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jbarr5's review against another edition
4.0
The Giving Quilt by Jennifer Chilvalli
Quiltsgiving get together annually for a winter session of camp to provide quilts to children in need, Project Linus.
Sylvia is the owner of the manor and she has many tasks to complete before the guests arrive for camp.
The twins live there along with their mother who helps run the place.
Love how the membership will be gathering the fabrics to distribute to those who will be sewing. They will camp in rooms at the manor and meet to not only talk but give each other tips and the room comes with home made meals and food is grown on the estate.
Opening day, after a meal, everybody introduces themselves and tells why they are there to quilt and what charity means to them.
Other activities are scheduled: historical quilts from the estate are discussed. There are chapters of those attending and how they interact with the others.
Loved all the stories and especially the quilting instructions.
Hated hearing of the fabric and how it's stolen from a shop that doesn't have a store.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
Quiltsgiving get together annually for a winter session of camp to provide quilts to children in need, Project Linus.
Sylvia is the owner of the manor and she has many tasks to complete before the guests arrive for camp.
The twins live there along with their mother who helps run the place.
Love how the membership will be gathering the fabrics to distribute to those who will be sewing. They will camp in rooms at the manor and meet to not only talk but give each other tips and the room comes with home made meals and food is grown on the estate.
Opening day, after a meal, everybody introduces themselves and tells why they are there to quilt and what charity means to them.
Other activities are scheduled: historical quilts from the estate are discussed. There are chapters of those attending and how they interact with the others.
Loved all the stories and especially the quilting instructions.
Hated hearing of the fabric and how it's stolen from a shop that doesn't have a store.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device).
kairosdreaming's review
3.0
I almost didn't pick this book up. After several of the past books in the series (this is the 20th book in the series) not having much to do about quilting, I wasn't really that interested in reading another that I thought would follow the same pattern. But it was sitting there on the library shelf and I thought, "why not try again." And I have mixed feelings about the experience.
As a departure from the last book, we are taken back in time to the original Elm Creek Quilters and their business of running a quilt camp. They are gathered for their annual retreat to make quilts for Project Linus and each of the visitors to the camp will be there free, but donate their quilts at the end. Most of the campers have their own struggles however, and this week at camp is used to make them relax and reflect on their lives while doing good for someone else.
This book is all about the campers. We don't get to experience much of the original characters we have grown to love in the beginning of the series. I'm not saying that the new campers are bad characters, I enjoyed some of them (and some I did not), but it seems a shame to give the original characters such a side role in this book. I liked Pauline, and her situation seemed realistic in that groups, even Quilter's groups, can get catty sometimes. But some of the others were a bit too outrageous to be believable and every camper had a "bad person" out to get them. I suppose there were a few campers there without problems, but we didn't really get to interact with them at all.
There was a lot of quilting in this one. And for that I was happy. A big problem with some of the later books in the series is that quilting technique is barely mentioned let alone quilts even being mentioned, so to have processes and fabric and classes being taught in this book was a big step back in the right direction. But then Chiaverini would get distracted with the campers side stories and those went on a little too long. I didn't much care to hear about all the detail of a cheerleader's career path or the minute detail of a middle school extra-curricular activity. And some readers may be put off by some of the views Chiaverini puts forth in this book (book burning, unions, etc.).
This wasn't one of her worst books by far, but it wasn't up to the old standard that the Elm Creek Quilters used to have. I can't say I won't ever read another book by her, but I won't seek them out either.
The Giving Quilt
Copyright 2012
357 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2013
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
As a departure from the last book, we are taken back in time to the original Elm Creek Quilters and their business of running a quilt camp. They are gathered for their annual retreat to make quilts for Project Linus and each of the visitors to the camp will be there free, but donate their quilts at the end. Most of the campers have their own struggles however, and this week at camp is used to make them relax and reflect on their lives while doing good for someone else.
This book is all about the campers. We don't get to experience much of the original characters we have grown to love in the beginning of the series. I'm not saying that the new campers are bad characters, I enjoyed some of them (and some I did not), but it seems a shame to give the original characters such a side role in this book. I liked Pauline, and her situation seemed realistic in that groups, even Quilter's groups, can get catty sometimes. But some of the others were a bit too outrageous to be believable and every camper had a "bad person" out to get them. I suppose there were a few campers there without problems, but we didn't really get to interact with them at all.
There was a lot of quilting in this one. And for that I was happy. A big problem with some of the later books in the series is that quilting technique is barely mentioned let alone quilts even being mentioned, so to have processes and fabric and classes being taught in this book was a big step back in the right direction. But then Chiaverini would get distracted with the campers side stories and those went on a little too long. I didn't much care to hear about all the detail of a cheerleader's career path or the minute detail of a middle school extra-curricular activity. And some readers may be put off by some of the views Chiaverini puts forth in this book (book burning, unions, etc.).
This wasn't one of her worst books by far, but it wasn't up to the old standard that the Elm Creek Quilters used to have. I can't say I won't ever read another book by her, but I won't seek them out either.
The Giving Quilt
Copyright 2012
357 pages
Review by M. Reynard 2013
More of my reviews can be found at www.ifithaswords.blogspot.com
nickyalex23's review
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
hkeeney7398's review
4.0
I love when the story is split into multiple small stories. This one did not disappoint.
sixseisliu's review
4.0
I enjoyed this book, and it is one of my favorite of the series. I love the details of the stories of each person, and how each is in a different part of their life. The positivity and camaraderie around the quilting retreat makes me smile, and the real-life struggles of their individual lives makes me smile, cry, and shake my head.
mimima's review
3.0
It's been awhile in this series since we spent some time with the modern, current Elm Creek quilters. It was a delightful read, I enjoyed the side stories and was geekily excited that I can follow just a bit of the sewing/quilting discussion now that I've taken a basic class.
granniepeg's review
5.0
I always enjoy stories from different characters views. This is about several women's lives as they enjoy a week making quilts at quiltgiving for the linus project
dollycas's review
5.0
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.
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.
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