Jennifer Chiaverini's
Elm Creek Quilt Novels

I wholeheartedly admit that these books are the print version to a "chick flick". They are a quick, feel-good read, that make you feel more a part of womanhood and interested me in quilting enough to actually watch some ladies at church working on a quilt. Don't worry, though, if you're not into quilting you won't get lost or find it annoying and if you are into quilting then you will enjoy the books even more, I suppose. There are a ton of the books, I counted thirteen that are actual novels, I think the others are collections of quilting patterns. I recommend reading them in order, but I don't think you'd get lost if you didn't, you would just have more insight and background on some of the recurring characters. The first book is called The Quilter's Apprentice, so that's a good place to start. My favorite books are the two that have more historical fiction: The Runaway Quilt, and The Sugar Camp Quilt. I've included the brief synopsis of the three mentioned and a link to her website if you're interested in finding out more about the other books. So curl up under a cozy quilt (or blanket) with some hot cocoa and some tissues and enjoy!

Master quilter Sylvia Compson shares the secrets of her creative gifts with her young assistant, Sarah McClure. 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 jealously and betrayal; of misunderstanding, loss, and a tragedy that can never be undone.

The fourth book in the popular Elm Creek Quilts series explores a question that has long captured the imagination of quilters and historians alike: Did stationmasters of the Underground Railroad use quilts to signal to fugitive slaves? In THE RUNAWAY QUILT, Jennifer Chiaverini revisits the legends of Elm Creek Manor as Sylvia Compson discovers evidence of her ancestors' courageous involvement in the Underground Railroad.




History is thick with secrets in THE SUGAR CAMP QUILT, seventh in the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini. Set in Creek's Crossing, Pennsylvania, in the troubled years leading up to the Civil War, friends and neighbors are set against one another and an extraordinary young heroine passes from innocence to wisdom against the harrowing backdrop of the American struggle over slavery.

http://elmcreek.net/index.php/main/books/