Meet the 6th Sewing Bee to leave the Sewing Room!

The Great British Sewing Bee returned to our screens with Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Week, helping to encourage us to sew sustainably and reduce our fabric waste.

All the usual fabric in the haberdashery was replaced with charity shop clothes and soft-furnishings, meaning the remaining sewists had to really use their creative imaginations to get the best results. Host Joe Lycett kicked the six remaining home sewers off with a pattern for a gentleman’s waistcoat using just second-hand clothes.

In the Transformation Challenge, the sewers are tasked with changing items of army surplus into a stylish and wearable garment for a woman.

Finally, the sewers are asked to use old jeans to create a Made to Measure dress. Jeans are one of the most polluting garments to manufacture, so to breathe a new lease of life into them, the sewers must create a new denim dress that fits their model perfectly.

Unfortunately Adeena didn’t quite manage to hit the mark and became the sixth sewist to leave the Sewing Room. We caught up with Adeena to discover all about her highs and lows from the past few weeks.

Was it liberating to be filming this series?

Filming this series definitely felt liberating. Even up until the very end there was uncertainty whether the filming would go ahead due to the global pandemic; government restrictions kept changing but the Love Production team made sure to keep us updated about filming.

GBSB was something I wanted to do when series 6 was aired. I remember wanting to apply and even made a start on the application but never had the courage nor the self-belief to submit it. I applied for this not really knowing whether I would get through and when I did, I was ecstatic! It felt too good to be true - like a dream that was truly beautiful to be true.

When did you first start sewing and why do you love it so much?

I started sewing when I was around 14. I made a skirt in school as part of my textiles lesson. I was so proud of my creation that I made one for my younger sister. Despite this being the first time I had sewn, my first exposure to sewing was a lot younger. At the age of 8, I remember when I went to visit my grandma in Pakistan, I watched her and my auntie sewing using a manual sewing machine. I was so fascinated by how the needle jumped in and out of the fabric by the user physically turning the handle. The speed felt super-fast and almost magical. I was so captivated and inspired that I knew one day I wanted to sew.

Sewing was never seen as a hobby or a sign of enjoyment when I was growing up but more of necessity. Something that you would be expected to do when you grow up. Ready-made South Asian clothes were difficult to buy in those days (the early 80s and 90s), so the idea was to purchase loose fabric and have it sewn for you by a family member. In more recent years, I have been able to revisit sewing from a very different perspective. I love sewing now as it allows me to tailor a garment that fits me right. I find it difficult to shop as my shape and height can be difficult or shall I say challenging things to cater for. Sewing for myself helps ensure I get a more accurate fit but moreover build confidence and self-esteem because it makes me feel a lot better about myself.

Reckon you've got what it takes to be the next star of Sewing Bee? Get your application in now!

Who was your mentor?

My mentor was my mother and my cousin—both with very different styles of teaching. Mum was always strict and criticised the work with very little compliments. Her approach was “we learn and grow through our mistakes.” On the other hand, my cousin was more patient but felt I’d learn by watching her. One thing they both had in common was to use old scraps to learn. OMG, it never worked! Knowing I had a scrap piece of fabric made me never take what I was sewing seriously. My best work has been jumping straight into the deep end. I prefer buying a piece of fabric and knowing I’ve got a purpose for the sewing. This way, I am more likely to succeed with the idea I have in my head.

What is your favourite garment to sew/or your speciality?

I enjoy trying out new things when it comes to sewing. I think my speciality would be South Asian clothing such as salwar and kameez, which I can sew with my eyes closed. I don’t use a pattern for these but cut directly on to the fabric and hope for the best. More recently, I have enjoyed experimenting with patterns and creating shirts etc. But this is something I am still exploring and finding my ground.

Why did you want to be a Great British Sewing Bee and who did you want to most impress of the judges?

There were two reasons why I wanted to be on GBSB. First was my mother who never watched the show as she felt it wasn’t for her and couldn’t relate to the garments created. As I mentioned early, sewing is not seen as a fun venture in my community, and that’s what my mother found it hard to comprehend people having so much fun with a sewing machine. I wanted to come on to the show and show mum but also other people like her within my community that sewing is an art and could be enjoyable.

The second reason were my nieces. I have noticed my nieces were a lot of the younger generation within the Sound Asian community that don’t really sew. They portray sewing as something done by the older generation, and that’s all. I want to challenge their mind-sets and get them to try sewing to continue the family tradition of sewing but also develop their own take on a traditional outfit.

I was most looking forward to seeing Esme and her critiquing my work. I wouldn’t say I felt the same way when she did, though! She was pretty harsh with her feedback, but that is expected, I guess.  Patrick would always start on a positive, which was nice. Both of their feedback always helped me to grow (not in height) and better my sewing skills and even at times gave me the confidence to keep pushing myself to create weirder and wonderful stuff.

Joe was just brilliant. He made you feel more at ease and encouraged you to do your best. He even chanted out some affirmations which always helped. I can still hear him now when I’ve made a mistake, or I’m stuck.

Describe your experience on first walking into the sewing room on this year’s Sewing Bee, and which challenge were you fearing the most the first week?

The best moment from week one was the first challenge. I got to meet the judges and Joe. I was so excited but nervous at the same time. Now this combo of emotions was not a good thing for me. During the first challenge, I kept talking and coming across as overly confident. I mean I was well ahead during the pattern challenge that I finished 30 minutes before the end, but deep down, I was nervous. I loved the fabric I chose, colour and the print was so me. What more could I have asked for?

The whole Love Production team and meeting the judges and Joe was an overwhelming experience. It also gave me a fire in my belly to prove myself to others that I was good and competent in my sewing.

> Button-front dress < > Miranda t-shirt < > Alexa dress <

How did you try and stay calm when things were going badly wrong or you ran out of time in the first week?

During the transformation challenge, I spent a lot of time making up my mind as to what to sew. As a result, I had little time to complete my garment. Being so eager to finish, I had to stay calm. The biggest thing that kept me going was something I recommend to students – mindfulness and in my case, mindful sewing. The mind works better when one is focused on the one thing in front of them. I kept talking through what steps I have left to complete and use my breathing as an anchor to keep me grounded.

Do you have an attachment to a sewing tool, and why is it special to you?

My most used tool and yes I could say I have an attachment with it is a thread picker. I always have a couple around me to ensure I can at least find one at the time of need. I think this tool is my saviour specifically as I’m more likely to go back and re-stitch something if I’m not happy with it or it needs adjustments – the joys of self-drafting I guess.

In your sewing life: What has been your worst sewing disaster - and your biggest triumph?

My worst sewing disaster would have to be making a top out of a silk fabric. Not the most straightforward material to work with, but I loved the print and colour. During sewing the buttoned front, I ended up snipping a hole just near the chest area. It was so visible, and I was so disappointed with myself for making such a huge mistake.

My biggest triumph is hard to say as every project has a special place. The ups and downs and overcoming an almost disastrous moment that turns out fine make that garment something to be proud of. Something I always was too afraid to try was sewing more westernised clothing such as a trouser with a zipper and pockets, but when I did, I was amazed. This was my first experience of using a commercial pattern, and following the instructions was more challenging than I anticipated. I’m used to sewing, but the vocabulary I use is in Urdu so had to continually refer to search engines to understand the technical words and following a pattern. This whole process did slow me down, but I was proud of what I achieved.

Do you make for family and friends as presents?

I have sewn for my sister on numerous occasions. For no event as such but just to show her how special she is. She’s my rock, and I wouldn’t have applied for GBSB if it wasn’t for her.

I have been commented on my kurtas. An A-line top that is loose fitting with panels down the front and back. The attention to detail has always been complimented on and the use of expanding traditional clothing to give it a more western feel.

CATCH UP ON ALL THE LATEST SEWING BEE GOSSIP ON CRAFTWORLD

Describe your style, and how much of your own clothes do you make?

My sewing style would definitely be freestyle. I like to sketch ideas and create patterns using those sketches. I like to cut straight onto the fabric. Not ideal at times, but sewing is an art for me and a bit of trial and error, and you end up with a new take on things.

Can you give a sewing tip for amateur sewers who have been enjoying the show?

The biggest tip is just to have a go. Sometimes looking at others could be daunting but remember this is not their starting point. If you have got an idea, then just try it out. You’ll never know how it turns out until you have a go so just have a go. Practise makes perfect. Each time you have a go you’ll notice yourself improving and mastering a new talent.

Was it hard to keep a secret that you were going to be on the show?

Yes! I’ve had to tell a lot of people mostly at work that I was on annual leave. It’s hard not being able to share something so exciting with friends and family. Since I’ve been back, I’ve been so busy with work that being on GBSB feels like a dream. I can’t wait for it to be aired so I can relive the time.

What is the best way to describe the relationship between this year’s Bees?

There was a real sense of community and openness among us all. We’ve been able to support each other from a sewing perspective and looking after each other’s wellness. Coming from a large family, I was used to lots of people around me. I became so close to the other sewers that never felt I was alone and that for me is a huge thing.

What will you take away from your experience of being on The Great British Sewing Bee?

Sewing doesn’t have to be restricted nor labelled by a geographical location. I feel I’ve learnt so much and want to try mixing styles and cultures through my sewing.

Next for you in the sewing world?

I’m hoping to digitise some of my self-drafted patterns to make them available to others. I feel there’s a real lack of South Asian patterns out there and want to encourage the next generation of South Asian sewers to create a bespoke design that is not mass-produced.

I am also hoping to start sewing classes to teach the basics of self-drafting where the patterns could be used for multipurpose sewing designs. I really believe in quality rather than quantity; therefore, would be starting this using small groups where I could give tailored support to each individual. What I need to do is find a suitable place and machines.

We wish Adeena all the best with her future sewing! To catch up with her latest makes, you can follow Adeena on Instagram at deesewcialspace