The Ivy Creek Sewing Circle: Stories from the heart of Appalachia

I enjoyed The Ivy Creek Sewing Circle. The characters were interesting, relatable, well developed and the touch of humor made for a pleasant read. Happy endings are a must for me and this one did not disappoint.

Welcome to Tea Time Tuesday, my fellow Book Dragons! I do hope you had a lovely day. Our Gem this evening is quite beautiful! On the surface it looks like a chunk of ordinary coal..dull mostly, black, a shiny spot here or there, nothing much to look at, but polish it a bit, wipe the dust of time away and we see that, in spots, it’s actually turning into a Diamond! That’s what coal does under pressure, you see! Our Gem this evening is Gem Maker Tammy Robinson Smith’s “The Ivy Creek Sewing Circle” .
Set in Appalachia, it is the tale of Emmybeth Johnson, age 9, going on 40, eavesdropper, vine swinger, child of the early seventies, child of Appalachia. She loves her parents, tolerates her little brother, goes to Sunday School and pays attention and tries her best to follow the Golden Rule and often fails, is fiercely loving of her grandma and all around good girl. She tells this tale perfectly. I love her.
She loves to hide in the kitchen cupboard and listen to the gossip of the Ivy Creek Sewing Circle that meets in her Momma’s kitchen once a week. In attendance are her Momma, Grandma, Mrs. Maiden, Miss Harris, and assorted other neighbor ladies. They do a good service making lap quilts, Christmas Stockings and other needful things for the local unfortunates, shut-ins and elderly. They also meet to socialize, eat a bite of home made sweets and drink coffee and though the gathering may seem informal, is it not, for these women connected by fabric, thread, bric-a-brac and stitches are also connected at the soul. They are Sisters of Appalachia, they are made of tougher stuff and though they may buckle when a crisis starts they will pick each other up and forge ahead, because that is what they do. Their kind have not survived nearly 400 hundred years in those mountains by being soft.
Emmybeth’s mother, Darlene, is a stay at home mom, as so many mom’s were in the 1970’s, especially Appalachian mom’s. They tended chickens and cows and pigs, they planted gardens, canned food, sewed clothes, kept house and raised children. Her father, Vernon, runs the local auto garage that he bought from his own father, Emmybeth’s Papaw Jack. One day, Vernon has a terrible accident at work and is left permanently disabled.
What will they do? Vernon refuses disability, and even if he had not, chances were then it would not have raised two nestlings and kept body and soul together for a husband and wife. Darlene realizes in just a few short weeks that they are going to lose everything now that Vernon refuses to try to work at all. What can she do? She finally vents one afternoon at the sewing circle, which has now moved to another woman’s home. She tells them of how Vernon is depressed, the children are miserable, she is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She is up against it. And that is when she finds out the ties that bind have been inside that sewing circle all along.
Darlene’s sewing circle sisters are not about to let her down. They don’t judge, they don’t exactly let her wallow either. What do they do? You’ll have to read it and find out. You will be sorry if you don’t.. you will want to read this one. If you have ever gone through a hard time, or know someone who has.. if you know someone going through one now, who needs a bit of inspiration, GET THIS BOOK! If you are looking for a pick me up or a gift for the person who loves a good, old fashioned “give’em what for” kind of tale in the mountain tradition THIS IS IT!
I am going to treasure mine and keep it so I can get it out and read it again from time to time. Smith has perfectly captured the relationship Appalachian girls, especially oldest daughters, have with their grandmothers. You don’t want to miss this! Add it to your gift list! Don’t you deserve something nice?
Until tomorrow I remain, your humble Book Dragon, Drakon T. Longwitten
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

The Ivy Creek Sewing Circle was an expected favorite of mine. I don’t read too many novels that are classified as cultural heritage fiction, but after reading this novel, I’m definitely changing that. The way Author Tammy Robinson Smith captured not only her characters, but the plot and descriptions was fantastic. I love books that aren’t just books. They are stories, and this book did just that.

You can see more on my website. Tammy Robinson Smith

Author Tammy Robinson Smith has written a memorable book that had me reminiscing about my childhood! The Ivy Creek Sewing Circle is an amazing group of women who have tales of woe and laughter as well. Wanting to grow up faster than time will allow, nine year old Emmybeth hides under the kitchen cabinet to eavesdrop during the weekly sewing circle. Usually left with more questions than answers, Emmybeth knows better than to ask her mama or grandmother because they will know she had been eavesdropping. After her father is hurt while working in his garage, Emmbeth’s life takes a different turn. Not sure how to act in front of her daddy now that things are different, Emmybeth continues to watch everyone around her and seek the answers to her many questions. Soon enough, Emmybeth begins to understand the curve balls that life tends to throw. This is an amazing novel that will have the reader feeling nostalgic. The emotional pull that this novel presents makes it feel almost magical. I cannot wait to see what else Author Tammy Robinson Smith will be writing next!