STORM AT SEA In 2 or 3 Colors
The perfect quilt for beginners AND experienced Paper-Piecers alike
It's Paper Piecing for the 21st Century
Are you curious about paper piecing? Do you and paper piecing already have a love/hate relationship? Do you love the accuracy you achieve, but hate the process of getting there? Well, this class will change that to a LOVE, and kind of an addictive relationship. We’ll be using the versatile, graphic, complex, quite simple Storm at Sea pattern to learn my “No More Tears” © method of paper piecing. Although we won’t be finishing the entire project in class, you’ll have a good start, and the tools you’ll need to finish it at home, in half the time you’d expect from paper piecing. Don’t believe me? You’ll just have to come and see for yourself.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED FOR CLASS
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Your pre-cut and any extra fabric
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Sewing machine, thread and pre-wound bobbin, regular piecing foot and 1/4" foot
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Pins, and just in case, a seam ripper
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Rotary cutter (with a new blade) and ruler - 6"x12" works fine
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Invisible Scotch Tape (any brand)
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Pencil or pen
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A Hand Needle (embroidery, cotton darning) as long as it has a sharp point and a long eye
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Small cutting mat 9" x 12" is fine
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Highlighter (Pink, green, blue, orange, but NOT yellow)
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Add-A-Quarter ruler (the longer the better)
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Paper and fabric scissors
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Something in which to collect your scraps
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Oral B Pro-Health Comfort Plus Floss or any ribbon floss
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For Virtual Classes Only:
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Elmer's Disappearing Purple Glue Stick or any washable, acid free glue stick (online classes only)
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Your pre-printed patterns (for online classes only)
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Click here for more about the paper (for online classes only)
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30"x 30"
A WORD ABOUT FABRIC
A word about fabric selection: Please, keep it simple, and keep in mind that we’re here to learn a new method, and maybe not create the ultimate Storm at Sea masterpiece. Ideally, we’re looking for 2 contrasting** fabrics, and if you want, a third color, you’ll want to use a different fabric in the same color family as your dark fabric. Either way, your Storm at Sea will shine. The finished project will be simple to construct, yet impactful. ​
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Why only 2 (or 3) fabrics? Because this class is less about design and more about technique. Like anything new we learn, we want it to become habit, and if we’re focused on design, it takes away from our practice time.​
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If you want to add a third color for more movement, I find that a variation of your “dark” fabric works well. ​
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All fabric is cut cross grain or Width of Fabric (WOF). Measurements assume 40" of useable fabric. Bring cut pieces to class in three baggies...one for Large Center Squares, one for Sashing Rectangles and one for Cornerstone Squares.
**Contrasting fabric means any 2 fabrics that will stand out on their own and make the lines of your quilt top “crisp”. They can be solids, a print and a solid, or 2 small prints that read as solid from a distance. Another thing to remember is that solid fabrics will be a little less forgiving if your points don't match precisely. When selecting your fabric, avoid directional prints, large prints, or 2 prints that share the same color(s).
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CUTTING SPECS
If you start with 2 yards of each fabric you'll have enough left of the dark for your binding and enough left of the light for the backing. You'll actually be using 41.5" of the dark fabric and 29" of the light.
If making a 3 color quilt, adjust the yardage as detailed in the cutting directions for Baggie #3.
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Baggie #1
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Large Center Squares:
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From the Dark Fabric Cut:
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One 4" strip. From this strip cut nine 4" squares.
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Two 4-1/2" strips. From these strips cut eighteen 4-1/2" squares. Cut these eighteen squares diagonally in half to form thirty six half-square triangles. Place them in Baggie #1.
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From the Light Fabric Cut:
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Two 3-1/2" strips. From these strips cut eighteen 3-1/2" squares. Cut these eighteen squares diagonally in half to form thirty six half-square triangles. Place them in Baggie #1
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Baggie #2
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Cornerstone Squares:
From the Dark Fabric Cut:
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One 2” strip. Cut this strip into sixteen 2” squares.
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Two 3" strips. Cut these strips into thirty two 3" squares. Cut these thirty two squares diagonally in half to form sixty four half-square triangles. (If you don't have enough fabric, use the remainder of the 4" strip from the Sashing Rectangle to make up the difference.) Place in Baggie #2
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From the Light Fabric Cut:
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Two 2-1/4" strips. Cut these strips into thirty two 2-1/4" squares. Cut these 32 squares diagonally in half to form sixty four half square triangles. Place them in Baggie #2.
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Baggie #3
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Sashing Rectangles:
From the Dark Fabric Cut:
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Five 4" strips. Cut these strips into twenty-four 4"x7" rectangles. Place them in Baggie #3. (If using the third color, use it to cut your 4"x7" rectangles. You'll need 20" inches of fabric to start.)​
From the Light Fabric:
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Six 3" strips. Cut these strips into forty eight 3"x5" rectangles. Cut these forty eight rectangles diagonally in half to form ninety six "uneven" or asymmetrical triangles. Place them in Baggie #3.
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Note: Since these triangles are ''uneven " or asymmetrical they have a precise placement in the block. It is important that you make sure you pair your rectangles either wrong or right sides together before cutting them in half diagonally. An easy way to do this is by making sure you keep your strips folded in half, as the fabric comes off the bolt, before cutting the rectangles. This way, the rectangles will already be wrong sides together.