Quilting for Dakota County Teens Pieces Together Traditional American Craft and Lessons in Black History

Teens who want to learn about quilting or black history will have the opportunity to do both at Dakota County libraries in upcoming weeks.

The library system is hosting a pair of events, including one in West St. Paul on Feb. 17, to introduce teens to the art of Gees Bend quilting.

The women of Gees Bend, a historic African-American town in Alabama, have developed a distrinctive quilting style noted for its geometric simplicity. The quilters have gained popularity among historians and the arts community alike in recent years.

The programs will be held at the Wentworth Library in West St. Paul from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17 and again at the Pleasant Hill Library in Hastings from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 22.

This Minnesota Legacy Amendment-funded program is an effort of St. Paul nonprofit ArtStart and the libraries to mark Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month.

"We're making replicas of the quilt squares, inspired by the quilters of Gees Bend," said freelance art teacher Robin Getsug, who will help guide the project.

All supplies are provided. Registration is required and registration will be available two weeks prior to the program date.

For more information, see www.artstart.org

The library has a host of programs for teens this winter, ranging from reading and writing to technology clubs, art and craft projects and Wii games, noted Shea Peeples, a teen librarian at the Westcott Library in Eagan.

For more information on Dakota County Library programs, see www.dakotacounty.us/library