Her Restless Heart Read Online Free PDF

auction. Local women came into the shop for their supplies, and some of them taught classes for Stitches in Time.
    And the Englisch loved to visit and buy locally while they played tourist. Naomi especially loved to hear the stories about how someone wanted to try to make a quilt; usually a customer said it was because their grandmother had made one for them. It gave her hope, she said, that the tradition would be passed down in the Englisch world. Too many of these women came in appearing so stressed, looking for something that would slow them down and give them something creative to do—rather than spend all their time away from their work and family responsibilities doing even more work.
    " Quilt in a Day?" Ellen said dubiously. "I could only do that if I actually had an entire day. At most, I have a spare half hour every evening while we watch television. And I'm such an over-doer as it is, I'm afraid I'd just stress and try to do it all in one session and end up making myself nuts."
    "I wouldn't take that one," Mary Katherine said, taking the kit from her and putting it back. "You know, most of the women I know who make quilts here don't try to do it all in one session, however long. After all, so many women here hold jobs, or, even if they're staying at home to take care of their kinner, they have a number of young ones and don't have the time, either. I think this would be a better choice," she said, putting a different kit in Ellen's hands.
    "This one has you doing a small section whenever you can. You just set the quilt blocks aside, and when you've done them all, you can put it together on a day when you have more time. And the material is all cut out for you."
    Ellen studied the kit. "Looks a lot more manageable. I think the toughest part will be picking out which kit to buy . . ."
    "Get this one, Mommy," Sally told her, holding out the kit that featured a picture of a pink-toned quilt. "You can make it for my bed."
    "It's decided," Ellen said with a grin. She handed the kit to Mary Katherine. "I'll take that one. Maybe if it turns out well, I'll try something harder next time."
    "Have fun with it," Mary Katherine urged. "Don't rush, don't try to be perfect."
    She hesitated for a moment and then, seeing how friendly the woman was, added, "I think of quilting like I do raising a child. You know how everyone says enjoy your children while they're little because they grow up so fast? Well, don't rush the making of your quilt. It's meant to be something to enjoy, to relax and be creative with."
    Ellen glanced over at Sally and looked thoughtful. "I never appreciated how true that is about kids. It seems like yesterday that she was born."
    She walked over and glanced out the window. "My husband decided he didn't want to come inside. Bet he's sorry now that he's had to sit on a bench outside and wait in the cold for us."
    Mary Katherine remembered how years ago Hannah, a friend of hers who taught classes for the shop, had brought in Chris, a man she'd just met, and he'd clearly looked uncomfortable in the female-oriented atmosphere. Now Chris was her husband and he stopped by every so often to pick up supplies for Hannah when she couldn't come to town because she was busy taking care of their two kinner.
    "Look what I did!" Sally exclaimed, showing Mary Katherine how she'd woven the potholder.
    "Almost done," Mary Katherine said with a smile. She showed Sally how to finish off the edges of the potholder and watched as the child did it with great absorption.
    "I made it all by myself!" Sally exclaimed, then she looked at Mary Katherine. "Well, almost by myself. You helped."
    "It turned out so pretty," Mary Katherine told her.
    Sally looked up at her mother. "Can we buy it?"
    "You don't have to," Mary Katherine rushed to tell the mother. "She's welcome to take the potholder home, but it wasn't my intention to try to make you buy the loom."
    Sally's mother brushed aside Mary Katherine's concern as she took out her wallet.