- Can we have a look? - Oh, bien sur.
That is rubbish.
Genius is never understood in its lifetime.
We'll discuss our refund later.
- Welcome to Art Week... ALL: - ..on The Great British Sewing Bee.
Last time, there were playground antics in Kids' Week.
I'm having a very childish strop.
Despite losing the pattern and the transformation...
Where's the arms?
..Caz staged a comeback to win garment of the week.
Yes!
But whilst Gaynor danced with danger...
It's very simple.
..it was Dan...
It was just way too ambitious.
..who got expelled.
My time was spent, unfortunately.
Now it's Art Week...
Hello, how's your sewing going?
..the sewers have a brush with a babydoll dress...
My God, it's gathered everywhere.
..get edgy with overalls...
If I could turn round and run, that would be my instinct.
..and pop out some pop art.
There's a tear, there's a tear, there's a tear.
But who will get rave reviews...
This has worked to a T.
..and who will get panned?
- I'm never gathering again. - Well, you say that...
SHE LAUGHS
Did not think I'd be here for week seven.
It's Art Week, so I'm after "pwah", but it may just be "puh".
I would love to win something eventually.
I don't know if this is my week.
Actual art is less in my comfort zone.
Agh!
Fashion is art. Fashion is wearable art. It's Art Week, isn't it?
Not quite my scene, but...
Welcome to Art Week.
It's me, Banksy!
Esme, time to artfully explain the pattern challenge.
Right, here we go.
Ooh!
- Pass them round. - Oh! - OK.
We're giving you a babydoll dress
inspired by the artist Grayson Perry.
It's got balloon sleeves, gathered waist,
and a large collar with a frill.
Now, this dress is about identity,
so choose fabric that expresses yours.
Now, it took four years to complete
the Sistine Chapel, and you have four-and-a-half...hours.
And your time starts now.
Off you go!
Do I want that?
- What's me? What's me? - I'm not sure either.
I don't know, what's me?
I'll give myself a two-minute wander. Ooh!
As well as choosing a fabric
which expresses their individuality...
I've gone with fabric with women on it,
because I like women.
..the sewers must also pick fabric to line the sleeves...
Is that a good lining fabric for this, do you think?
..and decide whether to use a contrasting material
for the collar and frill.
I'll do a blue and a yellow.
No, don't. Just commit to one.
I don't know!
I think this is really fun. I'm a big fan of Grayson Perry.
I have never heard of Grace and Perry.
Is it not Grace AND Perry, is it?
Challenging perceptions with his alter ego, Claire,
the Turner Prize-winning potter is as famous for his frocks as his art,
including his many colourful takes on the babydoll dress.
So, Grayson Perry was knighted in 2023,
so he probably only wears armour now, which is a shame.
What are the main features of this dress?
We've got puff sleeves that are created by making
the lining of the sleeve shorter than the outer of the sleeve,
that gives it this big puff shape.
And it's quite likely that none of them have done a sleeve like this.
The collar and the frill is key to the look of the dress.
Yes, and what they could do is do a contrast collar.
We've asked them to make a very small hem on
the edge of the frill.
They also need to make sure that the centre of
the collar meets at the middle.
So there's quite a lot of tricky,
intricate sewing that goes into the production of it.
There is a lot of gathering to do
on the skirt and the frill and the sleeves.
Well, this babydoll dress certainly won't be child's play.
It certainly won't.
There's quite a lot to cut out.
And I very carefully cut this upside down.
It's a good start, isn't it?
I'm not sure what piece this is.
Oh, it's the... Oh, great.
It's the frilly collar.
That's a lot of frill-age.
To start the dress,
two frill pieces are finished with a pin hem and gathered.
Each frill is then sandwiched between two collar pieces.
Next, the bodice is joined at the shoulder seams.
The collar and a button loop are attached,
and the neckline is finished with a facing,
before the centre, back and side seams are sewn.
To assemble the sleeves, the head and hem are gathered
and attached to a smaller lining.
The whole sleeve is then gathered again at
the armhole to create more volume before being joined to the bodice.
Next, the skirt is sewn together,
gathered, attached to the bodice, and hemmed.
Finally, the dress is finished with a button.
So, show us what fabric you're using.
So I've picked this very vibrant fabric.
- It's very fun, isn't it? - It's very fun.
- So you're on to making your ruffle. - And it's contrasting.
So I'm not doing a contrast colour
but I'm going to do a contrast ruffle.
- OK. - So that'll stand out. - That's pretty good, isn't it?
It pulls out that pink really well.
- Best of luck. - Thank you very much.
I'm just going for this main fabric for the main of the dress.
It kind of reminds me of Starry Night, almost.
And then I might use this as a lining for the sleeve,
the blue, and then the yellow on the collar for the ruffle.
Because I like the kind of pop of colour it'll do.
So that's my plan.
Orla and Yasmin might be channelling their inner Grayson with
a mix of colours, but some of the sewers are playing it safe.
So in terms of sort of fabric, because it's Art Week,
are you going to go a bit more out there than usual?
Oh, I hadn't thought. I should have thought of that.
So the answer's no!
Patrick said, "Choose a fabric that reflects you."
- So you've gone floral, demure. - Yeah.
Not giving too much away, get to know me first.
I'm currently making the same colour frill,
which might be a big mistake, but I like the energy.
So I'm just going to go for it.
It was actually the first fabric that I saw.
And I think it's really fun.
I don't really think I need to do a contrast frill or a colour.
I have picked up another fabric
and I've decided to use this for the collar.
I was half expecting to see corduroy and tweed on your table today.
I thought about that for about three seconds.
- Did you? - So, are you using this whole thing?
- Yes. - Have you done a lot of gathering before?
Only in as much as when I work with easing sleeves in...
Well, that's not gathering.
- No, I know. - It's easing. - That's as far as I've got.
I'm making a pin hem, whatever on earth that is.
As the name suggests, to start the frill,
the sewers must make a teeny-tiny hem.
For this pin hem, we are pressing 0.7 up,
stitching a line very close to the folded edge.
I'm going to trim off that seam allowance.
Oh, my God. It's, like, never ending.
I have two of these to do.
And then press again
and stitch again to have a really narrow finished edge.
- Someone's concentrating. - Yes.
We have to sew within a 3mm line.
Oh, yeah.
Concentrating a little bit, but happy to stop and chat.
Makes your eyes go squiffy.
Next, to give the frill pieces their frilliness,
the sewers must make two rows of evenly spaced gathering stitches
along the top edge.
There's just so much involved in a tiny, tiny frill. I hate it.
Did you leave long tails out so that
you can pull it without getting tangled?
And like great art, gathering is a process that can't be rushed.
If you tug too hard, threads can snap,
so you've just got to be gentle with it.
I'm going to try and get it more even now
because that will be part of the judging.
- Can I have a look at yours? - Have a look. I've gone for women.
Women, ladies. Oh, they're nice.
And is there a meaning behind it, Yasmin?
I liked the colours at first.
And then there was women on it, and I was like, "I like women."
I see, I thought it was going to be like a sort of underrepresentation
- of female artists. But you went for colours and women? - Yeah.
Pin the collar frill to the outer curved edge of one collar piece.
Oh, God, this collar is taking so much time.
- This is just one bit of the collar? - Yes.
- When will the rest of the dress happen? - This is what I mean!
So much time has gone by, we're just on a collar.
- I don't get it! - Can I look on the next page? - Yeah.
I mean, you get to the bodice, number 20.
- You've got a while, you've got a while. - Gosh, don't even!
Frilling brilliant.
SHE LAUGHS
This is irking me fuh-rill.
Showcasing the struggle of sewing,
this piece is called the kerfuffle of the ruffle.
You're halfway through.
What?!
Halfway through and I haven't even got a collar constructed...
..is slightly stressful.
I am sandwiching the frill in between the collars.
Everything is fiddly. Fiddly-diddly.
The frill is a bit short there.
There's a bit of tuck in that frill, but whatever.
Oh, I'm glad the collar's over.
- Let's go! - I'm just going to do the shoulder seams on the bodice.
That's the back. That's the front.
I need to attach my collar to my neckline.
As a prominent feature,
the judges will be expecting a perfectly placed collar
which meets in the middle at the front and back.
It's showing it there lining up to the back.
Mine doesn't go all the way to the back.
I'm going to move that over a fraction,
but it's not going to match up in the front.
Oh, my giddy aunt.
Depicting the true toil of sewing,
this piece is called Hot Under The Collar.
One hour left.
Oh, my God. I haven't even put a skirt on yet.
Doing gathering stitches for my sleeves.
My God, it's gathered everywhere.
To create the balloon shape, both the sleeve head
and the hem have to be gathered.
More gathering. Isn't it great? Isn't that amazing?
Sleeve lining...
So I am now quickly trying to gather
the sleeve onto the inner sleeve.
The inner is much smaller than the outer,
so we need to gather it and that will make the puffy sleeve.
I think you've accidentally made a shower cap.
- There you go. - It fits. I'm going to keep it on for now.
Right, there we go.
And now you've got to gather this sleeve head.
It's looking balloon-y.
There's a lot less gathering at the top than I thought.
- There's more gathering after, Yas. - What?!
So when you've joined it together, you then gather it again?
- Yep. - So angry.
For maximum puffage, the sewers must make two further lines
of gathering stitch at
the head of their lined sleeve, then gather to fit the armhole.
- I'm never gathering again. - Well, you say that...
Please work.
I'm very happy with that. Big puff. That's quite fun.
Done.
Half an hour left, everybody.
Oh, my goodness!
Skirt, skirt, oh! Finishing, good.
I'm finally on the skirt, which is really nice.
We're not going to pin the side seams
because we have no time.
Got to zoom things if I want it to be complete, which is what I want.
So I need to gather all the skirt. More gathering.
Oh, two long rows. Yeah, blah, blah.
I'm gathering again.
# Gathering, gathering all day long
# If you thought your gathering was done, you were wrong. #
Need to match the side seams here and side seams here
to the side seams on the skirt.
Quickly now.
A side seam. Is that relevant? No. Get it on.
This is shoddy work.
Really rushing now. Taking all sorts of short cuts.
- Five minutes left. - Five!
Nearly done?
I haven't got a hem and I haven't got a button.
It's there, it's a dress! A minute ago, you only had a collar.
- This is true. - I'm sewing a hem in five minutes. I can do this.
There's yards of the damn stuff.
My bobbin is about to run out, so I'm doing a massive stitch.
Might not be my finest finishing.
- One minute left. - Oh, my goodness! Oh, my goodness!
Which button, which button, which button?
- Come on, come on. Thread it, thread it. - Press.
- Come on. - I haven't taken any of the gathering threads out.
- Stressy in the last ten seconds. - Oh, God!
My gathering stitches are everywhere.
Needles up, sewers. That is your time.
Just sign your garments in the corner
and bring them over for judging.
My gathering is so uneven.
That's a pleat, actually.
Six colourful Grayson-Perry-inspired
babydoll-style dresses made in just four-and-a-half hours.
- I think they look fantastic. - They do. They look great.
# Babydoll... #
I think it's a lovely choice, the two fabrics. I think the main
body fabric works really nicely and yellow really works.
We've got the same depth of frill all the way round.
You've handled that fantastically well.
And I think the construction of the sleeve has worked really well.
But this side seam on the skirt isn't lined up
with the side seam on the top, and the gathers aren't even.
Looks like you've rushed when you've put the skirt on.
I know, I thought I'd better get
a gathered skirt on that's rushed than no skirt at all, so...
# Why, baby, why don't you treat me
# Like you used to do? #
The two colours, I think, work supremely well together.
- But one thing is, this frill disappears. - Oh, yeah.
The collar has a good shape, but it just has this gap
in the middle that's too big.
I think the sleeves look good.
Oh, I can see a bit of gather stitch here.
I haven't taken out any gathering stitches.
I think, on the whole, it looks really good.
It's just this slight gap.
# Pretty baby
# You look so heavenly
# A neo-nebular... #
I think it's a super choice of main fabric.
Also, you know, it's very personal to you.
And I love the pink frill.
It's really highlighted the shape of the collar.
Feels so nicely coordinated with the main body fabric,
and you've handled the frill really nicely.
It's meeting in the centre, just as it's supposed to.
The sleeve gathering is really even.
The gathering round the waist is really even.
Think it's great.
You did a good job.
Thank you.
# Baby doll, you need some rock and roll
# You need someone to hold you... #
Well, I like this fabric.
It looks like paint.
Let's have a look at the hem.
Pretty neat! And you've pressed it.
Gathering is even.
But we've got pleats here.
There are just a couple of tiny bits.
There's a section here where the frill
is really only kind of a centimetre deep,
and it's a centimetre and a half here.
But it's pretty marginal.
It is a lovely choice of fabric.
It does work really well.
Thank you.
# Maybe baby, I'll have you
# Maybe baby, you'll be true... #
I think the fabric is great.
The collar's meeting pretty nicely in the centre.
It's a little bit uneven.
There's a couple of sections where it's just gone a bit flat.
I like the fabric, but there's something I've noticed.
No, you haven't.
LAUGHTER
You've put the skirt on wrong.
We've got a seam down the front and a seam down the back,
whereas they should've been at the side.
Right, bottom hem.
I didn't know the sewing machines had stitches that long.
LAUGHTER
You know, there are a couple of bits that aren't quite spot-on,
and we're getting to the point where everything needs to be spot-on.
# Je suis une go-go girl
# Je suis une go-go... #
Well, I like this fabric.
The gathering is very even.
We've got little tucks here.
The frill is pretty even.
Maybe a little bit shorter there.
It's a shame you didn't do contrast.
The one thing that slightly sticks out for me -
you can see the gathering stitch.
But on the whole, it's neat, it's tidy,
- I think it's good. - Thank you.
Patrick and Esme will now rank the babydoll dresses
from sketchy to masterpiece.
In sixth place is Stuart.
- You put the side seams at the front and the back. - OK.
In fifth place, it's Gaynor.
Nicely sewn overall.
We just had a big gap at the centre between the collars.
Orla is fourth and Caz is third.
In second place...
..is Kit.
Great fabric, very nicely made,
but we had pleats in the skirt.
Which means, in first place, it's Yasmin!
All the colours just work perfectly
and you've sewn it to perfection.
- Well done. - Thank you so much.
# Pictures of matchstick men and you... #
Well done, Yas.
Thank you very much.
I'm so pleased.
I finally won something!
LAUGHTER
I don't know how I managed it,
but in the end it came together.
Kudos to Yas, cos it was phenomenal what she sewed today.
Yeah, I realised whilst we were all standing there
waiting for judging that I'd put the seams at front and back.
I could see Esme looking,
while Patrick was talking,
and winking at me.
Welcome back, sewers.
It's time now for the transformation.
This is the one where you take something old and unwanted
and make it look lovely.
Patrick, what are they transforming today?
Right, sewers, let's hope we're not left GLOSSING over
the result of this one.
- Yes! - We're giving you painters' clothes
and we would like you to transform
these smocks, aprons and overalls into an asymmetric garment.
- Asymmetric! - Oh! - OK!
And what we want you to do is think about
where you put the paint marks.
Now, the judges aren't invited to be in here for this one
so they're off to the gift shop to get a £16 pen
that doesn't work by the time you get home.
Have fun.
You have 90 minutes for this challenge,
and your time starts now.
Oh, it's off!
- Go, go, go. - Whee!
Oh, my goodness.
Dirty clothes.
What the devil are you supposed to do with these?
Let's see what we've got.
Asymmetry - basically, say what you want,
but I'm going to call it lopsided.
So, painters' clobber into asymmetric garments.
They can create asymmetry with the fabric -
so one sleeve, one shoulder, an angle on the skirt.
But they also could create asymmetry
just by putting the paint on one side.
Yes, to make a big statement.
What I think would be good is they could use the inside...
Yeah.
..to make it plain.
Because then the paint will really stand out.
Be nice to see how they play with the contrast.
And they might use these straps and the pockets.
So I think how they create an interesting silhouette
using that asymmetry is going to be an important part
of how this is judged.
Yeah, very important.
Let's hope they don't create a load of old Jackson Pollocks.
Well, I hope they do.
I have grabbed a dirty denim shirt
and a pair of white overalls.
Hmm.
I'm thinking a dress with asymmetric ruffles.
This apron will be an asymmetrical pleated skirt
where there's a long panel that goes around most of it.
And then there's a short panel - that's going to be really coloured.
I'm doing a male form top.
So I've got this painter's smock.
And then I've got this jumpsuit,
which has got some really fun little butt prints.
I have taken a painter's smock.
I think it's going to be a top.
So I've got a boiler suit,
and it'd be really nice to make a diagonal-striped dress.
But you've kind of got to make the most of this amazing bit of pink.
I'm struggling at the moment.
If I could turn round and run, that would be my instinct.
Oh, run away!
- Sara. - Oh, that face!
Have you got any suggestions as to what I'm going to make?
Really?
- Well, I'm making the skirt. - Yeah.
I did think of having it coming up one side, showing a bit of leg.
- Ooh, yeah. - Esme'll like that.
I'm quite pleased. The colour distribution is quite good,
and I have a pocket on the smock,
which will be a ready-made sleeve opening.
I have added in a sleeve from the jumpsuit,
and right now I'm just doing some nice kind of sun-ray effect
and really play with these colours here.
It's a dress, Yasmin!
It's getting there. The back has all of the paint.
So I need to put some paint on the front, really.
Will someone else need to help her get in and dressed?
Oh, yeah, but I've definitely asked people on the street
- to do a zip for me before. - Have you? - Possibly, yeah.
SHE SIGHS
This is boring.
You're halfway through.
So, if I can make an under-dress
and then start sewing the rest onto it,
that would be fabulous, darling.
I did wonder whether to have a bit of hip showing,
but I decided against it.
Now I'm not sure how I'm going to create the asymmetrical shape.
I'm currently doing nice pleats.
The other garment doesn't have much paint on it,
which means that I can make more of a statement
with this coloured piece.
Having come up with their basic forms...
That's quite cute. Quite like that.
..to really impress the judges, the sewers will need
to get creative with asymmetric embellishments.
It's got a sleeve, a shoulder,
but I think it would look really nice
with some sort of straps going this way.
I'm cutting the skirt hem so that it's asymmetrical.
I'm making this cuff detailing to make a feature over the shoulder.
I'm trying to make a ruffle for the bottom of the dress,
cos I want some paint on the front.
I'm going to add a blue ruffle underneath
so I can see that paint.
The trouble with wearing asymmetrical things...
- Yeah. - ..is that there's always someone going,
"Oh, could you not afford another sleeve?"
15 minutes left!
Oh, I still have...
# So much to do. #
I've stitched the armholes closed
so it's like a three-tiered skirt.
It's not quite asymmetrical enough.
I'm going to cut this to be, like, much shorter.
I have decided to put some pleats in
so that the folds occur from one corner to the other.
I'm using one of the straps from the dungarees
as a fastening.
Oh, dear. How do these open?
None of my ruffles are actually sewn on to the dress.
They're all just pinned.
So I really do need to get the entire dress off the mannequin
and onto the machine.
- Five minutes left! - Oh, no!
I want to finish off that front hem with an apron strap.
I am stitching down each pleat with electric-blue thread.
Oh, dear, that looks a bit naff.
Oh, I need to make it pop a bit more.
I'm finished. Everybody's doing something
far more elaborate than me.
One minute left.
Oh, no, my bobbin ran out of thread.
Why do bobbins do this at the stupidest times?
Sewing's never been harder than this.
I am just adding a little bit of trim, too.
Adds a little bit of interest.
I think this will fit me, actually.
OK, let's go.
At least try.
I've got my ruffles on.
OK, yeah, it doesn't fit.
Needles up, sewers!
That is your time!
No!
I know it's not very asymmetric.
Get it on the mannequin and make it look really pretty.
Please bring your mannequins forward
and muddle them up so we don't know whose is whose.
Oh, my goodness!
Oh, Orla, that's so stunning.
A pile of paint-spattered overalls
turned into artful asymmetric garments
in just 90 minutes.
And Esme and Patrick have no idea who has created what.
We've had the decorators in.
- Do you like what we've done with the place? - Very good, yeah.
# Painter man
# Who wanna be a painter man? #
I really like the pink on this khaki green.
They've just sort of chopped angled bits out of it
so this panel of the khaki is sewn over the top,
- patched together. - Yeah.
And they've put the binding on the bottom,
which gives it a 3D effect.
Not so keen on the binding.
I'm not sure that this shape works with the rest of it.
Well, this is really clever.
It's very asymmetric.
I love all the use of the different features.
I like that there's so much paint everywhere.
They obviously thought,
"Right, I'm going for the painted bits."
What do you think it'd be worn with?
Pair of bright-green Speedos.
Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking.
The colours I don't think stand out, but look at this.
They've constructed this shoulder using two cuffs,
which I think is really smart.
They've put little pleats here, which are quite subtle.
It doesn't really jump out.
Well, it doesn't jump out,
but I think it actually looks quite sophisticated.
I like the diagonal stripes and the paint on the blue.
I like that they've given two ruffles,
and they've got two tiers of those running through,
over the bust, and one down on the skirt.
And they've taken the front of the overall
and kept the button stand in.
- Got pockets. - Two front pockets now.
- Back pockets. - Yes.
It's a shame, actually, that those are covered up.
We have a skirt that is relatively symmetrical.
I'm not sure I love this trim.
The bow feels a bit incongruous.
But I do love how they've used these clasps.
It must have been some kind of dungaree.
Industrial, rusty-looking hardware.
Feels very cool.
Whereas the bow feels a little bit...
- Somewhere else. - ..somewhere else.
Yeah, exactly.
When I walked in the room, that was the first thing that caught my eye.
The way that they've got the paint just running all the way around
the bottom edge of it,
it's a fabulous pleated skirt.
And it works really well because of the placement
- and the length and the construction. - Yeah.
It's quite saucy at the front.
Imagine when you're walking down the street!
Well, if you're going to walk like this.
LAUGHTER
Patrick and Esme will now decide which transformation
needs to brush up and which is a stroke of genius.
In sixth place is the navy skirt.
That is Gaynor.
It was kind of a tale of two halves.
We loved the top but we weren't quite so keen
- on the shape of the bottom. - Thank you.
In fifth place is the one-shoulder top.
That's Stuart.
We really liked the cuffs on the shoulder,
but it didn't jump out.
In fourth place is Yasmin.
And in third is Caz.
In second place is...
..the grey one-sleeve top.
That's Kit.
Very good. We loved it. Lots of great detail in it.
Thank you. I had a lot of fun doing it.
So in first place is the asymmetrical skirt
with the pleats on one side and the cream on the other.
That's Orla.
# Say my name
# As every colour illuminates... #
When I walked in the room,
that was the one that really stood out to me.
And I very much like the contrast.
- Thank you, both. - Well done.
I'm just so happy that I won that transformation.
I don't think I expected it.
- Oh, congratulations! - Congratulations! - Thank you.
It's definitely nice to have, yeah, a make of yours
be so validated by the judges.
Oh, thanks, Kit.
It's all right, lovey.
Yeah, I agreed with the judges' comments entirely.
I didn't like that bow either.
- Nice work. - Thank you, thank you.
Obviously a bit disappointed that you're near the bottom,
but tomorrow's another day.
I've got a nice made-to-measure ready.
Come on. We're not waiting for the grass to grow.
And I will just try and make it as well as I can.
Ooh!
There's just one chance left in Art Week
for the sewers to canvass for a place in the quarterfinal.
So, who's creating buzz?
Who's got some heat?
Which sewers are the ones to look out for?
It was lovely to see Yasmin finally win a challenge.
Her Grayson-inspired pattern challenge was fantastic.
She got the brief, but she executed it beautifully.
And in the transformations, Yasmin was still at the top.
- Orla? - Loved Orla's transformation. - Yes.
It was interesting and really well made.
Other end - who's struggling this week?
Gaynor and Stuart.
Really, it feels very evenly matched.
I think Gaynor's pattern was a step above Stuart's,
and the reverse in the transformation.
And I think that has been consistently the case.
I think Gaynor's execution is always really very good.
Stuart's sewing is less refined.
But Stuart's ambition are usually bigger.
- More interesting, yeah. - Yeah.
What could they do to save themselves?
Well, Stuart needs to sew it better than he normally does,
and Gaynor needs more ambition and more boldness
than she normally shows.
Well, we all know art should be challenging,
but this next challenge will also be challenging -
as was this sentence.
Here we go.
Hey, are you all right?
Hello. Somehow still here.
Have to do a good one today.
For their final Art Week challenge, the sewers will need to have
brushed up on their fitting skills, as they're making for their models.
Oh, I'm so excited for this one.
Oh, I think I go today.
Haven't done too well.
And I know, speaking to them all, they've got amazing patterns
for today, and mine's quite basic.
Welcome back, sewers,
and hello to your models.
For this week's made-to-measure,
the judges would like you to make an outfit
inspired by the pop art movement.
Andy Warhol said that everyone could be famous for 15 minutes,
and I said you've got five hours for this challenge,
and your time starts now.
Right.
I just want to see that...
Oh, that's perfect.
We'll say nine.
OK, thank you.
I will channel my inner artist today.
I need to absolutely nail every seam, every hem,
and I might get another week.
I'm making crazy bell-bottoms, if that makes any sense.
They're trousers. Hang on, I'll show you.
Like, that's how wide they're going to be.
Why not go crazy? Cos it's pop art.
I think we're a generation that don't realise
how revolutionary pop art was,
but it was so shocking.
Pop art exploded in the late '50s and '60s
and challenged the very definition of art itself.
Its poster boys - Warhol, Lichtenstein and Hamilton -
glamorised the imagery of popular media culture,
elevating the everyday into art.
What do the sewers need to do to stand out in this challenge?
It's really important that we recognise
- that they're inspired by pop art. - Hmm.
We want the garments to be punchy, graphic, witty and gimmicky.
Lichtenstein very famously sort of comic-book-inspired
big, you know, "pow" and "wham".
The style of it actually lends itself very naturally
to making bits out of fabric
- or printing things onto fabrics themselves. - Yes.
It's very important that they bring creativity into their garments.
Well, let's pop out and see how they're getting on.
Oh, I've custom-printed this.
So these are actually my lips - like, photos of my lips
that then we've drawn over and stylised.
I mean, none of them look like me - apart from his one.
Pop art for me was basically bright, colourful and brash.
I thought these colours seemed to fit the job.
And I wanted something more than just block colour.
Look at that.
While colourful material is a popular choice,
one sewer is pushing the envelope
with a different take on fabric.
So, what we're making today is a paper dress.
- Oh! - A paper dress?
Yes, I wanted to play with the idea of pop art just being fast art.
- Yeah. - So I'm doing fast fashion.
- It is actual crepe paper. - It's crepe paper.
- Are you backing it with...? - Yes.
It's backed with stitched interfacing
for a bit of strength.
So we've got a phone there.
Phone, yes - talking to the mouth.
Are you doing the speech bubbles?
I am doing the speech bubbles.
I'm hand-sewing them on just at the end.
Embellished with comic-book motifs,
Kit will patchwork his paper pieces
together with graphic black strips
and bind the neck and armholes
so his dress doesn't rip apart.
- So... - Oh, actually, the backing holds it pretty well.
But if you tear it this way...
I'll just be careful.
Kit isn't the only sewer using unorthodox materials.
- Morning. - Tell us what you're making.
I am making some trousers and a jacket.
- It's going to look like this. - Right.
- Massive bell-bottoms almost. - OK.
Like, super circle hoops.
- Right, OK. - So I've got brake cables for the trousers.
So you're going to put a wire in the bottom
- of the flares, are you? - Mm-hm.
And then I'm doing the same thing on the shoulders.
It's more art than fashion.
And is this going on the back?
Yes, "zip it" - it's a term that I sometimes think to myself.
It's based on my own fear of talking too much.
Orla's Zip It motif will adorn
a fully lined jacket
with structural shoulders,
a contrast zip and stand collar,
and will top dramatic flares
featuring a zip fly.
- That's a lot to make... - It is.
- ..in five hours. - I have a lot to do.
Last week, Dan tried to make a jacket and trousers.
- Oh, yeah! - And, er, you might have noticed he's not here any more.
- It'll be fine. - Yeah? - Yeah. - Great.
And Orla's not alone in trying to make two garments.
I am making a dress and a coat.
And the front of the coat is cut into the shape of a face.
Oh, no! Argh!
The way I've drafted this piece, the chin is non-existent
when I take up the hem.
And, so, I was meant to add an inch on -
and I have not done that.
So it will still look like a face,
but it will look like a face without a chin.
But it's fine.
To zhuzh up her chin-less cape,
Yasmin will add
appliqued facial features,
a concealed fastening
and in-seam hand holes.
It will top a slip-on shift dress,
and both garments will be
fully lined.
Oh, this is the face.
- Ooh! - Doesn't look much yet.
It does. It looks like a big face.
- It is indeed a big face. - Hello, how's your sewing going?
I actually just took your silhouette and made it.
- Yeah. Yeah! - I didn't.
I know this is a bit bigger, but don't worry.
First thing I'm stitching is I'm doing the applique bits.
So I'm doing the eye first, then I'll do the lips,
then I'll do the phone.
The eyes and the lips are going to add
that kind of pop art comic element.
I'm currently cutting out my letters to sew onto the back of my jacket.
I did quite a bit of research into pop art
and pop artists, like Roy Lichtenstein and Warhol.
The only reference I had in my head to pop art was Andy Warhol.
The undisputed daddy of pop art,
Warhol's bold and vibrant work
not only transformed the art world,
but the fashion world, too.
Before achieving fame, Andy Warhol worked as a commercial artist
creating advertisements for fashion brands.
His shoe illustrations became a hallmark
of his early career,
blending pop culture with artistic expression.
But it was Warhol's 1962 Campbell's soup can paintings
that became a pop culture phenomenon.
They led to the creation of the Souper Dress,
a paper dress printed with the soup can design.
The paper soup can dress became a status symbol,
blending high art with everyday life.
And Warhol's been inspiring brands and designers ever since.
Versace's 1991 collection
featuring Warhol's Marilyn Monroe prints
became a defining moment in fashion history,
merging pop art with high style.
Oh, I'm going to do this after, when I can concentrate.
- Morning! - Hello. - Good morning.
What have we caught you doing? A tricky bit?
Yeah, there's an orange triangle going on the front of the dress,
but it's been sewn on the back.
- Yes. - And I'm going to cut this.
- OK. - So you're going to cut away the front
to reveal the triangle behind?
Yes, and then fray that edge,
so an A-line dress with sort of quite bold designs on it.
- And the dress itself is just a simple shift? - Yeah.
- OK. Well, sounds very graphic. - Yeah, it does.
Gaynor's hoping
three cut-out frayed shapes
will be enough to make
her classic A-line dress pop.
It will also feature bust darts,
bias binding
and a boned hem for added shape.
I think they quite liked the fact that I'm going to fray it.
But again, I think they'll think that the design is simple.
But I know I can do it in the time.
So that's a big thing for me.
Gaynor might be erring on the side of caution...
I have to put interfacing on every single piece.
..but Stuart's going for a more ambitious design.
Structure's really important for this one -
it's a new venture for me.
- I've gone to town. - Which town?
Colour Town. I'm making a structured dress
with colour panels.
- It's tailored into the waist. - And then?
And out to the bust with all these panels.
- It's cut so that it forms the right shape. - Shape.
OK, is there a specific reference point for it?
Originally, I'd gone with Keith Haring,
because I wanted to do black lines between each of the colours.
- Yeah. - But I realised that would be a bit too much of an ask,
so it morphed.
Stuart's multicoloured dress will be
made from 14 interfaced panels
and feature cap sleeves,
an invisible zip
and a structural skirt.
But he's ditched
any Keith Haring-esque definition.
Imagine being an artist called Keith.
- You'd have to be very good to... - You'd have to be really good.
- Yeah. - Cos people would meet you at parties
and they would just sort of snigger, wouldn't they?
No, Keith... Well, Keith's quite a powerful name.
- If you're an accountant, yeah. - Yes.
As well as having a clear pop art point of view...
I'm just pressing the darts flat.
..this being the made-to-measure, a good fit is also a must.
- So, how's that fit across your bust? - Great.
- That's fine, isn't it? Yeah. - Yeah.
Those bust darts are completely fine.
While most sewers have used darts to perfect their fit...
This is very fiddly.
..Stuart is in uncharted territory with his complex
multipaneled bodice.
This is the bit that goes over the bust,
so it is very visible
and these panels weren't on the original pattern.
So I've added them just to spice up the make.
But it should come together perfectly.
Stuart might be hoping for a shapely bust,
but Caz is going for anything but.
I am making a flat dress.
It is cool, isn't it?
I'm not going to lie. It is cool.
There's a little bit of David Bowie inspiration going on,
so I've kind of taken that and converted it into a dress.
Also, when I was a kid, I used to get a book with your cut-out doll
and your cut-out clothes.
Little tabs. So it's a very silly dress.
To achieve the 2D effect,
Caz has backed duchess satin
with wadding and will quilt
with thick contrast thread.
She'll then finish the dress's
exaggerated form
with tabs and black binding.
- A lot of work. - Yeah.
The binding, the finishing of it I've worked that takes me
- an hour and 15. - OK. - Wow.
So, an hour and 15, I'm finishing whatever quilting's done,
- I have to finish at that point. - Yeah. - Good luck. - Thank you.
You are halfway through!
- Oh, my God. - I might actually be on target.
I have finished my dress.
Fully lined. And I'm moving on to my coat.
Put my three panels in.
I mean, that's such a tight turn there -
I was always going to get a little bit of gathering in.
But really quite happy with that.
The bike cable is now going to lie within the hem of the trousers.
But it really creates a hoop.
Like, it's going to be crazy.
But I'm now 15 minutes behind my schedule.
I like the quilting bit.
It's really what adds that extra movement.
Hello, this looks very exciting already.
Thank you. So we've got these...
Oh, it's hilarious. I love it.
..massively exaggerated.
- Yeah, it's like you go out... - Yeah.
..suddenly someone challenges you to a sumo wrestle,
everyone else is inappropriately dressed.
Oh, trousers are done.
That's so funny.
SHE LAUGHS
This is my circle of pleather.
It has that sort of pop art look to it.
This is what my cape coat is looking like.
I now need to line it.
I'm on the jacket. I definitely have to, like, hurry up.
Oh, my God, how ridiculous!
Ohh!
There's a tear, there's a tear, there's a tear!
It's in the seam allowance.
Hmm, I wonder what it means.
Oh! You've got one hour left!
I need to speed up.
Oh, God.
So I'm now stuffed.
I need an hour and a quarter minimum to put the binding on.
Such an idiot.
How are you getting on?
Well, I was doing all right, but I misjudged the time.
I'm just going to get on with binding it.
- I might have to lose the tabs. - Right.
The speech bubble's meant to come out from the side,
but I think it's too floppy.
It's just not strong enough.
So I might have to do plan B.
And now I have a lovely lined arm section,
which will have the bike pieces inside.
This is the black stripe that I'm putting on it.
I am attaching the lining around my armholes.
How are you getting on?
Changed my design slightly,
cos a speech bubble's going to be too difficult
to get on there.
- So I'm making a little handbag. - OK.
It's not great.
I think I've got something like eight metres of bias binding.
Well, Caz has just found out that she's got half an hour less
than she thought she had.
The tabs - I don't think we're getting those any more.
Right, that's all the colour panels.
Kit is going to make a bag.
- Instead of appliqueing... - Yes.
- Yeah. - ..the speech bubbles onto the dress?
I'm fraying. I've got loads to do.
Gaynor seems to be getting on OK.
But I wish the shapes were just a bit bigger.
In a funny way, I feel like fraying the edges
- feels less pop art. - Yes.
I'm still very aware that I have to make this very well,
cos if I don't, I'm a-going home.
Now, Stuart...
I think the colours are quite vibrant,
but I'm not getting a strong sense of pop art.
We'll see.
Half an hour left, everybody.
Oh!
This is really going to go down to the WIRE!
This is the part that I'm really the most afraid of,
cos I have no clue if this is going to work.
I'm allocating myself ten minutes a sleeve.
I've got this one to do now, and put the boning in.
Still got to do the hem.
And a little purse using the speech bubbles that I made earlier
that I was going to applique on.
Ten minutes left, everybody.
Oh, they're all coming out.
Er, OK!
I do have to hand-sew my fastenings.
There's nothing like a little bit of panic.
I'm going to try and get the tabs made.
- I'm happy. - I'm so glad it's all coming together.
- Thank you. So am I. - Tempting fate.
- I'm going to touch some wood there. - I know.
- It's been lovely meeting you. - SHE LAUGHS
Panicking big time.
Oh, this collar is a failure.
Five minutes left!
I'm not getting the fastening on it cos I don't have time.
I've making, like, a little handbag.
- Do you know how to make them? - No!
I'm threading the boning into the hem.
- I've just got to get this hem done, cut off loose threads, etc. - Yeah.
Yeah, there's a tiny moustache.
- But that happens to lots of ladies. - Yeah.
I definitely didn't trim mine off
- just cos I'm going to be on the telly. - Nor me.
F-S-F-H...
- Don't run out. Don't run out. - MACHINE BEEPS
Come on, come on, stop sticking!
It's a rough bag.
What is going on?
One minute left!
OK, I think I need to get you dressed.
Hmm.
It's going to be snug.
Needles up, sewers!
That is your time.
That sucks.
Let's see if you can zoom, zap, wow the judges!
The rattiest purse I've ever seen!
# Pop, pop, pop muzik
# Pop, pop, pop muzik... #
Six colourful pop art outfits created in just five hours.
# Pop muzik, talk about
# Pop muzik
# I wanna dedicate it
# Everybody made it
# Infiltrate it
# Activate it
# New York, London, Paris, Munich
# Everybody talk about pop muzik
# Talk about pop muzik
# Pop, pop, pop muzik
# Pop, pop, pop muzik... #
I think it looks great.
It's a lot of work you did with the quilting.
But... Turn round.
Yes.
Yes, I mistimed things.
I mean, they are badly made.
Let's be...
- But I'm so glad they're there. - Yeah.
Because it's supposed to be fun and gimmicky...
- Yeah. - ..and witty, and it is.
You know, it looks like it's flat and it's cut
from a single piece of paper.
I love the binding.
It's very, very graphic.
It's super bold, it's super pop art.
- Some of the finesse is lacking in certain bits. - Yeah.
But it doesn't matter cos it works so well.
Yeah, thank you very much.
# Shut up and let me go, hey
# I ain't freaking I ain't faking this
# Shut up and let me go, hey... #
I love this fabric.
And I think it's great that you got it printed.
The shape of the trousers is comical and gimmicky,
and I think the fit of the trousers is really good.
The jacket - it is a little bit slapdash.
- Can you see how the collar's longer here? - Yes.
I love the sleeves.
Turn round.
And this is very nice.
Zip it.
And I love the ambition.
You gave yourself so much to do.
You've fallen a little bit short in some of the execution,
but the whole thing is really joyous and poppy, so well done.
Thank you very much.
# My Andy Warhol poster
# Is up there on the wall
# Is up there on the wall... #
The pop art feeling just absolutely leaps off this amazing cape.
I think you could have carried on, finished off the chin shape,
and then I think it would've been even just a smidge better.
The quality of the finish everywhere is really first rate.
You've lined the whole thing and it's really nicely done.
There are no fastenings.
It is a shame that there isn't a fastening,
cos it would've kept it in place.
I think you've done a really good job.
But I really feel that the white of the dress
doesn't go with the jacket.
# Shapes of things before my eyes
# Will time make men more wise? #
This has worked really well.
I think the addition of this sharp black line
and this bold black circle at the bottom
really helps the kind of ochre and the orange
to leap off the garment.
It's got that kind of graphic feeling.
I don't think you needed to fray the edges, actually.
I think if you'd kept them clean,
it would've been even more graphic.
I wish that you had added something on here.
- Yeah, why didn't I think of that? - Yes.
It's simple, but the quality of the sewing,
as always with you, is lovely.
Thank you.
# Colour my life
# Fill my canvas with everything nice
# Colour my life... #
I think it's a great-looking dress.
The silhouette is really, really nice.
It's very, very modern.
It reminds me of a collection that Alexander McQueen did
- called Atlantis. - OK.
I think your construction has come on so far.
Very difficult to assemble all of these different pieces,
and you've done it pretty well. But it's too small in the bust,
and it could do with being a little smaller at the waist.
I like the stiffness.
I do like the fabric.
But I don't think it's very pop art.
I think it's more like impressionism.
But I think if the panels had been plain colours
or if there was some black to delineate it,
it's a fab dress,
I just think it's missing a clear link to the world of pop art.
OK.
# Get some colours on
# Get some colours on... #
This has worked to a T.
You've thought so clearly about how the graphic elements
all come together.
It really feels like it's leapt out of a Lichtenstein painting.
Yeah, it's absolutely a knockout.
I really love that you made it out of paper.
That's really imaginative.
Also very brave.
You could've chosen to do this really simply
in some regular coloured fabric.
But you have sewn it extremely well.
The darts don't work great.
They're not terrible.
I'm being nit-picky.
The bag... I don't love the bag.
Did it in about five minutes,
and it's emulating fast fashion to a T.
LAUGHTER
I'm very glad that the bag is a bag
and not on the dress,
because I think it would've taken away from the dress.
I'm ignoring that cos it's an extra.
The dress itself is absolutely brilliant.
- Love it. - Thank you.
Well done.
I'm very happy. That's the best critiques I've ever had.
I think, out of any garments I'm ever going to make,
this is the only one that's in contention
for Garment of the Week.
It went very well. I'm really pleased.
I was really proud of it.
It told the story that I wanted to tell.
Whenever they say, "Oh, that reminds me of..."
That's a good moment.
Yeah, I'll bank that one, thank you.
But I don't know if I've done enough to stay here this week.
I was pleasantly shocked because they liked it.
But more than that, I loved the fact
that they said it was sewn well.
They say art is subjective.
But objectively, how have the sewers done this week?
Well, I mean, I think when we look at this pop art line-up,
- it's phenomenal. - So visual.
Going into the made-to-measure,
- we had Stuart and Gaynor at the bottom. - Yeah.
Have they done enough?
I think they were both really, really good dresses,
but I think they had shades of pop art
- but they weren't quite as effective as the other four. - Some of the...
- Yeah. - Stuart's dress - it's a lovely dress -
but I don't think it hit the brief.
Gaynor's - I don't think the kind of ochre colour
feels very pop art.
And it's very simple.
I don't think it's that imaginative, actually.
Let's talk about the other end.
Who could be in contention for Garment of the Week?
Well, I think Kit or Caz.
Caz's was really original.
There was this lovely story from the Bowie.
I love the cut-out tabs.
The whole story of it was really clear.
Kit's was just extraordinarily graphic.
Also, it was made from paper.
- Yeah. - Which is...
Well, difficult, but unnecessarily difficult.
- He wanted to do something different. - Yeah.
Which he did.
Well, look out, Turner, there's a new art prize in town.
Well, sewers, we've reached the end of Art Week.
You've pushed the limits of your creativity,
worked your fingers to the bone
and not earned any money -
just like true artists.
LAUGHTER
But one of you has impressed your public most of all.
Over to Patrick.
Garment of the Week this week is...
Well done.
Well done, Kit - really, this was absolutely stunning.
This was I think everything we'd hoped to see
from the pop art challenge.
It was vibrant, it was brilliantly sewn.
- It was fantastic. Well done. - Thank you.
Where's the handbag?
- Yeah, where's the handbag? - Er...
I threw it out the window.
Now, the competition is incredibly fierce at this point.
You are all amazing sewers,
which means we have to send an incredible sewer home.
And the person leaving us this week is...
..Stuart.
I knew it. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Sad to be going home but so happy that I've had this.
- I'm going to miss you. - I'm going to miss you, too.
Thank you.
This whole experience has been scary,
totally fulfilling and, yeah, just wonderful.
Come on! Stuart, Stuart, Stuart!
I think we've seen Stuart get better and better.
Sadly, the dress didn't read as pop art for me.
That's it. That is why he's going home this week.
I'm very happy for Kit.
It's been fascinating how he's mostly won
the transformation and the pattern challenge
but never won Garment of the Week.
So I'm really pleased he has.
Garment of the Week has evaded me -
but I've got it today and I'm so happy!
Oh, I'm buzzing.
So looking forward to a beer.
- Ah! - Shall we...? - Shall we go?
Yeah, shall we get a pint?
LAUGHTER
Next time, it's Movie Week...
Here's Paddy!
..and there are thrills in the pattern challenge...
I cut holes out of my main piece of fabric.
No!
..spills in the transformation...
Imagine the breast...
I don't need to imagine.
..and chills in the made-to-measure.
No, don't you come near me in that!
Who will be a Hollywood star?
It's absolutely perfect.
And who will end up on the cutting-room floor?
I have no idea what I have to do here.