Much Madness is Divinest Sense

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Jennifer Chiaverini's bestselling Elm Creek Quilts series continues with The Winding Ways Quilt, in which the arrival of newcomers into the circle of quilters heralds unexpected journeys down pathways near and far.

Quilters have flocked to Elm Creek Manor to learn from Master Quilter Sylvia Compson and her expert colleagues. There's Sarah, Sylvia's onetime apprentice who's paired her quilting accomplishments with a mind for running the business of Elm Creek Quilts; Agnes, who has a gift for appliqué; Gwen, who stitches innovative art quilts; Diane, a whiz at the technicalities of quick-piecing; and Bonnie, with her encyclopedic knowledge of folk art patterns. But with Judy and Summer, two other founding members of the Elm Creek Quilters, departing to pursue other opportunities, will the new teachers be able to fill in the gaps created by the loss of their expertise—and more important, their friendship?

"When I think of all the different paths I could have followed in my life, all the twists and turns that could have led me anywhere," muses incoming teacher Gretchen, "it's something of a miracle that I ended up here, surrounded by loving friends."

But what of friends departed? As Sylvia contemplates a tribute to the partnership of the Elm Creek Quilters, she is reminded of a traditional quilt pattern whose curved pieces symbolize a journey. Winding Ways, a mosaic of overlapping circles and intertwining curves, would capture the spirit of their friendship at the moment of its transformation.

Will Sylvia's choice inspire the founding members to remember that each is a unique part of a magnificent whole? Will the newcomers find ways to contribute, and to earn their place? The Winding Ways Quilt considers the complicated, often hidden meanings of presence and absence, and what change can mean for those who have come to rely upon one another.

I discovered the Elm Creek Quilts series from fellow quilters in a Facebook Block of the Month group I’m participating in. The block for May was a Winding Ways block, which inspired the story in this novel. It was fun to read the book at the same time as I made my own Winding Ways block.

It seems that this novel doesn’t appeal to all fans of the series, and I can understand why. It’s different from the other two books I’ve read in that it’s not a story so much as a series of backstories about each of the Elm Creek Quilters. I liked that aspect of it. I don’t necessarily think there is a lot of action in these books, but they’re fun to read because I actually learn a little bit more about quilting with each one, and the characters are fully realized and feel a bit like friends. I enjoyed the metaphor of the Winding Ways block, which connects all the quilters.

I enjoyed making my own Winding Ways block as well. This block is so interesting in that when you make a larger quilt, you start to see circular patterns emerge. You can see parts of the circles emerging in my Winding Ways block below. I was inspired by the colors in the Rosie the Riveter poster, as the theme for this Block of the Month focuses on quilting and history for a different decade each month, starting with the 1930s and ending with the 2010s. The Winding Ways block is the 1940s block, so the fabrics I chose evoke the 1940s era.