The Great British Sewing Bee is back, with 12 sewers competing this time. Joe Lycett kicks off ten weeks of the most perplexing patterns, eye-popping transformations and stunning made-to-measure garments yet. Scrutinising every stitch are Saville Row’s Patrick Grant and Central Saint Martins’s Esme Young, testing the sewers across a huge range of garments from rugby shirts to children’s dungarees, flamenco skirts to a boned basque, via food fancy dress.

In their first week, the sewers are eased in gently with wardrobe staples that might look familiar but aren’t necessarily straightforward to make. For their pattern challenge, the judges ask for a wrap skirt, a garment whose clean crisp lines can only be achieved through precise cutting, accurate stitching and a judicious choice of fabric.

Next, the contestants' ability to make the ordinary extraordinary is put to the test in the transformation challenge, as they transform two plain men’s office shirts into a stylish new garment to fit a female mannequin.

For the week's final challenge, the mannequins are replaced with human models as the sewers attempt to make their first made-to-measure garment - a tea dress. This classic below-the-knee and above-the-ankle dress allows for interpretation, letting the contestants' personalities shine through whether they opt for a vintage or contemporary style. It also proves to be a benchmark test of their ability to achieve a flawless fit and to impress the judges with the finer details.

Battling against the clock to showcase their skill and creativity, who will stitch their way to Garment of the Week, and who will unravel at this early stage, becoming the first to leave the Great British Sewing Bee?