The Master Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini, seems at first like the kind of book you want to read on a wintry afternoon. But, there it was, featured in a Mother's Day Display at BAM. What could I possibly be thinking of? I am a fifty-something woman who would rather do anything than start another crafty project which would end up in a pile, unfinished, along with other impulsive forays into womanhood and homemaking. Nevertheless, I purchased the book and took it home, out of some sentimental feeling and step back in time to my younger, more productive days--back then, when I did make bread and vacuum and cross-stitch, etc.
Reading, I found myself absorbed by the odd assortment of the group who belonged to the Elm Creek Quilter's club. Anyone who thinks quilters are all older women, might remember that some "hobbies"/passions go beyond age issues and other issues in garnering a faithful following. And what challenges would stalk such a group? Again, I could identify with several of the characters and the lives that they lead. Thus, though at times, the repetition or review of events from the point of view of each of the quilters, did become a little boring for me and I skipped more than one paragraph, over all I found that I was drawn into the story and into the environment of the story. There's something to be said for homemaking, home crafting, and even housework: these seemingly mundane activities can bring great comfort, and even great creative juices into play. Quilting allows women to form friendships, express personality in beautiful ways that nurture individualism. Obviously, it is a venture that can become as therapeutic as genealogy in piecing together the puzzles of our lives and try to make some sense out of them.
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