Today, we will be doing a deep dive into the underwater fun of the gorgeous Storm At Sea quilt pattern.
If you don’t recognize the name, that’s okay because we’re going to go over all the details about this specific quilt pattern and give you 15 beautiful examples of this seemingly fluid design.
At first glance, the pattern will seem a bit difficult to some, but if you look closely at the storm at sea quilt blocks, you will notice they are made entirely of straight seam blocks.
No curves.
Let’s take a closer look at this quilt pattern.
- What Is a Storm at Sea Quilt?
- Who Designed the Storm at Sea Quilt Pattern?
- How Do You Make a Storm at Sea Quilt?
- How Much Fabric Do You Need for a Storm at Sea Quilt?
- 15 Storm at Sea Patterns That Are Easy and Breezy
- 1. Robert Kaufman Free Storm at Sea
- 2. Heartwaves
- 3. Smooth Sailing
- 4. King of the Blues
- 5. Purple Vortex
- 6. Rainbow Waves
- 7. Sunset Storm at Sea
- 8. SewnUpPatterns Storm at Sea Pattern
- 9. Making Waves
- 10. The Forever Quilt
- 11. Quilt In a Day Storm at Sea
- 12. Tsunami
- 13. Rainbow Prism Storm at Sea
- 14. YellowRoseQuiltCo Storm at Sea Pattern
- 15. Our Hearts Will Go On
What Is a Storm at Sea Quilt?
What do you imagine when you think about a literal storm at sea? Movement? Rolling, thundering waves? That is precisely the effect this quilt design is meant to mimic.
Traditionally, this quilt pattern has just two different types of blocks: the square in a square in two different sizes and the diamond in a rectangle block. Variations have been created, but they always use straight seams, never curved, making this pattern a fun beginner project.
Who Designed the Storm at Sea Quilt Pattern?
The history of specific quilt patterns is always a little shifty. Many times, they weren’t well-documented, and the origin stories of many popular, traditional quilt patterns are lost in the sands of time.
There is a possible origin of the Storm at Sea quilt pattern. Many quilt blocks and patterns were named and created around the Great Depression, and one of the writers at scrapdash.com was able to find a newspaper clipping of the pattern for the different pieces. This clipping was from the Kansas City Star and was sent in by Eveline Foland.
Whether or not she is the original designer, this pattern has been around for almost a century, and that is amazing all on its own.
How Do You Make a Storm at Sea Quilt?
Just like any other quilt pattern, you have two options. You can design the pattern yourself using quilting software (or draw it by hand), or you can use a pre-made pattern that you need to pay for or one that is free.
Once you have the pattern picked out, you get the exciting task of choosing fabrics. If you choose to purchase or use a free pattern, the designer probably gives you fabric requirements.
After you’ve gathered up all your fabric, thread, and batting, you are now ready to construct your quilt. Follow the step-by-step storm at sea quilt tutorial until you have completed the quilt top. Then you can quilt it as desired, bind the edges and enjoy your gorgeous new quilt.
How Much Fabric Do You Need for a Storm at Sea Quilt?
If you are a beginner quilter or don’t like doing the math to figure out how much fabric you need for a specific project, I highly recommend purchasing a pattern. It’s a standard in quilt patterns that the design supplies you with fabric requirements for their patterns. Some even give different sizes and the requirements for each.
15 Storm at Sea Patterns That Are Easy and Breezy
This list features the traditional design and some storm at sea quilt pattern variations. Keep in mind, all the curves you see in these designs are an illusion. There won’t be any curved seams to sew to create these unique, “moving” designs.
1. Robert Kaufman Free Storm at Sea
This is a free downloadable PDF pattern file by Robert Kaufman. The design is a traditional Storm at Sea pattern using gorgeous neutrals in an ombre palette. This pattern will help you create a quilt measuring 65”x80”.
2. Heartwaves
This designer is a genius for putting the Storm at Sea blocks together with the Ocean Waves border. This quilt has so much movement and fluidity, not to mention the beautiful hearts that are created using different color variations.
3. Smooth Sailing
Many Storm at Sea quilt patterns utilize batik fabrics, and this quilt top is a great example. If you are looking for easy ocean-themed quilt patterns, this pattern is a great choice for you.
4. King of the Blues
King of the Blues is a fantastic pattern choice if you have some quilting experience already. This pattern includes five different layouts and shows you how to create king-size quilts measuring 120”x120”.
5. Purple Vortex
Here is an AMAZING example of how to create a modern quilt using a traditional design. This quilt designer added even more modern detail by doing gorgeous straight line quilting along with circular quilting.
6. Rainbow Waves
This is a free downloadable pattern and will work best for quilters who have intermediate to advanced skills. This pattern will show you how to create this quilt top using paper piecing and traditional piecing.
7. Sunset Storm at Sea
This pattern gives you a template for a 15” square that you can then duplicate and make any size quilt you would like. The template is a printable document that you can use to cut out and create your blocks.
8. SewnUpPatterns Storm at Sea Pattern
This five-page pattern shows you how to create this eye-catching quilt design using foundation paper piecing. The designer wrote the pattern to create a small 45 ½”x45 ½” quilt top, perfect for someone who doesn’t want to create a huge project.
9. Making Waves
This stunning quilt pattern is free – yes, FREE! The finished quilt will measure 90”x90”, a great twin bed size or an oversized throw quilt.
10. The Forever Quilt
This pattern is quite similar to #2 in our list minus the wave border. This design is more beginner-friendly, and the pattern includes two different sizes: queen and throw.
11. Quilt In a Day Storm at Sea
This pattern is free to download or only costs $2 to have shipped to you. This pattern will show you how to create one of these lovely blocks with extremely thorough, well-written instructions.
12. Tsunami
Tsunami is a giant Storm at Sea quilt pattern and mimics the movement of waves on the ocean. This pattern comes with three sizes, and the designer also mentions if you want a different size, they will send you an updated pattern to fit your size needs.
13. Rainbow Prism Storm at Sea
Vibrant and warm, this rainbow-themed Storm at Sea quilt design is stunning and breathtaking. The pattern will show you how to make a 46”x72” throw quilt.
14. YellowRoseQuiltCo Storm at Sea Pattern
Here is another pattern that features the wave borders with the Storm at Sea design. This pattern offers three different sizes, and all three sizes use the same size blocks, so if you decide to create a larger or smaller quilt, you can easily do so.
15. Our Hearts Will Go On
Isn’t this a lovely feature having the two hearts in the design? This would make a beautiful wedding or anniversary gift for a happy couple. The pattern includes two sizes: queen and throw.
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I hope this post has cleared up any confusion about what a Storm at Sea quilt pattern is and what kind of different variations you can make using this traditional design.
Blues and purples are popular color palettes for this pattern but imagine using a combination of different colors to make a striking motif. Hopefully, this has got your quilty wheels turning in your mind and will inspire you to go out and create your own Storm at Sea quilt.
Happy Quilting and Sailing!