WITH HEART and HANDS: BLOGGER INTERVIEW
1. Name of blog
With Heart and Hands
2. Url
http://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/
http://with-heart-and-hands.blogspot.com/
3. How did you choose your blog's title?
Having done transpersonal lay therapies involving healing touch energy work for many years, I understood the power of combining the work of the heart, with the work of my hands. It was a logical transition for me to extend that same energetic fusion into my journey in the art of quilting, and those experiences created the title for my blog.
4. What was your purpose in beginning your blog and has the purpose changed over the years? If so, how?
In the fall of 2005, I was was one of 200 quilters who gathered together in a downtown Salem (OR) Convention Center, to make quilts for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. In just two days, 200 of us created an amazing 200 quilts. That experience was so energizing, and so fulfilling, that I wanted to further my goals of both creating quilts for charitable causes, and finding ways to share that quilting process. Once I became aware of quilt blogs and blogging, and learned how to create a blog......I did!
5. How long have you been blogging?
I officially began blogging 6 years ago, in October of 2006.
6. Do you have special features on your blog? If so, what are they?
My blog is most recognized by search engines for my sharing of well over 2,500 free quilting and quilt pattern links. And I am recognized for my charitable quilting and most often known for my posting and quilting for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.
7. How did you get started with quilting? and 8. What style of quilting do you prefer?
I began sewing as a very young girl, growing up on an island near Juneau, Alaska. I taught myself to sew by watching others, first by hand, then on my grandmother's treadle sewing machine at age 12. I progressed to making all of my own clothes by the time I was 17, or 18. When I left for college in the late '60s, I learned very quickly that if I wanted any new clothes.... I would need to make them myself. Money was very tight.... and I used anything I had, or my mother had at home, to make clothing out of.
Many of my pieces were my own design, my own home made patterns, and quite original ;) I made my own clothing from lingerie, to wool dresses, to even my own coats, while living at home in Alaska I learned rather quickly when I arrived in Oregon in September of 1968, that wool was not 'in' at 85ยบ while walking on the hot pavement of a college campus...oh yes, I was probably wearing my brand new leather boots, that day, as well!
Remember this is when Oregon State had one computer and it took up one very large room. My knowledge of the world was limited to geography books, and the weather reports, if we even had any on our only two TV stations out of Seattle! And all of our TV shows were mailed up to the stations and arrived two weeks later than their airing!
I was gifted with my first sewing machine for Christmas in 1968, brought it back to school in Oregon after the holidays. I sewed every single day from that day forward....without stopping!
Once I figured out I could piece fabrics together to make 'hippie' vests or wide legged pants...my artistic side was really unleashed! I came from a large family of artists and sketched, painted, decoupaged, did macrame', simple hand loom weaving, made jewelry...many different arts and crafts. It was 'the' era for all of this, and boy, I had fun sewing and crafting and no matter how unusual my color combinations might have seemed before that time....during the 'flower power' generation..'anything goes' and we were vivid to say the least!
In the 70's, I discovered the fun of 'patchwork' quilting and began making simple patchwork pillows and quilts (and lots of curtains!) for our home and later baby quilts for my children. By the later 1980's when the groundbreaking book "Quilts, Quilts, Quilts" came out, I taught myself all of the traditional patterns in that book by simply starting with the simplest pattern, and progressing my way through the book. I used the traditional patterns... but always with a twist.
I went into costume and theatre design for my children's schools and a children's theatre program. Theatre costuming took away the last of my perfectionism and taught me to be creative on the spot, make do with what I had, and always wing everything even under great pressure, and multiple emergencies. In theatre we learn that it's good enough and not considered a sewing mistake.... as as long as 'it' can't be seen from the back of a moving horse from 35' away.
Not only a liberated costumer was born, but also the beginning of an improvisational, and liberated quilter!
Rather than making an album quilt, which I might still have to this day...I made pillows. So, one pattern per pillow creating dozens of pillows. One by one, they were all given away and many were used on reading couches in elementary classrooms, here in Salem. Sadly, I have nothing of my own making until about 1989 when I made my first queen sized quilt using a variation of the 'Buttons and Bows' pattern. Made in dark browns and coral tones, the bright sun coming into our bedroom window faded that within six months. I was reminded of the transient nature of all things and to appreciate and treasure that which we have...while we still have it.
I am now having a great deal of fun with what we are called "Liberated" or "Improvisational" free piece quilt making, With Gwen Marston. and her quilting partner, Freddy Moran as my muses, I was so lucky to meet them in real life...and long before they became 'famous!'. The freedom from not having to match points and to focus on fun and creativity, rather than precision, has been very freeing and a great deal of fun.
I also delight in the making of creative 'art' quilts in a variety of styles learning and using many design techniques that I have learned over the years from many other art and craft forms.And that organically led me to combine my love of arts as well as crafts to the beginning of my love affair with all forms of art quilting. An intensely creative form of working in the flow and going into another world and dimensional aspect of quilting in entirely different ways.
9. Is there any one project that you are particularly proud of? Please describe.
I am a passionate supporter of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative With 15 members of my immediate family now having, or have had, some form of Alzheimer's Disease or a related dementia, this charity means the world to me! Spending as much as 5 1/2 months a year in Alaska, in my childhood island home caring for my parents over the past 7 years, I have not had as much time to give to this group as I would have liked. But I have made and donated over 40 quilts to-date and am currently working on more.
The art quilt that I am most proud of would have to be Mama's Brain Got Tangles....But Mama's Still Inside . It was selected from among 150 other art quilts to be part of a traveling exhibit slated to tour the nation in 2011-2015. My original wording which described my creation of this quilt was far too long, so the abbreviated text which is now with the quilt says it describes the layers of my mother's brain..but it so much more than that. It is the very essence of what, and why, I do all that I do.
I also have a second quilt titled "The Alzheimer's Prayer that has been included in this exhibit, as well. Its simple style and deliberately 'wonky' quilting is meant to show change and loss as well as inspire others that even the simplest of quilts has value and worth and not to be judged. And it is valued for its message of respect and care for the loved one with Alzheimer's and a deep recognition that no matter how they might seem now, they are still lovable, loving, and to be loved and cherished.
The exhibition is titled Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope and includes 182 large (6" wide by 7' tall) quilts featuring 10,000 names of people who have or had Alzheimer's Disease. Displayed among them are 54 Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts that illustrate Alzheimer's in some way and my two little quilts is are part of those.
I am very proud to still be able to make at least 25 quilts a year. While a few are given as gifts, the overwhelming majority are given to charitable organizations. I have made and donated quilts to Wounded Veterans (both locally here in Oregon, and at Fort Madigan in the State of Washington) to hospice, foster children programs, abused women and children organizations, the local hospitals neo-natal center, cardiac patients, disaster relief organizations, and through a number of interfaith/local church groups, and of course Alzheimer's organizations. But most specifically, AAQI...The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. It is my primary focus and I love making and donating quilts to them above all else right now and as so very grateful for the generosity of those who purchase them from the sales page or big on them when I am fortunate to have one in a monthly auction.
10. Have you participated in online classes, quilt-alongs, etc... If so, what was your favorite and why?
Currently, I am the creator of the Liberated Quilters Challenge at AAQI. Composed originally of members of the Liberated Quilting Webring and the Liberated Quilting Message Board, we are now a group of simply online quilters or quilt bloggers who wish to challenge ourselves, in any art quilt form and to learn to think 'outside the box' by trying new quilting or art quilting techniques for creating and donating AAQI art quilts. So far, our groups have made and donated more than two hundred.quilts and more are always in progress. This challenge is open to anyone..simply email me..at michelebilyeu@with-heart-and-hands.com I track about 35 quilt makers from the group and make sure that new creations are listed, photographed and published in three different locations..the AAQI webpage for our group, the Yahoo Liberated Message Board Photos, my own online photo albums for the group (both Picasa and Flickr accounts...I want visibility for all of us!)
11. Have you entered a quilt is a contest or show? If so, which show or contest and did you win any special honors?
The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative traveling exhibit described above. I felt extremely honored to have had my quilt selected from among so many truly lovely and creative quilts. Other than that, I believe that quilts are meant to be loved and appreciated.....and if they hang in public, to be viewed with admiration and not judgment. So, I have chosen to show my quilts only in non-judged venues and most often that means they are given away and honored in other people's hearts and homes, rather than in a public venue. I have been delighted to have one of my quilts shown in American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine...August 2011, issue 111, page 1 as part of a 'Quilter's Give Back' series...loved being part of that message. And even more, to learn that they grace the entry ways of children's centers and hospice and nursing homes as well as a local Veteran's Center.
I have had one of my quilts featured in: "Quilters Who Make a Difference: in
American Patchwork Aug2011, issue 111, p.1 and have submitted other work to Quilting Arts Magazine challenges.
I also have a quilt in a private collection, and a small book about that collection, that was privately published in 2012 by The Volkening Collection.
12. What style of fabrics are you most drawn to? What are your favorite tools? What type of sewing, quilting or other machines do you use in your quilting projects?
As a primarily charitable quilter, I am very proud of using donated, scavenged, cast off, and re-purposed fabrics that others throw, or give away. And yes, I do love 'beautiful' fabric as well but I loved the idea of 'green' sewing and not wasting anything. What few scraps I have that can't be used for sewing, are donated as 'bale' to a local mission that earns money through a fabric salvage process that creates new fabric in Japan.
I own several sewing machines including my grandmother's treadle from the early 1900's that survived our house fire in 1971, my first and second Vikings, my lovely Viking Sapphire 870 Quilt, and my precious 'green' 1964 Singer Featherweight.
13. Is there another kind of online presence that you would like to have in the future?
I am delighted to have my current blog do as well as it has. And by doing well, I do not necessarily mean my having had over 4 million readers... closing in to 4 million.... but making new friends from all over the United States,as well as all over the world. My best presence is that which goes unseen but lives in the gratitude and hearts of others.
I love reading and writing in others' blogs, giving advice when asked ;) and being more of a real person than a presence, as such. When others say they feel like they know me...just from my writing....that means the world to me!
14. What type of posts seem to get the most attention from your readers?
When I made the decision to drop anonymity and open myself and my life experiences to my readers, I found that the hearts I touched more often touched mine, in return. The journey through the heart and the connection with others is far more meaningful that I ever expected of a simple quilting blog and I am grateful for those openings, and those connections.
15. What is the content of your posts? Are they instructional, informative, reviews, interviews, link posts, rants, research, memes, and/or projects?
I find ways to fit just about anything that catches my own interest into my blog and somehow they end up relating to my life, and my quilting, as well!
16. Concerning advertising, do you have any affiliate programs, links to your own online store, etc. . .
I link up to literally thousands of other quilting sites, blogs, and quilters, but I do not currently use advertising of any kind. I am not anti-advertising, I love all of my favorite products and sewing and quilting sites, I don't currently have any on site except in individual blog posts as I write about my sewing experiences or gifts that I have received.
17. Do you have goals for your blog and how do you measure your success at meeting. these goals?
When I began, I wanted to feel like I had friends that shared the same interests and passions that I did. Later, as I began to feel true connections with others,I wanted to reach out and touch the lives and the hearts of as many other quilters as I could, and learn, and share from that process. In that sense, I have surpassed any, and all goals.
18. Is there a future direction that you would like your blog to take?
I am open to the whatever the Universe has in store for me, and for my blog. And with the interesting challenges that my life has taken on so far, I'm sure it will be an adventure!
19. Is there some point when you will stop blogging? How will you make that determination?
I am a hope filled realist. If at any point, my own life, my family, or my own feelings on blogging should change, I would very simply go with that flow. Right now, I am happy with, and love the process, as well as the wonderful connections with others.
*I was asked to give an online interview for another blog. This is altered, updated, and therefore newer version of that Q and A..
With Heart and Hands
2. Url
http://www.with-heart-and-hands.com/
http://with-heart-and-hands.blogspot.com/
3. How did you choose your blog's title?
Having done transpersonal lay therapies involving healing touch energy work for many years, I understood the power of combining the work of the heart, with the work of my hands. It was a logical transition for me to extend that same energetic fusion into my journey in the art of quilting, and those experiences created the title for my blog.
4. What was your purpose in beginning your blog and has the purpose changed over the years? If so, how?
In the fall of 2005, I was was one of 200 quilters who gathered together in a downtown Salem (OR) Convention Center, to make quilts for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. In just two days, 200 of us created an amazing 200 quilts. That experience was so energizing, and so fulfilling, that I wanted to further my goals of both creating quilts for charitable causes, and finding ways to share that quilting process. Once I became aware of quilt blogs and blogging, and learned how to create a blog......I did!
5. How long have you been blogging?
I officially began blogging 6 years ago, in October of 2006.
6. Do you have special features on your blog? If so, what are they?
My blog is most recognized by search engines for my sharing of well over 2,500 free quilting and quilt pattern links. And I am recognized for my charitable quilting and most often known for my posting and quilting for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.
7. How did you get started with quilting? and 8. What style of quilting do you prefer?
I began sewing as a very young girl, growing up on an island near Juneau, Alaska. I taught myself to sew by watching others, first by hand, then on my grandmother's treadle sewing machine at age 12. I progressed to making all of my own clothes by the time I was 17, or 18. When I left for college in the late '60s, I learned very quickly that if I wanted any new clothes.... I would need to make them myself. Money was very tight.... and I used anything I had, or my mother had at home, to make clothing out of.
Many of my pieces were my own design, my own home made patterns, and quite original ;) I made my own clothing from lingerie, to wool dresses, to even my own coats, while living at home in Alaska I learned rather quickly when I arrived in Oregon in September of 1968, that wool was not 'in' at 85ยบ while walking on the hot pavement of a college campus...oh yes, I was probably wearing my brand new leather boots, that day, as well!
Remember this is when Oregon State had one computer and it took up one very large room. My knowledge of the world was limited to geography books, and the weather reports, if we even had any on our only two TV stations out of Seattle! And all of our TV shows were mailed up to the stations and arrived two weeks later than their airing!
I was gifted with my first sewing machine for Christmas in 1968, brought it back to school in Oregon after the holidays. I sewed every single day from that day forward....without stopping!
Once I figured out I could piece fabrics together to make 'hippie' vests or wide legged pants...my artistic side was really unleashed! I came from a large family of artists and sketched, painted, decoupaged, did macrame', simple hand loom weaving, made jewelry...many different arts and crafts. It was 'the' era for all of this, and boy, I had fun sewing and crafting and no matter how unusual my color combinations might have seemed before that time....during the 'flower power' generation..'anything goes' and we were vivid to say the least!
In the 70's, I discovered the fun of 'patchwork' quilting and began making simple patchwork pillows and quilts (and lots of curtains!) for our home and later baby quilts for my children. By the later 1980's when the groundbreaking book "Quilts, Quilts, Quilts" came out, I taught myself all of the traditional patterns in that book by simply starting with the simplest pattern, and progressing my way through the book. I used the traditional patterns... but always with a twist.
I went into costume and theatre design for my children's schools and a children's theatre program. Theatre costuming took away the last of my perfectionism and taught me to be creative on the spot, make do with what I had, and always wing everything even under great pressure, and multiple emergencies. In theatre we learn that it's good enough and not considered a sewing mistake.... as as long as 'it' can't be seen from the back of a moving horse from 35' away.
Not only a liberated costumer was born, but also the beginning of an improvisational, and liberated quilter!
Rather than making an album quilt, which I might still have to this day...I made pillows. So, one pattern per pillow creating dozens of pillows. One by one, they were all given away and many were used on reading couches in elementary classrooms, here in Salem. Sadly, I have nothing of my own making until about 1989 when I made my first queen sized quilt using a variation of the 'Buttons and Bows' pattern. Made in dark browns and coral tones, the bright sun coming into our bedroom window faded that within six months. I was reminded of the transient nature of all things and to appreciate and treasure that which we have...while we still have it.
I am now having a great deal of fun with what we are called "Liberated" or "Improvisational" free piece quilt making, With Gwen Marston. and her quilting partner, Freddy Moran as my muses, I was so lucky to meet them in real life...and long before they became 'famous!'. The freedom from not having to match points and to focus on fun and creativity, rather than precision, has been very freeing and a great deal of fun.
I also delight in the making of creative 'art' quilts in a variety of styles learning and using many design techniques that I have learned over the years from many other art and craft forms.And that organically led me to combine my love of arts as well as crafts to the beginning of my love affair with all forms of art quilting. An intensely creative form of working in the flow and going into another world and dimensional aspect of quilting in entirely different ways.
9. Is there any one project that you are particularly proud of? Please describe.
I am a passionate supporter of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative With 15 members of my immediate family now having, or have had, some form of Alzheimer's Disease or a related dementia, this charity means the world to me! Spending as much as 5 1/2 months a year in Alaska, in my childhood island home caring for my parents over the past 7 years, I have not had as much time to give to this group as I would have liked. But I have made and donated over 40 quilts to-date and am currently working on more.
The art quilt that I am most proud of would have to be Mama's Brain Got Tangles....But Mama's Still Inside . It was selected from among 150 other art quilts to be part of a traveling exhibit slated to tour the nation in 2011-2015. My original wording which described my creation of this quilt was far too long, so the abbreviated text which is now with the quilt says it describes the layers of my mother's brain..but it so much more than that. It is the very essence of what, and why, I do all that I do.
I also have a second quilt titled "The Alzheimer's Prayer that has been included in this exhibit, as well. Its simple style and deliberately 'wonky' quilting is meant to show change and loss as well as inspire others that even the simplest of quilts has value and worth and not to be judged. And it is valued for its message of respect and care for the loved one with Alzheimer's and a deep recognition that no matter how they might seem now, they are still lovable, loving, and to be loved and cherished.
The exhibition is titled Alzheimer's Illustrated: From Heartbreak to Hope and includes 182 large (6" wide by 7' tall) quilts featuring 10,000 names of people who have or had Alzheimer's Disease. Displayed among them are 54 Priority: Alzheimer's Quilts that illustrate Alzheimer's in some way and my two little quilts is are part of those.
I am very proud to still be able to make at least 25 quilts a year. While a few are given as gifts, the overwhelming majority are given to charitable organizations. I have made and donated quilts to Wounded Veterans (both locally here in Oregon, and at Fort Madigan in the State of Washington) to hospice, foster children programs, abused women and children organizations, the local hospitals neo-natal center, cardiac patients, disaster relief organizations, and through a number of interfaith/local church groups, and of course Alzheimer's organizations. But most specifically, AAQI...The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. It is my primary focus and I love making and donating quilts to them above all else right now and as so very grateful for the generosity of those who purchase them from the sales page or big on them when I am fortunate to have one in a monthly auction.
10. Have you participated in online classes, quilt-alongs, etc... If so, what was your favorite and why?
Currently, I am the creator of the Liberated Quilters Challenge at AAQI. Composed originally of members of the Liberated Quilting Webring and the Liberated Quilting Message Board, we are now a group of simply online quilters or quilt bloggers who wish to challenge ourselves, in any art quilt form and to learn to think 'outside the box' by trying new quilting or art quilting techniques for creating and donating AAQI art quilts. So far, our groups have made and donated more than two hundred.quilts and more are always in progress. This challenge is open to anyone..simply email me..at michelebilyeu@with-heart-and-hands.com I track about 35 quilt makers from the group and make sure that new creations are listed, photographed and published in three different locations..the AAQI webpage for our group, the Yahoo Liberated Message Board Photos, my own online photo albums for the group (both Picasa and Flickr accounts...I want visibility for all of us!)
11. Have you entered a quilt is a contest or show? If so, which show or contest and did you win any special honors?
The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative traveling exhibit described above. I felt extremely honored to have had my quilt selected from among so many truly lovely and creative quilts. Other than that, I believe that quilts are meant to be loved and appreciated.....and if they hang in public, to be viewed with admiration and not judgment. So, I have chosen to show my quilts only in non-judged venues and most often that means they are given away and honored in other people's hearts and homes, rather than in a public venue. I have been delighted to have one of my quilts shown in American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine...August 2011, issue 111, page 1 as part of a 'Quilter's Give Back' series...loved being part of that message. And even more, to learn that they grace the entry ways of children's centers and hospice and nursing homes as well as a local Veteran's Center.
I have had one of my quilts featured in: "Quilters Who Make a Difference: in
American Patchwork Aug2011, issue 111, p.1 and have submitted other work to Quilting Arts Magazine challenges.
I also have a quilt in a private collection, and a small book about that collection, that was privately published in 2012 by The Volkening Collection.
12. What style of fabrics are you most drawn to? What are your favorite tools? What type of sewing, quilting or other machines do you use in your quilting projects?
As a primarily charitable quilter, I am very proud of using donated, scavenged, cast off, and re-purposed fabrics that others throw, or give away. And yes, I do love 'beautiful' fabric as well but I loved the idea of 'green' sewing and not wasting anything. What few scraps I have that can't be used for sewing, are donated as 'bale' to a local mission that earns money through a fabric salvage process that creates new fabric in Japan.
I own several sewing machines including my grandmother's treadle from the early 1900's that survived our house fire in 1971, my first and second Vikings, my lovely Viking Sapphire 870 Quilt, and my precious 'green' 1964 Singer Featherweight.
13. Is there another kind of online presence that you would like to have in the future?
I am delighted to have my current blog do as well as it has. And by doing well, I do not necessarily mean my having had over 4 million readers... closing in to 4 million.... but making new friends from all over the United States,as well as all over the world. My best presence is that which goes unseen but lives in the gratitude and hearts of others.
I love reading and writing in others' blogs, giving advice when asked ;) and being more of a real person than a presence, as such. When others say they feel like they know me...just from my writing....that means the world to me!
14. What type of posts seem to get the most attention from your readers?
When I made the decision to drop anonymity and open myself and my life experiences to my readers, I found that the hearts I touched more often touched mine, in return. The journey through the heart and the connection with others is far more meaningful that I ever expected of a simple quilting blog and I am grateful for those openings, and those connections.
15. What is the content of your posts? Are they instructional, informative, reviews, interviews, link posts, rants, research, memes, and/or projects?
I find ways to fit just about anything that catches my own interest into my blog and somehow they end up relating to my life, and my quilting, as well!
16. Concerning advertising, do you have any affiliate programs, links to your own online store, etc. . .
I link up to literally thousands of other quilting sites, blogs, and quilters, but I do not currently use advertising of any kind. I am not anti-advertising, I love all of my favorite products and sewing and quilting sites, I don't currently have any on site except in individual blog posts as I write about my sewing experiences or gifts that I have received.
17. Do you have goals for your blog and how do you measure your success at meeting. these goals?
When I began, I wanted to feel like I had friends that shared the same interests and passions that I did. Later, as I began to feel true connections with others,I wanted to reach out and touch the lives and the hearts of as many other quilters as I could, and learn, and share from that process. In that sense, I have surpassed any, and all goals.
18. Is there a future direction that you would like your blog to take?
I am open to the whatever the Universe has in store for me, and for my blog. And with the interesting challenges that my life has taken on so far, I'm sure it will be an adventure!
19. Is there some point when you will stop blogging? How will you make that determination?
I am a hope filled realist. If at any point, my own life, my family, or my own feelings on blogging should change, I would very simply go with that flow. Right now, I am happy with, and love the process, as well as the wonderful connections with others.
*I was asked to give an online interview for another blog. This is altered, updated, and therefore newer version of that Q and A..
