If you didn’t know this about me, I am a very deliberate person. When making a quilt for a person, sometimes it takes me years to come up with the design and color options for that specific person. This one … Continue reading →

I've been busy, and it’s a good thing.

I am forever prattling about my never-ending quest for knowledge and techniques for the crafts I love, mostly textile related. For a long time I have wanted to get back to sewing clothes for myself, and it finally happened in July.

I took a class at Stitchin’ Post to make a t-shirt using my new serger/cover stitch combo machine. I used the Concord Tee pattern by Cashmerette. The class was all day, and I had a blast. We started with tracing our pattern and, by the time the class ...

It is exactly a year since I ran away from home to Devon and lived in an old caravan until I found my wee cottage. I have now experienced all of the seasons, including what seems to be an early, wet autumn. The conkers on the trees in the park are huge. Nessie and I are now familiar with the regulars in the park, including the 2 resident geese. I was glad that I invested in a decent second hand raincoat and have now added some reflective heat-press flowers so cars can see me in the dark. 

I have done ...

Let me tell you about the SewTites for your longarm! I am excited to share my experience and how it works for me.

These magnets are mega strong and perfect for longarm machines… you know how loading the backing fabric using pins is kind of tedious.

I’ve tried another system for loading them and didn’t really like it (I tell you about it in the video). So I was a little hesitant on using the SewTites, but I really do like it!

Currently I don’t have the pieces stitched in place on the longarm leader or ender ...

Learn how to sew a DIY smock apron with this simple sewing tutorial. This beginner-friendly apron pattern is perfect for quilting, cooking, crafting, or even working in the garden.

It slips right over your head, so there are no ties to fuss with, and the roomy fit makes it extra comfortable to wear.

With just a couple of yards of fabric and a little sewing time, you’ll have a handmade apron that’s not only practical but also a great scrap-buster project.

Whether you’re looking for a handmade gift idea, something to keep your clothes clean while you ...

Crochet - Sewing & Applique 

 My Month in Stitches 

Stitched Robin 

Applique & Stitched

Mouse ...

Buying a new sewing machine can feel overwhelming—there are so many brands, features, and price points to consider! To make things easier, here are my top 10 tips for choosing your very first machine.

1. Buy the Best Sewing Machine You Can Afford

Cheaper machines often have plastic parts that won’t hold up over time. Also, some of them are not built very well and will fall apart after a few uses. New and inexpensive machines (I'm looking at you - Amazon) may work for a while but can be frustrating and short-lived. That said, don’t overspend ...

Top of my weekend job list was to paint over the water damage in my bedroom, having had a nice long hot summer to dry out. However, we have had some “proper” rain bursts this week and the wall was wet again. I have not really encountered horribly wet weather since living here, unlike the relentlessly wet winter the year before. Everything is so dry that the trees are dropping their leaves very early and when it rains it dries up almost straight away. I have ordered a waterproof raincoat (second-hand from Vinted), not just a shower Mac. I have ...

Taking photos of sewing machines is not as easy as you might imagine. Quilt Direct had a media and marketing apprentice for a while and she did most of the social media posts but I am now responsible for the “on the fly” studio posts. I had to take pictures of the new Bernina 7 Series Pro machines but they looked grey or had glare because I was not getting the lighting right. There is a bit of a weird phenomenon where videos of the machines can be flickery so I had to turn off their LED lights. I am ...

If you love quilting and advent calendars, you’ve come to the right place! I design a custom Advent Calendar every year, and

The post All About Advent 2025 appeared first on Always Expect Moore.

This blog post is going to be more of a pictorial update of the past week than a word-filled one. I guess I have more time to snap pics than to compose. So, c'mon along while I fill you in on the happenings in and around Chez Goodneedle... and beyond!Our oldest granddaughter represented North Carolina in the Southern Zone Championships in Orlando last week. We drove down to watch her compete

This blog post is going to be more of a pictorial update of the past week than a word-filled one. I guess I have more time to snap pics than to compose. So, c'mon along while I fill you in on the happenings in and around Chez Goodneedle... and beyond!Our oldest granddaughter represented North Carolina in the Southern Zone Championships in Orlando last week. We drove down to watch her compete

It’s time to take back your chaos of projects and make some progress! the 2026 Patchwork Planner is ready for you… and there’s a fun extra bonus when you grab the digital edition. The spiral bound pre-sell is happening as well!

If you’re ready to make 2026 the year you actually finish more quilts (instead of just adding to the project pile), the new 2026 Patchwork Planner is here to help.

This isn’t just a pretty calendar—it’s a tool built for quilters who want to track their projects, plan their sewing time, and join ...

Welcome friends to a muchly anticipated and very over-due Quilt Along!

I can’t quite believe the last Quilt-Along (the Mini Block QAL) I hosted was seven years ago – that was 2018! What!?!?

Well today, I’m so happy to be able to share with you the first block in this new House Block QAL!

The Original Homestead is a nod to the classic house block seen in both vintage and modern quilts and is relatively simple to piece together. 

Take your time choosing the right colours and prints you want to use ...

I can’t believe that I am already back from FoQ! The journey from Devon is only around 4 hours including stops, rather than a 2-day marathon to NE Scotland. One minute we were setting up the full range of Bernina longarms and a few short days later we were packing everything up again. 

I felt that this year the show was buzzing again with more international visitors, great quilts and enthusiastic traders. It seemed as almost as busy as it was pre-Covid. With 2 large halls in use, there was plenty of space and places to stop and reflect ...

I named this pattern “Bling” because the main part of the design is an abstract representation of a sparkly ring. Can you see it?? Last week we cut out our fabrics and this week it’s time to sew them together to make Bling blocks! I like to lay out all of my pieces stacked up in order next to my sewing machine.

I’m making the scrappy background version, so as long as there’s good contrast between my lights and darks, these are going to look great! You can also use all of one background fabric for a ...

Learn how to make an hour glass quilt block – using 2 squares of fabric. This is such an easy quilt block and perfect for using those pre-cuts like the charm pack or layer cake.

Mix is up by sewing up a bunch and pairing up the half square triangles and then mixing them up when sewing the hour glass block.

If you’ve got a layer cake just waiting to be used (you know the one—it’s been sitting in your stash looking pretty), this is a great project to dive into. The hourglass block is one of those ...