Agnes Leer, who is an MQ founding mother, remembers as a young child sitting with her grandmother as she made quilts.   Years later, Agnes decided that she would like to make a quilt with the fabric she had left from dresses she had made for her three daughters.   As she describes below, that was when her own personal quilting journey began.

It was 1969 and there were no quilt shops or books readily available to me. One day at my in-law’s home I saw a North Dakota Farmer’s magazine that had quilt patterns and small quilt books that you could order. That was my start in quilting.

I ran out of clothing fabric scraps and went to J.C. Penny’s to find cotton fabric, which were only 36” wide and cost about $1.69 per yard. At about that time, I saw an article in the St. Paul paper that there was a group of women meeting at the YWCA for quilting. I joined that group but soon thereafter we were told we had to be YWCA members to use the room. We decided to continue the group but to meet at member’s houses. We met at Norman Alquist’s home and that was really the beginning of Minnesota Quilters. I have learned so much from those great ladies in those early years. I eventually was asked to teach a quilt class at the Community Education programs in Rosemount and Lakeville, and also taught a class at a quilt shop in Apple Valley.

I have made over 100 quilts and really enjoy doing the handwork. I love both hand quilting and applique. Many of my first quilts were my own patterns and personalized for each of my eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Each member of my family has at least one quilt that I made, as do many of my friends. I have a few quilts left and use them on the beds in my home. The one in the attached picture is one of my favorites and is used in my guest room. It is hand quilted. I also have made many banners for my church. Through quilting, I have made many wonderful friends and learned so much from them.

The excitement of finding a pattern and choosing the fabric can lift my spirits. Then the process of getting started with the cutting and sewing and the excitement of seeing a finished project and being asked “who gets this one?” makes my life so fulfilled. At present, I am making a quilt for my great granddaughter. I miss going to MQ meetings but at 91 years, I no longer drive to the cities. I also spend my time knitting and reading. I wish to all the members of MQ “Many Happy Hours of Stitching”.