https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/Guides and stories on sewing machines, parts, servicing, wool and Leicester’s hosiery heritage, from the UK SEW journal. New posts every month.en https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-to-choose-a-sewing-machine/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-to-choose-a-sewing-machine/Wed, 14 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTChoosing your first or next sewing machine? Our UK guide covers machine types, the features that matter, budgets, new vs used, and getting expert local advice. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-to-thread-a-sewing-machine/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-to-thread-a-sewing-machine/Tue, 13 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow to thread a sewing machine correctly: spool, guides, tension discs, take-up lever and needle, then winding the bobbin and raising the thread. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/knit-and-stitch-show-harrogate/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/knit-and-stitch-show-harrogate/Tue, 13 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTKnit + Stitch (formerly The Knitting & Stitching Show) comes to Harrogate on 19 to 22 November 2026. Dates, what to expect and tips for buying at the show. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-often-to-service-a-sewing-machine/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-often-to-service-a-sewing-machine/Mon, 12 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow often to service a home or industrial sewing machine, what a service involves, warning signs to watch for and what you can safely do yourself. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/what-is-denier-tights-guide/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/what-is-denier-tights-guide/Sun, 11 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTWhat denier means in tights and stockings, how sheer 10 denier compares with opaque 60, plus fibres, sizing and how to make hosiery last longer. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/domestic-vs-industrial-sewing-machines/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/domestic-vs-industrial-sewing-machines/Sat, 10 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTDomestic and industrial sewing machines compared: speed, stitch types, motors, space, noise and cost, so you can choose the right machine for home or business. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-to-clean-a-sewing-machine/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-to-clean-a-sewing-machine/Sat, 10 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTClean your sewing machine safely: what you need, removing lint from feed dogs and the bobbin area, when to oil, what not to do, and when to book a service. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-socks-are-made/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/how-socks-are-made/Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow socks are made today: yarn, circular knitting machines, heel and toe shaping, toe closing, boarding and pairing, plus the Leicester connection. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-machine-needles-guide/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-machine-needles-guide/Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA clear guide to sewing machine needles: domestic and industrial systems, sizes like 80/12 and 100/16, and points for jersey, denim, leather and embroidery. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/leicester-sheep-breeds-british-wool/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/leicester-sheep-breeds-british-wool/Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow Leicestershire shaped British wool: Robert Bakewell’s Leicester Longwool, the prized Bluefaced Leicester, and how UK fleece is graded today. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/buying-a-used-sewing-machine/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/buying-a-used-sewing-machine/Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTBuying a second-hand sewing machine in the UK? What to check, questions to ask, dealer vs private sale, your consumer rights and why servicing matters. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-room-setup/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-room-setup/Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow to set up a sewing room or corner at home: table height, lighting, power, cutting and pressing stations, fabric and thread storage, and a comfortable chair. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/quilting-for-beginners/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/quilting-for-beginners/Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTA beginner’s guide to quilting in the UK: tools, fabric, accurate ¼-inch seams, layering and basting, quilting with a walking foot and binding your first quilt. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/leicester-hosiery-history/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/leicester-hosiery-history/Sun, 04 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe story of Leicester’s hosiery industry: framework knitters, factory giants like Corah and Wolsey, and why the city became a byword for knitted goods. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-machine-tension-guide/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-machine-tension-guide/Sat, 03 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTUnderstand sewing machine tension: how a balanced stitch looks, fixing loops and puckering, adjusting top and bobbin tension, and when to get help. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/corah-st-margarets-works/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/corah-st-margarets-works/Fri, 02 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow Nathaniel Corah’s hosiery business grew into St Margaret’s Works, one of the largest knitting factories in Britain and a long-time Marks & Spencer supplier. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-with-jersey-knits/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-with-jersey-knits/Fri, 02 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow to sew jersey and knit fabrics on a regular sewing machine or overlocker: needles, stitches, walking foot, stabilising seams and hemming with a twin needle. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/starting-an-alterations-business-equipment/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/starting-an-alterations-business-equipment/Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMTThe machines and tools you need to start a clothing alterations or tailoring business in the UK, from lockstitch and overlocker to pressing kit and spares. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/framework-knitting-museums-east-midlands/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/framework-knitting-museums-east-midlands/Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTVisit the Wigston Framework Knitters Museum near Leicester and the Framework Knitters Museum in Ruddington to see where Britain’s hosiery industry began. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/william-lee-stocking-frame/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/william-lee-stocking-frame/Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTHow William Lee’s stocking frame of 1589 mechanised knitting, why Elizabeth I refused him a patent, and how it led to the East Midlands hosiery industry. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/choosing-wool-and-yarn-weights/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/choosing-wool-and-yarn-weights/Sun, 27 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTUK yarn weights explained with US equivalents, needle sizes and the best uses for each, plus how to read a ball band and why a tension square matters. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/overlocker-beginners-guide/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/overlocker-beginners-guide/Sat, 26 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTNew to overlockers (sergers)? Learn what they do, 3- and 4-thread stitches, differential feed, threading order and the most common beginner mistakes to avoid. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/leicester-made-2026/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/leicester-made-2026/Fri, 25 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTLeicester Made & Regions 2026 brought UK manufacturers, knitters and brands to De Montfort University. What happened and why onshore textile making matters. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-machine-hire-vs-buy/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sewing-machine-hire-vs-buy/Thu, 24 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTShould you hire or buy a sewing machine? We compare short-term rental, buying new and buying a tested used machine for projects, courses and small businesses. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/common-sewing-machine-problems/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/common-sewing-machine-problems/Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTSkipped stitches, thread bunching, breaking needles or fabric not feeding? Simple fixes for common sewing machine problems, and when to call an engineer. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/learn-to-sew-sewing-bee/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/learn-to-sew-sewing-bee/Mon, 21 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTWatched The Great British Sewing Bee and want to start sewing? The kit you need, first projects, classes and how to choose a first machine without overspending. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/bobbins-and-bobbin-cases-guide/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/bobbins-and-bobbin-cases-guide/Sun, 20 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTClass 15, class 66, L-style and M-style bobbins explained, plus metal vs plastic, drop-in vs front-loading, and why the wrong bobbin ruins your stitches. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sell-or-part-exchange-sewing-machine/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/sell-or-part-exchange-sewing-machine/Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTUpgrading or clearing a workroom? How to value, sell or part-exchange a domestic or industrial sewing machine, and what dealers look for before making an offer. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/presser-feet-guide/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/presser-feet-guide/Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTZipper, buttonhole, walking, invisible zip, rolled hem and more: the presser feet worth owning, plus how to check low, high and slant shank before you buy. https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/industrial-sewing-machine-maintenance/https://uksew.shmor.ai/blog/industrial-sewing-machine-maintenance/Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMTA practical daily, weekly and periodic maintenance routine for industrial sewing machines: oiling, cleaning, needles, belts and when to call an engineer.