Bonnie Leman, founder of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine, edited it for twenty-five years before retiring in 1996. The magazine continues today under the leadership of her daughter, Mary Leman Austin. This is an outstanding record for the two editors-the longest published quilt magazine ever!
Bonnie and her family members began by selling patterns under the company name of Heirloom Plastics, opened the quilt shop, Quilts and Other Comforts, that soon became a mail order business as well, founded Moon Over the Mountain Publishing and published a sister magazine Quiltmaker in 1982. Bonnie wrote the book Quick and Easy Quilting that gave insights into lesser known quilting techniques. In the late 1980s she designed a line of cotton plain-dyed and print fabrics through RJR Fashion Fabrics.
In her “Needle’s Eye” editorials, she communicated with quilters from around the world and exhibited their work in her two magazines. The magazines’ contests evolved into quilt competitions and exhibitions. QNM’s first world wide quilt competition and exhibition was in 1986: “Quilts: Visions of the World”, and was held in conjunction with the debut of Quilt Europa, Austria. Several Honorees have written columns and articles for QNM and every Honoree is listed in the index of QNM. Bonnie continues to contribute articles to the magazine and also appears in the book 88 Leaders in the Quilt World Today.
Bonnie Leman
Founder and editor of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine, collector. Inducted in 1982 at the Continental Quilting Congress, Arlington, Virginia
Research Associate: Debra Bissantz