New Releases by Jennifer Chiaverini

"Chiaverini has once again written an intense and beautiful book-so much so that readers will almost hear the hollow echo of the fife and drum as they immerse themselves in every compelling page . . . Truly unforgettable."--BookPage In 1862, the men of Water''s Ford, Pennsylvania, rally to President Lincoln''s call while Dorothea Granger marshals her friends to "wield their needles for the Union." Meanwhile, Anneke Bergstrom hides the shame she feels for her husband''s pacifism; gifted writer Gerda Bergstrom takes on local Southern sympathizers in the pages of the Water''s Ford Register; and Constance Wright struggles to help her husband gain entry to the Union Army-despite the color of his skin. As the women work, hope, and pray, the men they love confront loneliness, boredom, and danger on the battlefield. But the women of the sewing circle also forge a new independence that will forever alter the patchwork of life in the Elm Creek Valley.

Jennifer Chiaverini’s bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series starts with The Quilter’s Apprentice, a timeless tale of family, friendship, and forgiveness as two women weave the disparate pieces of their lives into a bountiful and harmonious whole, and begin the legacy of the Elm Street Quilters. When Sarah McClure and her husband, Matt, move to Waterford, Pennsylvania, she hopes to make a fresh start in the small college town. Unable to find a job both practical and fulfilling, she takes a temporary position at Elm Creek Manor helping its reclusive owner Sylvia Compson prepare her family estate for sale and after the death of her estranged sister. Sylvia is also a master quilter and, as part of Sarah’s compensation, offers to share the secrets of her creative gifts with the younger woman. During their lessons, the intricate, varied threads of Sylvia’s life begin to emerge. It is the story of a young wife living through the hardships and agonies of the World War II home front; of a family torn apart by jealousy and betrayal; of misunderstanding, loss, and a tragedy that can never be undone. As the bond between them deepens, Sarah resolves to help Sylvia free herself from remembered sorrows and restore her life—and her home—to its former glory. In the process, she confronts painful truths about her own family, even as she creates new dreams for the future. Just as the darker sections of a quilt can enhance the brighter ones, the mistakes of the past can strengthen understanding and lead the way to new beginnings. A powerful debut by a gifted storyteller, The Quilter’s Apprentice tells a timeless tale of family, friendship, and forgiveness as two women weave the disparate pieces of their lives into a bountiful and harmonious whole.

Jennifer Chiaverini’s bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series began with The Quilter’s Apprentice and continues with Round Robin—the name for a quilt stitched by many hands in turn—a poignant story of friendship and loyalty. The Elm Creek Quilters have begun a Round Robin quilt, created by sewing concentric patchwork borders to a central block, as a gift for their beloved fellow quilter Sylvia Compson. But even as the quilt is passed from friend to friend, its eloquent beauty increasing with every stitch, the threads of their happiness begin to unravel. As each woman confronts a personal crisis, a painful truth, or a life-changing choice, the quilt serves as a symbol of the complex and enduring bonds between mothers and daughters, sisters and friends.

The New York Times bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series continues, with a novel that celebrates one of America''s most romantic and enduring traditions. Sarah McClure arrived at Elm Creek Manor as a newlywed, never suspecting that her quilting lessons with master quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson would inspire the successful and enduring business Elm Creek Quilts, whose members have nurtured a circle of friendship spanning generations. The Wedding Quilt opens as the wedding day of Sarah''s daughter Caroline approaches. As Sarah has learned, a union celebrates not only the betrothed couple''s passage into wedlock, but also the contributions of those who have made the bride and groom the unique people they are. Thus Sarah''s thoughts are filled with brides of Elm Creek Manor past and present-the traditions they honored, the legacies they bequeathed, and the wedding quilts that contain their stories in every stitch. A wedding quilt is a powerful metaphor: of sisterhood, of community, of hope for the future. The blocks in Caroline''s wedding quilt will display the signatures of beloved guests. As the Elm Creek Quilters circulate amid the festive preparations with pens and fabric in hand, memories of the Manor-and of the women who have lived there, in happiness and in sorrow-spill forth, rendering a vivid pastiche of family, friendship, and love in all its varieties.

Inspired by the Elm Creek Quilts novels--Cover.

Timeless Quilts Inspired by the New York Times Best-Selling Novels • 11 traditional quilts for all skill levels, featuring more than 30 traditional blocks • Read about your favorite Elm Creek novels: The Sugar Camp Quilt, The Christmas Quilt, Circle of Quilters, The Quilter''s Homecoming, and The New Year''s Quilt • Complete instructions and full-sized patterns for each quilt, plus a chapter on quilting basics Jennifer Chiaverini is back with another collection of beautiful quilts from Elm Creek Quilts. The projects include Jennifer''s original designs, plus a sampler quilt made from the top 10 blocks in the Elm Creek Quilts design contest, and a quilt created from Chimneys and Cornerstones blocks contributed by Elm Creek readers. Every chapter includes excerpts and favorite character sketches from the Elm Creek Quilts novels. You loved the stories-now make more of the quilts they inspired!

You Loved the Elm Creek Books - Now Make More of the Quilts They Inspired! Get reacquainted with your favorite characters from the Elm Creek Quilts series while browsing through a dozen brand-new quilts designed by best-selling author Jennifer Chiaverini. • 12 all-new quilt projects inspired by the Elm Creek Quilts novels, including 3 from Jennifer’s book, The Master Quilter • Read about new and familiar characters with each quilt pattern • Projects for everyone – easy or more challenging, piecing or appliqué • Jennifer shares her insider’s view of a cross-country book tour

The New York Times–bestselling author of the Elm Creek Quilts Novels shares 140 block patterns so you can make your own version of this heirloom quilt! Celebrate the enduring bonds of friendship and create your own authentic version of the “secret” bridal sampler from the beloved novel The Master Quilter. Get together with other quilters to mix, match, and share 140 traditional blocks. Enjoy the gallery of sampler quilts made by other Elm Creek readers. This book includes complete instructions and links to full-sized patterns for every block from the sampler.

The ninth book in Jennifer Chiaverini''s bestselling series—when two of Elm Creek Quilts’ founding members decide to leave the fold, who can possibly take their place in the circle of quilters? When Elm Creek Quilts announces openings for two new teachers, quilters everywhere are vying to land the prestigious post. The impending departure of two founding members means untold changes for the Elm Creek Quilters. As they begin the interview process, a single question emerges: Who can possibly take the place of beloved colleagues and friends? "We must evaluate all of the applicants'' qualities," advises Master Quilter Sylvia Compson. "Our choice will say as much about us as it says about who we decide to hire." Who merits a place among the circle of quilters? Will it be Maggie, whose love of history shines through in all her projects; Anna, whose food-themed quilts are wonderfully innovative; Russ, the male quilter with a completely original style; Karen, a novice teacher whose gifts for language complement her deep understanding of the quilters'' mission; or Gretchen, the soulful veteran whose craft is inspired by quilting tradition?

• Patterns for 10 beautiful blocks combine piecing with appliqué for a unique sampler • Bring a little of Elm Creek into your own home • Get started right away with just a few clicks To celebrate the release of Circle of Quilters, the 9th novel in the Elm Creek Quilts series, Jennifer Chiaverini launched a quilt block design contest to her fans. The block that best captured the spirit of Elm Creek Quilts would become the series'' new logo. Block designs from the top 10 finalists in this contest, never before published, are featured here. Important note about this ebook: The pdf you receive will be watermarked in the margin with your customer name. You may download the file a maximum of 3 times for your personal use only. Sharing and/or distribution of the file - whether for profit or not - is strictly prohibited. The digital file contains patterns that may not print true to size and may require sizing adjustments (inchmarks are included on patterns for reference). Depending on your viewing application or device, printing desired page may result in multiple printed pages.

Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson treasures an antique quilt called by three names -- Birds in the Air, after its pattern; the Runaway Quilt, after the woman who sewed it; and the Elm Creek Quilt, after the place to which its maker longed to return. That quilter was Joanna, a fugitive slave who traveled by the Underground Railroad to reach safe haven in 1859 at Elm Creek Farm. Though Joanna''s freedom proved short-lived -- she was forcibly returned by slave catchers to Josiah Chester''s plantation in Virginia -- she left the Bergstrom family a most precious gift, her son. Hans and Anneke Bergstrom, along with maiden aunt Gerda, raised the boy as their own, and the secret of his identity died with their generation. Now it falls to Sylvia -- drawing upon Gerda''s diary and Joanna''s quilt -- to connect Joanna''s past to present-day Elm Creek Manor. Just as Joanna could not have foreseen that, generations later, her quilt would become the subject of so much speculation and wonder, Sylvia and her friends never could have imagined the events Joanna witnessed in her lifetime. Punished for her escape by being sold off to her master''s brother in Edisto Island, South Carolina, Joanna grieves over the loss of her son and resolves to run again, to reunite with him someday in the free North. Farther south than she has ever been, she nevertheless finds allies, friends, and even love in the slave quarter of Oak Grove, a cotton plantation where her skill with needle and thread soon becomes highly prized. Through hardship and deprivation, Joanna dreams of freedom and returning to Elm Creek Farm. Determined to remember each landmark on the route north, Joanna pieces a quilt of scraps left over from the household sewing, concealing clues within the meticulous stitches. Later, in service as a seamstress to the new bride of a Confederate officer, Joanna moves on to Charleston, where secrets she keeps will affect the fate of a nation, and her abilities and courage enable her to aid the country and the people she loves most. The knowledge that scraps can be pieced and sewn into simple lines -- beautiful both in and of themselves and also for what they represent and what they can accomplish -- carries Joanna through dark days. Sustaining herself and her family through ingenuity and art during the Civil War and into Reconstruction, Joanna leaves behind a remarkable artistic legacy that, at last, allows Sylvia to discover the fate of the long-lost quilter.

The group seeks for ways to continue teaching when Judy and Summer both leave.

A heartwarming rendition of how Christmas traditions at Elm Creek Manor were created—and embellished—over generations. When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven''t been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished. Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters—her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge. At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues—joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials—the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II—tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt. Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia''s tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women''s art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.

In The Quilter’s Kitchen, Anna Del Maso revisits the kitchens of Elm Creek Manor, past and present. As she records beloved recipes and creates original dishes seasoned with love, she rediscovers how the gifts of the table bring friends and family closer than ever. Anna Del Maso had known that she wanted to be a chef since she was in the seventh grade. “Somehow everything in my life ends up being about food,” she realizes, as she begins the latest of her food-themed quilts. Her twin passions have converged in a brand-new position as head chef for Elm Creek Quilts, Waterford, Pennsylvania’s popular quilting retreat. As she joins the circle of quilters at historic Elm Creek Manor, Anna is eager to preserve the manor’s culinary heritage, dating to 1858, while also celebrating the new favorites of their many guests. Yet as Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson well knows, the manor’s kitchen, last updated in the 1940s, can’t create food that compares to the state-of-the-art quilting instruction for which Elm Creek Quilts is renowned. A full renovation of the kitchen must be completed by the start of the new camp season. Though the task is daunting, Anna is assured in her belief that “A kitchen is the heart of a home.” As she and Sylvia begin to dismantle the old to make way for the new, Sylvia’s reminiscences remind them both of just how many of the manor’s traditions have involved food and celebrations. Whether the feast is one of the holiday menus prepared and enjoyed by generations of Bergstroms, or one of the Welcome Banquets and Farewell Breakfasts that have become hallmarks of Elm Creek Quilt Camp, there is a story for every recipe, and a recipe for every story.

As each holiday season approaches, some revel in welcoming the New Year ahead; others quietly mourn the passing of time gone by. "We can''t hold on to the past," says Master Quilter Sylvia Compson, "but we can keep the best part of ''Auld Lang Syne'' in our hearts and in our memories, and we can look forward to the future with hope and resolve." As Sylvia, a late-in-life newlywed, has discovered, love can enter our lives at any age. Yet before she can truly delight in her present happiness, she must face the sorrow hidden in her past -- her own role in the tragic circumstances that left her estranged from her sister, Claudia, until it was too late to make amends. Vowing not to repeat the mistake with her new daughter-in-law, Amy, who opposed Sylvia''s marriage to her father, Andrew, Sylvia must convince Amy that family is more precious than pride. As Sylvia takes up a quilt for the season, begun and abandoned over six years, she recalls the New Year''s Eve festivities of her youth at Elm Creek Manor as a member of the Bergstrom family. She titles the quilt "New Year''s Reflections," after her belief that year-end reflections precede resolutions. The quilt blocks she chooses commemorate the wisdom that no one can ever be truly alone if she keeps the memory of those she loved and those who loved her alive in her heart. The New Year''s Quilt is a novel to enjoy today and to treasure anew each holiday season.

A heartwarming rendition of how Christmas traditions at Elm Creek Manor were created—and embellished—over generations. When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven''t been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished. Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters—her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge. At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues—joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials—the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II—tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt. Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia''s tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women''s art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Mrs. Lincoln''’s Dressmaker and the Elm Creek Quilts series comes a moving novel following a daughter’s search for her mother’s treasured heirlooms. When precious heirloom quilts hand-stitched by her mother turn up missing from the attic of Elm Creek Manor, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson resolves to find them. From scant resources—journal entries, receipts, and her own fading memories—she pieces together clues, then queries quilting friends from around the world. When dozens of leads arrive via the Internet, Sylvia and her fiancé embark on a nationwide investigation of antique shops and quilt museums. Sylvia’s quest leads her to unexpected places, where offers of assistance are not always what they seem. As the search continues, revelations surface about her mother, who died when Sylvia was only a child. As Sylvia recovers some of the missing quilts and accepts others as lost forever, she reflects on the woman her mother was, and mourns the woman she never knew. For every woman who has yearned to know the untold story of her mother’s life, and for every mother who has longed to be heard, The Quilter’s Legacy resonates with heartfelt honesty as it reveals what tenuous connections bind the generations, and celebrates the love that sustains them.

Young newlyweds Elizabeth and Henry must find a connection between the past and the future in order to build a prosperous life on the Triumph Ranch in this Roaring Twenties tale of boom and bust. When young bride Elizabeth Bergstrom Nelson sets off with her husband, Henry, from her family home of Elm Creek Manor in Pennsylvania to start a new life in the unfamiliar terrain of southern California, they are in for quite a surprise. Expecting to assume ownership of Triumph Ranch, the couple instead learns that their deed is a fake, and that they must work for the rightful proprietors to earn their keep. Resourceful Elizabeth trades her trousseau—including the fine quilts stitched by her Bergstrom relatives—for the practical goods the Nelsons need to survive and finds friendship with California native Rosa Diaz Barclay. When Elizabeth discovers a mysterious cache of quilts made by a member of the Diaz family that reveals a misplaced legacy of love, land, and ancestral ties, it becomes clear that only by stitching the rift between the past and the future can the inhabitants of Triumph Ranch hope to live in peace alongside history.

This collection includes "The Runaway Quilt, The Quilter''s Legacy," and "TheMaster Quilter."

The first three novels in the popular series. The Quilter''s apprentice; Round robin; and the cross-country quilters.

RESOLVING TO LOCATE HER MOTHER''S HEIRLOOM QUILTS AFTER SO MANY YEARS, SYLVIA COMPSON EMBARKS ON A CROSS-COUNTRY INVESTIGATION. AS SHE SEARCHES, SHE REFLECTS ON THE WOMAN HER MOTHER WAS AND MOURNS THE WOMAN SHE NEVER KNEW.

When Sylvia Compson discovers evidence of her ancestors'' involvement with the Underground Railroad, it raises the historical issue of the use of quilts as a method of signaling fugitive slaves.

Readers of The Quilter’s Apprentice and Round Robin have been enchanted by Elm Creek Quilt Camp, where women gather each year for quilting, friendship, and fun. The third in the Elm Creek Quilts series introduces the Cross-Country Quilters, a group of far-flung friends who pledge to complete a “challenge quilt”—symbolic of each woman’s personal goals—in one year’s time. These five women arrive at Elm Creek Manor hoping to find in their quilt lessons an escape from the problems they left at home. Julia, an aging starlet, has pinned her hopes to a plum role in a historical epic whose director is under the mistaken impression that Julia already knows how to quilt. Megan is a successful engineer who has won prizes for her miniature quilt designs. The one challenge she has yet to master is single motherhood. Donna, a mother of two, must hasten to teach her daughter independence and self-esteem—lessons she, too, must take to heart. Grace is a renowned curator of antique quilts, whose creative flair is waning for reasons she is unwilling to reveal—even to her closest friends. Vinnie, the senior member of the group, is a sunny soul with a tragic past. Her overwhelming desire is to bring happiness into the lives of those she loves. Although the Cross-Country Quilters share a common creative goal, as the year goes by their bonds are tested by the demands of daily life. But despite differences in age, race, and background, the friends'' love for quilting and affection for one another unite them in a patchwork of caring and acceptance. The quilt they make reminds them of an everlasting truth—friends may be separated by great distance, yet the strength of their bond can transcend any obstacle.

A new resident of a Pennsylvania town makes a new friend and helps her find life and does some quilting in the process.

Here is the largest, most comprehensive history of American quilts ever published! The Quilt explores the evolution of quilting in America, showing in vivid colors and patterns how African American, Amish, Hawaiian, Hmong, and Native American quilts celebrate cultural identity, and how quilts connect us to one another through quilting bees and other community groups. Noted quilt historian Elise Schebler Roberts also goes beyond the historical nature of quilts to cover current efforts at quilt preservation, collecting and appraising, and state documentation projects. Her book features an encyclopedia of favorite quilt styles and is gloriously illustrated with more than 200 full-color photographs of classic collectible quilts.