Arbee Designs' official blog - all blog posts are written by Ruth Blanchet and often include guest quilters, teachers' quotes, tips and tricks, free patterns, and more! We have more tips, tricks, and free patterns on our lesson pages too.

applique and patchwork quilt block designed by Ruth Blanchet with free instructions at Arbee Designs

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Flowers for My Mother

Flowers for My Mother

I find I need to quickened my pace as the clouds consume the sky once again. After a quick dash home and inside as the first drops start pelting down, I...

Flowers for My Mother

I find I need to quickened my pace as the clouds consume the sky once again. After a quick dash home and inside as the first drops start pelting down, I...

grape hyacinth flower block in a quilt

Grape Hyacinth - applique flower block

I remember Grape Hyacinth popping up in early spring as a young girl. I loved these little flowers so of course I needed to make an applique flower block.

Grape Hyacinth - applique flower block

I remember Grape Hyacinth popping up in early spring as a young girl. I loved these little flowers so of course I needed to make an applique flower block.

Izzy's finished tortoise cushion - instructions on how to make it in the blog post

Izzy's Embroidered Cushion

I'm looking forward to having my granddaughters for a sleepover. Last year Izzy (aged 6 at the time) embroidered my tortoise design using a simple running stitch

Izzy's Embroidered Cushion

I'm looking forward to having my granddaughters for a sleepover. Last year Izzy (aged 6 at the time) embroidered my tortoise design using a simple running stitch

Elizabeth Barton's color course

How much do you know about color?

Color combinations, color and contrast, value, intensity, and temperature.... now you can learn it inside out with the help of veteran teacher/designer Elizabeth Barton. She doesn't leave any stone unturned!

How much do you know about color?

Color combinations, color and contrast, value, intensity, and temperature.... now you can learn it inside out with the help of veteran teacher/designer Elizabeth Barton. She doesn't leave any stone unturned!

Poppies - a new design

Poppies - a new design

I wanted to show you some work-in-progress photos as well as share some tips I think you'll find useful when constructing this quilt or any other applique quilt for that...

Poppies - a new design

I wanted to show you some work-in-progress photos as well as share some tips I think you'll find useful when constructing this quilt or any other applique quilt for that...

what's happening in Fall weather

Ambitions Often Outweigh Time and Energy

As you will discover, my ambition outweighed my time and energy so all my plans did not come to light but this update let's you know what been happening and about to...

1 comment

Ambitions Often Outweigh Time and Energy

As you will discover, my ambition outweighed my time and energy so all my plans did not come to light but this update let's you know what been happening and about to...

1 comment
using different techniques to create butterflies

Butterflies - appliqued verses embroidered

I've been playing around with applique and embroidery butterflies. Of course, applique is my go to, but many quilters are afraid to do it - but really there is nothing to...

Butterflies - appliqued verses embroidered

I've been playing around with applique and embroidery butterflies. Of course, applique is my go to, but many quilters are afraid to do it - but really there is nothing to...

dahlia flowers and dahlia applique block

New Flower Block Possibilities

Chaperoned around a friend's garden gave me a great chance to snap shot some interesting flower possibilities for new applique blocks. 

New Flower Block Possibilities

Chaperoned around a friend's garden gave me a great chance to snap shot some interesting flower possibilities for new applique blocks. 

Designing a Flower Quilt

Designing a Flower Quilt

After collecting a lot of photos, I use GIMP (open source software) to cut bits of photos and arrange them in a pleasing arrangement. I've created a short video showing....

Designing a Flower Quilt

After collecting a lot of photos, I use GIMP (open source software) to cut bits of photos and arrange them in a pleasing arrangement. I've created a short video showing....

embroideries by Marilyn Lee

Marilyn's Free Embroidery Files

Have you ever seen any of Marilyn Lee's embroideries? She does both free hand embroidery on her tread machine and creates designs for embroidery machines as well. They are all...

Marilyn's Free Embroidery Files

Have you ever seen any of Marilyn Lee's embroideries? She does both free hand embroidery on her tread machine and creates designs for embroidery machines as well. They are all...

primula flower block

Designing a Flower Block

One of my favorite quilting adventures is to create flowers in applique so over the next few weeks I'm going to be doing a series of applique flowers that I've created...

Designing a Flower Block

One of my favorite quilting adventures is to create flowers in applique so over the next few weeks I'm going to be doing a series of applique flowers that I've created...

bargello in summer - a featured quilt in the beginners bargello course

A Student's Beautiful Bargello

As I sit here in the midst of a cyclone currently causing havoc, I thought instead of sewing today when at any moment we could lose power (currently working on...

A Student's Beautiful Bargello

As I sit here in the midst of a cyclone currently causing havoc, I thought instead of sewing today when at any moment we could lose power (currently working on...

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