The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

Author:Jennifer Chiaverini
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & SchuSter
Published: 2010-09-01T04:00:00+00:00

The next morning after breakfast, Bonnie called Elm Creek Manor from her lanai, missing her friends more than she had since their first days apart. Except for Summer, who had remained at the University of Chicago for the holiday weekend, and Judy, who had moved to Philadelphia with her family, the Elm Creek Quilters would gather at the manor for their traditional daylong celebration of the Friday after Thanksgiving. While other people were lining up early outside favorite stores to begin their Christmas shopping, the Elm Creek Quilters would enjoy a day of quilting to mark what Diane called the start of the “quilting season.”

Although most quilters pieced and sewed throughout the year, Bonnie understood why Diane had bestowed that title upon the day. When the weather turned colder and forced them indoors, a quilter found it especially appealing to layer a quilt sandwich in a lap hoop, curl up on the sofa, and snuggle beneath the soft folds, enjoying the warmth as she worked the needle up and down in a rocking motion, creating intricate patterns in the soft fabric as the stitches united pieced top, fluffy batting, and smooth lining. The arrival of Thanksgiving also meant that the Elm Creek Quilters had about a month left to complete all the quilts, table runners, garments, and other quilted items they intended to give as Christmas gifts—or in Diane’s case, to begin several ambitious projects that she would race to finish by Christmas Eve.

As Bonnie waited for someone to answer her call, she thought wistfully of Thanksgiving Fridays of years past—meeting at the manor in the formal parlor or around the ballroom fireplace, quilting and chatting, sharing advice and suggestions, borrowing thread and trading fabrics. At midday they would gather around the long wooden table in the kitchen to enjoy a potluck lunch, with a special restriction placed upon their contributions to the meal: Each dish had to be made with leftovers from their family feasts the previous day. Sarah usually made a turkey Tetrazzini that couldn’t be beat, and Summer always managed to whip up a tasty vegetarian dish that helped Bonnie, a committed omnivore, to understand how it might be possible to refrain from eating meat. Agnes called their dinner a “Patchwork Potluck” and said the meal befit quilters, whose frugality inspired them to find creative uses for leftover turkey, stuffing, and vegetables just as they created beautiful and useful works of art from scraps of fabric.

But more important than the delicious feast—for just as a quilt was more than an assemblage of scraps, so too was their potluck far more than reheated leftovers—and the projects completed during their quilt marathon, was the time spent together with friends. The conversation and company provided a respite from the holiday rush and filled them with a sense of anticipation for the approaching holidays. Bonnie would miss that this year most of all.

Andrew, Sylvia’s husband, answered the phone, and after chatting with him a bit, Bonnie spoke with each of her friends in turn as they passed the phone around the circle of quilters.

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