Do you harbour a secret dream of competing in the BBC's Great British Sewing Bee? Or does the idea of cutting up a man's shirt to create a little girls dress in less than an hour fill you with horror?

I'd love to be a competitor - mostly to get my hands on all that lovely fabric. 

So when I heard that TV presenter and real life doctor, Dr Dawn Harper was a 'celebrity competitor', I couldn't wait to talk to her.

Dr Dawn Harper, picture from BBC Children in Need

Dr Dawn presents TV's Embarrassing Bodies, but she's also a working doctor in a health centre near my home town. This week she's swapping the surgery for the Sewing Room for a special 'Celebrity' version of The Great British Sewing Bee, in aid of BBC's charity Children in Need.

She'll  be on TV screens in the UK on Tuesday evening, competing against Hairy Biker Dave Myers, DJ and presenter Edith Bowman, Coronation Street actress Wendi Peters. And she kindly gave me five minutes to share the secrets of the Sewing Room.

“My sewing experience was almost zero,” said Dawn.

“When I was at school it was domestic science was taught at the same time as Latin, and I learnt Latin.

“My mother is an amazing seamstress and cook, but those genes didn’t pass to me!”

Dawn admits she was a last minute addition to the series.

“I had a call on a Friday saying, can you come in tomorrow? So I had no chance to cram in any sewing lessons.

“When my children were little I went through a ‘nesting’ period and tried to sew for them. But they’re 20, 19 and 17 now. It was a long time ago.”

“It was a very, very steep learning curve. I had to be shown how to thread a bobbin.”

Dawn sewed all day from 10am to 4pm for three days, with three challenges.

“The first challenge was to make an A-line skirt from a pattern, then in the afternoon, change a Hawaiian shirt into a child’s garment.”

Sunday’s day-long challenge was to make a dress from our favourite era.

“I made a Charleston dress,” said Dawn.

“I don’t think I’d feel confident enough to make proper clothing, but to know I could make a fancy dress in one day is quite a nice feeling. It wouldn’t stand up to close scrutiny, but I was quite pleased.”

Dawn won’t reveal the result, but said; “I didn’t disgrace myself”

But she says, the refashioning challenge was the hardest.

“I’m not a great TV watcher, so wasn’t familiar with the format of the show.

“Trying to think how to convert the shirt into a child’s outfit was the hardest challenge. I sewed a little dress, but I think I could have been more imaginative.

“But I’m quite good at following instructions, so making the skirt from a pattern went quite well.

“I love clothes and fashion. I’ve got a few dresses that I now look at with awe.”

“We had a really lovely time, it was great fun - If I had the time I could see myself getting into it.”

Dr Dawn will appear in the episodes on BBC Two, 8pm on Tuesday 21 October. Two further episodes will be shown on Thursday 23 October and Friday 24 October.

Speaking of lovely fabric - that 1.5 metres of this gorgeous double gauze by Nani Iro is still up for grabs, plus three copies of Straight Grain's Hanami pattern. The giveaway is open until October 31. Simply click over here for full details and to enter; Nani iro giveaway

Now for that giveaway. Back in the summer I amazingly won the Secret Squirrel Sewing contest! One of the prizes was one of An from Straight Grain's sewing patterns. 
Um well, guess what? I already have them all. As can be seen in the little gallery below, all sewn, or flipped from Straight Grain's patterns. 






So An is  letting me give my prize away! And not one prize - but three Hanami dress patterns!
The Hanami is my go-to dress pattern. Simple bodice, elegant options, it's proved infinitely variable. 
And An has been stunningly generous. She's added 1.5 metres of Nani Iro fuccra double gauze, as the top prize in this giveaway. Fabric can be posted worldwide.
That's more than enough to recreate Norah's beautiful blouse pictured here.
Oh An! I'm beside myself with excitement. And there are lots of chances to win. Simply click on the rafflecopter. Giveaway ends on October 31.

So the clue is in the fabric's name; Joy.

And that is exactly what this metre and a half has brought me.

Its full name is Joy Flower in Smile (isn't that the most life-enhancing name!) It's by Nani Iro, double gauze, bought from  Miss Matatabi and on sale here.

(I must confess to developing a certain addiction to little packets arriving from Japan...)

My photographs - taken by my eight year old son Torin - don't do the delicacy of this fabric justice.

It is a subtle pale beige, a colour I don't often choose. It's over printed with subtle garlands of white flowers that have the gentlest shimmer , and little spots of floral colour.  'Smile' indeed....(and yes...I spotted that stray loose thread too. But if I ask Torin to re-shoot the photos, smiles will evaporate).

For a pattern, I went for something effortless and simple - this great free pattern from Melly Sews, the High Low Shirt.
I actually completed this months ago, in the same week that I finished Mr As it Seams' birthday present shirt which was such a monumental project, that I need a sewing antidote.

Melly Sews blouse was it. With just three pattern pieces, it's dipped hem at the back, gentle shaping with bust darts, this only took an hour or so.  I cut the main pattern pieces with a slight flare to them, in an effort to create a swing silouhette. The sleeves are bang on my elbow, a flattering length - but it does mean they look creased immediately - this blouse is freshly ironed for these photos, honestly.

I also completed a sewing first - home made bias binding neckline. I had barely enough fabric to complete the bias, so it's in lots of short strips, and the double gauze wasn't the easiest to maneouvre, but it turned out fine.

And this has been a real wardrobe hit. I had aimed to make this as a sew-along for Miss Matatabi's Nani Iro month (which was in June... yes. yes, I know.... it's September...) 

I did manage to finish this in time to take on our summer holiday, and it was a lovely easy piece to chuck in my bag. Here it is in situ, complete with holiday creases, in a Romanian meadow. Photo by Torin, aged eight.

Joy Flower, Smile, indeed....

Tasha, thank you! I completely love your creation! It's so fun and wearable and a bit whacky. Just brilliant!

And your inspiration dress is great too. So many ideas to play with - I'm sure Laura's going to have fun. Don't miss Laura's creation here in October! Follow As it Seams on facebook, blogger etc on the links below! See you next month!