The Great British Sewing Bee - I'm a contestant!

Keeping up the theme of big announcements this week like The Grand Opening of our bricks and mortar shop on Saturday 27th April I've been keeping someting else under wraps too.........

I wasn't allowed to spill the beans until now that I am one of the contestants on the upcoming BBC2 show, The Great British Sewing Bee!

Starting at 8pm on Tuesday 2nd April, the Sewing Bee contest see's 8 amateur sewers stitch up a storm in a bid to be crowned 'Britains Best Amatuer Sewer'. The first week you'll see us make an A-line skirt, alter the neckline on a simple blouse and sew, from scratch, a day dress to fit a real life model (who we had never met before!!) all in just 6 hours - the day dress, that is!!

There's me....far left in the banana trousers!

The show is presented by Claudia Winkleman, who kept us giggling and laughing the whole time. The judges are the very sauve Saville Row designer, Patrick Grant, always immaculately dressed, who has exceptionally high standards and who pays increible attention to detail and WI sewing teacher extraordinaire May Martin, who has been helping stitchers improve their sewing skills for over 40 years. She knows every trick in the book and nothing gets passed her! These people know their stuff and the pressure to be up to scratch was huge!

We didn't know who the other contestants were until we turned up on the day. Literally no idea! The great thing was we all got on like a house on fire. It's amazing how a common interest like sewing and a passion for creating and making can bring such different people together - in an instant.

The first time we entered the sewing room we had no idea what we would be facing.....who the presenter was?......who judges woud be?.... what challenges we woud be set?....What equiptment or supplies there would be? So, armed with some home comforts (I took my wooden trug filled with lots of little bits and pieces that I like to just have around when I'm sewing) this new set of friends took a deep breath and stepped on The Sewing Room set. What we saw was the most amazing atmospheric place, with 8 little work stations - each complete with a sewing machine, over locker, cutting table, dress form and sewing essentials. What also stood before us was the best stocked haberdashery filled with ribbons, trims, buttons, threads, beads, zips, and of course the fabrics!! The fabrics were to die for and I couldn't wait to get my hands on them and explore!

I don't want to say too much about what happens in our first challenges - you'll just have to watch!

I can't wait to see it myself! I'll be watching it for the first time when its aired on TV too and I'm sure things look a whole lot different once your not actually in the situation. I was so occupied with what I was working on at the time it was hard to take in what everyone was doing and how they were getting on. And, what the judges say behind the scene is also a mystery! That's when I hope to see what they really think!

So I hope you tune in....8pm, Tuesday 2nd April, BBC2! Follow me on twitter @guthrie-ghani for some #GBSB chat during the show!