Dundee fans of hit BBC show The Great British Sewing Bee will get the chance to meet its youngest winner next week. The paths of Sew You Can and R:evolve Recycle crossed again recently, when Amanda teamed up with young Glasgow medical student Serena Baker, whose exceptional sewing and design talents, and her passion for upcycling, earned her the Great British Sewing Bee crown of 2021.

Serena Baker visiting Broughty Great British Sewing Bee star Serena Baker visiting Broughty

In 2021, Serena Baker became the youngest ever - and first Scottish - winner of The Great British Sewing Bee. She thrilled the judges with her incredible attention to detail and wowed viewers with her distinctive 'refashioning projects', putting sustainability at the heart of her creations. Serena thrilled the programme’s judges with her attention to detail and wowed viewers with her distinctive ‘refashioning projects’. And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share! Read More Related Articles Her advice on techniques and practical skills allows readers to tailor their designs to their own style and create long-lasting items. Her easy-to-follow guides help readers move away from fast fashion to create a unique and versatile wardrobe.Master must-have skills - from zip insertion to pressing perfection - to boost your sewing confidence and give your garments a professional finish It’s a creative outlet – ‘me’ time, out of the house. Most people are not in creative jobs, so this is their opportunity to be creative. Comedian Sara Pascoe was announced as the new host of the show last September, replacing fellow comedian Joe Lycett. Whether resourcefully upcycling a pre-loved item or creating something brand new from extra material, Serena Sews will have readers creating clothes that will be cherished for years. With her can-do attitude, Serena marries simple sewing and sustainability into a joyful experience. When she chose to take a break from her teaching career to become a stay-at-home mum to two daughters aged under two, she needed ‘me’ time – a craving that rekindled her teenage flirtation with sewing, and restored the fire in her belly for all things creative.

Sewing Bee winner – book out today | The Edinburgh Reporter

By March, she’d signed a lease and transformed the blank canvas into two bright, airy and contemporary studios, five-times the size of her Brandon House unit. Initially, she toyed with the idea of renting a shop unit – but 10-year leases and the associated financial ties didn’t appeal. Really talented sewers have fairy dust that they throw over the garment and it doesn’t look like it has been touched by a human hand. That’s what Serena’s sewing is like.’– Esme Young It doesn’t matter if you have never sewn before, or if you haven’t done so for a long time,” reassured Amanda, whose students come from Cumbernauld, Airdrie and Coatbridge, Motherwell and Wishaw, Hamilton and East Kilbride – as well as from as far afield as Cumbria, the Isle of Bute, Peebles and Edinburgh.To make the garments they create even more personal, the sew-ers can stitch in their own, bespoke label, manufactured by a small business in Dunfermline, which might read: ‘Designed by Mummy, or ‘Handmade by Gran.’

Serena Sews - Mostly Books Serena Sews - Mostly Books

refashion' existing items like an oversized shirt into a summer dress, or an old pair of jeans into a cute crop top The tenth and final episode is airing on June 29, 2022, with four sewers trying to be crowned champ

Series three winner, Matt Chapple, has gone on to publish a sewing book called Make It, Own It, Love It. Serena Baker, who is also the programme’s first Scottish winner, is to appear in a special event hosted by Sew Confident in Broughty Ferry on Monday. Get all the news from your area – as well as features, entertainment, sport and the latest on Lanarkshire’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic – straight to your fingertips, 24/7. Sustainable sewing is a big focus of Serena Sews, which I’ve been busy writing since my Sewing Bee win last year.

Serena Sews | Signed Copy | Hardback - Sew Confident Serena Sews | Signed Copy | Hardback - Sew Confident

Venturing beyond the comfort zone of designing kids’ clothing – a line which frees creators of the measuring and fitting complications “boobs and bums” present – Amanda’s dazzling creations for women became increasingly adventurous, more dramatic.

Almost all our customer base is made up of professional people who have very busy jobs, and we have a number of doctors and lawyers,” she explained. Sew You Can encourages its pupils to follow ‘indie’ patterns from British designers, manufactured in small batches by UK companies. I thought about how amazing it would be if sewing was my job, but I didn’t enjoy the commercial aspect. Eloise is an enthusiastic participant of the kids’ classes, which have also been attended by a young boy who made puppets by hand, and wanted to up-skill to machine stitching.