Behind the Seams: The perfect gift for fans of The Great British Sewing Bee

Product Information

Esme Young is a fashion designer and a judge on the much-loved tv series The Great British Sewing Bee . It documents key times, and it documents the highlights of those, all the positive things for example, about four women working together, managing families and other commitments, doing it for the love of clothes and not for the money. I read most of this Sunday and finished it bank holiday Monday in bed with a tea, and it was like I’d spent time sitting with Esme listening to her chat about her interesting and packed life! It's packed full of surprising references to musicians and other artists - I don't know why I'm surprised, but it's maybe because Esme looks so prim and proper and she is so clearly not.

I have also purchased the audible version which is read expertly by Esme herself bringing another dimension to her life which brings out the colourful ups and downs of a fabulous career! Some of Esme’s stories from her childhood and particularly her own and her siblings boarding school days were hilarious. I loved the tales of being young in London in the 60s/70s and how she’s would rock up to events in these outfits she had made.I am aware, however, that the home sewing fraternity has greatly enjoyed it, so perhaps the fault is in me! The writing is so good in the sense that you do feel she is sat right opposite you telling you her stories, and her cheeky humour really comes alive too which I love!

She makes friendship with people she meets at different stages of her career and seems to have completely balanced relationships with them irrespective of age and they value one another's experience and expertise. While watching the last series of Sewing Bee I said to my parents “I wish Esme would bring a book out, she’s had an amazing life by the sounds of it! In the last series in particular, there have been some tantalising hints about her previous life as a designer for the avant garde Swanky Modes, so I was really looking forward to learning more.From Swanky Modes and its place in fashion history to Sewing Bee and its place in our hearts, this is wonderful. I'm so glad I've delved deeper into Esme's life with this book, it makes the Sewing Bee even more enjoyable.