The Great British Sewing Bee 2025 Start Date, Contestants & Filming Secrets
- Alison from Mokshatrim
- Apr 14
- 6 min read
Updated: 22 hours ago
UPDATE : The Great British Sewing Bee 2025 starts on Tuesday 15 July at 9pm on BBC1 🎉.
The last series, Series 10, aired on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, and this year's book, which accompanies the new series, is set to release on May 8, 2025.
12 new amateur sewers will join judges Esme Young and Patrick Grant supported by Sara Pascoe.
As ever, I'm hoping for a better use of the haberdashery this season.
While we're waiting why not explore Mokshatrim's latest unusual haberdashery finds....
This Year's Great British Sewing Bee Contestants
Caz, 59
Insta cazsews
NOTTINGHAM,
RECENTLY RETIRED
Passion for sewing started when she was just 11,
Made her own wedding dress.
Loves technical sewing, incorporating a topstitch or French seam whereever she can.
Spent 30+ years running a family print business.
Dan, 37
Insta danando.creations
Tiktok danando.creations
DURHAM,
PERFORMER
Sewing has always been Dan's creative sanctuary.
Starting at age 10, by the time he was 26, Dan was crafting his own costumes for his performances.
His style is 'off the cuff', and often starts simple but transforms into something brilliantly unexpected.
Loves using unconventional materials.
Gaynor, 72
WALES,
RETIRED
Gaynor only scraped a pass in needlework at school, but has been sewing since the 1950s.
She enjoys teaching her 12-year-old granddaughter how to sew.
Her favourite clothes to make are tailored jackets and backless velvet evening gowns, and she's a sucker for a well-finished seam.
Glendora, 59
Insta chase.glendora
LUTON,
BUS DRIVER
Starting sewing at eight years' old, she inherited her passion for sewing from her mother.
She's created 36 impressive quilts since June 2021 (wow).
Glendora loves reupholstering chairs and creating fashionable bespoke curtains and cushions.
She also designs outfits for soul and reggae events.
Jess, 33
Insta sewrelative
Tiktok 02jessicah
BERKSHIRE,
Jess has always been surrounded by women who valued making things well and making them last.
She started her sewing journey around the age of 11, using leftover scraps to make things for her sister.
She rekindled her love for sewing during lockdown, and hasn't stopped since.
Jess particularly loves using natural fibres, and values good materials.
Kit, 24
Insta kit_giroux_originals
Tiktok kit_giroux_originals
MANCHESTER,
Started sewing at primary school, getting into trouble for trying to sell his sock puppets.
Picking up the hobby again at university, Kit has since made a garment every week.
Kit will always be found exploring a haberdashery (ooh I like him already!) and looking out for the most awful fabrics, on a mission to turn them into something beautiful.
Novello, 66
Insta novellonugee
LONDON,
BUSINESS OWNER AND MAGISTRATE
Novello lives in London now but has lived in Mexico.
Her interest in sewing started at the age of five, inspired by Blue Peter (can you hear the theme tune...).
She got her second-hand Pfaff sewing machine on her 7th birthday,
Novello has made everything from dresses to a whimsical cat dress for her granddaughter.
Orla, 19
Insta sewsbyorla
EDINBURGH,
STUDENT
Started sewing at just 15 and often sews for friends and family.
She hopes to one day have a completely self-made wardrobe.
Orla also loves experimenting with unconventional recycled fashion looks, such as a dress made from a trampoline (oo, er does my bum look big in this).
Peter,
SENIOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
Peter learned to sew alongside his mum, helping her make dance costumes for his siblings.
His interest in sewing was resparked when watching the Great British Sewing Bee with his two daughters.
Since then, the family have all learnt how to make their own clothes.
Peter likes making practical, wearable clothing and loves repurposing things like his son's old ski jacket and turning it into a bag.
Saffie, 32
Insta pluckddesigns
Tiktok pluckd.designs
LONDON,
LECTURES IN PRODUCT AND INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
She credits her Grandma's hidden stash of vintage fabrics for inspiring her lifelong passion for sewing.
She learned to knit from her great aunt at the age of eight,
She loves making practical yet stylish pieces that will slot easily into her wardrobe, that have plenty of pockets (who doesn't love a pocket) and well fitted cuts.
Stuart, 53
Insta eieaskew
HEREFORDSHIRE,
PREMISES MANAGER
Stuart is constantly mending his family's clothes with his meticulous sewing skills.
His began sewing when he started making hats in 2020.
Despising fast fashion, Stuart endeavours to make clothes that are durable, repairable pieces that stand the test of time.
Yasmin, 30
Insta ypkmakes
Tiktok ypkmakes
GATESHEAD,
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT SCIENTIST
Yasmin grew up in a family where fixing, mending and making was always preferred over buying new. B
Her late Dad taught her how to make her own clothes from scratch. (She applied for the show in memory him.)
She likes making outfits from old bedsheets, second-hand items or deadstock fabric.
What to Expect from Great British Sewing Bee Series 11
The excitement is building as we anticipate the start of Series 11. This season promises to bring fresh challenges and creative sewing projects.
Expect to see innovative designs and techniques that will inspire both viewers and contestants alike. As the contestants face off in their sewing challenges, the pressure will be on to showcase their skills.
Not only will we witness the talent of these amateur sewers, but we will also enjoy the camaraderie and character development that unfolds. It's always a thrill to see who rises to the occasion and who, unfortunately, might not make the cut.
What makes The Sewing Bee such a national treasure?
What do you think?....
For me, it’s more than a sewing competition - it’s a big cuddly celebration of creativity, kindness, and quiet determination.
Sewing is usually a solitary endeavour, but week after week, we get to watch amateur sewers pour their heart and soul into their makes, tackling fiddly zips, wild fabrics, and emotional briefs with a spirit that’s endlessly inspiring.
There’s no cut-throat drama - just genuine camaraderie, gentle humour, and moments of pure magic when someone pulls off a transformation they didn’t believe was possible.
For those of us who stitch for the joy of it, the Sewing Bee feels like home: a reminder that handmade still matters, and that creativity flourishes when it’s nurtured with care.
Where is The Great British Sewing Bee Filmed?
Since Series 8 in 2022, the Great British Sewing Bee has been filmed at Sunny Bank Mills, located just outside of Leeds in Farsley, West Yorkshire.
This 19th-century woollen mill was once one of the world's most significant fine worsted mills. Worsted is a high-quality type of wool yarn used for fabric and dressmaking.
Sewing Bee judge Patrick Grant said: "Leeds is at the heart of the wool and textile industry, so it feels appropriate to film in a great big spinning mill.
The show's journey began in 2013 when it was filmed in a former chapel in Dalston, with a caravan in the back acting as a green room. They even used the coffee shop across the street!
The initial goal was to attract a million viewers, but they ended up doubling that! An icon was born.
In 2014, for Series 2, filming moved to Metropolitan Wharf, a line of five 19th-century warehouses on the banks of the River Thames in London's East End.
From 2019, for Series 5 and 6, the series was shot at 47-49 Tanner Street in Bermondsey. This area is historically considered the heart of London's textiles.
Interestingly, this location is now best known as the filming spot for the popular BBC show, Dragon's Den.
In 2021, filming for Series 7 moved to The Chainstore on Trinity Buoy, London, located on the riverside near the O2 arena.
How Long Does It Take to Film The Great British Sewing Bee?
Filming takes place over a 6-8 week period, usually between August and November. Contestants are asked to commit to around 20 days of filming for the show.
Why Not Apply for Series 12 of the Great British Sewing Bee?
While you wait for Series 11, why not apply for the next series?
You need to be aged 16 or over and consider yourself an "amateur sewer." This means you should not have an NVQ or any equivalent sewing-related qualifications.
You cannot have previously worked full-time as a "dressmaker, sample machinist, pattern cutter, tailor, or seamstress in the past 15 years."
Make sure to read up on all the Sewing Bee rules before sending off your application.
Keep colorful!
Alison
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