Five women meet at quilt camp and embark upon a project together. Over the next year, each woman must tackle a personal difficulty before adding her segment to their shared quilt. Despite the challenges they face, the women draw strength from their newfound sisterhood.

When precious heirloom quilts hand-stitched by her mother turn up missing, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson recovers some while accepting others as lost forever. She is then able to reflect on the woman her mother was and mourn the woman she never knew.

"New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini celebrates Christmas, past and present, with a wondrous novel inspired by the classic poem "Christmas Bells," by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. I heard the bells on Christmas Day/ Their old familiar carols play/ And wild and sweet/ The words repeat/Of peace on earth, good-will to men! In 1860, the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow family celebrated Christmas at Craigie House, their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts....

With her quilt shop out of business and her divorce looming, Bonnie Markham accepts a college friend's invitation to go to Maui to help launch a quilter's retreat.

The arrival of newcomers into the circle of quilters heralds unexpected journeys down pathways near and far as well as capturing the spirit of friendship at the moment of its transformation.

Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstrom Compson treasures an antique quilt made by Joanna, a fugitive slave who traveled by the Underground Railroad to reach safe haven in 1859 at Elm Creek Farm; now it falls to Sylvia to connect Joanna's past to present-day Elm Creek Manor.

As the nation grapples with the strictures of Prohibition, Rosa Barclay lives on a Southern California rye farm with her volatile husband, John, who has lately found another source of income far outside the federal purview. Mother to eight children, Rosa mourns the loss of four who succumbed to the mysterious wasting disease that is now afflicting young Ana and Miguel. Two daughters born of another father are in perfect health. When an act of violence...

When the creative residents of Elm Creek gather the week after Thanksgiving to work on quilts for Project Linus, they respond to Sylvia's provocative questions to alleviate respective personal challenges and learn helpful lessons about the strength of human connections.

When two members decide to leave the fold, the Elm Creek Quilters must buckle down and choose a new pair. Excitement over the open slots is palpable. The top candidates include history lover Maggie, chef Anna, the groundbreaking Russ, the deeply gifted Karen, and the soulful Grethcen. Under the guidanceof the master Sylvia Compson, the quilters deliberate, knowing full well their decisions will have a profound impact on their legacy.