Amateur sewers test their sewing and dressmaking skills. The contestants are tested on a core fabric found in every dressmaker's cupboard: cotton.

Amateur sewers test their sewing and dressmaking skills. The nine remaining amateur sewers are tested on their ability to make clothes on a miniature scale.

Amateur sewers test their sewing and dressmaking skills. Claudia Winkleman takes the eight sewers back in time to the 1950s, when home sewing was at its height.

Amateur sewers test their sewing and dressmaking skills. The remaining sewers take on a set of tasks designed to test their ability to add shape and structure to clothing.

Amateur sewers test their sewing and dressmaking skills. It's the semi-final, and the five remaining sewers take on a set of tasks working with tricky and technical fabrics.

The competition reaches its conclusion as the three finalists enter the sewing room for the very last time, with the judges looking for cutting-edge designs.

Under the scrutiny of Savile Row's Patrick Grant and Central St Martin's Esme Young, ten fresh-faced home sewers face three challenges designed to test their skill and understanding of basic garment construction. First the sewers follow a pattern for a woman's top made up of four pieces.

Nine amateur sewers return, ready to show judges Patrick Grant and Esme Young that they can make beautiful clothes on a miniature scale. Claudia Winkleman sets the sewers three challenges, each designed to test different fabric handling skills on children's clothing.

Eight sewers return to the sewing room to take on delicate lingerie. The three demanding challenges require the sewers to work with the fiddliest of pattern pieces and the most delicate fabric. First they follow a pattern for a bra which proves testing for even the most dextrous of sewers, requiring precision engineering and some of the smallest pattern pieces ever seen in the sewing room.

Patrick and Esme set the seven remaining sewers the challenge of tackling techniques and garment styles from other cultures and continents. First up, they face a fiendishly hard-to-follow pattern for a Chinese Qipao-style top. This complex garment has an asymmetrical neckline, fiddly zip insertion and is made in a fabric that frays - not a challenge for the faint-hearted.

This week the sewing room is transported back to the 1960s as the six remaining sewers revive vintage garments, take on time-honoured techniques and wrestle with antique equipment in an attempt to show Patrick and Esme they deserve a place in the quarter-finals.

It's the quarter-final, and the five remaining sewers sweat it out over activewear creating complex, hard-wearing garments from the most technical of fabrics. For the pattern challenge, Patrick Grant and Esme Young ask them to make a man's Lycra cycling top, which requires expert handling of a fabric that stretches in all directions and a complex zip insertion that tests their patience.

It's the semi-final with just four sewers left to battle it out to for a place in the final. All that stands in the way are three challenges designed by judges, Patrick Grant and Esme Young. This week they want to test the sewers' knowledge of complex patterns and pattern cutting. For the Pattern Challenge, the sewers are tasked with making an asymmetric yoked skirt inspired by modern Japanese pattern cutting.

It's the grand final, and having made it through seven weeks of tough sewing challenges, the three finalists fight it out for the title of Britain's best amateur sewer; First, they must create three pieces of evening wear to impress the judges.

Joe Lycett presents as the sewers create a 'wiggle dress' and transform three items of denim clothing, before having to fit real live models with made-to-measure jumpsuits.

Joe Lycett hosts as the nine remaining home sewers return to the sewing room for children’s week. The garments might be mini but they are a mammoth challenge being fiddly to sew.

With Joe Lycett hosting, the remaining home sewers head back in time to the 1970s, attempting to revive the glamorous, rebellious and sometimes ridiculous, style of the decade.

The fabrics in the haberdashery go technical, as the seven remaining home sewers take on man-made fabrics designed for sport and the great outdoors.

The fashion industry is the biggest polluter of our planet next to oil, so for the first time on The Great British Sewing Bee, it is Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Week.

With Joe Lycett hosting, the quarter-finalists face British and Irish fabrics week. Patrick Grant and Esme Young ask the sewers to create a ‘worker's jacket’ from linen.

Joe Lycett hosts the semi-final, as the four remaining sewers go global, taking on garments and techniques from around the world.

The three finalists take on a trio of evening wear challenges. The judges begin by asking the sewers to follow the most complex pattern yet, a double-breasted waistcoat.

The sewing competition returns for a seventh series and in week one the judges settle the contestants in with a trio of challenges based on everyday wardrobe staples - sleeveless blouses, t-shirts and dresses.

Week two is Summer Week on the sewing competition and the contestants are asked to create paperbag shorts, transform second-hand men's swimming gear into a woman's outfit worthy of sunset cocktails and finally make sun dresses.

For gent's classics week, the ten remaining sewers are asked to make baker boy caps, transform secondhand men's jackets and blazers into outfits for a woman and finally must create a casual utility jacket.