Week 7: Art Week
A place in the quarter-final was on the line this week, and what better theme than Art? As Kit so perfectly put it, “fashion is wearable art”, and this episode proved just that.
In the Pattern Challenge, the sewers created baby-doll dresses inspired by the Turner Prize-winning potter Grayson Perry, whose bold and eclectic style set the tone for the week.
The Transformation Challenge pushed creativity even further, as the sewers turned used painters’ overalls into asymmetric outfits, resourceful, playful, and a real test of imagination.
Finally, the Made to Measure Challenge exploded with colour as the sewers embraced the bold lines and playful spirit of Pop Art. Taking cues from Andy Warhol and postwar modernism, they crafted garments that were as striking as they were stylish.
With the quarter-final spot at stake, it was always going to be a dramatic week, full of artistic flair, daring choices, and more than a few surprises.
The Pattern Challenge
Wearable Identity
This week’s Pattern Challenge was all about self-expression, showing how clothes can reflect who you are. Inspired by Turner Prize-winning potter Grayson Perry, the sewers were tasked with creating a baby-doll dress customised to their own styles and identities.
At Fabworks, we love seeing the fun ways people express themselves through fashion, and this challenge was the perfect reminder that what we wear can tell a story.
Here are some of our favourite ways to make garments feel truly yours:
🧵 Pick your fabric wisely – fabrics carry meaning. Choose ones that reflect your personality or history.
✂️ Use scraps from past projects – breathe new life into fabric offcuts, making a patchwork of your sewing journey.
🪡 Reuse your favourites – turn a beloved print or leftover piece into something new that still carries sentimental value.
🧷 Embellish your garments – Add a scene or phrase with applique or embroidery. Choose buttons, brooches or patches that speak to you!
Which fabrics best express the team at Fabworks:
Dawn - Liberty Fabrics
Fine, historical, and botanical. Dawn loves how Liberty prints capture timeless elegance while also celebrating nature.
George - Wool Tweed
A timeless classic that perfectly sums up George’s love for quality and a style that never dates.
Rebecca - Denim
Sturdy, durable, and colourful. Denim is the ultimate everyday fabric, practical yet endlessly adaptable!
Chloe - Vibrant Parrots
Bold, playful, and full of character. Chloe’s love for parrots runs deep, so much so that she first met her husband dressed as a parrot!
Express yourself!
One of the main reasons people make their own clothes is to build a wardrobe that feels comfortable and authentic, whether that’s about expressing their style or achieving the perfect fit. A big part of that comes down to fabric choice. The textures, prints, and patterns we pick say so much about us.
Here are our favourite expressive fabrics
Transformation Challenge
For the Transformation Challenge, the sewers faced a messy but exciting brief: turning used painter’s overalls into asymmetric outfits. This task was all about creativity, resourcefulness, and above all, working with the fabrics that they had in front of them.
Working with stiff, pre-worn cottons wasn’t easy, but the results were surprisingly inventive, from dramatic silhouettes to clever layering. It was a real reminder that sometimes restrictions spark the best ideas.
Gathers & Pleats Tips:
At Fabworks, we couldn’t help but think about how essential gathers and pleats are when it comes to transforming plain fabrics into something that has movement and its own shape. A few of our favourite tips:
✂️ Mark your pleats carefully – Keep them even and measure accurately, and always give them a good press before attaching.
🧵 Stay-stitch gathers before attaching – Giving you extra control over the desired look and helps avoid accidental movement.
🪡 Distribute fullness evenly – play with volume and placement. It doesn't always need to be evenly distributed.
📏 Experiment with scale – tiny pleats feel delicate, oversized gathers feel bold and dramatic.
Need Your Own Blank Canvas?
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Made To Measure Challenge
The Made to Measure Challenge this week lit up the runway with vibrant colour and creativity as sewers embraced the bold graphics and playful spirit of Pop Art. Inspired by the iconic style of Andy Warhol, they transformed fabric into striking, statement-making garments that celebrated both art and individuality.
The Pop Art inspiration instantly drew our eyes to Dawn’s striking colour-blocked dress- it’s a bold, vibrant showstopper that perfectly captures the spirit of the challenge.
Feeling inspired? Explore our collection of fabrics, ideal for your next colour-blocking project. Whether you're going for bold contrast or playful harmony, we've got the shades to make your vision pop.
At Fabworks HQ we all agree that Caz truly owns the Made to Measure challenge so far in this series of GBSB! The group chat lights up whenever she starts explaining her elaborate plans. We love how she consistently nails the brief while adding her own wonderfully unique twist, which makes you think, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
This week, she was a strong contender for Garment of the Week, in our eyes. Her concept was clever and creative, but she may have been a little too ambitious with her time, which led to some messy finishes. That final polish made all the difference, and the honour went instead to Kit, who earned their very first Garment of the Week!
Kit’s creativity, ambition, and execution made them our predicted winner. Their fearless use of paper was so brave, and we were literally on the edge of our seats watching them construct it. A truly well-deserved win!
On the other hand, we were super sad to see Stuart leave. As we mentioned last week, Gaynor has been playing it a bit safe with her designs. As Esme and Patrick noted, she was the other Bee possibly heading home, a reminder of just how unpredictable and tough the competition can be.
What fabrics make you feel most like yourself?
Are you a traditional tweedy type, or does a cute cotton ensemble give you that pizzaz?
If you enjoy our reflections on this episode (Art Week - Episode 7) make sure to check back in next Wednesday at midday where we'll have a full rundown of Episode 8 - Movie Week!
Images courtesy of BBC1 The Great British Sewing Bee