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Elm Creek Quilts #7
The Sugar Camp Quilt
With Jennifer Chiaverini's trademark historical suspense, The Sugar Camp Quilt blends danger, courage, and romance into a novel of antebellum America.History is thick with secrets in The Sugar Camp Quilt, seventh in the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series from bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini. Set in Creek's Crossing, Pennsylvania, in the years leading up to the Civil War, the novel follows Dorothea Granger's passage from innocence to wisdom against the harrowing backdrop of the American struggle over slavery. She discovers that a quilt she has stitched for her uncle Jacob with five unusual patterns of his own design contains hidden clues to guide runaway slaves along the Underground Railroad. The heroic journey she undertakes leads to revelations about her own courage and resourcefulness—newfound qualities that may win her the heart of the best man she has ever known.
420 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
204 people are currently reading
2729 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Chiaverini
78 books5,233 followersJennifer Chiaverini is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-three novels, including acclaimed historical fiction and the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series. She has also written seven quilt pattern books inspired by her novels. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the University of Chicago, she lives with her husband and two sons in Madison, Wisconsin. About her historical fiction, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes, "In addition to simply being fascinating stories, these novels go a long way in capturing the texture of life for women, rich and poor, black and white, in those perilous years."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 528 reviews
March 21, 2009
This book predates the history of the family in all of the novels. This book highlights Mr. Ligghit... the man that Sylvia's ancestors gambled out of the cabin/ land that eventually became Elm Creek Mannor.
Mr. L, as it turns out is a mean drunk who is up to no good at every turn. His neighbors that live on the Granger Farm have a maple sugaring business. The family that lives at the camp moved in with a cranky old Uncle that no one can stand. As it turns out- the Uncle was a stationmaster on the underground railroad and kept to himself to keep his family safe. Once he dies- while helping a slave to freedom- his family learns about what has been going on and carries on his work. Of course... not without many run in's from Mr. L.
After reading the story, I wondered why it was not the first in the series.....
It was the second best of all her series. I loved the Runaway Quilt first and this one next. When both of these books came to an end I was sad because I LOVED reading them so much!
She is a GREAT storyteller!
Mr. L, as it turns out is a mean drunk who is up to no good at every turn. His neighbors that live on the Granger Farm have a maple sugaring business. The family that lives at the camp moved in with a cranky old Uncle that no one can stand. As it turns out- the Uncle was a stationmaster on the underground railroad and kept to himself to keep his family safe. Once he dies- while helping a slave to freedom- his family learns about what has been going on and carries on his work. Of course... not without many run in's from Mr. L.
After reading the story, I wondered why it was not the first in the series.....
It was the second best of all her series. I loved the Runaway Quilt first and this one next. When both of these books came to an end I was sad because I LOVED reading them so much!
She is a GREAT storyteller!
July 25, 2016
This is the story of the Granger family who live with their Uncle Jacob who for years has been teaching them to be the farmers they need to be. He has taught them more than they actually realize in the end. A family drama about people not always being what we initially think; and striving upon our own convictions to make a difference. The Sugar Camp Quilt turns out to have much more importance than what the family understood. This book is not classified as Christian Fiction but it is perfectly clean with no profanity or anything inappropriate lacing its pages. There is quite a nice lesson to be learned by the end. Lovely cover and meaningful read with an undercurrent of sadness.
January 4, 2010
The 7th story in the Elm Creek Quilt series, Sugar Camp Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini, is different from all the other books in that it has no Bergstrom in it. This is pre-history. In The Runaway Quilt Sylvia learns of her family’s friendship with a Dorothea and her brother and how they became involved in the underground railroad accidentally through them. This story goes into how that family gets involved in it.
Dorothea’s Uncle hid a station on his farm while they lived there with him because he thought they were to vocal about their opposition to slavery to be allowed in on the big secret. He would consider he had been most successful in that his own family disbelieved he had played this role upon his death. He even had Dorothea create the quilt he used as a map to the next station. He made her un-correct the “mistake” she had corrected for him and never realized that it was a representation of the very mountains outside her window.
The interesting aspect that this book is completely outside the Elm Creek Quilt timeline. Sylvia is not digging into this story, nor is Summer this is simply a story to help us appreciate some historical figures. I imagine Mrs. Chiavcrini had to do a lot of research for The Runaway Quilt and decided she liked the characters so much she created for it she would go back and give them a chance to tell their story as well. We get to watch Dorothea loose her innocence about other’s politics. I did think it odd that Cyrus Pearson would go for Dorothea even if she might inherit something given their very different political opinions, but I suppose he believed she would mold to his beliefs and that any good local farm land was worth indulging a woman’s fancy’s for.
I liked the album quilt they worked on. Stitching over signatures to make them more permanent and getting local and national celebrities to help raise money for their library. Understanding how much money was worth though would be useful. I am rather bad at understanding what 3 dollars means for a shelf in the library or 5 dollars for the entire quilt. Though I suppose 500 would be a lot of money for any fundraiser even today so it must have been a great deal of money back then as well.
Overall a great work of historical fiction, and an interesting addition to the Elm Creek story.
Dorothea’s Uncle hid a station on his farm while they lived there with him because he thought they were to vocal about their opposition to slavery to be allowed in on the big secret. He would consider he had been most successful in that his own family disbelieved he had played this role upon his death. He even had Dorothea create the quilt he used as a map to the next station. He made her un-correct the “mistake” she had corrected for him and never realized that it was a representation of the very mountains outside her window.
The interesting aspect that this book is completely outside the Elm Creek Quilt timeline. Sylvia is not digging into this story, nor is Summer this is simply a story to help us appreciate some historical figures. I imagine Mrs. Chiavcrini had to do a lot of research for The Runaway Quilt and decided she liked the characters so much she created for it she would go back and give them a chance to tell their story as well. We get to watch Dorothea loose her innocence about other’s politics. I did think it odd that Cyrus Pearson would go for Dorothea even if she might inherit something given their very different political opinions, but I suppose he believed she would mold to his beliefs and that any good local farm land was worth indulging a woman’s fancy’s for.
I liked the album quilt they worked on. Stitching over signatures to make them more permanent and getting local and national celebrities to help raise money for their library. Understanding how much money was worth though would be useful. I am rather bad at understanding what 3 dollars means for a shelf in the library or 5 dollars for the entire quilt. Though I suppose 500 would be a lot of money for any fundraiser even today so it must have been a great deal of money back then as well.
Overall a great work of historical fiction, and an interesting addition to the Elm Creek story.
August 23, 2020
Dorothea’s family lost their farm in a flood and has to move in with an uncle who is very stern and works them day and night on his farm. They expect when he dies that his farm will be left to their oldest son, who is studying to be a doctor and he will let them live on the farm. Dorothea has been the school teacher until a man is hired. Dorothea’s uncle has her make an odd quilt, which she finds out later is a map to the Underground Railroad. She is also helping the town get a library and finding out the risks of continuing her uncle’s work in the underground railway.
November 26, 2014
This review will contain major spoilers--read it at your own risk.
I don't normally write reviews of books I was disappointed in because, really, why bother? Why waste your time reviewing something you didn't like? I usually don't even have the time to review a book I *did* like, forget about one I didn't. If I could honestly rate this as a book in its own right, I'd have rated it much higher, but my rating is based on the fact that I can't consider it a book in its own right. I don't feel like I've finished a published novel; I feel like I've finished a work of fan fiction. Not that I have anything against fan fiction, I've read tons and have even written two and have two more in the works. I don't even have anything against a book that's a spin off/sequel/reinterpretation/based on another work, or the same story through another character's pov, but it has to be acknowledged openly as such, which as far as I know, SCQ does not. For example, Bridget Jones's Diary. It's acknowledged that BJD is a modern day interpretation of of Pride and Prejudice. The Sugar Camp Quilt is Pride and Prejudice set in Pennsylvania in pre-Civil War America.
The copying of P&P in the SCQ is so blatant--entire scenes, the basic love story, and nearly direct quotes--I can't imagine how it could have been published. The worst part is that it was absolutely unnecessary. The book is good enough to not have needed the passages lifted from P&P; they detract from what is a good book. SCQ is full of historical detail, and the characters are wonderful--whether they're good or bad. It's an emotional story set during an incredibly emotionally charged period, and it will draw you in--until you come to one of the P&P rip offs and the book's hold on you is broken. It's got bravery and cowardice, greed and selflessness. You will detest Uncle Jacob, then you will learn how wrong you were.
The other thing that detracts from the book is that it was written three years after The Run Away Quilt, which is set split between the 1980's (If I remember correctly.) and the Civil War. The Civil War portion of the book is the same characters as those in the SCQ (plus more), years after the events in the SCQ. So, if you follow the author, you know how the book ends the moment you begin it. You already know the outcome of the plot lines in the SCQ, because you already know who's married to whom, etc.
Examples of P&P copied in SCQ: SCQ has a scene at a party at which the heroine and hero meet, which is unmistakably copied from the ball at which Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy meet in P&P.
SCQ's Mr. Nelson: "I have no intention of directing my attention to any woman ignored by other men...."
P&P's Mr. Darcy: "I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men."
Mr. Nelson (SCQ's bad guy) to Dorothea Granger (SCQ's heroine): "Mother's good opinion, once lost, is rarely regained."
Mr. Darcy to Elizabeth Bennett: "My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever."
Dorothea speaking with her friend, Mary:
Mary: "One scarcely knows what to think about that man."
Dorothea: "On the contrary, one knows precisely what to think."
Elizabeth speaking to her sister, Jane:
Jane: "It is distressing. One does not know what to think."
Elizabeth: "I beg your pardon, one knows exactly what to think."
Just like early in the book with the party/ball scenes, SCQ ends with the hero telling the heroine she is "too good to trifle with me." At the end of P&P, Mr. Darcy tells Elizabeth she is "too generous to trifle with me." Mr. Darcy is asking if Elizabeth's feelings toward him have changed, Mr. Nelson is asking if Dorothea's opinion of him has changed.
These aren't verbatim quotes of course, but they are too alike and there are too many of them to ignore. One or two, okay, but there are too many of them; these are just the ones I made note of as I read.
I don't normally write reviews of books I was disappointed in because, really, why bother? Why waste your time reviewing something you didn't like? I usually don't even have the time to review a book I *did* like, forget about one I didn't. If I could honestly rate this as a book in its own right, I'd have rated it much higher, but my rating is based on the fact that I can't consider it a book in its own right. I don't feel like I've finished a published novel; I feel like I've finished a work of fan fiction. Not that I have anything against fan fiction, I've read tons and have even written two and have two more in the works. I don't even have anything against a book that's a spin off/sequel/reinterpretation/based on another work, or the same story through another character's pov, but it has to be acknowledged openly as such, which as far as I know, SCQ does not. For example, Bridget Jones's Diary. It's acknowledged that BJD is a modern day interpretation of of Pride and Prejudice. The Sugar Camp Quilt is Pride and Prejudice set in Pennsylvania in pre-Civil War America.
The copying of P&P in the SCQ is so blatant--entire scenes, the basic love story, and nearly direct quotes--I can't imagine how it could have been published. The worst part is that it was absolutely unnecessary. The book is good enough to not have needed the passages lifted from P&P; they detract from what is a good book. SCQ is full of historical detail, and the characters are wonderful--whether they're good or bad. It's an emotional story set during an incredibly emotionally charged period, and it will draw you in--until you come to one of the P&P rip offs and the book's hold on you is broken. It's got bravery and cowardice, greed and selflessness. You will detest Uncle Jacob, then you will learn how wrong you were.
The other thing that detracts from the book is that it was written three years after The Run Away Quilt, which is set split between the 1980's (If I remember correctly.) and the Civil War. The Civil War portion of the book is the same characters as those in the SCQ (plus more), years after the events in the SCQ. So, if you follow the author, you know how the book ends the moment you begin it. You already know the outcome of the plot lines in the SCQ, because you already know who's married to whom, etc.
Examples of P&P copied in SCQ: SCQ has a scene at a party at which the heroine and hero meet, which is unmistakably copied from the ball at which Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy meet in P&P.
SCQ's Mr. Nelson: "I have no intention of directing my attention to any woman ignored by other men...."
P&P's Mr. Darcy: "I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men."
Mr. Nelson (SCQ's bad guy) to Dorothea Granger (SCQ's heroine): "Mother's good opinion, once lost, is rarely regained."
Mr. Darcy to Elizabeth Bennett: "My good opinion, once lost, is lost forever."
Dorothea speaking with her friend, Mary:
Mary: "One scarcely knows what to think about that man."
Dorothea: "On the contrary, one knows precisely what to think."
Elizabeth speaking to her sister, Jane:
Jane: "It is distressing. One does not know what to think."
Elizabeth: "I beg your pardon, one knows exactly what to think."
Just like early in the book with the party/ball scenes, SCQ ends with the hero telling the heroine she is "too good to trifle with me." At the end of P&P, Mr. Darcy tells Elizabeth she is "too generous to trifle with me." Mr. Darcy is asking if Elizabeth's feelings toward him have changed, Mr. Nelson is asking if Dorothea's opinion of him has changed.
These aren't verbatim quotes of course, but they are too alike and there are too many of them to ignore. One or two, okay, but there are too many of them; these are just the ones I made note of as I read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2019
*Part of a series, but absolutely readable as a stand-alone.*
The Sugar Camp Quilt was a little slow-moving, but since I was listening to the audio book while driving, over a period of several weeks, I didn't mind that. Dorothea's character, while not the most well-rounded I've ever read about, was easy to like and to root for. Unlike some of the previous novels in the Elm Creek Quilts series, there was just one protagonist to keep track of and I appreciated that.
Pros: spunky but not obnoxious and delightfully bookish, well-read main character, reasonable behavior for 1840's characters (aka no super-anachronistic modern-day speech or sensibilities), interesting setting of pre-Civil-War Pennsylvania, good structuring of character - not everyone is as they seem! The overall story was serious but there were some humorous moments. I enjoyed the fact that the romance (no spoilers!) was a subtle undercurrent and not the Focal Point (TM), allowing the story to develop organically without tons of Angsty Tension. Also, there was no free-flowing hair in the sunset breeze. Yay!
Cons: the story relies HEAVILY on a myth that the Underground Railroad was facilitated by "quilt codes" that served as maps for runaway slaves, which.... isn't substantiated by historical documentation. It's a fun *concept* but there's no evidence to support it. (The story originated, much like the tale of Washington and the cherry tree, with the book "Hidden in Plain View" in 1999, but is not corroborated by primary sources of the time.) Additionally, some subplots seemed to begin promisingly and then peter out unsatisfactorily.
One full extra star awarded for a stellar plagiarism (well, not really, the book is 200 years old and public domain) of the Netherfield Ball scene from "Pride and Prejudice." My Janeite heart was made happy!
The Sugar Camp Quilt was a little slow-moving, but since I was listening to the audio book while driving, over a period of several weeks, I didn't mind that. Dorothea's character, while not the most well-rounded I've ever read about, was easy to like and to root for. Unlike some of the previous novels in the Elm Creek Quilts series, there was just one protagonist to keep track of and I appreciated that.
Pros: spunky but not obnoxious and delightfully bookish, well-read main character, reasonable behavior for 1840's characters (aka no super-anachronistic modern-day speech or sensibilities), interesting setting of pre-Civil-War Pennsylvania, good structuring of character - not everyone is as they seem! The overall story was serious but there were some humorous moments. I enjoyed the fact that the romance (no spoilers!) was a subtle undercurrent and not the Focal Point (TM), allowing the story to develop organically without tons of Angsty Tension. Also, there was no free-flowing hair in the sunset breeze. Yay!
Cons: the story relies HEAVILY on a myth that the Underground Railroad was facilitated by "quilt codes" that served as maps for runaway slaves, which.... isn't substantiated by historical documentation. It's a fun *concept* but there's no evidence to support it. (The story originated, much like the tale of Washington and the cherry tree, with the book "Hidden in Plain View" in 1999, but is not corroborated by primary sources of the time.) Additionally, some subplots seemed to begin promisingly and then peter out unsatisfactorily.
One full extra star awarded for a stellar plagiarism (well, not really, the book is 200 years old and public domain) of the Netherfield Ball scene from "Pride and Prejudice." My Janeite heart was made happy!
February 10, 2013
This was one of Jennifer Chiaverini's finest books! There is not a mention of Sylvia or the other Elm Creek people. This is set entirely right before the Civil War in Creek Crossing (which later will become Waterford). Dorothea Granger has been asked by her irascible uncle to make a quilt which exacting pattern is unconventional. Later we find out, after her uncle's death,that the quilt is actually a map for runaway slaves to find their way to the next station on their way North to freedom. Dorothea and her parents decide to become a station in the underground railroad, a decision which is fraught with danger. Mr. Pearson, from a later book (I didn't read them in order) makes an appearance again and he is a snake in disguise as he courts Dorothea (having her uncle's farm inheritance in mind). I thought he was the ultimate villain in the later book but he is nothing compared to that snivelling drunken (bad word) Mr. Liggott whose outrageous bad and evil behavior just kept astounding me. Pearson and Liggott are in league with the horrible slave catchers. Not a pretty combination. There is much adventure, breathless moments, suspense as Dorothea, her mother and father and black farmer-neighbors, the Wrights, help runaways to freedom. I was happy to see the beginning of the understated romance between Dorothea and Mr. Nelson, the schoolmaster appointed in her stead. It's very much a Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennett romance. Mr. Nelson, at a country dance no less,thrown in his honor, sniffs disdainfully at the company of the "uneducated country girls", within earshot of Dorothea. You could hear Mr. Darcy's famous line"not enough to tempt me"! Hahaha!!!
June 21, 2008
I don't know what it is... if a book tells me it's an adaptation of an older, more well-known story, I enjoy it. It's fun to look for the elements of the original and see how they've been adapted. When the book doesn't do that, it just feels like a rip-off.
Take "Pride and Prejudice." Move it about 40 years forward and a couple thousand miles across the Atlantic, axe out pretty much everyone except Darcy, Wickham and Elizabeth and you've got "The Sugar Camp Quilt."
It is not an entirely felicitous combination. Romantic comedy of manners just doesn't mix well with The Underground Railroad. There were several parts where the dialog was practically ripped from the pages of "Pride and Prejudice" and it just felt awkwardly plunked there; it was simply too different from the author's normal voice.
Nowhere on the book jacket did I see anything that identified the book as an homage to or adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice," so I have to put it in the category of "rip off."
Also, and I'm not trying to be cruel to the author or to anyone who actually likes this series, but let's just say now I can see why I jumped straight into the adult collections at the library, no matter how much ribbing I got for it from the kids in middle school.
Take "Pride and Prejudice." Move it about 40 years forward and a couple thousand miles across the Atlantic, axe out pretty much everyone except Darcy, Wickham and Elizabeth and you've got "The Sugar Camp Quilt."
It is not an entirely felicitous combination. Romantic comedy of manners just doesn't mix well with The Underground Railroad. There were several parts where the dialog was practically ripped from the pages of "Pride and Prejudice" and it just felt awkwardly plunked there; it was simply too different from the author's normal voice.
Nowhere on the book jacket did I see anything that identified the book as an homage to or adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice," so I have to put it in the category of "rip off."
Also, and I'm not trying to be cruel to the author or to anyone who actually likes this series, but let's just say now I can see why I jumped straight into the adult collections at the library, no matter how much ribbing I got for it from the kids in middle school.
October 8, 2014
I loved this story; discovering how Mr. Nelson and Dorothea came to love one another, and how they played an important part in the success of the Underground Railroad before the start of the Civil War... and while these characters are fictitious, there were many wonderful, brave abolitionists like these two characters, whose acts of bravery and heroism really did save the lives of runaway slaves; Jennifer Chiaverini once again tells a magnificent story and captures my attention and imagination completely. I only wish this book, like some of her previous installments, jumped back and forth between the current owners/residents of Elm Creek as they were once again unraveling more of their surprising history, while their own personal stories and adventures also continue to progress. I love the mix of several different time-lines, giving even more depth and dimension to this wonderful series.
February 3, 2017
See my review and others here: http://onceuponatime-bookblog.blogspo...
3 1/2 stars
The seventh book the the "Elm Creek Series" takes place in pre-Civil War Pennsylvania. It focuses on Dorothea - who later became involved with Sylvia's family - and her role in the Underground Railroad and building a library for what eventually becomes Elm Creek.
3 1/2 stars
The seventh book the the "Elm Creek Series" takes place in pre-Civil War Pennsylvania. It focuses on Dorothea - who later became involved with Sylvia's family - and her role in the Underground Railroad and building a library for what eventually becomes Elm Creek.
September 5, 2021
This was delightful. I've read one other book in the series and this didn't disappoint in the least. There were elements that were very Eluzabeth Bennett/Mr. Darcy which added to my enjoyment as well. I am always amazed at the courage, strength and quick thinking of those who helped runaway slaves as they conducted them to safety and freedom.
August 18, 2025
I really liked this book club book! Dorothea Granger lives on her uncle’s farm with her parents and mother’s brother (her uncle) in 1849, Pennsylvania. Uncle Jacob is hard and unfeeling. He asks Dorothea to make a quilt using his drawings, exactly! She does but is clueless. He dies and his secrets are revealed to his family. She figures out the quilt’s true purpose and acts on her knowledge.
She and her family are already on the side of the abolitionists but become very involved in the unground railroad.
She and her family are already on the side of the abolitionists but become very involved in the unground railroad.
November 17, 2025
Set in the years leading up to the Civil War, this historical fiction novel follows the MC as she and her parents uncover a dangerous family secret. But what will they do with this knowledge was the queston I was pondering. It reeled me right in. I loved what the quilt represented in the story. It added a unique layer that gave the narrative an unexpected twist.
This was my IRL book club's pick, and I'll admit I don't always conncect with the selections. But I ended up enjoying this one more than I expected. The audiobook narrator did a phenomenal job, which made the experience even better. So 4 stars.
This was my IRL book club's pick, and I'll admit I don't always conncect with the selections. But I ended up enjoying this one more than I expected. The audiobook narrator did a phenomenal job, which made the experience even better. So 4 stars.
March 10, 2020
Read 2010
March 29, 2020
As the cover states: “Steeped in rich period detail...”
This was a good read. I am reminded once again, of how very grateful I should be for the life I’ve been given.
This was a good read. I am reminded once again, of how very grateful I should be for the life I’ve been given.
May 30, 2024
Omg, I enjoyed this one SO MUCH, perhaps more than any other book in the series so far. This had callbacks to the Runaway Quilt, and had a dark Little House on the Prairie vibe to it in the way that the heroine learns hard lessons and grows up throughout the book.
We have a lot of tidbits that are connected to the Runaway Quilt without including any mention whatsoever of the Bergstroms. I think Amos Ligget is the drunk asshole who loses Elm Creek Farm in a horse race? Good riddance to him.
The admittedly period-accurate sexism in the book is so grating, I can really feel the heroine, Dorothea's frustration with not being taken seriously or valued.
There's also an unlikely romance in this book that ended up being so cute? It had some Pride and Prejudice vibes with the way that Mr. Nelson scorned Dorothea at the dance by talking behind her back as ugly and stupid and basically saying that if no other man wants to dance with her, then something must be wrong with her. There's also the 'once your good opinion is lost, it's lost forever, etc, line.' I liked it, that Dorothea eventually overcame her prejudice against Mr. Nelson when she realized he was also an abolitionist she could depend on. It was a cute addition that worked with the plot.
Uncle Jacob was such a crochety old fuck but he ended up being my favorite character, and I didn't realize that until he was suddenly absent. It seemed like the rest of the characters felt the same way. I was genuinely shocked when he died, it felt unfinished, I wanted to see him and Dorothea continue to get closer and reach an understanding, but in the end she carries on his good works and learns to appreciate him when she realizes what his real secret was.
I think I had an inkling once he started being so particular about the quilt design, it made sense that it was a runaway quilt. He was keeping the best part of him a secret.
The only criticism I have for the book was that Dorothea's parents were weirdo freaks, and it makes sense, because it's referenced that her parents entered a religious cult and had her grow up within the cult, which inevitably fell apart bc they were stupid religious zealots who didn't know how to subsistence farm or do anything really. They also treat Dorothea like shit and have basically decided that she's a spinster and will never get married now that she's old and used up at 19, completely against her will by the way. They're also nasty, pushing a 13 year old onto their adult son. Rural people are so fucking nasty, especially religious zealots, all of these groups seem to have marrying girls off extremely young in common. By the way, by the end of the book, I ended up sympathizing with Uncle Jacob. Dorothea's parents were terrible farmers and complete idiots who fell in with a cult, it makes sense why Uncle Jacob treated them like jackasses, they WERE, lmao. His idiot sister married an idiot man and he didn't want their stupid decision making to ruin the lives of his niece and nephew.
Another thing I'm wondering yet again after the Runaway Quilt book, why the hell were random men just allowed to barge into your house/ransack your house/try to kill you on the SUSPICION that you might have a runaway there? They're not police and they don't have warrants. I'm really surprised these people didn't end up getting lynched or shot the way they're busting in and bullying lone women when their husbands and dads are gone. That kind of shit would get you called out and shot back in the day. Bewildering that no one got prosecuted for shooting Mr. Nelson.
I loved this book, the whole Uncle Jacob storyline was really emotional and sobering. The plot also kept moving at a great pace and had a darker more gritty violent tone than the other books. Interested to see what's next!
(Also, I'm sorry if this comes off as rude to some of the angry one star reviewers, but I don't understand your complaints that this book 'ripped off' pride and prejudice. I'm genuinely baffled here. Lots of books take inspiration from pride and prejudice, to the point that P&P has a zombie book rendition and multiple books in which Jane Austen herself is turned into a mystery solving sleuth. It's one of the most quotable and widely referenced romances of all time. What Chiaverini did in this book is in no way stealing or plagiarism, and claims like that are ridiculous. That would be like having a poison apple and love's true kiss in a story and claiming that they plagiarized from Snow White. Pride and prejudice is so well known and is used as inspiration so often that it was obviously in this book as a tidbit for people who have read P&P. Just because it wasn't explicitly mentioned to soothe your big mad baby brains is your own problem, Chiaverini thought her readers were smart enough to note the reference without having to spell it out. For people who love Pride and Prejudice, I don't understand reacting in such a hostile way to find elements of it in another story. It's seriously not that big of a deal. Be proud that you caught the reference and move the fuck on, holy shit.)
We have a lot of tidbits that are connected to the Runaway Quilt without including any mention whatsoever of the Bergstroms. I think Amos Ligget is the drunk asshole who loses Elm Creek Farm in a horse race? Good riddance to him.
The admittedly period-accurate sexism in the book is so grating, I can really feel the heroine, Dorothea's frustration with not being taken seriously or valued.
There's also an unlikely romance in this book that ended up being so cute? It had some Pride and Prejudice vibes with the way that Mr. Nelson scorned Dorothea at the dance by talking behind her back as ugly and stupid and basically saying that if no other man wants to dance with her, then something must be wrong with her. There's also the 'once your good opinion is lost, it's lost forever, etc, line.' I liked it, that Dorothea eventually overcame her prejudice against Mr. Nelson when she realized he was also an abolitionist she could depend on. It was a cute addition that worked with the plot.
Uncle Jacob was such a crochety old fuck but he ended up being my favorite character, and I didn't realize that until he was suddenly absent. It seemed like the rest of the characters felt the same way. I was genuinely shocked when he died, it felt unfinished, I wanted to see him and Dorothea continue to get closer and reach an understanding, but in the end she carries on his good works and learns to appreciate him when she realizes what his real secret was.
I think I had an inkling once he started being so particular about the quilt design, it made sense that it was a runaway quilt. He was keeping the best part of him a secret.
The only criticism I have for the book was that Dorothea's parents were weirdo freaks, and it makes sense, because it's referenced that her parents entered a religious cult and had her grow up within the cult, which inevitably fell apart bc they were stupid religious zealots who didn't know how to subsistence farm or do anything really. They also treat Dorothea like shit and have basically decided that she's a spinster and will never get married now that she's old and used up at 19, completely against her will by the way. They're also nasty, pushing a 13 year old onto their adult son. Rural people are so fucking nasty, especially religious zealots, all of these groups seem to have marrying girls off extremely young in common. By the way, by the end of the book, I ended up sympathizing with Uncle Jacob. Dorothea's parents were terrible farmers and complete idiots who fell in with a cult, it makes sense why Uncle Jacob treated them like jackasses, they WERE, lmao. His idiot sister married an idiot man and he didn't want their stupid decision making to ruin the lives of his niece and nephew.
Another thing I'm wondering yet again after the Runaway Quilt book, why the hell were random men just allowed to barge into your house/ransack your house/try to kill you on the SUSPICION that you might have a runaway there? They're not police and they don't have warrants. I'm really surprised these people didn't end up getting lynched or shot the way they're busting in and bullying lone women when their husbands and dads are gone. That kind of shit would get you called out and shot back in the day. Bewildering that no one got prosecuted for shooting Mr. Nelson.
I loved this book, the whole Uncle Jacob storyline was really emotional and sobering. The plot also kept moving at a great pace and had a darker more gritty violent tone than the other books. Interested to see what's next!
(Also, I'm sorry if this comes off as rude to some of the angry one star reviewers, but I don't understand your complaints that this book 'ripped off' pride and prejudice. I'm genuinely baffled here. Lots of books take inspiration from pride and prejudice, to the point that P&P has a zombie book rendition and multiple books in which Jane Austen herself is turned into a mystery solving sleuth. It's one of the most quotable and widely referenced romances of all time. What Chiaverini did in this book is in no way stealing or plagiarism, and claims like that are ridiculous. That would be like having a poison apple and love's true kiss in a story and claiming that they plagiarized from Snow White. Pride and prejudice is so well known and is used as inspiration so often that it was obviously in this book as a tidbit for people who have read P&P. Just because it wasn't explicitly mentioned to soothe your big mad baby brains is your own problem, Chiaverini thought her readers were smart enough to note the reference without having to spell it out. For people who love Pride and Prejudice, I don't understand reacting in such a hostile way to find elements of it in another story. It's seriously not that big of a deal. Be proud that you caught the reference and move the fuck on, holy shit.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 3, 2024
Dorothea Granger and her family live with her Uncle Jacob on his farm and Uncle Jacob is really strict and works her family day and night. Dorothea's family puts up with it because they're hoping Dorothea's brother Jonathan will inherit the farm one day.
Dorothea's Uncle Jacob asks her to make a quilt based on his drawing and Dorothea's shocked to learn
the true meaning of the quilt after his death. This was a great work of historical fiction.
Dorothea's Uncle Jacob asks her to make a quilt based on his drawing and Dorothea's shocked to learn
the true meaning of the quilt after his death. This was a great work of historical fiction.
February 24, 2025
This one started slowly and it wasn't until about 1/2 way through I began to enjoy it.
January 24, 2021
Good to finally discover what happened to Joanna, and to learn more American history from a different viewpoint.
June 2, 2025
52) Seventh of the Elm Creek Quilters books. Quilts were used during the Underground Railroad as maps and as notice of safe haven. The Elm Creek Quilters keep history alive while making and teaching quilt designs. This story follows Dorthea through her family’s transformation from abolitionist feelings to safe haven on the Underground Railroad. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
July 30, 2019
This was accidentally my second time reading
The Sugar Camp Quilt
, the first being long enough ago that while I recalled the main plot, the details had been forgotten. The details, of course, are what makes these Elm Creek books so interesting.
If you're a quilter, particularly a traditional one, and if you're a reader, no doubt you already know about author Jennifer Chiaverini's two related series about an Elm Creek of the 1800s as well as a modern Elm Creek, now an artists' retreat.
The Sugar Camp Quilt takes place before the Civil War, in a Pennsylvania that is divided between abolitionists and those who wanted to maintain slavery -- or who were just plain bigoted. At that time Pennsylvania's emancipation laws were the most conservative of any of the northern states. Those seeking freedom who were caught would be returned to slave owners in the south and those who were caught aiding escaped slaves faced arrest and jail.
Obviously people who used the Underground Railroad to escape to the north could not be openly aided. There could be no such thing as direction signs along the way or written instructions, nor could it be assumed that escapees could read instructions on how to find the stations where they could hide and rest before continuing on the next leg. Slaves relied on guides in the Underground Railroad and word-of-mouth, and while the notion of quilts being used as coded maps is still debated, as Anna Lopez of the Plymouth Historical Museum in Michigan, stated in an interview by Time Magazine in 2007, "What I tell kids is, who writes history? Men do. Mostly white men. Then I ask, who made quilts? Women did, and a lot of black women made quilts and passed on their oral history. No one wrote down their history, so who knows?"
Chiaverini writes with convincing authority about the daily lives of people in a frontier Pennsylvania, weaving in the uncertainties and risks of following one's conscience and beliefs, and immersing us in controversial times sadly not unlike today's. Recommended reading for those who love quilting, and those who believe that human rights apply to all humans.
If you're a quilter, particularly a traditional one, and if you're a reader, no doubt you already know about author Jennifer Chiaverini's two related series about an Elm Creek of the 1800s as well as a modern Elm Creek, now an artists' retreat.
The Sugar Camp Quilt takes place before the Civil War, in a Pennsylvania that is divided between abolitionists and those who wanted to maintain slavery -- or who were just plain bigoted. At that time Pennsylvania's emancipation laws were the most conservative of any of the northern states. Those seeking freedom who were caught would be returned to slave owners in the south and those who were caught aiding escaped slaves faced arrest and jail.
Obviously people who used the Underground Railroad to escape to the north could not be openly aided. There could be no such thing as direction signs along the way or written instructions, nor could it be assumed that escapees could read instructions on how to find the stations where they could hide and rest before continuing on the next leg. Slaves relied on guides in the Underground Railroad and word-of-mouth, and while the notion of quilts being used as coded maps is still debated, as Anna Lopez of the Plymouth Historical Museum in Michigan, stated in an interview by Time Magazine in 2007, "What I tell kids is, who writes history? Men do. Mostly white men. Then I ask, who made quilts? Women did, and a lot of black women made quilts and passed on their oral history. No one wrote down their history, so who knows?"
Chiaverini writes with convincing authority about the daily lives of people in a frontier Pennsylvania, weaving in the uncertainties and risks of following one's conscience and beliefs, and immersing us in controversial times sadly not unlike today's. Recommended reading for those who love quilting, and those who believe that human rights apply to all humans.
August 30, 2019
You might also enjoy:
Fiction
✱ Lowcountry Spirit
✱ The Storycatcher
Nonfiction
✱ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Fiction
✱ Lowcountry Spirit
✱ The Storycatcher
Nonfiction
✱ Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
November 19, 2020
This book had so much potential, and I did enjoy the story of helping runaway slaves and the quilt, as I am a quilter, but I am also a huge fan of Jane Austen and Pride and Prejudice. I thought I was prepared for the references that would be made, after reading other’s reviews, but I didn’t realize that SO MANY lines verbatim were sprinkled throughout the book. I would like to know the author’s justification for her complete uninhibited use of Austen’s work. I found it very distracting and left a bad opinion of this author’s originality and, as she seems to be well aware, once a one’s good opinion is lost, it can be lost forever.
February 10, 2009
If I could give 3 1/2 stars I would. I enjoyed this book.
It is historical fiction based in Creek's Crossing, Pennsylvania before the Civil War. Dorothea is the main character. She is strong-willed, passionate, and loves to learn. She learns that not everyone in her town feels the same way about abolishing slavery as her family. As always with Chiaverini's books, there is a quilt tied into the story line (no pun intended!).
It is historical fiction based in Creek's Crossing, Pennsylvania before the Civil War. Dorothea is the main character. She is strong-willed, passionate, and loves to learn. She learns that not everyone in her town feels the same way about abolishing slavery as her family. As always with Chiaverini's books, there is a quilt tied into the story line (no pun intended!).
August 11, 2017
I thought this installment of the Elm Creek Quilts was one of Chiaverini's best. It’s about the underground railroad and the risks both runaway slaves and abolitionists took. There is excellent character development and an engaging story with a touch of romance. None of the characters, including the leads, are romanticized and they all exhibit strengths and weaknesses.
September 23, 2010
I enjoy all Jennifer Chiaverini's books...this, however, is one of my very favorites. The story of a family in Pennsylvania during the run-up to the Civil War who became involved in the abolitionist cause. Wonderful story - great characters, as usual. Loved it!
January 15, 2022
This is the last of my excursion through the Elm Creek Quilts books. Unlike the others, it's set not in a small, contemporary college town, liberally peopled with quilters, but is instead a historical novel set in the years leading up to the Civil War. Still not a fan.
June 19, 2023
Could not even finish my usual 50 pages before giving up on a book. One star because it is a book…
March 26, 2020
Number 7 of the series takes the reader back to the past to Creek's Crossing, Pennsylvania prior to the civil war. There is no back and forth from present day to the past as there was in book #4 titled "The Runaway Quilt". The premise of this book is that quilts could have been used to guide runaway slaves along the underground railroad to different stations that provided safety, food, clothes, and protection. Most of the characters were fleshed out and there was plenty of period detail. This was an "I just stepped back into time book".
The main character is 19 year old Dorothea Granger who, along with her parents Lorena and Robert, are living with Uncle Jacob on his 120 acre farm. They lost their own farm to a flood that wiped them out. If they serve Uncle Jacob well and bide their time, then he might will his farm to Jonathan, Dorothea's brother who is learning to be a doctor in Baltimore. Uncle Jacob is bad-tempered and ill-natured, works hard, is devoted to the Bible, and pushes the family to work hard also. The Granger's are abolitionists who think slavery is wrong and are vocal about it. Uncle Jacob doesn't agree or disagree with them - he has his own secrets.
The book opens with their neighbor Abel Wright intending to travel to Virginia to purchase his wife's freedom. Robert is going along to discourage unscrupulous interlopers. Uncle Jacob can't believe they are leaving in the middle of harvest. How could a sensible farmer take off when there is more important work to do? He is trying to teach the family to be responsible farmers. Lorena convinces Dorothea to give Abel's wife, who's name is Constance, the first quilt of seven she is making for her own future wedding. Upon seeing the quilt, Uncle Jacob requests that Dorothea make him a quilt with a very specific design of five unusual patterns. When she tries to change the unconventional pattern in a block, he gets angry and makes her change it back to his design. Dorothea also gets angry when she finds Uncle Jacob cleaning his boots with the quilt up at the Sugar Camp!
At a celebration to welcome the new schoolmaster to the community, Dorothea is not happy to meet him. She was the previous school teacher until she was replaced by him. The new teacher is Thomas Nelson, and misunderstandings about his past and standoffish behavior keep them at odds during most of the book. Dorothea is asked to be part of a library fundraising committee to build a library behind the school. To raise funds, she suggests that they make and auction off an album quilt with famous author's signatures embroidered on blocks. Some of the author's names that Dorothea suggests are abolitionists and most of the members of the committee are not pleased, including one Mrs. Engle. They forbid her to use those names, but Dorothea writes to the authors and obtains their signatures anyway. She sews those blocks into the quilt without telling Mrs. Engle first.
Cyrus Pearson is Mrs. Engle's son and is out to win over Dorothea romantically. He is always smiling and being genial, but is he sincere? What's his agenda? Amos Liggett is a mean drunk and a neighbor who has a grudge against Uncle Jacob and is always looking for runaway slaves to capture and return for reward. One day Dorothea sees Mr. Liggett and Cyrus with their heads together and comes to a conclusion. And, as for Mr. Nelson, who is he really? Is Dorothea slowly drawing closer to him? What secrets does he hold dear?
Uncle Jacob is accidently killed and the Grangers discover his rough demeaner was hiding an abolitionist heart. The quilt that he had Dorothea make, he used up at the Sugar Camp to guide runaway slaves on their journey on the underground railroad. He never let anyone, including the Grangers, know that he was a station master and using the Sugar Camp as a station. The Grangers decide to continue his mission in helping the slaves. The climax of the story has Dorothea and Constance helping a family escape the slave catchers and have to rely on Mr. Nelson's help in hiding them which, due to his past, could have dire consequences if he is caught.
Dorothea shows the most growth from a naïve young woman to one whose heroic journey leads to revelations about herself including her own courage and resourcefulness. As for Mr. Nelson, you can't "judge a book by it's cover" - there's a lot more there than the eye sees. I would classify this as historical fiction/romance. An inspiring series and one well worth reading.
The main character is 19 year old Dorothea Granger who, along with her parents Lorena and Robert, are living with Uncle Jacob on his 120 acre farm. They lost their own farm to a flood that wiped them out. If they serve Uncle Jacob well and bide their time, then he might will his farm to Jonathan, Dorothea's brother who is learning to be a doctor in Baltimore. Uncle Jacob is bad-tempered and ill-natured, works hard, is devoted to the Bible, and pushes the family to work hard also. The Granger's are abolitionists who think slavery is wrong and are vocal about it. Uncle Jacob doesn't agree or disagree with them - he has his own secrets.
The book opens with their neighbor Abel Wright intending to travel to Virginia to purchase his wife's freedom. Robert is going along to discourage unscrupulous interlopers. Uncle Jacob can't believe they are leaving in the middle of harvest. How could a sensible farmer take off when there is more important work to do? He is trying to teach the family to be responsible farmers. Lorena convinces Dorothea to give Abel's wife, who's name is Constance, the first quilt of seven she is making for her own future wedding. Upon seeing the quilt, Uncle Jacob requests that Dorothea make him a quilt with a very specific design of five unusual patterns. When she tries to change the unconventional pattern in a block, he gets angry and makes her change it back to his design. Dorothea also gets angry when she finds Uncle Jacob cleaning his boots with the quilt up at the Sugar Camp!
At a celebration to welcome the new schoolmaster to the community, Dorothea is not happy to meet him. She was the previous school teacher until she was replaced by him. The new teacher is Thomas Nelson, and misunderstandings about his past and standoffish behavior keep them at odds during most of the book. Dorothea is asked to be part of a library fundraising committee to build a library behind the school. To raise funds, she suggests that they make and auction off an album quilt with famous author's signatures embroidered on blocks. Some of the author's names that Dorothea suggests are abolitionists and most of the members of the committee are not pleased, including one Mrs. Engle. They forbid her to use those names, but Dorothea writes to the authors and obtains their signatures anyway. She sews those blocks into the quilt without telling Mrs. Engle first.
Cyrus Pearson is Mrs. Engle's son and is out to win over Dorothea romantically. He is always smiling and being genial, but is he sincere? What's his agenda? Amos Liggett is a mean drunk and a neighbor who has a grudge against Uncle Jacob and is always looking for runaway slaves to capture and return for reward. One day Dorothea sees Mr. Liggett and Cyrus with their heads together and comes to a conclusion. And, as for Mr. Nelson, who is he really? Is Dorothea slowly drawing closer to him? What secrets does he hold dear?
Uncle Jacob is accidently killed and the Grangers discover his rough demeaner was hiding an abolitionist heart. The quilt that he had Dorothea make, he used up at the Sugar Camp to guide runaway slaves on their journey on the underground railroad. He never let anyone, including the Grangers, know that he was a station master and using the Sugar Camp as a station. The Grangers decide to continue his mission in helping the slaves. The climax of the story has Dorothea and Constance helping a family escape the slave catchers and have to rely on Mr. Nelson's help in hiding them which, due to his past, could have dire consequences if he is caught.
Dorothea shows the most growth from a naïve young woman to one whose heroic journey leads to revelations about herself including her own courage and resourcefulness. As for Mr. Nelson, you can't "judge a book by it's cover" - there's a lot more there than the eye sees. I would classify this as historical fiction/romance. An inspiring series and one well worth reading.
December 18, 2023
The most interesting part about this book is there is NO mention of the Bergstrom Family and only passing references to Elm Creek since the book pre-dates their arrival. Still, it's an excellent stand alone story and gives great background on the history of this fictional settlement just prior to the official passing of the Fugitive Slave Act.
I'm a big proponent of reading books in the order they were published and, after discovering the first book in this series in a local Little Free Library, I was inspired to read at least up to The Christmas Quilt which has been on my shelf for years, in time for the holidays. Finishing The Sugar Camp Quilt (#7) means that The Christmas Quilt (#8) is next BUT, now the timeline is jumping around. Jennifer Chiaverini notes that she never intended to write a full series of books about Elm Creek, and The Christmas Quilt actually comes chronologically right after The Quilter's Apprentice (#1). It's kind of jarring to go back so early in the story when the characters have already moved on. But, more importantly for this review, I've now already read The Runaway Quilt (#4) which chronologically comes right after this book (The Sugar Camp Quilt - #7), so I was familiar with some of the historical characters. So now, the week before Christmas, I'm ready to read The Christmas Quilt but I really want to read The Lost Quilter ((#14) which takes place in 1859 and The Union Quilter (#17) which runs concurrent to the Lost Quilter!
Chiaverini's ability to jump into a point in her timeline and COMPLETELY invest herself is incredible. I think it's part of what makes these books so satisfying. Anyway, this is the first time I've felt confused about what to do reading wise and I think that's a GOOD thing. These books are a delight in whatever order you read them, but I think the bottom line is, do what works for you. I am happy that I'm less than halfway through this series and still have so much more of the story of these generations of characters to discover.
I'm a big proponent of reading books in the order they were published and, after discovering the first book in this series in a local Little Free Library, I was inspired to read at least up to The Christmas Quilt which has been on my shelf for years, in time for the holidays. Finishing The Sugar Camp Quilt (#7) means that The Christmas Quilt (#8) is next BUT, now the timeline is jumping around. Jennifer Chiaverini notes that she never intended to write a full series of books about Elm Creek, and The Christmas Quilt actually comes chronologically right after The Quilter's Apprentice (#1). It's kind of jarring to go back so early in the story when the characters have already moved on. But, more importantly for this review, I've now already read The Runaway Quilt (#4) which chronologically comes right after this book (The Sugar Camp Quilt - #7), so I was familiar with some of the historical characters. So now, the week before Christmas, I'm ready to read The Christmas Quilt but I really want to read The Lost Quilter ((#14) which takes place in 1859 and The Union Quilter (#17) which runs concurrent to the Lost Quilter!
Chiaverini's ability to jump into a point in her timeline and COMPLETELY invest herself is incredible. I think it's part of what makes these books so satisfying. Anyway, this is the first time I've felt confused about what to do reading wise and I think that's a GOOD thing. These books are a delight in whatever order you read them, but I think the bottom line is, do what works for you. I am happy that I'm less than halfway through this series and still have so much more of the story of these generations of characters to discover.
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