Great British Sewing Bee competitor Matthew talks about his time on the show
A sewing enthusiast has spoken about his time competing on a popular television show.
Matthew, a teaching assistant who is known to his pupils and colleagues as Mr D, was eliminated from the Great British Sewing Bee last week.
The 30-year-old teaching assistant, from Wittering Primary School, hopes to pursue a career designing costumes for drag queens following his stint on the BBC show.
Find out why he applied to take part and what he has learnt from his four weeks in the competition.
When did you first start sewing and why do you love it so much?
I first started sewing when I was young. I spent a lot of time watching my nan sewing and crafting and I was really interested in it. Nan taught me the basics. I love sewing because I feel a connection to my nan. It also lets me explore my creativity - there are no rules in fashion and sewing and I love pushing the boundaries of what and who should wear garments.
Who was your sewing mentor?
My sewing mentors were really my Nan and my textile teachers at school, Ms Merry being the one I remember the most. More recently YouTube has been a great mentor.
What is your favourite garment to sew/or your specialty?
I enjoy making anything with flow or structure. A lot of the things I design and make for myself include some sort of harness inspired element, so I suppose that could be my specialty.
Is there anything that you find a pet hate to sew?
A pet hate to sew? Garment wise not really - I’ll give anything a go and will find a way to finish it to some standard. Fabric wise I don’t like sewing lycra as it’s stretchy, slippy and not very forgiving.
Do you get comments from friends if you are at a party or event about your outfit, and is it lovely to say you made it?
I do. Usually it’s ‘will you put a vest on’. But I do get a lot of positive comments about the garments I make and wear. It’s great to hear and I love taking ownership of what I make and how I style it. I also get a lot of strange looks and negative comments from people on the streets and I’m okay with it. I’d rather disrupt your image of what a ‘boy’ should wear and leave an impression, than plod along going unnoticed. You can’t make change without a little disruption.
Why did you want to appear on the Great British Sewing Bee and which of the judges did you most want to impress?
I wanted to be on Sewing Bee to prove to myself that I can do things. I want to get into fashion and costume design and getting on the show was all about giving myself the permission to make this move. I admire Esme and where she’s come from design wise, so it was really important for me that she understood my point of view and I think she did. The first time I spoke to her I was so nervous. When she left, my mouth was so dry my lip got stuck to my teeth.
Was presenter Sara Pascoe a welcome ally when the sewing got tough?
When the sewing got tough Sara was a fun distraction at the wrong time! I enjoyed talking to her but I felt very awkward as she’s just so brilliant.
Describe your experience on first walking into the sewing room.
My first moment stepping into the sewing room was crazy. I was so nervous and didn’t know if I was going to be able to do anything - everyone seemed so experienced. The sewing room was a lot bigger than I thought and wearing heels made it feel even bigger.
Which challenge were you fearing the most the first week - the pattern challenge, transformation challenge or made to measure challenge?
The challenge I was fearing the most was the pattern challenge. The made to measure you can practise and transformation is about letting go and exploring your creativity. But the pattern challenge you really don’t know what it’s going to be; to read the instructions, pick a fabric and make a good enough garment is actually terrifying.
What were your best and worst moments in week one?
As well as meeting the incredible bees, crew, judges and Sara my best moment from the first week was hearing the comments about my transformation challenge. Patrick and Esme really got where I was coming from and to hear a comparison to Vivienne Westwood and Comme De Garcon, I nearly fell off my chair. My worst moment from the first week was realising the time limits are real. I thought I sewed quickly but apparently not. I also realised how emotional I was and how much this experience meant to me.
How did you try to stay calm when things were going wrong?
I’m not sure I did! I just tried to cover the panic, which I’m not sure I did convincingly enough. I just tried telling myself to enjoy the experience, which is hard to do when you’re rushing around and feel like a baked bean in a bowl of jellybeans.
Do you have an attachment to a sewing tool and why is it special to you?
When my nan died a lot of her sewing things were passed on to me. I have her tailoress diploma on the wall and sew in front of that most of the time. But a special sewing tool must be the yard stick I brought with me to the Bee. It was my nan’s and has seen some use. It’s old and has a lot of marks on it, it’s split at the top and held together with tape my nan put there but it’s sentimental and still does its job.
What has been your worst sewing disaster and your biggest triumph?
The garment I’m most proud of is a jacket I designed, drafted and made in tribute to Vivienne Westwood. It has been my best received garment on social media and by friends and family and really displays my passion for her aesthetic. My worst disaster was when I was going to the Fashioning Masculinities exhibition at the V&A museum. I made high waist and wide leg trousers and a pink organza shirt with oversized puff sleeves. When I finished I was tired and wasn’t thinking and ironed the shirt but the first touch melted a hole in the front. I panicked, flapped and quickly hand sewed the hole pulling the front of the shirt out of shape. I managed to cover the look of any pulling by throwing a harness on.
Do you make for family and friends as presents?
I make a few items, mainly for my mum and nephew. For my nephew I mainly make shirts that match mine. He will be matching me forever whether he wants to or not.
Describe your style and how many of your own clothes do you make?
I want my clothes to say something about me or how I’m feeling - it should be an event. I make a lot of my clothes for events or going out and have started making my ‘everyday’ wear too, which is still flamboyant.
Can you give a sewing tip for amateur sewers who have been enjoying the show?
Just give it a go! If you mess up, who’s going to know? Only you. Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes improvement.
What is the best way to describe the relationship between this year’s Bees?
Family. We’re an odd bunch of people who just fit perfectly together.
Who would you love to make an outfit for?
H from Steps. I love how he explores gender, fashion and confidence in his looks. I’ve made myself a couple of looks inspired by him. I even met him while I was wearing one and he put me on his Instagram. I nearly cried. I would also like to make outfits for any and every drag queen.
There were some new themes in this series – is there any week you particularly enjoyed or found tricky?
I really enjoyed West Africa week. I learnt a lot about the fabrics, colours and patterns used which I felt was really important in appreciating the culture and the garments we were making. I was also really looking forward to art week. I was hoping to bring something different to the show which included a skirt with 6m of velvet and a half body cage. Swimwear week was tricky and it was the week I really thought I was going to be out.
What are your best and worst moments from the series?
The best moment was meeting the other sewers and spending time outside of the sewing room teaching each other things and sharing stories and ideas. They really are an incredible group of people whom I am so happy to have in my life. The worst moment has got to be the night I left. I had work the next day so I had to rush to get the last train home. I was a mess and didn’t really get a chance to say goodbye to people. I spent the entire journey home designing my outfit for the finale.
Would you encourage other amateur sewers to apply for the show?
I would definitely encourage other amateur sewers to apply for Sewing Bee. The experience is hard to put into words but I feel like I’ve made friends for life and learnt more about myself and many skills that are invaluable.
Will you make anything from the series again?
I never want to see a crochet blanket again! I will try the zero waste trousers and backpack again as I enjoyed those challenges a lot.
Do you feel you have progressed as a sewer?
The feedback from the judges gave me confidence in my ability and creativity.
What will you take away from your experience of being on The Great British Sewing Bee?
The first thing I will take from my experience is the ability to use an overlocker, plus fabulous friends and more belief in my abilities. I have also found a worth and confidence in reaching out to make the garments I want to make for other people.
What is next for you?
I have recently been asked to design and make costumes for a local drag queen, which is perfect for me as that’s exactly what I want to do. My dream is to have a garment walk down the runway on Ru Paul’s Drag Race. I am hoping to do a short course on costume design and take my career in that direction.
