The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club

Maybe I'm getting spoiled, but I've come to expect that warm-fuzzy-in-the-region-of-my-heart feeling whenever I pick up one of Wanda Brunstetter's Amish-based fiction offerings. The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club was no exception.

I must admit, though, to feeling a bit apprehensive as I picked it up and feasted my eyes on the cover: a mismatched group of would-be quilters surround a serene looking Amish woman -- and if it was any other author but Wanda Brunstetter, I might have put it back down without even reading a page. But in due course, not only did I grow to know, but actually like each of these characters: Star, the tattooed young woman, yearning to be loved and appreciated by her family; burly biker-dude, Jan Sweet (who, but show more Wanda Brunstetter could come up with a moniker like that for a hard-living, gruff biker (who is really a soft, squish, teddybear in disguise!); tired, disappointed and discouraged marrieds, Pam and Stuart; young, grieving dad, Paul Rodriguez; and disillusioned minister's wife, Ruby Lee; and finally, Emma Yoder, who takes them all under her wing, like a mother bird. Is there anyone Emma doesn't like??? Well, there was Lamar, a nice Amish widower who seems to always find a way under Emma's skin, but even that works out!

Each individual "dilemma" faced by the characters in this book is well thought-out and written. What amazed me, time and time again, is how the author was able to switch gears and effectively write with each character in mind, from their dialogue to their thought processes.

Ms. Brunstetter weaves compassion, understanding and humor into this story, and in the end, you can't help but feel like you've just met a new group of friends. A new group of friends that this reader was sorry to see go. But that's the mark of a good story, ain't so? show less

Emma Yoder is a recently widowed Amish woman who decides to supplement her income by teaching a quilting class. Imagine her surprise when her students turn out to be such a diverse group of people. There's a young widower who wants to finish the quilt his late wife started, a married couple with marital problems, a young woman who feels abandoned by her father, a preacher's wife dealing with problems in the congregation, and there's even a tough biker! How will this soft-spoken Amish woman ever relate to her students? Can they be taught to quilt, or will Emma offer them something more valuable? Will they learn that there's always a positive in every situation, and the ability to forgive and be forgiven is a gift?

I've heard so many good show more things about the play that is based on this book, and I now totally understand all of the great reviews for The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club. This book has everything that you want in a good story: engaging characters, emotional conflict, a wonderful ending, and best of all, an uplifting and encouraging faith message!

"We've sure learned some lessons here while gettin' to know and understand each other, and I think we've also learned quite a bit about love."

Author Wanda E. Brunstetter is well-known for her Amish fiction, but this book features wonderful interaction between Amish people and their 'English' neighbors. There are several happy surprises and lots of feel-good moments, but the best thing is that there are two more books in this trilogy. I recommend The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club to all who enjoy Amish and Christian fiction.

This book was my personal purchase from Barbour Publishers, and I am voluntarily sharing this review. show less

Amish fiction is a like a tonic to me and The Half Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstetter is no different for me. Now I definitely want to read the rest of her books. This book flew, it was easy to read but full of serious situations to deal with.

This book is a little different from most Amish fiction because the majority of the characters are Englishers. We got to see how their lives meshed with the Amish quilt maker and how each grew emotionally, spiritually, and in acceptance.

This is set in Northern Indiana and that made me want to read immediately because I am a Hoosier. Emma Yoder is Amish and a widow who had a very caring husband and is not ready to remarry. She wants to be less dependent on her children, show more financially and for help so she has the idea of proving quilting classes. A very diverse group of people sign up. She has a biker who is on probation for a DUI, a couple who are having serious problems with their marriage, a minister’s wife who is worried about her husband’s future with his church, a Hispanic who recently lost his wife in a tragic car accident and a young woman who is constantly at odd with her mother and feeling the lack of love. The story alternated between the different characters and flows so good.

You can feel the love and enjoy the message such as “Don’t borrow Trouble”. The quilting meetings started off with a goat chase and a near fight! As the meeting progressed, they were surprisingly like group therapy. There were so many problems that it helped to Emma and the other parts of the group discuss and react to them.

There are no negative things that I can say about this book!

I thought that this book is a joy and strongly recommend it to all fans of Amish Fiction. show less

When widowed Emma Yoder thought to earn some money by giving the English quilting lessons, she imagined that older women would be the type who would be attracted to such classes. Emma was in for one big surprise! The first class of six was as varied in kind and type as could be imagined. So fearful were they to Emma’s daughter when she first saw them – some with plentiful piercings and tattoos on both men and women – that she asked her mother if she just wanted to forget the whole thing. But Emma boldly took charge, and soon discovered that each person had needs beyond learning to quilt, and Emma was just the person to help them. An interesting story with surprising plot twists, this novel with its engaging characters is a quick show more and happy read. show less

The author did a great job of bringing unlikely folks together to learn how to quilt through an Amish woman named Emma. I liked her story line idea and also enjoyed a bit of a surprise in the story too. All the characters had issues to deal with in their lives and I enjoyed watching them all grow and change for the better. All while learning how to quilt. As the back cover says, "Is this what God had in mind to heal hurting hearts and create beauty from fragments?". Not your usual "amish" story. Looking forward to more stories in this series.

Wanda came up with a new twist in this story, Emma Yoder had lost her husband and was having a hard time making ends meet. Her grown children had to pitch in and help so she though up an idea that might bring in a little money for herself. As she loved to quilt as most Amish women do, she decided to see if she could teach Amish quilting. She posted little notes around town and before she knew it she had 6 students and none of them knew a thing about sewing nor quilting. They just all needed some interest outside of their own lives they now lived.

This was really a mixed up group, a man and his wife that was having married problems, a young widower with a baby that needed to finish the baby quilt his young wife had started before she was show more killed in a car accident. A minister's wife that needed an outside interest beside the problems at her church, a biker that had lost his drivers license and a young woman with all kind of trouble.

Sometime when the group met. Emma tough she was going to have to call someone to stop a fight. They all had troubles and seem to want to pick on each other. But all in all the group needed more that just learning how to quilt, they needed someone to listen. God can work out problems if we will only let him, but he does it in His own time and way. Even Emma might find a new love in her neighbor.

Anytime I receive a book by Wanda Brunstetter I want to jump right in and read, so that is what I did. There is a quilt pattern inserted in the book, how great is that!

I want to thank the Author and Barbour Publishing for sending me this copy to read and enjoy and I choose to review it. show less

Not gonna lie: I picked this book up because the cover made me laugh. But this is a really good, quick read with interesting, unique characters, a good story, and good lessons.