Under the Needle: A Machine Match for Every Sewing Bee Make

The Great British Sewing Bee has a way of sending people back to their own sewing machines. Watch a bag built from two barbecue aprons, a girl's tutu or a leather jacket come together against the clock, and the natural next thought is what it would take to make one at home.

The challenges change every series. What stays the same is that each kind of make asks something different of a machine. More motor for one, more space for another, a different needle and foot for a third.

Everyone at The Sewing Studio sews, and we spend our days matching people with machines from our shop in Cornwall. So here's the practical answer, make by make, using this year's series for the examples. 

Bags, Totes and Rucksacks

The make: In week one, the sewers were handed two barbecue aprons each and 90 minutes to turn them into a bag with a real purpose. Out came Anna's hat bag, Rebecca's rucksack, Beth's water bottle bag and Minnie's knitting bag.

What makes it tricky: Apron fabric is often coated, so it doesn't feed like cotton and it marks if you pin it. Bags also stack up layers fast. Handles, base panels and interfacing can mean six or more layers under the needle at once, and every seam shows because it's topstitched.

What to look for:

• A motor with enough power for layers, so the machine doesn't stall halfway along a strap

• Adjustable presser foot pressure, which means coated fabric feeds through instead of sticking

• A walking foot or a non-stick foot for oilcloth and laminated fabric

• A jeans needle, which is built to get through thick layers without flexing

The machine we'd suggest: The Janome HD2200 is the bag maker's machine in our range. It has an all-metal body and a powerful motor to cope with thicker fabrics, along with adjustable presser foot pressure so coated and laminated fabrics keep feeding. There are 23 stitch options including a one-step buttonhole, 8 different presser feet and a hi-lo speed setting for slowing down over bulky seams.

Swim Shorts, Tutus and Stretch Fabrics

The make: Sports week opened with swim shorts. Kids' week began with a girl's tutu. Back in week three, the pattern challenge was three pairs of knickers cut from second-hand T-shirts, the first time the show has asked for multiples of the same item.

What makes it tricky: Stretch fabric moves as you sew it, and a standard straight stitch snaps the first time you pull the seam. Elastic needs to be stretched as it's attached, and hems need to give without popping.

What to look for:

• Stretch stitches on your sewing machine, or a narrow zigzag, which means seams stretch with the fabric

• Ballpoint or stretch needles, which slip between the knit loops instead of cutting them

• Differential feed on an overlocker, which means jersey feeds through without waving

• A twin needle for hems, so you get two neat parallel rows that still stretch

The machine we'd suggest: If you sew stretch fabric regularly, an overlocker earns its keep quickly. The Janome 9300DX has colour-coded threading guides that make threading quick and straightforward, 3 and 4-thread overlocking, and adjustable stitch length and width so you can set it up for anything from lightweight silks to heavy denims. It takes standard ballpoint needles, which means stretch fabrics are covered from the start.

The Janome 8004D is the lower-cost option, with 3 and 4-thread overlocking, differential feed to stop puckering and stretching, easy rolled hem conversion, an adjustable cutting width and speeds of up to 1,300 stitches per minute.

If you go on to sew a lot of activewear, a coverstitch machine such as the Janome CoverPro 2000CPX adds the stretchy twin-row hem you see on shop-bought sportswear, with 3 needle and 4 thread options, an extra-large flatbed workspace and Janome's Seam Tightening System to reduce puckering. 

Embroidered and Appliquéd Shirts

The make: The sports week made-to-measure asked for bowling shirts using both appliqué and free motion embroidery, from Anna's cookery shirt to Beth's barbell club design.

What makes it tricky: Appliqué means stitching one fabric neatly onto another without the edges fraying or the base fabric puckering. Free motion embroidery means dropping the feed dogs and moving the fabric yourself, which takes a steady hand and a machine set up for it.

What to look for:

• The ability to lower the feed dogs, so you control where the stitching goes rather than the machine

• A darning or free motion foot

• A satin stitch for appliqué edges, which means a dense, neat border that stops fraying

• Stabiliser underneath your fabric, which means the stitching sits flat instead of puckering

The machine we'd suggest: The Janome 5060QDC is set up for this. It's computerised with a decent motor, a needle threader, an auto thread cutter and adjustable presser foot pressure, which gives it the ability to cope with thicker fabrics while performing beautifully on finer ones too. It feels sturdy to sew on and has good fabric control thanks to the feed drive system. Six presser feet come in the box, along with a bonus feet pack including a walking foot, a hard cover and an extension table. For free motion work, the feed dogs drop and the open toe darning and embroidery foot is included.

If you'd rather the machine did the embroidery for you, the Janome Memory Craft 100E is embroidery only, with 274 built-in designs, 46 border patterns and 17 fonts for monogramming, a 140 x 140mm embroidery area, a full-colour touchscreen for editing on screen and free arm embroidery for sleeves and bags.

Costumes and Toys for Children

The make: Kids' week gave us superhero costumes made for children to wear, along with stuffed toys cut from children's fleece tops. Anna's octopus, Beth's monkey and Emma's stegosaurus all came out of old fleeces.

What makes it tricky: Soft toys are small, curved and awkward to hold. Fleece sheds, stretches slightly and is bulkier than it looks. Costumes often mix fabrics that behave nothing like each other, and they need to survive being worn by a child.

What to look for:

• A free arm, so you can slide small pieces like sleeves and toy limbs around the machine

• A reverse stitch for securing seams that will be pulled and tugged

• A walking foot for fleece, which means the layers feed evenly instead of shifting

• A machine light bright enough to see dark fabric clearly

The machine we'd suggest: Nothing elaborate is needed here. The Janome J3-18 covers it, with 18 built-in stitches for mending and crafting, a four-step automatic buttonhole, a built-in needle threader and free arm capability for sleeves, cuffs and other circular sewing. The stitch selection dial is clearly labelled, which means settings are easy to find. At 6kg it's easy to lift out for an evening's sewing, which is often exactly what costume making turns out to be.

Structured Dresses and Gowns

The make: The made-to-measure challenges have produced the most ambitious sewing of the series. Anna's Balsam Flower Dress in stamped Indian calico won garment of the week in reduce, reuse, recycle week, with Patrick calling it one of the best things the show has seen. Add the Mexican festival outfits, the Jane Austen gowns of literary icons week and the semi-final's little black dresses.

What makes it tricky: Fit has nowhere to hide. Full skirts and structured bodices mean plenty of fabric to manoeuvre, along with linings, boning, invisible zips and hems that need to hang evenly.

What to look for:

• Space to the right of the needle, which means a full skirt can be turned under the arm rather than crushed against the machine

• A straight stitch needle plate for fine fabrics, so delicate cloth doesn't get pulled into the needle hole

• Adjustable presser foot pressure for silks and satins

• An invisible zip foot and a reliable buttonhole

• Good lighting and even feeding across long seams

The machine we'd suggest: This is where a long-arm machine pays for itself. The Janome Horizon 8200QCP SE gives you 11 inches of workspace to the right of the needle and an extra-large extension table measuring 24" x 16". Delicate sewing is handled by the included straight stitch needle plate, and the easy needle plate change means swapping it takes seconds with no screws to undo. The 7-piece feed dog teeth and square feed drive system make for good fabric control, and the teeth lower for free-motion work. 

The presser foot has adjustable pressure and an extra-high lift for bulky projects, and an adjustable knee lift is included. There are 200 stitches, a 9mm maximum stitch width and five bright LED lights. It's also the model the sewers have been working on this series. 

Leather Jackets and Heavy Fabrics

The make: The semi-final opened with a classic biker jacket in plant-based leather, made from pineapple leaves and cactus. The sewers had four and a half hours for topstitching, lined pockets and an asymmetric zip. Beth took the challenge win, and went on to take garment of the week for her little black dress.

What makes it tricky: Every stitch is permanent, so there's no unpicking a wobbly seam. The fabric can't be pressed either, which means seams have to be topstitched down to lie flat. Leather and its alternatives stick to a standard presser foot, and pins leave marks, so clips are the answer.

What to look for:

• A strong, steady motor for thick material and multiple layers

• A walking foot or non-stick foot, which means the top layer feeds instead of dragging

• A leather needle, which has a cutting point designed to pierce cleanly

• A longer stitch length, because closely spaced holes perforate leather

• An even, reliable straight stitch, because every seam will be topstitched in plain view

• Slow, controlled speed for accuracy on a seam you only get one go at

The machine we'd suggest: For occasional projects, the Janome HD2200 handles heavier work well. If you sew leather, canvas, or upholstery-weight fabric regularly, the Janome HD9 QC Professional is a heavy-duty straight stitch machine built for exactly that kind of work. It has a precision-balanced metal body with eight enclosed ball bearings, sews at up to 1,650 stitches per minute and takes a side-loading jumbo bobbin holding 1.4 times more thread than standard, which means fewer stops mid-seam. The Heavy Weight Thread Guide steadies tension with thicker threads for clean topstitching on denim, canvas and leather, and the Floating Function lifts the presser foot slightly to stop layers shifting. Up to 11lbs of presser foot pressure and a 9" x 5.9" workspace.

Tailoring and Occasion Wear

The make: The final opened with a cummerbund and bow tie, then asked the three finalists to turn gala tableware into beach club outfits, before a made-to-measure on the theme of metamorphosis. Emma's two-in-one outfit took a mother from the school run to a night out. Anna's work across the series, hand-finished and structural, won her the title.

What makes it tricky: Formal pieces are small, stiffened and unforgiving. A cummerbund needs crisp pleats that stay put, a bow tie needs neat points turned through tiny openings, and anything interfaced shows every wobble in the topstitching.

What to look for:

• A straight stitch needle plate for accurate seams on fine and slippery fabrics

• Adjustable presser foot pressure, which means interfaced layers feed evenly rather than shifting

• A speed control slider, so you can take short, fiddly seams slowly

• An edge or blind hem foot for topstitching a consistent distance from the edge

The machine we'd suggest: The Janome DKS100 SE suits this kind of precision work at £649. It's a computerised machine that is easy to use, with direct press selection of the most commonly used stitches, speed control, a built-in needle threader, an automatic thread cutter, a twin needle setting and a knee lift for hands-free presser foot operation, which frees both hands for turning small pieces. It has 100 stitch options covering utility, stretch, satin and decorative, along with 6 styles of one-step buttonhole. A package of 6 presser feet and the 7-piece feed system ensure good results across different projects, and adjustable presser foot pressure means it copes with different weights of fabric.

Start With the Make, Not the Machine

Most people ask us which machine is best. The more useful question is what you want to make, because that's what decides which features actually matter to you.

If it's bags and home furnishings, prioritise motor power and foot pressure. If it's jersey and activewear, an overlocker will change your results more than a fancier sewing machine would. If it's dressmaking with real structure to it, space and precision matter most. And if you want to make a bit of everything, which is where most sewers land, a mid-range computerised machine with adjustable foot pressure and a good feed system will take you a long way.

Our Machine Match Service does this properly, or you can call the team on 01209 216 942 and talk it through with someone who sews. Our sewing machine buyers guide covers the features in more depth.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What Sewing Machine Do I Need to Make Bags?

Look for a machine with a strong motor and adjustable presser foot pressure, because bags mean thick layers and topstitching. Add a jeans needle and a walking foot, and most mid-range machines will manage. A heavy-duty model like the Janome HD2200 makes it easier still.

Can I Sew Stretchy Fabric on a Normal Sewing Machine?

Yes. Use a ballpoint or stretch needle and a stretch stitch or narrow zigzag, which means the seam gives instead of snapping. An overlocker makes it faster and neater, but it isn't a requirement to get started.

Do I Need an Overlocker to Make Clothes?

No. Your sewing machine will finish raw edges with a zigzag or overcast stitch, and many sewers never buy anything else. An overlocker is worth considering once you're making garments often enough that seam finishing takes real time, or you're sewing jersey regularly.

What Machine Do I Need for Free Motion Embroidery?

Any machine that lets you lower the feed dogs, paired with a darning or free motion foot. You move the fabric yourself, so it takes practice on a scrap first. For lettering and detailed designs, a dedicated embroidery machine does the work for you.

Can a Domestic Sewing Machine Sew Leather?

Yes, for garment-weight leather and plant-based alternatives. Use a leather needle, lengthen the stitch, swap to a walking or non-stick foot and go slowly. Use clips instead of pins, because pin holes are permanent.

What Sewing Machine Is Best for a Complete Beginner?

Look for a top-loading jam-proof bobbin, a built-in needle threader and a straightforward buttonhole. Those three remove most early frustrations. Our beginner sewing machine range starts well under £200.

What Sewing Machine Is Used on the Sewing Bee?

The sewers have been working on the Janome Horizon 8200QCP SE this series, a long-arm computerised machine with 11 inches of space to the right of the needle. The machines are always domestic models of the kind sewers use at home, which means the techniques you watch translate straight to your own sewing table.