The author of the regional bestseller "The Quilter's Apprentice" reunites with the Elm Creek Quilters in a continuing tale of friendship and loyalty in which quilting is a bountiful metaphor for the way people stitch their lives together, piece by imperfect piece.

When Sylvia Compson discovers evidence of her ancestors' involvement with the Underground Railroad, it raises the historical issue of the use of quilts as a method of signalling fugitive slaves.

THIS NOVEL CONTINUES THE SERIES WITH A TRIBUTE TO MATRIARCH SYLVIA COMPSON, WHO SURPRISED HER FELLOW QUILTERS BY GETTING MARRIED TO LONGTIME SWEETHEART ANDREW ON HER RECENT HOLIDAY.

When Christmas Eve comes to Elm Creek Manor, the tenor of the holiday is far from certain. Sylvia Bergstrom Compson, the Master Quilter, has her own reasons for preferring a quiet, even subdued, Christmas. Her young friend Sarah McClure, however, takes the opposite view and decides to deck the halls brightly. As she explores the trunks packed with Bergstrom family decorations that haven't been touched in more than fifty years, Sarah discovers a curious...

Jennifer Chiaverini's popular Elm Creek Quilts series has been an international hit. The year is 1924. Elizabeth loves Elm Creek, but she's also dreamed of traveling the world. When her beloved Henry finally professes his love, he asks her to leave with him and move to a California ranch. Elizabeth must decide whether she can really leave her home behind forever. She may dream of travel, but she always envisioned herself ending up at Elm Creek.

The arrival of newcomers into the circle of quilters heralds unexpected journeys down pathways near and far as well as capturing the spirit of friendship at the moment of its transformation.

Master quilter Sylvia Compson discovers a stash of letters in the attic of Elm Creek Manor and traces a tale back to 1859. An escaped slave, Joanna, spent a brief period at Elm Creek Farm until she was captured and returned to bondage, leaving her son in the care of the Bergstrom family. If Sylvia is to determine the fate of Joanna and her son, she must rely on one important clue-- the meticulous heirloom quilt Joanna stitched and left behind.

Bonnie faces a bleak winter alone, with her divorce looming. A welcome escape comes when Claire invites her to Maui to help launch an exciting new business: a quilter's retreat set at a bed and breakfast amid the vibrant colors and balmy breezes of the Hawaiian Islands.

Meditating on the weddings she has attended in Elm Creek Manor throughout the years on the morning of her daughter's wedding day, Sarah McClure evaluates the symbolic features on a wedding quilt designed to display the signatures of beloved guests.

Quilters and aspiring quilters gather for a special winter session of quilt camp to make quilts for Project Linus, a charitable organization dedicated to providing handmade quilts and blankets to children in need, and each quilter shares their answer to the question from Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstom Compson Cooper, "why do you give?".