The Great British Sewing Bee: The Techniques

The Great British Sewing Bee: The Techniques is a practical sewing guide for beginners, designed to teach the core skills needed to start making clothes. Step-by-step illustrated instructions cover everything from using a sewing machine and understanding patterns to constructing, fitting and finishing garments.

• Skill level: Beginner
• Learning focus: Sewing and dressmaking techniques
• Includes: Guidance on sewing machines, fabrics, patterns, garment construction and fitting
• Instructional support: Step-by-step instructions with an image for each step
• Techniques: Seams, zips, facings, collars, shirring, bias binding, hemming and decorative finishes

More about the book
Starting with the fundamentals, the book explains what you need in a basic sewing kit and how to get to grips with your sewing machine, including threading and tension. It introduces different types of woven, knit and luxury fabrics and explains how to choose the right fabric for what you want to make.

From there, it breaks down the process of working with a sewing pattern, including understanding the pattern itself, lay plans, pinning and cutting. Garment-construction guidance covers techniques including seams, zips, facings, collars, shirring and bias binding, alongside finishing skills such as tacking, hand stitching, hemming, piping and appliqué.

There is also dedicated guidance on fitting and making alterations, helping readers understand how to adjust garments for a better fit. More explanatory sections are divided into manageable topics, while practical techniques are demonstrated through step-by-step instructions and accompanying images.

More books for learning to sew
If you're looking for books similar to The Great British Sewing Bee: The Techniques, these books also teach practical sewing and dressmaking skills, with approaches ranging from beginner garment-making to more specialised pattern construction.

• Tilly and the Buttons: Learn to Sew by Tilly Walnes: Like The Techniques, this is an accessible guide to essential sewing and dressmaking skills, covering sewing machines, fabrics, patterns, garment construction, shaping, fastenings and finishes through step-by-step instruction. Tilly Walnes also appeared on the first series of The Great British Sewing Bee.
• Sew Simple by Tammy Johal: Also focused on beginner-friendly sewing and dressmaking, this book covers fabric selection, reading and using patterns, stitches and garment-making. Its inclusion of garment projects provides another route for putting the techniques into practice.
• Building the Pattern by Laura Huhta and Saara Huhta: Shares the focus on patterns, garment construction and developing practical sewing skills, but takes a more specialist approach to pattern work, extending further into one of the core areas introduced in The Techniques.