This week we welcomed mini models into the sewing room as it was Children’s Week on The Great British Sewing Bee (missed it, catch up on iplayer)

The pattern challenge was to make a sequinned bomber jacket in just three hours. Keeping with the sustainable message of this series, the sewers were given deadstock (industry leftovers) fabric and a selection of zips and ribs. We think the producers should have also provided safety goggles as sequins were pinging everywhere.

Esme also casually dropped in that she once altered a sequin jacket for Cher. Brilliant!

Sequins have been popular for decades, starting with gelatin sequins like those that featured on Judy Garland’s ruby slippers in The Wizard of Oz. These were later replaced with vinyl-covered pieces, which are themselves now being phased out in favour of more sustainable and eco-friendly options.

The little bomber jackets were simply adorable and although the time limit was very challenging, most of the sewists acquitted themselves admirably.

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The last challenge of Day One is always the transformation and this was one of our favourites yet! The contestants had to turn two beach towels into an animal-themed fancy dress costume for a toddler. They could use any haberdashery items but no extra fabric, and they were provided with a selection of felt, stuffing and googly eyes.

It was great to see the sewers embracing their inner children and having real fun with this task. The final line up consisted of a frog, swan, alligator, butterfly, fish, dalmation and lion. We know a number of people who would love to scale up the finished designs to fit a grown up, too!

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Day two gave our sewers the chance to take a trip down memory lane as they took inspiration from the clothing in a childhood photograph. They could recreate the outfit or use it as a jumping off point to create an updated version, using elements of the original item.

The broad scope of this brief meant there was a great variety of garments on display, with dungarees, jumpsuits and boiler suits being a popular choice for practical outfits. Skorts (skirt-and-short combos) were preferred by Pascha and Suzy, with the latter even creating her own patchwork fabric from scraps. Astronauts inspired Marcus while Aisla was inspired by a childhood mermaid costume.

There’s always so much to learn from watching the sewists at work and Luke shared the importance of pressing when it comes to patch pockets. What a great tip.

It was all about the three ds for several sewers: denim, d-rings and decorative top-stitching! Quite a few of the sewists had issues with time management but the final outfits looked so much fun - and how much sass did those junior models give on the catwalk. FABULOUS!

(Our Let’s Knit Together colleagues have also messaged us in praise of Kiell’s cabled jumper).

Images: BBC/Love Productions
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Looking for more children’s patterns? Check out our collection at the Sew HQ shop