In this twelfth installment of a Quilting Cozy series, excitement grows as the Tuesday Night Quilters plan an antique quilt show. But things go terribly wrong. Sarah and Sophie again throw themselves into the middle of the investigation, but this time Sarah finds herself in real danger. As always, Sarah and her retirement village cohorts offer fun, mystery, and lots of quilting.
This is the final book in the Quilting Cozy series by Carol Dean Jones. It has been a fun series to write, and I’ve been told it is fun to read. As a cozy, it offers a light mystery but with no visible violence or objectionable language. The focus is on the relationships among the characters who are residents of an active retirement community. The characters are in their seventies and eighties, a real treat for those of us who sometimes feel left out of the fictional character world.
For the quilters, this series includes the pattern for the quilt on the cover of each book. In most books, the characters are also making the quilt as part of the storyline.
This past spring, I attended a local quilt retreat and was surprised to see that the quilter at the next table was piecing something very familiar. It turned out she was making the cover quilt from Frayed Edges! I regret that I didn’t take pictures of all the pieces as she cut and organized them, but I did receive a picture of the finished quilt (below).
This quilt looks very complicated, but once you catch on to the pattern, it’s primarily a matter of correctly arranging two blocks: a four-patch and a solid block with two snowball corners. The challenge is in the placement!
The quilter sent me a picture of her finished quilt top, which is awaiting quilting, and I wanted to share it with you.
My quilting friend did a beautiful job of making this quilt. I love her choice of fabrics, color arrangement, and her attention to detail. This will be a family heirloom one day! It also gives me great pleasure to see my quilt being made by one of my readers.
One of my quilting friends made the Rescue Quilt wall hanging and displays the Rescue Quilt book on a table by the wallhanging. She gets many comments!
I wonder how many others have followed the patterns in the back of each book in the series? I would love to hear from you (QuiltingCozy@gmail.com) and send pictures if possible. I’ll do a blog featuring all of them!
Here are a few examples of cover quilts, and each includes the patterns at the end of the book.
And to encourage others to consider making this quilt, I am offering a free signed copy of Frayed Edges, a Quilting Cozy, to five followers of the blog who leave a comment below. Names will be randomly chosen using the Random Number Generator, and the drawing will be in two weeks: Friday, September 23rd. If you received this blog automatically, you are already a follower, but if you saw it on Facebook or other social media, be sure to sign up as a follower, as only followers are eligible for the drawing.
My very best wishes to all my readers and followers. I hope you had a terrific (and healthy) summer.
Carol
A Quilting Cozy Series - Carol Dean Jones 
Well dear sister…..I’ve heard “this is the last book” before and you just couldn’t resist letting your characters have one more adventure SOOOOOOO we’ll just have to see! I think it’s great that your followers send you photos of the quilts they’ve made from your examples in your books…..it will make a wonderful blog if people do send in photos of their work! You know I’m proud of you – but I’ll say it again – I’M VERY PROUD OF MY SISTER!
Love, Pam
Carol, I’m looking forward to reading your 12th and final book in the series. I have immensely enjoyed one through eleven, so I can’t wait to dig into Frayed Edges. If I start to miss Sarah and Sophie, I’ll just re-read the series!
Hi Peggy, I’m so glad you enjoyed the series. Thank you for taking the time to read them. I certainly enjoyed writing them.
best wishes,
Carol
I recently had a cousin stay at the house and he commented on my selection of cozy mysteries. Seems he did his master thesis on the cozy genre. And until a few years ago I didn’t know there was such a category. I only knew I liked them. Thanks for sharing your talent with the rest of us. Love the book covers too.
Hi Barb,
That is very interesting about your cousin. I love cozies myself…easy reading…easy to relax by. Thank you for your comment. best wishes, Carol
Carol,
I love Frayed Edges and the pattern is on my to do list. My cousin is having health issues and unable to get to her library in Colorado for reading material so I bundled up all twelve of your cozy books and shipped them to her on loan. She is loving getting to know everyone. Such a wonderful warm series of stories. I do hope there are more stories down the road! Blessings, Dawn
My wife and are both quilters. So glad to hear from you again. We are the Featherweight people who so enjoyed reading the Featherweight references in LEFT HOLDING the BAG. We are thrilled that there are two more books in the series for us to enjoy. John and Margaret
Hi John and Margaret,
And I’m glad to hear from you again, too!! So glad you are reading the series.
Carol
I’ve read all your books but never realized they included a pattern as I read them on my Kindle! I’ll have to go out and buy the books now.
Oh sorry, Toni. I’ll have to take a look, I thought they were in the ebooks as well, but I guess that would be difficult to follow the pattern.
Best wishes,
Carol
Carol, I have so enjoyed this series of cozy mysteries. Being a new quilter, I havent had a chance to try any of the quilts yet. I just finished Left Holding the Bag and may try that one. I just love the stories of Sarah and Sophie and will miss them! Take Care!
Hi Marilyn,
Yes, if you are a new quilter, I think the quilt on Left Holding the Bag would be the perfect one to make. Lots of practice matching corners yet a very simple pattern. Best wishes, Carol
I have read all your books and they are wonderful. I recommend them to everyone of all ages.
Thank you Lynnette for your kind words. I’m so glad you enjoyed the books. Best wishes, Carol
I’m looking forward to reading this book. The quilt is very cute.
Good Luck!
Carol
Have read the entire series. Wished I lived in this community.
You would be surprised how many people say that (including me!) It’s the ideal.
Best,
Carol
Congrats on the new book, looking forward to reading it
I hope you enjoy it Erin. Best wishes, Carol
I have enjoyed making a sample of each quilt. we have a book club at local quilt shop and we’re on tattered an torn.
Oh what fun! Thank you, Kathy, for telling me about that. Best wishes, Carol
I already have all your books and loved them, have read them at least twice. But I have never made any of the quilts.
Thank you, Jerri, for your comments and especially for reading them TWICE! Wow. I appreciate that. Best wishes, Carol
I love your books! This one looks just as amazing as the others! I read them over and over!
I’m so glad you enjoy them, Sydney and thank you for telling me you read them over and over. That makes me happy!
Carol
Carol, I love all your books and this isthe only one I haven’t read yet. Keeping my fingers crossed!
Good Luck Linda. I’m so glad you enjoy the series.
best wishes,
Carol
when i saw your blog in my email, i knew before i opened it, that your were announcing the last book.
congratulations my friend, You have inspired, encouraged, and entertained many with your wit, and ability to turning fiction into reality and back into fiction and keep a captive audience.
You made an impact on many lives
Tears of happy for you
Hugs from Bonnie & Sue
Hi Sue,
What a fantastic response! Thank you so very much for your kind words. You made me smile.
Hugs,
Carol
Thank you for your great stories throughout this series. I have enjoyed reading some of your books and would love to read Frayed Edges. The quilt patterns in each book are wonderful. Thank you again.
Hi June,
I’m glad you enjoy the books, June. thank you for reading them and for commenting. Best wishes, Carol
Just finished Frayed Edges. Loved it. I’m ready for another book. This series has been a joy to read, and yes, I hope to use the pattern in this book. Thanks for another great read!
Thank you for your kind comments. best wishes, Carol
What great sounding stories, and then the bonus of a quilt project at the end of the book! A really unique idea, Carol – I hope to read them some day!
I hope you do too! Best wishes and good luck in the drawing, Carol
congratulations on your new book. woohoo Oh but this quilt is gorgeous. I would love to read one of your books. Have a wonderful weekend Smiles and Happy Quilting
Thank you for your happy comments!! Carol