Note: Louise Hanley is not a member of the DAR. And while this is a DAR quiltmaker project, membership in the DAR is not required for participation.

Karen Taylor (KT): [beginning announcement did not record.] ...and today's date is March 26, 2008 at 3 p.m. I am conducting an interview with Louise Handley at her home in Bandon, Oregon for the Quilters' S.O.S. - Save Our Stories project. We are doing this for the American Heritage Committee of the Oregon State Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Louise is a homemaker with four children, married for 50 years. She is a self-taught painter and has a degree from the Decorative Arts Guild [National Society of Decorative Artists.]. She has twice had her hand painted Christmas ornaments on the White House Christmas Tree and been invited to a tea [reception] at the White House. She started quilting young. Her grandmother taught all of the grandchildren to quilt. Her first quilt was started at age 11 and finished many years later with life's fabrics from many years. Recently she has published a book on her method of Snapshot Silhouette Quilting and she has been teaching her method across the state. In her spare time she loves to garden. So Louise tell me about the quilt you brought in today, or you have with you today.

Louise Hanley (LH): Well, this one is called "A Page From My Grandmother's Album" [LH is the author of: "Fabric Silhouettes, Quilted Treasures From the Family Album"; C & T Publishing 2006.] and it showcases methods of transportation in the early part of the 1900's. Normally, my silhouettes are of people. This one has people in it but mainly it showcases the modes of transportation. The reason I picked it, I had a display recently at the Bandon Public Library and this is the one that illicited the most comments. I think the men really liked the cars.

KT: Oh. What do you think someone viewing your quilt might conclude about you?

LH: Well, they would know I am interested in history. They'd know I was a very accurate quilter. They would probably be interested in the method that I used to put this piece together. It has a very thick cording around the edge. I wanted it to remind people of an old photograph album. It also has the tie on the side in black with the tassels. The old albums were tied together that way.

KT: And so these are pictures, actual pictures from your family's album.

LH: They are. They are actual pictures and I have used my Snapshot Silhouette technique to make silhouettes- the plane, the cars and the boat. And in those there are people. The top one is my husband's uncle and his aunt is driving the one car and on the bottom picture she's changing the wheel. The inscriptions under each of these pictures are actually the way they appeared in her albums. She had written in white ink on the black paper the way they used to do, and so I just repeated what she had under each of the pictures.

KT: And so, how do you use this quilt.

LH: This is an art quilt and it would be used as a wall hanging. It's large for an art quilt in some ways because it's long and narrow but it's just used as an art piece.

KT: And so your plans are to use it in the displays that you--

LH: Yes, I'll use it in displays as I explain about my technique when I'm teaching my classes. And then eventually it'll hang on the wall someplace.

KT: Very good. So tell me about your interest [phone rings. tape stopped.]

KT: So tell me about your interest in quiltmaking.

LH: Well, my grandmother was the one that got me interested in quiltmaking. She invited each of her grandchildren over to help tie a quilt when we were all really young. And in order to tie a quilt my grandmother's name was Eula Wells and she would have us over and set up the quilt frame in the living room. And once the quilt frame was up, you couldn't walk. You'd have to crawl under it. It was very rustic, 2 by 4's with holes bored in them, C-clamps to hold the sides together. And she'd layer the quilt with the backing and the middle sometimes an old blanket or maybe the old heavy sheets they used to have. Wasn't always batting but then the top would go and on we'd tie it. So that was my first introduction and that's how I originally got interested in quilting.

KT: And then you said you started your first quilt when you were about eleven.

LH: Eleven. This was a yo-yo quilt that I could just carry around with me. Just little circles that you could gather up and flatten out and I carried it around for years. And eventually after I'd been married years I put it together and it's hanging above our bed now.

KT: That's great. So about how many hours a week do you quilt?

LH: Oh it really varies. I don't quilt on any regular schedule. When I am inspired to quilt I might quilt all day, say for a week and then I might not quilt again for a number of weeks. It's just whenever I'm inspired.

KT: The next question is, Are there any other quiltmakers among your family? You have someone else in your family who does quilting.

LH: Well, I have several. My son does the most of my children. Both of the girls quilt but Michael is he one that's so prolific and he quilts all the time. [laughs.]

KT: How does quiltmaking impact your family?

LH: Well, I think we all enjoy the results. Most of my quilts before I got interested in the silhouette technique are bed quilts and we use them. We sleep under them. And it's cozy. [laughs.]

KT: Excellent. Tell me have you ever used quilts to get through a difficult time.

LH: Actually, I have. I had to have extensive back surgery and after the worst of the surgery I had set up ahead of time a quilt that could be worked on little bits at a time. And at first I could only sit up for like 5 minutes at a time but I'd run to the sewing machine and do as much as I could and then I'd have to be back in bed. But it kept me going and interested when I was hurting and pretty discouraged.

KT: That's interesting. What do you find pleasing about quiltmaking?

LH: Oh, I like the order out of chaos. [laughs.]

KT: Well said.

LH: And I love the colors and designs and I love to do the designing. It would be rare for me to use a pattern. I always either take a pattern and change it in some way but usually it's something that I have designed myself.

KT: What aspects of quiltmaking do you not enjoy?

LH: I really like all of it. Unless I have to take a seam out. [laughs.] That's not much fun. Or if you have to hurry. If there's some reason I have to get one finished that isn't much fun.

KT: What art or quilt groups do you belong to?

LH: I belong to Designing Women. It's a group of West Coast art quilt or art designers. We meet once a month and try to inspire each other.

KT: Excellent. This is--I'm going to ask this question and then you can tell us about your method. What advances in technology have influenced your work? That's very good for you.

LH: Well, yes, I think though originally when I discovered the rotary cutter and the plastic the clear plastic rulers, I was very excited. Because I'm a perfectionist by nature and until that point I couldn't cut accurately enough to suit me. And once that was developed, the rotary cutter changed everything, I think. And you begin to see meticulously pieced quilts, in much shorter periods of time. Then the thing that changed my style of quilting at least on a temporary basis was developing the Snapshot Silhouette technique. Which I did, it just kind of happened. My sister was coming to visit and I was interested in coming up with something that she would like to do. I happened to just be going through my photo album at the time and noticed a picture that appeared to be in silhouette and began to try to figure out how. It was picture of the two of us together when we were children and I thought it would be fun if I could put that in fabric. And just thought about it while and came up with the technique that I've later developed and it turned into a book eventually.

KT: So what are your favorite techniques and materials?

LH: Well, of course right now, I'm doing almost all silhouettes but normally my favorite technique is the watercolor technique. I love the look of the watercolor quilt. The individually pieced ones and also the stripped piece ones. I really think that it changed my whole style of bed quilting. [laughs.]

KT: Describe your studio the place where you create.

LH: I have a nice little room that looks out over my garden. It's really light and very pretty in there year round. And I can quilt or I can paint depending on my mood.

KT: All right and you have a beautiful garden. And do you use a design wall?

LH: I do. I use a design wall and I use a reducing glass. A reducing glass is the opposite of magnifying glass that pushes the design away from you so you don't have to keep jumping up and stepping back to see your design. It's very helpful when designing a quilt.

KT: What do you think makes a great quilt?

LH: I think a great quilt needs, I think color is most important thing. Design would be next. And third would be the technique, the finishing, the workmanship is very important.

KT: What makes a quilt artistically powerful?

LH: Again, the color and design. The color is so important. I think that's probably the number one aspect.

KT: What makes a quilt appropriate for a museum or special collection?

LH: Again color and design but workmanship. I've seen quilts that could be beautiful if the workmanship were just a little better. It's important that the seams meet and that it's finished carefully. I would like to see more attention to detail.

KT: What makes a great quiltmaker?

LH: A great quiltmaker needs to be creative, have an eye for color and you really need to be a good seamstress. You need to really, really work at getting the actual sewing down pat.

KT: Whose works are you drawn to and why?

LH: Well I left this book out so I could remember the name. Pat Margaret and Donna Schluzer they both wrote "Watercolor Quilt" and I am very, very drawn to their work.

KT: So are their artists that have influenced you?

LH: I like Monet. And the watercolor quilts tie together with his style. It's a great match.

KT: How do you feel about machine quilting versus hand quilting?

LH: Well the machine, the long arm quilting and the hand quilting are all very appropriate but they're separate things and I hate seeing them judged together. I think they should be judged separately. Nothing makes me more uncomfortable [than] to go to a quilt show and they are] asking people to judge a quilt and they're done three different ways. And I think even if it's a viewer's choice they should separate the three methods because it takes different talents to do each one.

KT: So this is--why is quiltmaking important to your life?

LH: It gives me an outlet for my artistic ability and it's really practical if you're making bed quilts like I used to do all the time before I started making silhouettes. Silhouettes are nice. They make a very nice gift and when I'm through teaching these classes I'm going to have a lot of gifts. [laughs.]

KT: In what ways do your quilts reflect your community or region?

LH: Well, my silhouette quilts particularly reflect well. They actually show off the life style here in Oregon. Most of the silhouette quilts portray somebody doing something; bicycling, walking, golfing, riding a bike. So they do show off our lifestyle here.

KT: What do you think of the importance of quilts in American life?

LH: Well I think right now quilting and quilts are becoming popular again and I think it's because people crave the community of other people doing something creative with them. They like to get together and quilt. The quilting's practical. It's wonderful to have a quilt to sleep under and I think we've come away. We seem to be a society anymore that where people are so alone. They're on the computer or they're working all the time and it's nice to have the quilts bring us back together. [KT hums agreement.] [pause for 10 seconds.] Sounds like fun.

KT: Yes. Let's see. In what ways do you think quilts have special meaning for women's history in America?

LH: Well, I think that they have actually recorded women's desire to make something beautiful for their home. Women had to, many times had to quilt, in order to have bed covering. And, but their art was expressed in quilts and as you look back and look at these quiltmakers that made beautiful quilts in very rustic surroundings with very rustic implements it seems impossible. And a good quilt historian can tell when a quilt was made by what fabrics were used. So we've recorded some of our history just merely by having the quilts. But women will be remembered for these beautiful works of art. And possibly would not have had any outlet for their artistic abilities if they had not had quilts.

KT: Right. Right. How do you think quilts can be used?

LH: Well, I think the best way is to sleep under them. I think quilts are best used that way. The problem with hanging them which do I have them hanging on my walls but they deteriorate pretty rapidly that way. And sleeping under them really preserves them better.

KT: And so leading into that--how do you think quilts can be preserved for the future?

LH: Well we need to educate people in how to take care of them. How to fold them. How to wash them. Where to hang them if you're going to hang them. Out of the sunlight. To keep them dusted and what not and the proper way of hanging them with a hanging pocket and rod. The other thing that we need to have happen is for the people who manufacture yardage to come up with more ways to keep to retain dyes in fabric so that they don't fade when you hang them or when you use them on a bed. Fading is the biggest problem right now. The fabric lasts for many, many years if it is properly taken care of. But it's almost impossible to keep them from fading. Even the finest fabric fades to some degree. And that really needs to be addressed by the fabric manufactures. I'm sure they are working on it but I wish they'd work faster. [laughs.]

KT: What has happened to the quilts that you have made or those of friends and family?

LH: Most of them are cherished. I have, I decided when I started quilting in earnest when I quit teaching painting and thought I would spend a little time doing a little quilting and then I'd go on to something else. I guess I haven't gone on to anything else. [laughs.] I decided I was going to make one for each bed in the house. And I'm still making them and eventually my children will get them and my grandchildren. They're all around. My son makes them and gives them to so many people that I don't know if he has kept track because he's so prolific but I'm not that prolific. They're here.

KT: What do you think is the biggest challenge confronting quiltmakers today?

LH: I think I'd go back to the fabric. I really think this fading problem is the biggest challenge. It's so very difficult to spend so much time in making something that you're proud of it's beautiful and you feel you have to keep it in the cupboard someplace.

KT: So is there anything else that you would like to add today to our talk

LH: I can't think. I can't think, it's really covered it pretty completely. I can't think of anything that I could add that would express how I feel about it. It's just something that has been almost a way of life for me and I just feel very gratified that I'm able to spend as much time as I do with it.

KT: Well I have to say Louise that it's just been an honor to meet you. And it was just a gift; it's like a miracle to me and then to have the opportunity to interview you through the DAR. And so it's been really great.

LH: I've enjoyed meeting you. I hope we get to see each other again.

KT: I hope so too. I look forward to that. Thanks.

KT: I'd like to thank Louise Handley for allowing me to interview her today as part of the Quilters' S.O.S. - Save Our Stories project in Bandon, Oregon. Our interview concluded at 3:50 p.m., March 26, 2008.