Storm at Sea block
 

I was checking out Quilter's Cache and saw this block. It uses a paper pieced or templates pattern. Can this block be done without PP/templates? Could you use a rectangle and add squares to the corners? (sew and flip style). Perhaps do the square-in-a-square with the same method? Is that possible?
I could try it that way but thought it would be faster to ask people that know.
Thanks for your help.

The SIS units are very basic, so using traditional techniques works well for them. The diamond unit is more difficult. You could use Tri-Recs or the Deb Tucker ruler for that one. I bought a special ruler set and loved the way mine turned out. It is the Wendy Mathson Trimplates. You get the accuracy of PP but you don't have to tear off the paper. A lot of people don't like to buy specialty rulers, but in this case the accuracy is worth the price to me.

Darren

I made a double size quilt of Storm at Sea, a version called Circles of Friends) and sometimes the angles on the outside circle are really tough. Trying to get those points perfect took a lot of time especially since so many layers of fabric from seams coming together at that point. But no, you don't need templates or paper piecing.

I don't know how to PP. I bought Marti Mitchell's templates. It's a WIP right now.

I just looked at the block again. I think I am wrong about using a square on the corners of the rectangles.
I guess you'd have to use a rectangle shape (not a square) to sew and flip.

Thanks MQ2 for the info. I now can see the difficulty with the bulky seams. I hadn't thought about that problem.

This mccalls pattern uses templates. http://www.mccallsquilting.com/qb/mc...206/index.html

Although when I try to click the pdf for templates I can't get them, so maybe the link isn't working anymore.

Same for me, Thimblebug...the link won't work. I guess the link has been removed.

I just went there and had the same problem. I put storm at sea templates in the search and it brought up several block patterns, I hit the storm at sea one and the pattern came up and the template page came up when I clicked it from that pattern. I had just printed the one from quilters cache and was going to make my own templates from there but the ones from Mc Calls is much better. Thank you for showing it.

One of the best tools for doing storm at sea is the tri-recs rulers and you would rotary cut. Storm at sea requires a 57 degree? triangle and half-rectangular squares. These are hard to piece unless you use use a template that tells you where to slice the point off the triangles. If you slice the point off the triangles, it's pretty easy to know where to line up the pieces for piecing.

Many manufacturers make tri-recs tools, including the 57? degree triangle and the half-rectangle. Marti Michell is one. I think I got the EZ International ones, that are frequently 50% off at Joann's . http://www.joann.com/wrights-ez-tri-...r/4192068.html.

Some people think the tri-rec rec ruler is just a badly inaccurate 60 degree triangle. Nope. It is deliberately cut at the angle it is just for storm at sea (and certain star blocks that also use such an angle)