The Christmas Quilt: An ELM Creek Quilts Novel

by Jennifer Chiaverini

Book Overview

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...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 074328657X
• ISBN13: 9780743286572
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 225 Pages
• Weight: 0.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.7" x 7.1"

Customer Reviews

Looking back to solve a future problem

Christmas is a fine time for a bit of nostalgia. A time for looking back on family now gone. Ms. Chiaverini uses her knowledge of the mental attitudes of quilters to bring back to life some of our favorite characters from the past books. The opening of the boxes of old Christmas ornaments brings out one of her favorite aids to story telling, an unfinished Christmas quilt. The quilt had been started by great-aunt Lucinda and her mother and remains unfinished and basically forgotten until now. Among the memories the quilt brings back is that of the rivalry, arguments, friction that existed between Sylvia and her sister Claudia. Claudia is now gone, and Sylvia realizes that she has missed something important that cannot be regained. She sees young Sarah making some of the same mistakes, but realizes that there is still time for them to get together before time pulls them apart forever. That Ms. Chiaverini can pull this off without having the book turn sugar sweet is a tribute to her growing capabilities as a novelist.

A Gift in itself!!!!

The was a great book... it gave such insight into so many generations. It reminds us of the importance of family and traditions... as well as giving "simple gifts" of love and joy. My only complaint is that I finished it too soon. It is a must read!!!

Wonderful Holiday Novel!

I enjoy all of Jennifer Chiaverini's novels. New readers to the Elmcreek Quilt novels will be able to read The Christmas Quilt before the other books in the series because the story takes place after The Quilter's Apprentice (first in the series). Those who enjoy well-written fiction will love this novel.

Humorous, Heartwarming, Suspenseful

Another wonderful book from Jennifer Chiaverini. I wanted to save mine to read until Christmas Eve but I could not resist peeking at the first page and after that I was hooked until the end. I loved the way Sylvia's memories trace the Christmas traditions of the Bergstrom family. I hope this is the start of a two-book-a-year trend from Jennifer, because I can't wait a whole year in between visits to Elm Creek Manor!