sew like no one is watching - Jenniffer Taylor's Five Insider Tips.

Wizard's Sleeves Patrick? Come on its RETRO

2.        ‘sew like no one is watching’-

What I mean is sewing gives you the ability to make whatever YOU want. I like to think that on the show and to this day, I have stayed true to my style, even though it may not be to everyone’s taste. 
YOU, are what makes this craft so special and for all the feedback you may receive, if it’s not process related and it’s style related
DON’T LISTEN! 
Telling someone their ‘gathers are not even’ is different to 
 ‘not sure about that colour fabric’!  

Style and Construction are two different things in my book, so ‘sew like no one is watching’ because it does not matter what they prefer anyway! Be you! 

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Out Of Your Comfort Zone - Jenniffer Taylor's Five insider Tips

3.       Out of your comfort zone –

To anyone wanting to sew, I would say always sew out of your comfort zone. It is easy to stay with the same ‘A’ line skirt as you have mastered it. I think the reason why I got onto the sewing bee after only a year of sewing was because I was constantly pushing myself with different projects rather than sticking to what I felt safe with. Even while on the show I was trying new things like drafting my first pattern when making the night gown. Probably not the best time to be experimenting while in a competition but looking back I’m glad I did. I think this is what kept me in the competition for so long considering I was the one with the least experience. I was not afraid to try. Now not everyone is going to apply for the sewing  bee, but I think it’s good to push yourselves a little sometimes, you never know where it may take you! 

Women are always right - Jenniffer Taylor's Five Insider Tips

4.       Women are always right!

So men are on the left. It’s a little rhyme I made up to remember what side garments dress too. On women’s clothes the right hand side of the shirt goes over the left hand side. Therefore for men’s clothes the left hand side goes over the right! This helped me remember which way the fabric lay and I could figure out the button holes and trouser  from that.

Have Fun - Jenniffer Taylor's Five Insider Tips.

5.       Have Fun!

Sewing is supposed to be fun so don’t take it too seriously! The minute you stop loving what you are doing then the magic of the craft has gone. You are less likely to come up with new ideas and  be inspired. You are more likely to make mistakes through being frustrated or rushing, and no one wants to do something they don’t like.

I found the moment I embraced the competition, I began to score higher in the judging. I was enjoying myself and getting better results for it. The moment I started to question what I was doing or getting stressed about it, was the time I didn’t sew as well.  I think the same applies to my sewing room at home. The more pressure I put on myself, the less I get done. Sometimes it’s better to put the project down for a while and come back to it, rather than stick with it and end up ruining it. Play music, have a dance at the ironing board with a glass of wine whatever you have to do but have fun! If only I could have had a glass of wine while on the bee, it could have been a different story!

I hope you find the tips helpful and they are really applicable to anyone wanting to take up sewing. You don't have to apply to be on the Sewing Bee to take a little #sewingrevolution advice.

Good luck to my fellow Sewing Bee's of 2015! Its going to be a crazy ride!
Tune in February 5th!!!