Free pattern day! Storm-at-Sea Quilts and block diagrams

Storm at Sea uses small changes in straight angles to create an optical illusion of rounded shapes.  Here are some free storm-at-sea quilt patterns!  Note: This post has been UPDATED.  For the latest free patterns, please visit our Free Pattern Day for Storm-at-Sea quilts (CLICK HERE!)

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Image credits and links: This post was updated on May 12, 2025.  The photo montage shown on this page is a derivative work that is the property of Quilt Inspiration. If any links are broken, we'd love to know so we can fix it. Please email us at QuiltInspiration {at} gmail {dot} com.

Storm-at-sea quilt wrapup

Here are some gorgeous storm-at-sea quilts we've shown at Quilt Inspiration. We are so fascinated by the design possibilities of this block !  For free downloadable block diagrams and free storm-at-sea patterns, please see our updated post:  Storm at Sea Quilts and Free Block Diagrams.
  
Eye of the Storm, Heart of the Storm, Summerfest Garden, Oceana, Delft Storm, and Albers at Sea

Row 1:  Eye of the Storm by Peggy Martin, at Peggy Martin Quilts; Heart of the Storm, by John Flynn, at Flynn Quilt.  Row 2: Summerfest Garden, by Joen Wolfrom; Oceana, by Linda Jean Peterson at Cape Cod Art Studio. Row 3:  Delft Storm, by Ionne McCauley, at Ionne Quilts; Albers at Sea, by Debra Levin at the Empire Quilters Guild.

Image credits: Images are shown with the generous permission of the designers.

The end of the Blues

We're wrapping up "The Blues" with a look at the dazzling quilts we've featured over the last two weeks. And, we've come to a few conclusions. First, we love the color Blue, in all its manifestations. Second, we are captivated by bold graphic designs with high contrasts: there is nothing bland about these quilts! Finally, just looking at these quilts makes us feel serene and hopeful... which means that color psychology is for real!

Top row, L-R: Bachelor’s Wedding Ring, by Eric Gunson, at Pieceful Expressions; Kaleidoscope, the 2010 ASIJ Auction Quilt by Julie Fukuda and colleages, as seen at My Quilt Diary; Yuletide Snowflake design, by Joanna Figueroa, at Fig Tree Quilts (the quilt shown was made by Connecting Threads). Row 2: Glowing Splendor, by Barbara Cline, at Delightful Piecing; Teacup, by Maria Elkins, at Maria Elkins Art Quilts; Embroidered Japanese Crests, by Susa Glenn, at Susa Glenn Designs. Row 3: Victorian Gingerbread, by Janice Lee Baehr, at Pacific Rim Quilt Company; Albers at Sea, by Debra Levin, at the Empire Quilters Guild; Delft Storm, by Ionne McCauley, at Ionne Quilts.

Image credits:  Images are shown with the generous permission of the artists.

Delft Storm

When we hear the word "Delft" , it brings to mind the magnificent blue and white pottery traditionally produced near the town of the same name in the Netherlands. The  intense blues of Delftware were achieved by painting the pottery with a solution of salts of cobalt oxide; and we see that same mesmerizing cobalt blue color here, in its purest form.

Delft Storm, 39 x 39, by Ionne McCauley, at Ionne Quilts

"Delft Storm" incorporates medallions and diamonds of varied sizes and angles to produce an undulating, swirling effect that reminds us of white-capped waves on a wind-whipped blue lake. Ionne has created  the deep cobalt medallion as  the focal point. She enhances the luminous, dimensional quality of this work by using a medium value fabric at the point where the medallion intersects the pale blue ribbons.  It is this sense of movement and transparency which creates a captivating work that is both elegant and energetic.

"Delft Storm", along with "Blue Plaid Shirt", another lovely monochromatic quilt, can be seen in Ionne McCauley's online gallery of traditional quilts.

Ionne McCauley along with Sharon Pederson,  is also the author of Color for the Terrified Quilter. This is a fabulous book of eleven different, intriguing  Nine-Patch projects. Ionne provides so much useful information about color combinations and value differences which make a successful, eye-catching quilt.  Color For The Terrified Quilter is highly recommended by students and teachers alike.

Ionne has a fascinating and rich background in clothing design, quilt design, teaching, and dyeing and painting her own fabrics. She draws her inspiration from the magnificent scenery and nature surrounding her home on the west coast of Canada.

Image credits:  The quilt image is the copyright of Ionne McCauley and is shown with the generous permission of the artist.