The Quilter's Apprentice
by Jennifer Chiaverini

List Price: $10.95
Pages: 271
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 0452281725
Publisher: Plume Books

Jennifer Chiaverini, a former writing instructor at Pennsylvania State University, now lives in Madison, Wisconsin, where she quilts with the Mad City Quilters.

top of the page

1. You wrote this book as a gift to the quilters you have known. Who was the first person who introduced you to quilting? How long did it take for you to make your first quilt?

As a self-taught quilter, I suppose I introduced myself to quilting. After learning to quilt, however, I improved my skills and learned much more about the history and folklore of quilting with the help of on-line quilting groups such as rec.crafts.textiles.quilting and QuiltersBee.

After moving to Madison WI, I also joined the local quilting guild, the Mad City Quilters. All of these quilters continue to inspire me with their friendship and creativity. I completed my first quilt, a nine-block sampler both pieced and quilted by hand, in about four months.


2. Did you grow up with quilts as a child? Do you own any older, historic, quilts like the character, Sylvia Compson? If so, what is the history behind them?

I did not grow up with quilts; in fact, as far as I know, I'm the first
quilter in my family. Unlike Sylvia, I don't own any older, historic
quilts, but I hope someday some of my quilts will become cherished family heirlooms.


3. Do you think quilting today is any different from the way it was a century or so ago?

The technology has greatly improved from a century ago -- quilters now have access to such things as computerized sewing machines and quilt design software, as well as a wider variety of textiles. Still, some of the most important aspects of quilting have remained the same, such as the friendships that develop among quilters, the emphasis on sharing and collaboration, and the pride quiltmakers deservedly take in their work.


4. What is your favorite quilting style? What is the longest--or shortest--amount of time it has ever taken you to make a quilt?

I prefer traditional patterns for the quilts I make, but I enjoy viewing
quilts of all different styles. Some of my favorite blocks are Bear's Paw, Double Wedding Ring, Mariner's Compass, and Snow Crystals. The shortest amount of time I needed to complete a quilt was two weeks, but this was a small crib quilt. As for the longest amount of time, I'm not sure, since some of my projects are still unfinished -- we quilters call these UFO's, or Un-Finished Objects. Let's just say that some of my UFO's are at several years and counting -- but I do intend to finish them!


5. In The Quilter's Apprentice, there is some debate over the merits of hand-stitching versus machine-made quilts. Do you prefer to hand or machine stitch your quilts?

I prefer machine piecing to hand piecing, simply because of the time involved. If I tried to hand piece all of my quilts, I'd have even more UFO's than I do already. I use a combination of hand and machine quilting, but I prefer hand quilting both because I like the finished appearance and I find the process more relaxing.


6. If we think of the book as a quilt itself, which quilt were you making as you wrote it? Was it a sampler like the character, Sarah, makes in The Quilter's Apprentice?

I had several projects in process as I wrote The Quilter's Apprentice, but afterward, I did make "Sarah's Sampler," the quilt Sarah made in the story. A picture of it is posted on my web site at http://www.elmcreek.net.
 




© Copyright 2009 by Jennifer Chiaverini. Reprinted with permission by Plume Books. All rights reserved.

• Click here now to buy this book from Amazon.

top of the page