Sylvia Bergstrom Compson and her fiancâe Andrew embark on a difficult journey to find her mother's missing heirloom quilts, all the while discovering secrets regarding her mother's life and untimely death.

Third Edition. Antique quilts are both precious and fragile. Thoughtful care can help preserve them for generations to come. This comprehensive book by professional quilt restorer Ann Wasserman offers a wealth of practical information to aid both? collectors hoping? to find professionals to care for their collections, and? quilters and quilt? owners who want instructions they can follow in the home.The discussion begins with guidelines for assessing each quilt's condition. A chart delineates how factors such as appraisal, heirloom, and historical values, and age or vintage, can affect the choices of treatment. Repair of damaged areas can take one of two approaches - "restoration" or "conservation." Step-by-step instructions and illustrations are given for both approaches, including information on appropriate needles, threads, fabrics, and sewing stitches. The techniques presented are applicable to patchwork, appliqué, crazy, whole cloth, and other styles of quilts. Worn fabrics, holes and tears, re-backing, and re-binding are some of the types of damage covered.A chapter on the cleaning of old quilts discusses wet washing, drying, dry cleaning and vacuuming, and compares the relative safety of these methods. Instructions for safe ways to approach cleaning quilts are given.The discussion of quilt storage includes instructions for rolling or folding, and the merits of acid-free supplies. Storage environment is also important, including temperature and humidity levels and insect control.Displaying antique quilts includes instructions for hanging quilts, plus guidelines for lighting, location, and periodic vacuuming.A bibliography, lists of suppliers, conservation labs, appraisers, and restorers are included.

The fourth book in the popular Elm Creek Quilts series explores a question that has long captured the imagination of quilters and historians alike: Did stationmasters of the Underground Railroad use quilts to signal to fugitive slaves? In her first novel, The Quilter's Apprentice, Jennifer Chiaverini wove quilting lore with tales from the World War II home front. Now, following Round Robin and The Cross-Country Quilters, Chiaverini revisits the legends of Elm Creek Manor, as Sylvia Compson discovers evidence of her ancestors' courageous involvement in the Underground Railroad. Alerted to the possibility that her family had ties to the slaveholding South, Sylvia scours her attic and finds three quilts and a memoir written by Gerda, the spinster sister of clan patriarch Hans Bergstrom. The memoir describes the founding of Elm Creek Manor and how, using quilts as markers, Hans, his wife, Anneke, and Gerda came to beckon fugitive slaves to safety within its walls. When a runaway named Joanna arrives from a South Carolina plantation pregnant with her master's child, the Bergstroms shelter her through a long, dangerous winter -- imagining neither the impact of her presence nor the betrayal that awaits them. The memoir raises new questions for every one it answers, leading Sylvia ever deeper into the tangle of the Bergstrom legacy. Aided by the Elm Creek Quilters, as well as by descendants of others named in Gerda's tale, Sylvia dares to face the demons of her family's past and at the same time reaffirm her own moral center. A spellbinding fugue on the mysteries of heritage, The Runaway Quilt unfolds with all the drama and suspense of a classic in the making.

The Master Quilter opens with the sound of wedding bells ringing in the ears of the Elm Creek Quilters. The close-knit group can hardly believe that their own Sylvia Compson planned her holiday wedding to sweetheart Andrew in complete secrecy, without the help of even one of her friends. Eager to honour the newlyweds, the Elm Creek Quilters hasten to stitch a bridal quilt for their favourite Master Quilter. As the quilt blocks accumulate, the Elm Creek Quilters celebrate the joy of new beginnings and the ongoing success of their business - until forces conspire to threaten their happiness and prosperity. Two among them falter in their personal relationships, yet they are too proud to share their pain. The financial problems of another leave the quilt project vulnerable to a malicious act that may prevent its completion. And as two others weigh the comfort of the present against dreams of a future far from Elm Creek Manor, closely guarded secrets strain the bonds of friendship with those who may be left behind.

Betsy Chutchian shares more of her greatgreat grandmother's journals written from 1857 to 1882 that capture the spirit of life on the Texas prairie. Included are 14 projects inspired by Lizzie's writing that illustrate pioneer life.

A heartwarming rendition of how Christmas traditions at Elm Creek Manor were created—and embellished—over generations. 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 Christmas quilt. Begun in seasonal fabrics and patterns, the quilt remains unfinished. Sylvia reveals that the handiwork spans several generations and a quartet of Bergstrom quilters—her great aunt, her mother, her sister, and herself. As she examines the array of quilt blocks each family member contributed but never completed, memories of Christmases past emerge. At Elm Creek Manor, Christmas began as a celebration of simple virtues—joy and hope buoyed by the spirit of giving. As each successive generation of Bergstroms lived through its unique trials—the antebellum era, the Great Depression, World War II—tradition offered sustenance even during the most difficult times. For Sylvia, who is coping with the modern problem of family dispersed, estranged, or even forgotten, reconciliation with her personal history may prove as elusive as piecing the Christmas Quilt. Elm Creek Manor is full of secrets, from a Christmas tree with unusual properties to the sublime Bergstrom strudel recipe. Sylvia's tales at first seem to inform her family legacy but ultimately illuminate far more, from the importance of women's art to its place in commemorating our shared experience, at Christmastime and in every season.

The New York Times–bestselling author of The Christmas Quilt stitches up “a true delight, complete with fascinating characters from all walks of life” (Romantic Times). When Elm Creek Quilts announces openings for two new teachers, quilters everywhere are vying to land the prestigious post. The impending departure of two founding members means untold changes for the Elm Creek Quilters. As they begin the interview process, a single question emerges: Who can possibly take the place of beloved colleagues and friends? “We must evaluate all of the applicants’ qualities,” advises Master Quilter Sylvia Compson. “Our choice will say as much about us as it says about who we decide to hire.” Who merits a place among the circle of quilters? Will it be Maggie, whose love of history shines through in all her projects; Anna, whose food-themed quilts are wonderfully innovative; Russ, the male quilter with a completely original style; Karen, a novice teacher whose gifts for language complement her deep understanding of the quilters’ mission; or Gretchen, the soulful veteran whose craft is inspired by quilting tradition? “The pleasures of the novel are many—well-drawn characters, cleverly intersecting plotlines, and Chiaverini’s charming sense of humor among them . . . [a] sweet, escapist series.” —Publishers Weekly