Welcome to my post for Ties That Bind Blog Hop Tour hosted by Michele Foster and Quilting Gallery to celebrate the release of Marie Bostwick‘s new book, Ties That Bind!
Visit Marie Bostwick’s website!
Michele invited 10 bloggers to participate, each of which received an advanced copy of Marie’s book and was then asked to answer a few fun questions on their own blogs. Each blogger also shared photos and the story of a baby quilt each one has made, to be posted on Michele’s site, Quilting Gallery.
Each blogger is giving away a copy of Ties That Bind, so make sure you visit all the blogs on the list below for more chances to win!
If you enter to win here on Sewhooked, you’ll have TWO chances to win because I’m also giving away my copy that I received as part of this event! My winners will also receive a FREE Sewhooked pattern of the winner’s choice. It’s super easy to win, just leave a comment below and let me know if you’ve read any of Marie’s books. Winners will be chosen on May 2!
As part of the celebration, you can get 15% off your total purchase from the Sewhooked Shop with coupon code TIESTHATBIND through May 2! Offer not valid on Craftsy or Etsy.
Book Synopsis:
Christmas is fast approaching, and New Bern, Connecticut, is about to receive the gift of a new pastor, hired sight unseen to fill in while Reverend Tucker is on sabbatical. Meanwhile, Margot Matthews’ friend, Abigail, is trying to match-make even though Margot has all but given up on romance. She loves her job at the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop and the life and friendships she’s made in New Bern; she just never thought she’d still be single on her fortieth birthday.
It’s a shock to the entire town when Phillip A. Clarkson turns out to be Philippa. Truth be told, not everyone is happy about having a female pastor. Yet despite a rocky start, Philippa begins to settle in—finding ways to ease the townspeople’s burdens, joining the quilting circle, and forging a fast friendship with Margot. When tragedy threatens to tear Margot’s family apart, that bond—and the help of her quilting sisterhood—will prove a saving grace. And as she untangles her feelings for another new arrival in town, Margot begins to realize that it is the surprising detours woven into life’s fabric that provide its richest hues and deepest meaning…
Michele asked each blogger to answer some fun questions…here are my answers!
1. What drew you into the book?
I’ve always been interested in psychology and picking apart the reasons people do the things they do, the same is true with any character-driven novel.
2. Which character did you identify with? Give one reason as to why.
I can’t say I really identified with a single character, but I certainly can relate to working in a quilt store (which I have done) and having one’s sewing friends be such an important part of everyday life.
3. If this is the first book of the series that you have read – will you be reading the rest now?
This is the first book in this series I’ve read. It’s way outside of my usual genre choices (I’m a historical mystery and fantasy/sci-fi girl!), so I can’t say for sure if I’ll read more, but anything is possible!
4. In 5 words or less state why someone NEEDS to read this novel.
Easy read about quilters.
5. Did you take a beginner quilting class when you first started out? What was it like and did it inspire you to continue quilting?
I did not take a beginning class. I learned to quilt as part of The Linus Connection, the blanket making charity I volunteer for. When I first started volunteering for Linus, my blankets were exclusively crocheted. I already sewed, but had never quilted. A quilting friend encouraged me to join in at a sewing day for our charity and the rest is indeed history!
6. Have you made a baby or toddler quilt? Share the photo and story if you like.
This story also appears on Quilting Gallery as part of the Blog Tour, but I just can’t resist sharing it here, too!
Because I learned to quilt by volunteering for a blanket making-charity,
The Linus Connection, I started with baby quilts and have made many over the years, so coming up with an extra-special baby quilt took an extra bit of thinking! When I think back to the baby quilt that stands out in my memory the most, it is the quilt that my group of sewing friends made for our friend Catherine.
My friends and I live in the Austin, Texas area. Catherine is from Australia. I met her online many years ago through a Harry Potter craft group. She and I became fast friends and online quilting buddies, and eventually, she flew to Austin to visit. My sewing circle adopted her immediately and now she’s a friend to us all. When her first child was born, we all worked together to make a quilt for her.
Catherine is an Engineer and used to work on construction sites. With that in mind, we created a construction-themed quilt using a pattern from a book one of our sewing circle has. Each of us made blocks, and we finished the quilt top at our group’s annual quilt retreat. We each took on jobs of quilting, stitching the binding and making the label. It was a real group effort and meant a lot to us to be able to do this special thing for our friend on the other side of the world!
Ties That Bind Blog Tour Schedule:
Tuesday, April 24
Michele – Quilting Gallery
*Jackie – Canton Village Quilt Works
*Wendy – Ivory Spring
Wednesday, April 25
*Jennifer – Sewhooked (You’re here!)
*Erin – One Piece at a Time
Thursday, April 26
*Victoria – Bumble Beans Inc.
*Sandi – A Legacy of Stitches
Friday, April 27
*Michele – With Heart and Hands
*Melissa – Lilac Lane
Saturday, April 28
*Melissa – Sew Bitter Sweet Designs
*Kim – Crafty Apple
Deb Tucker from Studio 180 Designs created this adorable Hide and Seek Baby Quilt to go with the book. The pattern will be available as a free download to those who are registered reading friends at Marie’s website.
If it’s your first time to visit Sewhooked, I do hope you’ll stop by again! I’m currently hosting a Blog Hop with a free paper pieced pattern every day for the month of April, each one designed by a different awesome designer!
Next week, I’ll be part of the Quiltmaker 100 Blocks Vol. 5 Blog Tour! Stop by again to see my block and enter a giveaway for a free copy of the newest edition of 100 Blocks on May 3!
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