Great British Sewing Bee

[yvette]

Did anyone see this last night? I was hoping to learn something useful but was disappointed in the tired old knockout competition format and lack of real information. I had naively imagined that the title 'Sewing Bee' might indicate something collaborative, to do with sharing skills and techniques - but no

[Crickleymal]

You didn't seriously expect a TV competition to impart anything useful did you? Very few of these "reality" or fly on the wall things are done for information value. They just pick people who are likely to fly into an entertaining strop if something goes wrong or who'll make the biggest cockup.

[Thomzo]

I watched it on iplayer tonight and was as disappointed as I expected to be. Crickleymal, you hit the nail right on the head there. Shame there were no entertaining strops. It would have livened it up a bit.

[contadina]

I watched it last night and rather enjoyed it and suspect that it may encourage a lot of people to start sewing. If you want to learn proper sewing techniques, take lessons.

[boboff]

I thought Bees made honey, not mended tailoring. Where do I find these British thrift fanatics?

[contadina]

An alternative use of the word bee is for any communal work, such as, sewing groups, harvesting crops etc; and derives from Middle English bene (meaning prayer, boon and extra service by a tenant to his lord). American's use it more nowadays but it's nice to know that a bee (any gathering to accomplish a task or to hold a competition) has Old English origins.

[boboff]

Indeed, I was, how do you say it, joking.

Most old English is German though.

[Mrs Moustoir]

I've always admired people who can make their own and their children's clothes so I quite enjoyed it. Although I can embroider and do basic repairs/sew a button on/sew an invisible hem - my attempts to make clothes have always been disastrous!

Nothing too demanding and the usual elements of "will they, won't they?" get the task done. Nice, bland midweek telly.

[wabbit955]

program seamed to drag out a bit would of been much better in 30 minutes
but a think that about most programs

[Crickleymal]

Now I differ. I think most programmes should be 1 hour long. 30 minutes doesn't give enough time to show half of the interesting bits.

[wabbit955]

its the bit were they keep going over what been done and said that gets Irritating

[Crickleymal]

Oh god yes. I especially hate the sort of documentaries that when the advert break is over say "Previously on Entertaining Gimboids,......." Do they not think we can remember what happened 4 minutes ago? I mean I know my short term memory isn't brilliant but for crying out loud!

[Mrs Moustoir]

I thought the hour was about right - but then again, I might have nodded off to sleep in the middle!