When a generous quiltmaker finally agrees to make a quilt for a greedy king, but only under certain conditions, she causes him to undergo a change of heart. Each page highlights a different quilt block pattern whose name relates to the unfolding story.
A generous quilt maker and a greedy king provide the grist for a delightful moral tale. An old woman crafts exquisite quilts that she gives only to the poor. The king loves possessions and demands gifts. When he learns the quilt maker has not given him a gift, he demands a quilt. She refuses. Soldiers can't convince her, nor does being chained inside a bear's cave or being abandoned on a tiny island. She'll agree only if he gives away all his things. For each gift he gives, she will sew a piece in his quilt. At first, he can part only with a marble. But the more he gives, the more joy he discovers. The lush, colorful illustrations, which include 250 patterns hidden in the pictures, feature dazzling displays of the king's gifts and the quilts that will keep children happily entertained. Included is notation of a Web site, with information about quilting, the illustrator, and the author, and reference to other stories about generous people.