Mrs Rees Pryce, a widow, and her daughter Olwyn, live in a large house in North Wales, which they let each year to summer tenants to help with maintaining the property. Mrs Rees Pryce dislikes the house, but Olwyn, who has inherited her father's artistry, loves its Regency elegance. The present tenants are the Hilliard family, led by Madeline, a charming, affectionate but thoroughly spoiled woman, and her husband Bernard. They have three sons, Giles, married to Sacha, Marcus and Simon who is attracted to Olwyn. Throughout her married life, Madeline has been making a patchwork quilt, using materials which relate to important incidents in the lives of her family. Bernard and the sons all have considerable, artistic talents, but Madeline's silken domination has suffocated their abilities; Bernard and Giles are successful businessmen and Marcus wishes to indulge his artistic bent, and Simon, encouraged by Olwyn wants to go to Paris to paint. An accident to one of Sacha's children provokes a family revolt, and Madeline is forced to acknowledge the harm her possessiveness has caused. In utter misery, she hears Giles and Sacha tell her that they intend to live away from her, her husband that he is joining an expedition to New Mexico, Marcus intends to lead a life of his own, and Simon that he will go to Paris. She realizes her complicity in their unhappiness and, deeply contrite, discards the patchwork quilt into which she feels she has woven so much of their lives. But her moment of truth is quickly forgotten and she is soon happily planning visits to Paris, and to Giles and Sasha's new home. Bernard and Marcus, too, know that they can never break away from her influence. As the family leave the house, Madeline ensures that the patchwork quilt will travel with her.