Review: The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

The Giving Quilt:
An Elm Creek Quilts Novel
20th in Series
Dutton (October 30, 2012)
Published by The Penguin Group
Hardcover: 336 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0525953609
Jacket Design by Monica Benalcazar
Jacket Quilt by Janet Miller/The City Stitcher

The week after Thanksgiving is a very special time at Elm Creek Manor. It is Quiltsgiving! A week were quilters come and make quilts to give to Project Linus.

Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson Cooper starts the week by asking the quilter’s “Why do you give?” Each quilter has their own reasons for coming to Elm Creek Manor at this time and most have trouble answering Sylvia’s question. As the week goes by they bond together making the quilts, sewing love and comfort right into each wonderful quilt. The friendships also bloom and burdens are lifted. The Giving Quilt will remind us all: Giving from the heart blesses the giver as much as the recipient, and while giving may not always be easy, it is always worthwhile.

Dollycas’s Thoughts

Visiting Elm Creek Manor is like wrapping yourself in a warm cozy quilt. This story was a pure joy to read.

Chiaverini brings back all the characters we love and introduces to a wonderful new group of quilters too. She sews together their stories in a way that seems effortless and yet is so inspiring. These stories always leave me wanting to gather fabric and lose myself stitching a quilt, something I haven’t been able to do since my accident, but this story invoked another thought process all about giving. Why do I personally give and how? Can I give more?

It was Michaela’s story that really touched my heart. I immediately went in to mother mode and wanted to protect her like I would do for my own daughters. So young and so strong and then stronger through the support she found making new friends at Elm Creek. If I would have been her age, a leg in a cast, I would have never pushed ahead to attend this week long quilting event. But she does and she has given me a push I probably needed to search out ways to do sew and quilt again someday. That asking for help to do something you love is important and maybe I may never be able to do it myself again but I plan to teach my daughters and try to revive my passion and pass it on to them.

Each character is different with various problems they are facing at home. Everyone that reads this book with find one or more characters they can identify with and understand.

A heartwarming and powerful story. A perfect read for this time of year that reminds us that giving and helping others can be more than a holiday event, it should be a year round happening.

Find out more about Jennifer Chiaverini here.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”