THE QUILTER'S APPRENTICE

A patchwork quilt is such a good metaphor for life, and author Chiaverini tells of life and quilts with a light and steady hand. A young woman, Sarah, works for an elderly, grumpy woman, Mrs. Compson, who is a master quilter and a master storyteller. As Sarah learns to sew pieces together on her first sampler quilt, Mrs. Compson pieces together the stories of her ancestral home. Sailing through an array of characters, Christina Moore is especially good as Mrs. Compson, getting her upper-crust hauteur and sense of humor just right. As with the dark and light patches in a quilt, life brings sadness and joy, and Mrs. Compson has lived such a life. Along with the tricks of the trade of quilting, Sarah learns lessons for life. This is a most pleasant book that many a quilting bee should listen to (between gossip and snacks.) B.H.B. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: DEC 04/ JAN 05]