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

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There are occasional delicious moments of name dropping - she dated and moved in rockstar circles, and has designed costumes for all sorts of films - but she never cashes in on these, and is unwaveringly lovely about everyone she's met. I adored the autobiography of Esme Young of The Great British Sewing Bee; it’s surprising, funny, and warm. Esme and the gang were at the heart of the 70s when people were looking for “out there”, and when punk was around the corner. Born into the very early era of punk, and then raised in the difficulty of the early 1980s, I always saw fashion as a huge important element of society - a reflection of what the masses wanted to be, and in many cases what could be afforded and imagined as a result of the restriction.

The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. But this generosity has come back to her too, as she gleefully tells of being taken on incredible trips overseas, and huge parties with friends to celebrate significant birthdays. Esme followed her heart and lived a rebel with a cause life, supported by so many people along the way that also shared in her enthusiasm and dreams. 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. 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!

The diminutive judge of ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’ has a sharp eye for a wonky seam, and an even sharper eye for a good necklace. To see Esme becoming a TV star in her 70’s and being a mentor and inspiration to sewers is really wonderful . Their clothes were out there, just at a time in the early 70s when people were looking for out there, and when punk was just around the corner (Esme and the gang were at the heart of this, and it's the bit of the book that I hoovered up, it brought so many evocative memories of myself in those days and my early attempts to create something a bit out there to wear . I am quite nosey about people and it interests me to find out how people have arrived where they are and that's how I decided to read this book.

Like many, I was first introduced to Esme Young via the Great British Sewing Bee, where she is a judge along with Patrick Grant. Some of Esme’s stories from her childhood and particularly her own and her siblings boarding school days were hilarious.

I didn't understand any of the sewing bits but then I love watching Sewing Bee because watching people being creative is really what it's all about. As a result this book was an amazing insight into a life that I would have loved to have lived had I the flare or basic artistic skill.

She is not only innovative, courageous and radical, but she's also kind, generous and gives credit where credit is due.Esme is an inspiration, not just because of her career, but also in the way she is 100% her authentic self - what you see is what you get, zero f’s given! I'm so glad I've delved deeper into Esme's life with this book, it makes the Sewing Bee even more enjoyable. The ’90s saw another career move, this one into costumes for films such as ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ and ‘The Beach’, before she moved onto the small screen herself. Her own voice comes over very strongly, and she had a most interesting life: at the forefront of fashion in the 60s and 70s with her Swanky Modes, a tutor at Central St Martins, and then a judge on Sewing Bee. I am aware, however, that the home sewing fraternity has greatly enjoyed it, so perhaps the fault is in me!

The '90s saw a career move into costumes for films, where she designed outfits for Trainspotting , Bridget Jones's Diary and The Beach , before she moved onto the small screen herself. The style of writing was also all over the place that I started to loose interest and finally gave up.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.