The Forgotten Seamstress

Maria Romano was just two years old when her Mum died and she was taken to the London orphanage. It was there that she'd meet Nora Featherstone, another orphan. The two girls would come to learn the fine art of sewing so much so that they'd catch the eye of the Royal Family. Taken from the orphanage when both were just teenagers, the girls would come into employ at Buckingham Palace in the early 1900's. Whilst there, Maria meets the Prince of Wales himself and forever after, her life will be changed. If only for the better.Caroline Meadows is at the present a bit down on her luck. She and her live-in boyfriend have decided to call it quits; her employer decided to lay her off due to the recession that 2008 is seeing; and, her Mum is suffering the dreadful symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. While going through some stored away boxes at her Mum's house, Caroline comes across a familiar old quilt that is extraordinarily crafted. It belonged to Caroline’s Grandma Jean and it was meant to go to Caroline. With a degree in interior design, both Caroline and her friend Jo become invested in finding out about the intricate fabrics of the quilt. These fabrics bear a striking resemblance to fabrics worn and used only by the Royal Family.Though there is no possible way that Caroline could ever ask Maria what she might know about this quilt since Maria has long since breathed her last. Caroline, through a series of interviews recorded by a graduate student of her Father's, will be able to hear Maria's telling of her life story that began in the orphanage, had her working in Buckingham Palace and eventually saw her committed against her will to Helena Hall Asylum, a mental facility. In the end, in Maria's own voice, Caroline will learn the significance of that beautiful quilt made of impeccable fabrics.Author Liz Trenow pieces together this story just like the pieces of a quilt come together to make a whole. I love that she blends history with an intriguing tale of her own imagination. Told in alternating times the story comes together so seamlessly that the reader will be turning pages and losing track of the minutes ticking by. The character of Maria will find you reaching for your tissues. Her life was not an easy one. The character of Caroline will have you cheering. She may be down on her luck but she will never give up! A story of love, love lost and the enduring love of two friends. Beautiful story, beautifully written.At the end of the book there is a section called "A Conversation With The Author". Please don't skip this part as it is quite lovely and tells the author's own story of how she came to write THE FORGOTTEN SEAMSTRESS.✰✰✰✰✰

This book has a lot of elements that I love. It has generations of family mystery, it is set in England, and it is about sewing and quilting. However, there is really nothing that sets this book apart from other works of this genre. The mystery, as well as much of the plot, was predictable and the writing was just okay. The plot of this book will have completely left my head in a couple of weeks.Set in Edwardian England, Maria and her best friend are saved from life in an orphanage when their exceptional sewing skills are noticed by a wealthy woman. Turns out, she takes the girls to Buckingham Palace to sew for the royal family. The future Prince of Wales is captivated by Maria and they have an affair. This is the same Prince of Wales who later marries Wallis Simpson and abdicates the throne. Of course Maria gets pregnant. The royals send her off to a large home where she thinks she will deliver her baby in luxury. However, this is actually an insane asylum. She is kept there for years and is considered delusional because of her unbelievable claims. She is told her baby boy dies at birth, but she never quite believes it. To save her sanity, she begins sewing a quilt into which she stitches her story and her emotions. Years later, a young woman named Caroline discovers the quilt in her mother’s attic. Having just been fired from her banking job and having a degree in design, she sets off to discover the story of the quilt. She is aided by her best friend and a male newspaper reporter, she uncovers the truth. She is also newly single, so there may be some romance brewing. Of course, Caroline is linked to Maria in predictable ways.This is a fast and easy read. I gave it three stars because the story is interesting, even though it is predictable. As a person who sews and does embroidery, I did enjoy the detailed description of the making of the quilt. It also has a too happy and too predictable ending. I don’t plan to read the author’s other work. It is just okay and the world is full of books!

This historical novel depicts the lives of two women living in different time periods. The connection is a beautifully constructed silk patchwork quilt. Caroline Meadow's mother gave the quilt to her, because Caroline's grandmother had asked her to save it for her. The grandmother had told Caroline some things about the quilt when Caroline was a little girl, but she had no idea who had made it, where the seamstress had obtained the fine silks, or how her grandmother had obtained it.Maria Romano was an orphan who became a seamstress at Buckingham Palace made the quilt from scraps for her baby when she became pregnant by the Prince of Wales. She was committed to a mental institution where she gave birth to the baby. Her story is told to a college student who was gathering data for a research project.Caroline was determined to find out who made the quilt and with the help of a journalist she began piecing together the history of the quilt.I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and thought it was well written. The plot was interesting and the characters well developed. The history of silks and mental institutions in the early through mid-20th century was well portrayed.I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5, because I guessed the connection between the two stories early in my reading of the book although I occasionally suspected I was wrong. However, I don't think that really detracted from the story. If 4.5 stars had been an option, I'd have chosen it.

As a quilter and a stitcher I ordered this book being intrigued by the premise. But, sadly, I did not care for "Caroline" - I'll not say why in case it spoils the story for those wishing to read it. "Maria's" story was compelling although rather implausible; for a needlewoman, the story of the sewing rooms was interesting. As a quilter I could visualise the quilt and researched May's Silks just to give me an idea.Am glad mental health treatment methods are more enlightened since early 20th century.But it all turned out a bit too "pat", if you understand; especially the letter found at the end of the story; I'd guessed where it was leading which somewhat flattened the end. And then, the last sentence which had no explanation.A light, holiday read.

Wow. What a read!If I read a book in 36 hours its got to be pretty good.I'm a slow reader generally. I read a chapter, look up and daydream, read another perhaps, get up and go and do something else. Then not go back to my book for a few days.But not this one.This book is amazing! It is the best book I've read so far this year and if there's one book you should read its this one.Ten stars from me!It tells the story in two time frames, thirty years apart, then the timeframes merge magically. It is about a wonderful woman called Marie, who had a poor start in life yet ended up being a seamstress at Buckingham Palace. It is written so beautifully and the star of the show, the main character is actually a very beautiful quilt, on which the story revolves around.My next read will have a lot to live up to! Hugely recommended and I shall be looking out for further books by LT.

Oh this was such a treat to find and read! It tells the tale of Maria just beofre the start of WW1. She is being interviewed by Pat Morton who's doing a study thesis. Maria tells her of her life as a Royal seemstress within the Palace and her "liason" with the Price of Wales which left her seduced and carrying his baby which in turn found her flung into an asylum with no chance of escape. The twist to the story is whether Maria is telling the truth or is as deluded as her doctors diagnosed. Present day and Caroline Meadows finds an old quilt embroidered with secret notes and messages which has been left her by her Grandmother. As Carol delves deeper into the mystery she uncovers this tragic story and the people who inhabited Maria's world long ago. Oh this is so moving, so well told it made me weep as I read Maria's tale. I thought it would be a lighthearted chicklit sort of novel, one to while away a couple of hours but it is so much more. I can't recommend this highly enough. It is well worth a read however sceptical you might be.'

I read this on the KindleI enjoyed this book very much i love the way it told the story & while i know this is fiction some of the basic fact are true such as reasons people got put in to AsylumsI will say while the story was being told one fact i think could have been explored & that was look for a death for Maria in 2008 also not sure if the 1911 census was readily available but they could have applied for it so more Genealogy searches could have been doneBut i am nit picking as i do family Genealogy & had a problem with searching for someone which was around in 1911 so got the census early by payingBut that said it told the story & was lovely story would have like a bit more a finish for the Caroline in 2008 but i guess that while you had her life going along it was all about Maria the Forgotten SeamstressI will be reading the Poppy Factory by this author which is not out at the time of writing the review (June 2014)

It’s a book! I bought it to read. And excellent it is too. A real mystery of who’s who, I didn’t see the end coming! Utterly appalling what happened in mental hospitals, truly awful. Then the throwing them ‘out in the community’. What an appalling thing the government did. Wasn’t it under Thatcher? The uncaring prime minister. With the ending, I really wanted it to have been true, not just a fiction novel! I read it in one go, one sitting, as I couldn’t put it down!