Behind the Scenes of the First Ever Great British Sewing Bee: Looking Back at My Sewing Bee Journey

I've recently been sharing short behind-the-scenes stories from my time on the very first series of The Great British Sewing Bee over on Instagram. So many people asked for more detail that I thought I'd bring those memories together here.

When people discover that I took part in the very first series of The Great British Sewing Bee, one of the questions I'm asked most often is:

"What was it really like?"

If you are in the UK and have a TV license then you can watch back all the episodes from the first series on BBC iPlayer!

It's hard to believe it's been over a decade since I walked into the Sewing Bee workroom with no idea what was about to happen in that very first series.. None of us knew what the challenges would be like, how quickly we'd need to work or even what the experience would feel like.

Looking back now, I can see how much those challenges shaped me as a dressmaker. Here are three projects that have always stayed with me.

The first challenge we ever faced was a classic Pattern Challenge: making a ladies' A-line skirt.

Walking into the sewing room for the very first time was incredibly nerve-racking. We genuinely had no idea what to expect, and suddenly the clock was ticking while we had lots of cameras floating around capturing our every move.

For my skirt, I chose a beautiful linen fabric and couldn't resist incorporating a little Liberty fabric too. I've always loved Liberty prints, so it felt very "me".

At that point I didn't own an overlocker, so I wanted to demonstrate the neatest sewing I possibly could. Instead of simply finishing the seams quickly, I spent time creating French seams, binding the facing edge and the centre back seam allowances, and even making my own bias binding to finish the hem beautifully.

Looking back, I probably wouldn't spend quite so much time finishing every seam like that in a timed competition! But it reflected how I approached sewing then: enjoying beautiful construction as much as the finished garment.

I was so happy to come second in that very first challenge.

One of the moments that pushed me furthest outside my comfort zone came when we walked into the sewing room and discovered the challenge involved menswear.

I remember seeing the male mannequin and thinking:

"Oh no... I have to make something for that!"

At the time, I'd never made a pair of fly-fronted trousers before.

Looking back, it seems slightly mad that my very first attempt at sewing trousers happened under television cameras and against the clock!

The only thing that really caught me out was remembering which way round the zip should go. I was trying to look at the fly front on my own trousers - which I didn’t realise at the time was the opposite way of what is traditionally sewn for ladies trousers. Apart from that, I was incredibly proud of what I managed to produce.

That challenge taught me something I've carried with me ever since:

You can often sew something you think is beyond you—you just have to be willing to give it a try.

It's a lesson I still remind myself of today, and one I often share with customers who are nervous about starting a new pattern.

The final challenge of the series was the Showstopper, where the task was to make a red carpet worthy dress. We were told that our models would be different for that last challenge and I had no idea it would be my sister until she walked out onto set! 

My style is very much making garments that are suitable for everyday wear, so a super fancy dress was completely different from my usual makes!

I've always been happiest making clothes that fit naturally into everyday wardrobes, rather than elaborate occasion wear, so this really stretched my creativity.

Although I didn't win the series, I finished feeling incredibly proud of what I'd achieved.

That dress represented how much I'd learned over the course of the competition. Every challenge had pushed me beyond what I thought I could do, and I'd come away a much more confident dressmaker.

The Sewing Bee didn't just give me wonderful memories—it gave me confidence.

It reminded me that growth happens when you tackle projects that feel slightly intimidating. Whether that's your first invisible zip, your first pair of trousers or your first tailored jacket, every new skill starts with simply giving it a go.

That philosophy has stayed with me throughout my sewing journey and continues to influence everything we do at Guthrie & Ghani, from the patterns we develop to the tutorials and workshops we create.

If you've been enjoying my recent behind-the-scenes Sewing Bee videos on Instagram, you'll find even more stories over there, along with plenty of dressmaking tips, inspiration and new sewing projects.