Nine named sea creatures -- Salty Seahorse, Octavian the octopus, Angelica the jellyfish, Tony the Turtle, Chuckles the clownfish, Puffy the pufferfish, Mr. Manatee, Kelp, and Preppy the Whale -- packed together on a dark blue-gray background in a full rainbow gradient from cool greens and teals at the top to warm oranges and corals at the bottom. Elizabeth Hartman's Awesome Ocean is one of her most visually dense sampler quilts, and the large 71" x 83" version, with 8 of each block, is a complete underwater ecosystem in patchwork.

The construction is all conventional patchwork throughout -- no templates, no paper piecing. Nine different block types at Skill Level 4 of 5 makes this a genuine sampler challenge. The color gradient is built around monochromatic groups of 5 fat quarters: each group ranges from lightest to darkest value of the same color family, and the groups are arranged in color order to build the rainbow effect. This is the second edition, originally published in 2017 and updated in 2021.

What the Pattern Includes

This listing is for the printed paper pattern only. Fabric, batting, backing, and notions are not included.

This is the second edition of Awesome Ocean (2021). The sample quilts use Kona Solids throughout; the original 2017 edition used the Reef collection for Robert Kaufman, which is now out of print. The second edition's instructions are built around Kona Solids and work beautifully with any coordinating solid palette.

The pattern booklet includes complete instructions for both quilt sizes -- a 37" x 43" small quilt (2 of each block) and a 71" x 83" large quilt (8 of each block) -- plus a detailed fabric chart on Page 3 showing the specific Kona Solids used in the sample quilts. Diagrams and cutting charts for every block are included.

What You'll Need

Fat quarters are organized into monochromatic groups of 5. Each group should range from lightest (Fabric 1) to darkest (Fabric 5) within the same color family. The large quilt uses 8 groups (40 fat quarters total); the small quilt uses 2 groups (10 fat quarters total).

Large Quilt (71" x 83"):

• Colorful fabrics: 40 fat quarters in 8 monochromatic groups of 5
• Light solid detail fabric: 1/4 yard | Dark solid detail fabric: 1/4 yard
• Background fabric: 5-1/4 yards
• Backing: 5-1/4 yards | Binding: 3/4 yard | Batting: 75" x 88"

Small Quilt (37" x 43"):

• Colorful fabrics: 10 fat quarters in 2 monochromatic groups of 5
• Light solid detail fabric: 1/8 yard | Dark solid detail fabric: 1/8 yard
• Background fabric: 1-3/4 yards
• Backing: 2-1/2 yards | Binding: 3/8 yard | Batting: 41" x 47"

A fabric marking tool is also required.

Perfect For

• Experienced quilters ready for a visually ambitious sampler with a full rainbow gradient and nine distinct sea creature blocks
• Quilters who made Whale Watching and want a companion pattern with even more variety
• A child's bedroom, ocean lover's home, or coastal decor
• Anyone who wants a quilt where every block tells a different underwater story
• Kona Solids collectors looking for a pattern that showcases value gradients to dramatic effect

Why You'll Love This Pattern

Nine different creatures means nine completely different block constructions, and the variety here is broader than almost any other pattern in Elizabeth Hartman's catalog -- Tony the Turtle reads completely differently from Angelica the jellyfish, which reads completely differently from the undulating form of Kelp. The density of the large quilt, with 8 of each block, is what makes it so striking: it reads like a full ocean scene, not a sampler grid.

The five-fabric value system is the key to the gradient's success. Because each group moves from light to dark within the same color family, the rows of creatures have internal depth that flat single-fabric blocks don't. The fabric chart on Page 3 is worth following closely the first time -- it shows exactly which values go where across the quilt, which is the planning work that makes the finished gradient look effortless.

Awesome Ocean has been in print since 2017 and updated in 2021. The second edition reflects years of quilters' experience and is the most complete version of the pattern.

Product Details

• Brand: Elizabeth Hartman
• Item #: EH036
• Designer: Elizabeth Hartman
• Category: Quilting Pattern
• Skill Level: Skill Level 4 of 5 (Elizabeth Hartman's rating); nine different block types; high volume of small pieces; experience with accurate patchwork piecing required
• Technique: Standard Machine Sewing, Conventional Patchwork
• Edition: Second Edition (2021)
• Finished Sizes: 71" x 83" Large Quilt (8 of each block) | 37" x 43" Small Quilt (2 of each block)
• Format: Printed Paper Pattern
• Made in the United States