Stitched: A Novel

A hilarious, heartwarming debut novel about competitive quilting, unlikely friendships, and found family.

"Bursting at the seams with humor and genuinely tender, touching moments."
—KIRKUS REVIEWS

Betty Lou Dearden has been a member of the Ogden Quilters Association for more than twenty years when it is announced that the biggest quilting competition in the country is coming to Utah. With the clock ticking and a chance to finally beat their long-time rival quilting circle, the women welcome two young gay men to their group as they bicker their way to an award-worthy entry. With disarming humor and extraordinary heart, Eli McCann takes readers deep into the cozy but cutthroat world of competitive quilting and the sometimes-messy friendships that shape our lives.

Eli McCann is a writer, podcaster, and lawyer. In his monthly humor column for The Salt Lake Tribune, he writes about growing up with (and leaving behind) the Mormon faith, coming out in adulthood, and parenting a toddler. He co-hosts Strangerville, a storytelling podcast and live show, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, Newsweek, HuffPost, and the BBC. He lives with his husband and son in Salt Lake City, Utah.

"Simply charming. McCann’s prose is bursting at the seams with humor and genuinely tender, touching moments."
—KIRKUS REVIEWS

"Eli McCann writes with humor and tenderness about an unlikely collection of people who don't expect to need one another—and then do. This book will make you laugh and leave you quietly grateful for what remains after the thing that once held a group together no longer matters."
—ANN GARVIN, I Thought You Said This Would Work

"A quirky cast of characters, small-town drama, and plenty of heart, Stitched paints a funny and touching portrait of a Utah quilting club. I’m inspired to pick up a needle and thread."
—DARCIE LITTLE BADGER, Sheine Lende

"McCann is the single best gay, married, ex-Mormon dad writing a humor column in America today—scratch that, he’s the best humor columnist we’ve got, period. And this, his first novel, is a delight."
—DAN SAVAGE, Savage Love from A to Z

"Snuggle up on the couch with a cup of tea for this warm, funny book full of affection."
—CATHERINE WELLER, Weller Book Works

"Reading Stitched felt like spending time with the beloved Mormon women of my childhood set in a Christopher Guest film. A Utah Quilting Association that welcomes gay boys? Hello! I'm picking up my needles."
—DUSTIN LANCE BLACK, Mama’s Boy

"A laugh-out-loud celebration of unlikely friendships—the ones we’re stuck with, the ones we take for granted, and the ones that make us who we are."
—CAL CROSBY, The King’s English Bookshop

"Bursting at the seams with wit, humor, and heart, Stitched is a reminder of what truly binds us."
—CASS BIEHN, Vesuvius

"An authentic, heartfelt story of found family and friendship with relatable characters that pull you into a world of challenges and triumphs."
—ALISON RUSSELL, Folklore Bookshop