Customer Reviews

The Quilter's Apprentice: A Novel (Elm Creek Quilts Novels)

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(32)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

The first in the "Elm Creek Quilters" series, "The Quilter's Apprentice" is a sweet story about a naive young woman, Sarah, who relocates to a small Pennsylvanian town when her landscape architect husband gets a new job. As Matt works to restore the gardens and grounds at Elm Creek, a dilapidated old mansion, Sarah, struggling to find a job in her field, finds herself instead as paid helper to the mansion's acerbic owner, Mrs. Compson.

At first thorny and uncomfortable, the relationship between Mrs. Compson and Sarah slowly unfolds as the two women create a quilt--Sarah's first. The metaphor of the quilt's patches creating a whole, just as Mrs. Compson's snippets of stories create a picture of her life, is nothing new, and perhaps a bit awkwardly handled in this first novel. It is noticeable in dialogue that nobody in real life would speak--and of the coincidences that probably would never occur.

Nevertheless, this book is a keeper, and I look forward to the next in the series. I personally love quilts, although I have never quilted. I found the slow creation of the story's (and Sarah's) quilt fascinating, easy to read, and just simply charming.

This is not a fast-paced book, and it is not a work of literary genuis. It is simply a sweet, old-fashioned story, and--I am happy to say--it works.

I quilt. I own a quilt shop. I also teach high school English. So my standards for what makes a good read are pretty high. Just because it's about quilting doesn't make it good. This story is really good. The characters are real, I have them as quilting friends, and as customers. I couldn't put it down and didn't want it to end. A good plot with nicely written flashbacks. Written by someone who really know quilting, women and friendships.

The Quilter's Apprentice by Jennifer Chiaverini is the first book in the Elm Creek Quilt series. Although I have never quilted and doubt I ever will, I found the suggestion to read this book a good one. In the tradition of Whitney Otto's book, How to Make an American Quilt and Sandra Dallas' book, The Persian Pickle Club, Jennifer Chiaverini combines a love and knowledge and quilting with the story of two memorable characters. Best part about this book is that there are several more in the series which I now look forward to reading.

Sarah McClure moves to a small town in Pennsylvania when her husband takes a new job. With no friends and no job, she agonizes over leaving her former life in a college town. While interviewing for jobs, she is offered a job helping an older woman cleaning and sorting through her now decased sisters home. When Sarah remarks about the beautiful quilts in the home, Sylvia Compson, who grew up in this home, offers to teach Sarah how to quilt. What happens as Sarah learns to quilt, makes friends with other quilters in the area and learns the story and history of Elm Creek ensues is a wonderful book in which the reader is captivated by these wonderful characters and the art of quilting.

Jennifer Chiaverini has a real gift in explaining quilting to those who know very little as well as presenting a most intriguing story. And as I continue to read this series, I might very well consider trying to become a quilter's apprentice. Only wish I could find somebody like Sylvia Compson to teach me how to quilt.

The Quilter's Apprentice takes you on a trip through Waterford, Pennsylvania and through the lives of a delightful group of ladies. Sarah McClure starts out feeling like an outsider but soon becomes an integral part of the town and it's people.

As the book progresses, we learn a bit of the history of the dowager, Mrs. Compson. The author takes each of the ladies and stitches them into the story just like the ladies take the brightly colored scraps of material and sticth them into lovely quilts.

Although I don't know how to quilt, as I read, I could almost feel the soft material benath my fingertips and see the small neat stitches that joined each square. I could hear the laughter of the Tangled Web quilters and smell Sarah's brownies baking. This is a book that brought a smile -- and a tear. I'll keep it on my shelf to read again when winter comes and I need a bit of added warmth in my life.

Read this book is all I need to say. But, I could add, this is one of the best books in the world, and that's all I would really need to say to describe this book! Chiaverinni couldn't have told a story better than she told this one...every page held me with suspense, and when I reached the last one, my heart sank knowing that this book would be set down for good unless I read it again. Anyways, Sarah McClure is just a few years passed the newly wed stage when she and her husband Matt move to Waterford, Pennsylvania. Well, Sarah is frusterated because she can't find a job, but her husband has gotten one that pieces the story together. Matt has been restoring a mansion called Elm Creek Manor, and Sarah descides to visit the place with him. She finds the old Mrs. Compson, the owner, a crochety and lonely old woman, and descides to help her clean out the many rooms of the mansion so the old woman can sell it. Well, part of the payment goes with the tallented Mrs. Compson teaching Sarah how to quilt. Then, the story unfolds! Sarah and the book reader learn all about Mrs. Compson's tragic past of herself, her family, and of the mysterious Elm Creek Manor. This book was really wonderful, and made my heart glow at how sweet it was. READ!

Jennifer Chiaverini has a knack for pulling you into the story and making you lose your sense of the present. Her characters become very real and I found myself actually gasping out loud when a dramatic event occured. I wish the pattern was included with the book for the spotlight quilt. She is an excellent writer and offers an escape everytime you pick up the book.

The Quilter's Apprentice was one of the best books I've had the pleasure to sit back and read in ages! My mother also read it and has written down the names of all the quilts mentioned in the book, checking to be sure that she has the pattern for each block! The way that Ms. Chiaverini pulls the past into the present is so interesting. She compels the reader to want to read and learn more about every character in the book. My Mom and I can't wait to read the sequel, Round Robin!

This book gave off a comforting feeling while I read it, maybe like an old pair of comfy slippers. I enjoyed its rhythm and simplicity. The topic inspires creativity, just when I hear the word quilt, I think of pretty colors and a sense of peace. The book talks of a relationship between a young married woman and an elderly lady, who has been bereft of a social life for quite some time. The beginnings of the two start out on a rocky road, but smooth out through time and intimacy. The talks the two women have, take them down memory lane. They start to realize how to spring off this past history and grow into a happier life. The book inspires insight into the patterns of how you live your life, how they can bring pain, but by talking to someone you feel connected to, the pain can dissolve and new patterns can take place. A nice read, not complicated, simple and calming. Drink some herbed tea, while reading and snuggle up with a warm quilt on a breezy night. You can look up Elm Creek Manor online, the author has pictures of the samplers made in the book. It is really neat, to have a visual picture of what you read about.

Lisa Nary

I discovered this series of novels and was spellbound. I bought all eight and read them all in less than two weeks! Jennifer's story telling ability and character develpment are superb. I highly recommend the entire series. I even asked the librarian of our quilt guild to get them for the library.

The book is set in a quilting "camp", and much of the action involves quilting, but it is a book about building and maintaining frienships. The characters are well drawn, each with their own quirks and foibles; some nicer than others. You will learn a lot about quilting, about relationships, and wish it hadn't ended when you reach the last page. Luckily, this is the first of a series, so you can read more about these people in the next book.