GBSB Fashion With Fabric: A Review + Giveaway




Thanks to Quadrille, today I'm reviewing The Great British Sewing Bee Fashion with Fabric and giving away a copy to one lucky reader in the UK! Although I can't compare it to the books from the first two series of the popular BBC show - I don't own them - I can tell you that I'm pretty impressed with it as a standalone book.


As I had a bit of 'free' time on my hands, I decided to make a project from the book for a well-rounded review. Predictably, my love of vintage drew me to the Walkaway Dress - based on Butterick 6015 from 1952 - which featured as one of the challenges in Episode 3. Look out for a full reveal of my dress soon!



I found the instructions to be well illustrated, but a little lacking on the written explanation part. The book isn't aimed at beginners and does make assumptions that the reader has a good understanding of basic techniques. However, it provides excellent guides to Core Skills like setting in sleeves, inserting an invisible zip, shirring, and many more.

Overall, it's an excellent reference book covering topics like common sewing terms, choosing fabrics, how to use the patterns, and basic hand sewing stitches. It also contains some great tips for equipment, as it explores the use of more challenging fabrics.

In fact, its exploration of challenging fabrics is one of the book's greatest strengths. It's broken down into four fabric categories - cottons, wool and other animal fibres, stretch fabrics, luxury fabrics - each category complete with a comprehensive breakdown of types of fabric, as well as a super useful glossary.



If you're like me, you'll be pleased to know that the whopping 30 projects on offer are all of the dressmaking kind! There's so many of them that they even come in a separate slipcase! The bad news is that you have to trace them out (eurgh!!!), but the good news is that each pattern sheet is clearly labelled with the projects it contains (phew!!!).

COTTONS



WOOL AND OTHER ANIMAL FIBRES


STRETCH FABRICS


LUXURY FABRICS


Undoubtedly, the best part of this book is the variety of desirable and wearable projects on offer. There's literally something for everyone, whether you're a selfish or selfless stitcher. There's also enough choice to strike the delicate balance between enticing a beginner and challenging someone more experienced. 

If you're a UK resident, this is your chance to win a free copy of Fashion With Fabric! Just leave a comment and your email address below by midnight GMT on Thursday 12 March. I'll then pick a winner at random and the good people at Quadrille will do the rest!

130 comments:

  1. Can't wait to see your version of the walkaway dress, it looks fab in the snippet photo!

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  2. Oooh! I could make a whole new wardrobe! X

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  3. Great review!thanks!cant wait to make the elephant ballerina ;)

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  4. I'm completely lusting after this book! Good luck with your walkaway dress, it's such a fun idea. xox

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  5. Oh I have loved this series of the Sewing Bee! And the projects look amazing. Lorna's curtain skirt was one of my favourites and I love that there are some more challenging ones like the corset. Your walkaway dress looks fantastic - will look forward to reading about it in more detail.

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  6. Would love a chance to win :) It looks like a good book!

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  7. Recently gone back to sewing so the book would be very useful

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  8. Please tell me you used leopard print! SO FABULOUS! I'd love this book!
    Frankie
    Www.knitwits-owls.blogspot.co.uk

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  9. Your dress looks amazing Marie! I can't wait to see it in all it's glory! mail (at) kelly-smith (dot) com

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  10. Sounds like an interesting book- and some wardrobe staples in there!
    runestone at ymail dot com (not gmail)

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  11. I love the looks of all these pieces, and its super fun to see some of the items that the contestants made in the book (the lace skirt etc). The walkaway dress has been on my wishlist since the episode aired too!

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  12. It's great to see a sewing book with some more challenging dressmaking projects! I'd like to try the jumpsuit for summer and I loved watching them make those kilts on the show, so good!

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  13. Excited to see your walkaway, I instantly wanted it after I saw it on the programme but there were a lot of bad reviews on the internet so I avoided it. Hoping yours will reconvince me!

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  14. I'm really loving this series of the sewing bee so would love a chance to win the book! Can't wait to see the full reveal of your walkaway dress!

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  15. Oh that glimpse of your dress is tantalising!

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  16. ooh yes please! interested to see how your walkway dress is - it definitely gets a bad rep and i cannot get my head around how you would fit it!

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  17. Oh I'd love a copy of this book, it looks like it has some fabulous projects in here! I've loved this series so far, I'm really hoping they keep making more! My email is daisyflip[at]Hotmail.com

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  18. Wow! So many patterns! Can't wait to see your walkaway dress!

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  19. I totally want to try making a kilt which is in there I think! They looked like such fun on the show! rupertthefridge (at) hotmail (dot) com :)

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  20. The projects look really great (not a UK resident). All 30 of them! Good luck to those who are UK resident:)

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  21. Really excited about this book - so many lovely projects (I am in awe of that leather jacket!).
    Mail: charlotteleanne615(at)gmail(dot)com

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  22. I love your fabric choice for the walkaway dress^ Fab^

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  23. This looks great! cant wait to see what your walk away dress looks like.

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  24. Will your walkaway dress count towards the #VintagePledge? I'd love to win the book- looks there's lots of great wardrobe-builder projects in there as well as a few challenges! The Sewing Bee is wonderful, I love that there's a TV show just about people earnestly trying to improve their skills without all the battling egos and desperation to get noticed that other TV competition shows have (and as a result I love all the contestants and want them all to win!).

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  25. I'd love to win a copy of this book! Thanks :)

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  26. Looks,ike a very useful book and I look forward to seeing your walk away dress. It is perfect example of 50's chic and. Lee ration of the female figure. jennylarking@gmail.com

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  27. I'd love a copy of this book. I have the one from the second series but this looks a million times more interesting. My e-mail is sewcial.warrior@gmail.com

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  28. I really want this one now I've seen the patterns! Rachel- thehollywoodsew@gmail.com

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  29. This looks great! Would be wonderful to win the book as it looks like there's loads in it! Nictodd@live.co.uk

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  30. Oh wow, can't wait to see the full reveal of your walk away dress, it looks GORGEOUS. You've got us all waiting with baited breath!! Xx

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  31. Can't wait to see your walkaway dress! lauraholmes01(at) gmail (dot) com

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  32. ooh I'd love to have a go at lots of the projects in this book!

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  33. I'd love to make my own walkaway dress; yours looks wonderful already! Emma yenem@hotmail.co.uk

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  34. Looks great....I'm addicted to the program so this book would be perfect.

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  35. There are some lovely patterns. Especially like the lace skirt and the sleeveless shirt. Thank you for the giveaway!

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  36. I'd love to try out some of the things in the book. I'd love to try the walkway dress too.

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  37. I would love a copy of this book! Awaiting the reveal of your Walkaway dress...just ordered the pattern to make my own! jo-omarr (at) live.com

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  38. Please count me in for the giveaway! This book is receiving rave reviews and I'd love to win a copy.

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  39. This book looks really great. It's great to see the actual patterns that you see in the series appearing in the book too. I have the first sewing bee book and this seems a much better book. The first book doesn't have as many projects as this. Plus the first one I tried from it had mislabelled pattern pieces, which was a bit off-putting. I haven't tried anything from it since.

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  40. Looking forward to seeing your walkaway dress - I've just finished a version myself, but it's not the best fit...trying to motivate myself to blog it! Would love to win this book, it looks like such a great resource!

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  41. It does make a change to see so many patterns in a sewing book and I like the use of different fabrics- so much sewing is just aimed at woven cottons. Email is in profile!

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  42. Oh I've already seen a few projects I'd like to make.i might just win....
    Fiona

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  43. The book looks like a class above the other sewing bee books and the patterns have such variety! I would love to have a go at some of the more unusual patterns. Looking forward to the full reveal of your walkaway dress! My email is natasha.cleeton@gmail.com x

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  44. wow great giveaway so many lovely things that could be made with this goodluck everyone xx

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  45. I love the Walkaway dress. Your teaser pic looks amazing! This book looks like the best of the three so far.

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  46. I'd love a copy of this book - the walk away dress is my favourite pattern but I'd also love to have a go at the leather jacket! jenyuill at hotmail dot com

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  47. I am loving the sewing bee this year. The patterns look pretty great!

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  48. Thanks for the review and competition Marie! I do like the looks of this book much better than the first one (haven't seen the second one) - it seems to have more projects you can get your teeth into. I quite fancy having a go at that lacy skirt after watching yesterday's show! sarah@roqs.co.uk

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  49. Oh Marie, I've been interested in this wonderful book, since I first heard about it, please could you put my name in the hat for a chance to win ! Thank you!!

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  50. There are so many things I would like to make from this book - it is on my Amazon wishlist.

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  51. Enjoying the show and also have been enjoying sewing with fabrics other than cotton in the last year or so. This book looks perfect, particularly as I've set myself the goal of sewing something in leather this year.

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  52. Can't wait to see your version of the walkaway dress, it's one that I really want to try. Would love the book!

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  53. The walk away dress is definitely my favourite, I love the idea of a 50s lady starting to sew it up in the morning and twirling out of the house in it during the afternoon to meet friends for tea. Absolutely fabulous! Good luck with yours.
    christina_snellgrove@hotmail.com

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  54. Ooh - is that a kimono I spy there? And that simple orange dress looks lovely.
    Looking forward to seeing your new dress!

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  55. Looking forward to seeing your dress review. So far I'm not sold on it. Love this series of GBSB; the best yet. amcclure54@gmail.com

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  56. I have the Butterick Walk-Away dress pattern but have never used it. Your version looks great. Can't beat a leopard fabric. Some nice patterns in this book. Xx

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  57. I'm not sure I'm ready for this book yet as I'm a beginner, but I have no problem stashing it away for future me! I've seen some great drapey dresses in blog ville so is love to make one of those :-)

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  58. *squeals* oh the walkaway dress and the leather jacket! <3
    meganyates26@gmail.com

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  59. I'd love to win the book. I can't wait to see your walkaway dress, I loved the ones they made on the program.

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  60. Thank you for the lovely review! Can't wait to see the dress! Arikrisna@gmail.com

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  61. ooh! Looks like a fantastic book!! Beckster81@hotmail.com

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  62. Excellent, I was thinking of buying the walk-away pattern!

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  63. Looks like there's some great patterns in the book. Would love to get my hands on a copy!!

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  64. That dress has been immensely popular! Very much your style! It would be a treat to win this giveaway! :)

    bambidoesbee.spoke@gmail.com

    http://bambidoesbeespoke.blogspot.co.uk

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  65. Love the combination of leopard print and black for the walkaway dress x

    mfdrummond08@gmail.com

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  66. I Would love to win this giveaway. I have watched and enjoyed every minute of all three series of Sewing Bee. Wish the series could be longer. Can't wait to see your version of the Walkaway Dress. Thanks for hosting the giveaway.

    annmarshalluk@gmail.com

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  67. Am loving the series. The book looks like good value for money as there are quite a few patterns I'd be interested in. Husband may even be in with a chance of me sewing for him.

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  68. Oh this series of GBSB has been great and I've read several reviews of the book singing it's praises so I'd love to have a copy!

    Jen
    gingerellaj@gmail.com

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  69. Oh yes please! Thanks for the giveaway!
    robertacummmings [at] gmail [dot] com

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  70. I'm loving this series, fifties week was my absolute favourite. I'd love to win this book to add to my collection, it looks so much better than the previous two!
    Good luck with the dress, it looks stunning.

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  71. Looks like a great book, thanks for the giveaway!

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  72. Ooo! What a great giveaway. Thank you for the chance of winning, and I'll look forward to seeing your walkaway dress. My email is ozzyblackbeard at gmail dot com.

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  73. Love the show, would love the book. Ruthsews@hotmail.com

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  74. Love the Sewing Bee, it encourages me to try some sewing that's outside my normal comfort zone! The book looks great too

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  75. I would love to have a go at the walkaway dress too! alisha.siddle@hotmail.com

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  76. Ooh, don't know which pattern I'd try first! Milestone for me as last year's GBSB really inspired me to get the sewing machine out and try to make me things, instead of just curtains and cushions! Becca_makin@hotmail.com

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  77. This looks great. I'm loving The Sewing Bee. iannah@hotmail.co.uk

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  78. The book looks perfect, I've loved this season so far!

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  79. It looks like they've really upped their game with this book...it looks great!

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  80. love the sewing bee, thank you for your giveaway

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  81. Include me in the giveaway please, this book looks amazing.
    Louise x
    perryfamily75(at)gmail(dotcom)

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  82. I am always on the lookout for a book that is not a beginner one and I have heard a few good reviews for this one so pop me in the hat. Looking forward to your dress reveal - 4 hours???

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  83. I'm loving GBSB and would love to have a chance of winning the new book. Please throw my name into the hat! Thanks ;-)

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  84. Oh my goodness - I did not realise it had THAT DRESS in it! Thank you so much for bringing that to my attention - I now have to have the book!!

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  85. What a fab review - thank you! I really really want to make those capri trousers, as I can never find trousers to fit me perfectly! 30 patterns as well, amazing value!

    aeskrakowski[at]gmail[dot]com :)

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  86. Joining the queue here, I am but a blogless reader only ;).
    I love GBSB, hope Lorna wins (though we know who will win, if he doesn't get too stressed out...so really we DON'T know who will win ;) ) and your review has made me WANT the book even more ;)

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  87. The book looks excellent, and so does your version of the walk away dress! email: jen_julia_tratty@hotmail.com

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  88. I love the Sewing Bee! Thank you for doing a giveaway!

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  89. Sorry, my email is torfreeman@hotmail.com

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  90. This looks like a great book, I love the show and can't wait to get stuck into some of the projects. The elephant dress-up has got to be a must for my little girl!!
    Jayneeagle@yahoo.co.uk

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  91. Love the program, but too worried that those projects are too advanced for me ... Love to win the book :-)

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  92. This book is getting rave reviews and is deffo going on my wishlist! Thanks for the chance to win. anndotsparkesathotmaildotcom.

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  93. Love your fabric choices for the dress. Great giveaway.

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  94. I have the book from the first series and have just cut the pattern for the pencil skirt. Would love to check this one out. Thanks for the giveaway x

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  95. I just love this program more and more each series. I really like the fabric you used for the walk away dress, gives it a modern twist.

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  96. It looks like a great book - I fancy making the Walkaway Dress after watching that episode too. Maybe I'll test how much I get done in the time the contestants were given...

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  97. Thank you for the give away Marie. It looks like a great book - I really want to try making the Walkaway Dress so I'm looking forward to your full reveal!

    letdougiesing[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]uk

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  98. Everyone seems to be loving this book, and seems like they've improved on the previous two, especially with the range of sizes! Would love a copy. Bethnicholls85@gmail.com

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  99. I'm not entering the giveaway because I am outside UK, but I have to say I love the walkway dress, I think it's a lovely pattern and yours seems to be great.

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  100. Count me in. Your dress is looking good.

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  101. Your version of the walkaway dress looks fab - looking forward to seeing it in all its glory! The book looks really good too - thanks for the giveaway! I'm nightingaleanddolittle@gmail.com

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  102. Would love to win this. Your version of the walk away dress looks great so far, brilliant fabric choices.

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  103. Hi! Good review! So glad I found your blog again after losing you. Fingers crossed fur the giveaway!!

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  104. Ooh - I'm dying to get a copy of this as there are so many lovely (and totally wearable) patterns in it!!

    Can't wait to see your walkways dress - it looks gorgeous.

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  105. love the sewing bee. it is my time in a busy household. love the walkways dress such a versatile dress for day and evening wear. sarahwoodheadatgmaildotcom

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  106. Looks like a great book, looking forward to seeing your dress from it x

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  107. Would love to win this - it looks a much better book than the previous ones for GBSB. Have just commented on your walkaway dress and would like to win for the sake of my daughter as she is keen on this dress!

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  108. I was not into this book at all until I saw that wool & leather jacket. Now I feel like my life is meaningless and empty without it. If I don't win then I might have to buy the book for that one pattern.

    rachellousews at gmail dot com

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  109. I adore your walkaway dress. I'd love to get hold of a copy of this book to have a go at a few of the patterns!
    northknittery
    x

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  110. I would love to win this it's on my birthday list but I am impatient to wait till next month :)

    Sam
    cullen.samantha@yahoo.co.uk

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  111. I'd love a chance to win this! I've been following this season with baited breath and love so many of the projects

    alley_021@hotmail.com

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  112. Lovely review :-) Pretty please put my name in the hat for the giveaway as well! Thea (theainsewingland (at) gmail (dot) com)

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  113. I would absolutely love to give this a go. To win this book would be awesome. Fingers Crossed

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  114. I'm seeing such great reviews of this book, it's really making me want my own copy! I've already ordered a copy of the Walkaway dress, and now I just hope it turns out as well as yours!

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  115. Actually I own the book already, but can I still enter please, as I'd give it to my friend who sews and has been obsessively watching the Sewing Bee! My first make from the book will be walkaway dress (got the fabric & binding all ready), followed by the capri trousers, and then I think I'll have to have a go at making a corset - the contestants corsets all looked so fabulous!

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  116. Fell in love with the walkaway dress as soon as I saw it on GBSB - and your version is gorgeous! The book looks amazing, much better than other ones I've seen from the series :) Makes me want to get sewing right this minute!!
    Beth C.
    misscongeniality2006@hotmail.co.uk

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  117. Would love this to be my first make once I gave my baby and get my waist and sewing mojo back (and have some spare time!!)

    Anitahoganis@yahoo.com

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  118. I'm loving the sewing bee this year & would love to have a copy of this book!

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  119. Just got my sewing mojo back after years of hiatus. Really love reading your blog 😃

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  120. Organizing the book show and e book according to fabric type makes loaded of sense to me and I need to get my confidence up to try some luxury fabrics!

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  121. I loved the dresses on the sewing bee so would love a chance to make one.
    Clare
    clarecudby@gmail.com

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  122. I so want to try that green cotton dress, there were so many pretty versions on the show!

    amyfaery@googlemail.com

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  123. I can't make up my mind about the Walkaway dress! I love the look, but am worried it wouldn't work in real life...

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  124. That looks lovely - I'd love to give that a whirl! asimplething@hotmail.co.uk

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  125. I really want to try the walk away dress too, I've been meaning to make it for ages and the sewing bee might just have given me the final push.

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  126. Interesting review I love the look of the walkaway dress but the reviews put me off. Maybe I should give it a go.

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  127. Would love to win this, heard lots of good reviews about it! jennie_murray14@yahoo.co.uk

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  128. My friend and are planning to make the walk away dress and go out for lunch ( or afternoon tea) in them. But we haven't got the book yet.

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  129. Sew many projects, sew little time!!
    @ratherbeesewing

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  130. I'm eyeing up the walkaway dress, the leather jacket and the lace skirt from this book, I'm sure with a good browse I could come up with other projects I desperately need to make :D

    pam.speak@gmail.com

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