Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler from Elm Creek Quilts

Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler is a 140 block sampler quilt quilt made by the characters in a novel, The Master Quilter, the sixth in the Elm Creek Quilts series by Jennifer Chiaverini. In the story, the friends of Elm Creek Quilts founder Sylvia Bergstrom Compson secretly plan to make her a special quilt to celebrate her wedding. They ask all of her many friends, colleagues, and former students to contribute a block that represents what Sylvia means to them. That is why many of the sampler’s blocks have a marriage theme, but others focus on friendship and others have meanings known only to their makers.

Jennifer Chiaverini and 72 of her real-life friends and fans contributed 140 blocks to this beautiful sampler quilt that became Sylvia Bergstrom Compson’s wedding gift in The Master Quilter. Instructions for five of the Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler blocks appeared in Jennifer’s second pattern book, Return to Elm Creek, but there was not enough room to include all 140 of the blocks. When Jennifer’s fans requested more of the patterns, Jennifer was inspired to create the Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler blog. Eventually she posted all 140 patterns, and quilters from around the world began making blocks of their own and sending in pictures of their completed blocks and quilts in progress, which can be seen in the Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler Gallery. Now the community has expanded to include a mailing list and block exchanges, with more quilters from around the world joining in every day.

Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler Mailing List
Click here to sign up for the Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler mailing list and join in the discussion of the 140-block sampler that became an international phenomenon. List members are invited to share quilting tips and support one another as they work on their own versions of this beautiful sampler quilt. Block of the Week challenges are announced every Monday morning to help you keep on track. Discussion of the Elm Creek Quilts novels and other works by author, quilter, and designer Jennifer Chiaverini is also welcome.

C&T Errata Page
Sometimes mistakes slip past even the best of editors! Please visit the C&T errata page for corrections to the first through fourth editions of Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler from Elm Creek Quilts. For additional help with particular blocks, Block of the Week challenges, encouragement, and friendship, you’re invited to join the Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler mailing list.