...and stepping outside my box!
I was contacted by Mary Pomponio, publicity manager at Plume Books about reviewing
The Giving Quilt, by Jennifer Chiaverini.
It comes out in paperback this week!
I have not read all of the Elm Creek series of books but have read a few and I do enjoy them.
Light, fun and easy reading!
This book revolves around a group of quilters heading to Elm Creek Manor for the annual
"Quiltsgiving" quilt camp.
The time frame is the week after Thanksgiving and the quilters devote themselves to making quilts for Project Linus, which gathers blankets and quilts for needy children.
The characters in this book intrigued me because in the group there is a quilt shop clerk...
I work in a quilt shop,
and a librarian...while I am not a librarian I did spend the first part of my adult life (10 years) working in a library.
I work in a quilt shop,
and a librarian...while I am not a librarian I did spend the first part of my adult life (10 years) working in a library.
I am still in the middle of reading the book that has these women bonding through telling their stories and answering the question, "Why do you give?"
If you are a fan of Jennifer Chiaverini and Elm Creek you will want to read The Giving Quilt!
This brings me to the giveaway! Mary sent along three books and some pins.
Please leave a comment by next Sunday telling me which book of Jennifer's is your favorite or just tell me what your latest charity project is/was and you will be entered into a raffle for a book and a pin.
I will choose three readers (the third person will receive the book I am currently reading when I am done).
Sorry, I do not ship outside the continental United States.
Now, last night I was inspired by this book.
After a nice dinner out with my husband I decided that I would make a quilt to
donate to Project Linus.
I dug into my stash and came up with this. A simple disappearing nine patch.
3 hours and quilt top done. Now I need to quilt it.
I feel guilty that most of my donated quilts are for little girls so I will make a boy quilt
before donating to the local chapter of Project Linus.
Click the link above to find out how you can donate locally.
And since we are talking about The Giving Quilt
I couldn't let the opportunity pass to mention this beautiful
I couldn't let the opportunity pass to mention this beautiful
Block of the Month starting at the shop where I work in June.
Now...out of my box...
I am working on a modern quilt...gasp!!!
That's all you get to see...that's all!
Happy Sew Year!
Colleen
Colleen
6 comments:
How wonderful! I am new to your blog from Connecting Threads East Coast Quilters Group. I saw your link and decided to come check it out! I am glad I did! I LOVE the Elm Creek Series after a quilting friend of mine showed them to me 3 years ago. Naturally I am excited to know there is a new one! I share them with my sister in law who is two states away. My favorite in the series is a tough one because I loved them all for different reasons....The first three were wonderful because of the development of the characters, getting to know them, their backgrounds, etc. I absolutely loved the history of Sylvia's family from settling in America on through the Civil War and WW2. I think my favorites are The Sugar Camp Quilt and The Runaway Quilter. Then again, there was so much to love in each of them I'm not sure I can just pick one....hope that doesn't give me a black mark! LOL!!
As for volunteer work I am new to quilting so I am just starting with Project Linus since my skills are finally up to where I can make something that won't frighten people, but at the same time I am developing my own local donation group myself. I experienced the loss of a child between my two oldest boys and my son born after that loss was a preemie in NICU for 3 weeks at birth. I had the opportunity through these two experiences to meet lots of parents going through the heartaches off loss and grief, worry and fear and uncertainty. While Project Linus gives me a chance to give a quilt to parents in the hospital setting for loss and preemies, those parents who go to our local hospital and have an early miscarriage or loss, do not receive anything to remember their precious babies by. So, I have decided that something like that would have been such a blessing to me when I lost my little one that I'm going to make small memory quilts specifically for infant loss. I am learning applique to be able to put a butterfly on them as that is one of the symbols for Infant Loss. October 15th is the National Rememberance Day for infant loss and I've organized a Night of Rememberence in the past. Now I want to give griving moms something tangeable as it might be the only thing they will have as some babies are born too early to receive a death certificate and when that happens, unfortunately, these parents are overlooked. I will place with it a booklet on grief and loss and contacts for them if they should need help/counceling while they grieve. Information for a local support group, councelors, online information, etc will be included. Everything is in order to begin and I'm getting a donation of fabric from a friend this week! I'm so excited to finally find something that I can do to help others. My loss was a very difficult time for me and all I have left are some ultrasound pics and a name I chose. No death certificate with a formal name because I wasn't yet 20 weeks. I find that sad but it is what it is. Now I just want to try and offer what small comfort I can for those moms and dads who will walk that dark road themselves.
Thank you for your time and for such a great giveaway! Also, thank you for coupling it with volunteer work and Project Linus, I was a recipient of one of their blankets, even though it wasn't a quilt, it was so thoughtful and kind. I still have it though my preemie is now 9 yrs old and I will keep it for him forever to see what Grace brought him from teenie tiny to strong and courageous. All wrapped in love from someone I'll never meet...
Colleen, the quilt is so precious. I have read all but one of the Elm Creek novels. I LOVE those books. She is a talented lady. I am always transported to her settings and I can't put one down once I start reading it.
Thank you for the opportunity to win a book.
Hi Colleen, not sure where to leave a comment about the Book...but...here goes... I very much enjoyed all the Elm Creek novels I've read so far but my favorite is The Cross Country Quilters. I'm looking forward to reading this new one! The charity I quilt for is Quilt-for-Kids, and have recently joined the local branch. Thanks for giving us an opportunity to win the book! -Roz
Colleen...
I have read all of Jennifer's Elm Creek books and my favorites are the early ones with the story of Sylvia's family. I love history so these touched me more so than those in later times. I love all her books and I an excited to hear a new one is coming our way! The charity I have made quilts for is Downy's Quilt-for-Kids. I try and get one out every couple of months and wish I could do more.
I think it's absolutely wonderful that you're helping out Project Linus:) So thoughtful and generous.
I am new to her books and I bought two last weekend. It's The Aloha Quilt and The Winding way quilt. I am reading The Winding now. I love to win this new book. Thanks for the chance to win.
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