Quilt 2 of 4: Storm at Sea Style in Blues

In a previous post, I documented the first of four memorial quilts I created for one family, using clothing from a beloved husband, uncle, brother. I’m so honored to be a part of the storytelling of these keepsake quilts and their memories for this family, and I hope they each bring comfort amid grief.

A Tribute in Tranquility

The second quilt in this four-part memorial series is a study in serenity and structure. Inspired by the traditional Storm at Sea quilt block, with a charming heart shaped twist, this piece pays tribute to a life remembered with clarity, thoughtfulness, and calm. The classic design conjures feelings of precision and order, which translate to the more human traits of skill, talent, or calm capability. By highlighting certain blocks with color placement, two linked hearts emerge from the churning blue waters.

Design Details: A Classic with Meaning

At the heart of this quilt is the Storm at Sea block layout, a traditional pattern known for its optical illusion of curves created entirely with straight seams. It’s a classic quilt pattern that is on many quilters’ “to-make list” for its endless options for color play and its showcasing of precision. And as a memorial quilt, it becomes a lovely metaphor. Like the transition from grief to treasured memory, the angles project subtle shifts and motion, holding both structure and softness, strength and vulnerability.

The fabrics were all salvaged from worn but loved dress shirts and slacks, tangible links to the person being remembered. Shades of navy, dusty denim, and soft periwinkle play across the quilt top, grounded by a crisp white cotton background. The palette is cool and calming, evoking Southern California ocean breezes, open skies, and moments of quiet reflection.

Professional Clothing transforms into serene quilt style

My role in creating a memorial quilt from clothing items is to use my emotional distance to make the aesthetic decisions that go into a quilt. When you’re grieving a loss, you might not have the bandwidth to know which items fit into the overall design and style of a quilt. You focus on the emotional connection to each piece of clothing included, and I focus on making it a visually appealing item that will fit into your daily life and continue its storytelling journey within your family.

So after I received all the clothing that was to be used for the entire series of quilts, my first move was to group them in a way that made sense to me artistically and aesthetically. Then, through communications with the client, some pieces were moved around among the groups in a way that stayed true to the emotional significance of each quilt, and the relationship of each quilt’s recipient to their loved one.

The first of the four quilts finalized and created for this customer used the warm & woven grouping of fabrics, where I chose all the warmest colors and boldest and most interesting woven textures to go together in the Hearts Full of Love quilt pattern. Where that quilt was a burst of warm affection and good humor, this quilt is a quiet meditation, drawing the eye inward and back outward like the ebb and flow of the tide.

I grouped together all of the bluest clothing items, from cloudless sky blue to deep silky navy, primarily from dress shirts and slacks. These are professional clothes, and I think they speak to the memories of this man’s vocation, his gravitas, his professional pursuits and contributions.

I think fabrics that connote capability and competence were a perfect complement to the chosen Storm at Sea quilt pattern because this is a traditional pattern that showcases precision and craftsmanship. Those sharp angles are on full display against the crisp white background fabric and are necessary to create those faux curves that the pattern is famous for.

This is a geometrically complex pattern that evokes skill, intention and maybe a little ambition. It is not flashy or wild, but orderly and thoughtful. I hope it captures a similar facet of the man himself for those that loved him.

Thoughtful Finishing Details That Elevate the quilt

Not to get too literal, but this Storm at Sea needed a ‘calm waters’ quilting motif to balance all those sharp edges and angles. I used my Handiquilter Sweet Sixteen sit-down long arm machine to free-motion quilt these medium dense waves and swirls horizontally across the quilt. It was an appropriately meditative and rhythmic process. I used a white cotton thread to blend into the white background fabric, and a navy bobbin thread to blend into the deep navy backing. This requires careful tension balance to not have any of the navy thread show through the white top, which further adds to the air of precision and proficiency running through this quilt.

The back is a navy Speckled cotton sateen from Ruby Star Society. Not only do the metallic gold accents in this fabric add to its class and elegance, but the sheen of the cotton sateen echoes the sheen from the quality suiting fabrics used on the top.

The whole piece is framed by a navy cotton binding, a durable finish for an heirloom that will last.

Closing Thoughts and Continuing the Story

Every quilt in this series captures a different facet of memory and personality that characterize the life of one man. With its classic design, cool palette, and skilled construction, this one offers a particularly contemplative tribute. Whatever the memories it holds for the recipient, I hope they find comfort in its serene blues and wrap themselves up in its history.

Next up: A modern and minimalist memorial quilt speaks to nuance and quiet depths. I hope you will join me again as this series unfolds.

If you are looking to memorialize clothing into a keepsake quilt, but would love to have me take the aesthetic decisions off your plate so you can concentrate on the stories being told, please visit the galleries to see if we would be a good fit, or check the custom keepsake quilt listings to learn more.

Keepsake Quilts

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