Impress Patrick Grant and Esme Young with these essential sewing techniques!

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Improve your sewing and learn a new skill with these Great British Sewing Bee techniques. They’re good enough to impress even the toughest judges!

Everyone’s favourite sewing show, The Great British Sewing Bee, is back on our screens!

To help you improve your skills, we’ve collected seven sewing techniques for you to master. From french seams to buttonholes, these techniques will help your garments reach a new level of professionalism and design.

Plus all the sewing techniques we’ve featured below have been past Sewing Bee challenges! Once you’ve learnt how to do these sewing techniques, you’ll be ready to face Esme Young and Patrick Grant.

7 sewing techniques they use on the Bee!

1. Learn how to insert a zip

Zips are a staple part of any garment and help your pieces to fit comfortably and look seamless. This sewing technique comes up nearly every year on the Sewing Bee; last year the contestants had to use them in a Pattern Challenge!

It’s really easy to insert a zip when you know how. Our how to insert a zip tutorial covers the basic technique.

2. Start sewing with elastic

Elastic is a menace to work with and often causes chaos on the Sewing Bee. However, it can be mastered with just a few simple steps! First, you need to decide if you’re working with flat elastic or shirring elastic.

If you’re using a sewing machine, you’re most likely working with shirring elastic. Wind the shirring elastic to your bobbin then set your machine to the longest stitch length.

We have created a specific tutorial to help you learn how to sew with elastic here on Gathered. It covers both flat elastics, shirring elastic and sewing elastic without a machine.

3. Master mitre corners

Mitred corners are loved by sewists and quilters alike. They give your corners a crisp, structured look which is perfect when sewing cushions or binding quilts. Mitre corners often crop up on the Sewing Bee; last year they appeared in the form of quilted jackets!

Mitred corners can be a tricky sewing technique to pick up at first, but our guide to mitre corners will make it a breeze.

4. How to sew a french seam

French seams are much stronger than plain seams, making them ideal for areas of fabric which undergo more strain. Head over to our how to sew a french seam tutorial to learn this sewing technique.

5. Add ruffles to your wardrobe

Ruffles can add flamboyance and flair to even the plainest garment. Plus they’re a sewing technique that’s loved by Esme and Patrick!

We show you how to sew ruffles here on Gathered, so you can wow the judges.

Looking for some sewing projects to work on?

Put these sewing techniques into practice with our collection of free sewing patterns.

6. Sew pleats with ease

Pleats are a Sewing Bee favourite and add necessary fullness to skirts and dresses. Learning how to sew pleats is an essential sewing technique and will help give your garments some much-needed movement.

7. Finish your garment with button holes!

Lastly, buttonholes feature every single week on the Sewing Bee and are an integral part of every garment.

Messy, unfinished buttonholes can ruin a perfectly good piece, so it’s an important sewing technique to get to grips with. Take a look through our how to sew buttonholes tutorial for a step-by-step tutorial and some top tips.

Perfect your sewing techniques ready for the Sewing Bee!

These seven techniques will not only improve your sewing knowledge but will also allow you to create more impressive garments.

Whether that’s adding ruffles to a plain top or finishing off your pieces with a mitre corner, these sewing techniques will give your projects the extra edge they need to get you featured on the Sewing Bee!

Phoebe Burt

Phoebe is an experienced craft writer. As well as writing for craft websites and magazines, Phoebe is a freelance copywriter and content producer with work both in print and online. Her work spans the tech, homes, DIY and small business advice. Aside from content writing, Phoebe’s main passions are travelling and crafting (diamond painting, paint by numbers and embroidery are her favourites). She’s backpacked across South East Asia and recently hit her goal of 30 countries under 30 years old!

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