Great British Sewing Bee 2025 - Week 3 - Pattern Picks - Wrap Dresses

Great British Sewing Bee 2025 – Week Three - Design Icons Week

Last night’s Great British Sewing Bee was all about great icons in the design world – Inspiration from Diane Von Fustenberg, Vivien Westwood and Donatella Versace each featured in one of the challenges. 

It was another good episode packed with sewing goodness with the usual critical comments from Patrick and Esmee but laced with their usual good humour!  It made me laugh when one of the contestants said ‘I hope they don’t look inside’  whilst they were waiting for their critique from the judges…….of course Patrick and Esmee look inside!  There’s no hiding from the spotlight of their careful inspections of each garment!

Great British Sewing Bee 2025 – Pattern Challenge – Wrap Dresses

My favourite challenge this week was the pattern challenge where the contestants had to create a wrap dress in three and a half hours, inspired by Diane Von Furstenberg – the designer who introduced us to the wrap dress back in the mid 70s.  It has been a staple in a lot of women’s wardrobes ever since.

Sewing with jersey can be quicker than sewing a project with woven fabric but cutting out and sewing a dress together in three hours is still no mean feat!  I thought all the contestants did very well considering.  There was the potential for necklines to stretch out, coverstitch machines to eat up seams and general panic to take over when Sara comes over to chat at a crucial moment!  So they should all give themselves a pat on the back for getting through it!

Wrap Dress Pattern Suggestions

In terms of wrap dress pattern suggestions for this week’s challenge I would say that you need look no further than Sew Over It.  They have a really big range of patterns with a whole collection of wrap dresses you might want to try:

• The Ultimate Wrap Dress – this is almost exactly the same pattern as they used on the GBSB

  
  

• 1940s Wrap Dress – this one is similar but has a vintage vibe to it, including some gathers on the bodice and hidden buttons within the construction

• The Eve Wrap Dress – this is a more contemporary style with two different versions included within the one pattern but both have a gathered yoke and a wrap front with a long tie around the waist

  
  

• The Norah Wrap Dress – this one has grown on sleeves and large patch pockets

  
  

• The Lori Wrap Dress – again this has two versions – one with a flat collar and one with a pretty mandarin collar

  
  

• The Meredith Wrap dress – this one has a neckband included which helps to avoid any gaping

  
  

• The Heidi Wrap Dress

  
  

• …and the list goes on!

  
  

There are also plenty of other Sew Over It patterns that have a wrap style bodice with a different style skirt, for example, or wrap tops.  I’ll leave you to explore! 

Let me know in the comments which ones you fancy sewing up!