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The First Stitch: Every Quilter Has a Story
Discover the shared experiences that connect all quilters. The First Stitch is the podcast dedicated to celebrating the journeys of the craft's most passionate members: YOU! Host Lisa Donnelly of Wild Plum Lane brings you short, impactful episodes that prove we are all more alike than we are different, no matter where or when we picked up our first set of needle and thread.
Every week, you'll hear:
-A Quilter’s Story: Hear the unique, personal accounts of how quilters began to quilt, overcome creative blocks, and found purpose in piecing. These are your stories, read aloud, emphasizing the universal themes of creativity, challenge, and community.
-Finishing Focus: Practical, no-nonsense tips and actionable strategies for completing your quilt projects (WIPs/UFOs). It's gentle motivation to finish those beautiful quilts!
-Quilting Tidbits: Essential, quick-hit information on tools, new fabric lines, techniques, and the latest happenings in the world of quilting.
Join us to recognize your own journey in the stories of others, gain practical quilt project planning and organization skills, and feel more connected to the quilting community as a whole.
New episodes are released every Wednesday morning.
Episodes
14 episodes
We're Taking a Spring Break + Exciting News!
Today’s episode is a super-quick update about The First Stitch that I wanted to share with you directly. (And no, it's not an April Fool's Day joke!)We're taking a spring break for the months of April and May, and new episodes will retur...
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12: Marissa's First Stitch Story + Sewing in Small Bites of Time
First Stitch Story: Meet MarissaIn this episode I share Marissa's story. She's 31, finished her very first quilt last year, and her journey into quilting is one of the most honest and heartwarming stories featured on the show yet. Fr...
11: Lana's First Stitch Story + Why Labeling Your Quilts Matters
First Stitch Story: Meet LanaIn this episode, we meet Lana from Oklahoma, whose love of quilting has carried her through decades, dozens of moves, and a life full of beautiful, meaningful moments. Lana's story is one I know you're go...
10: Janet's First Stitch Story + Tips for Visualizing Your Quilt Project
First Stitch Story: Meet JanetIn this episode, we meet Janet, a self-described beginner quilter whose story is quietly extraordinary. She learned alongside her mom, worked together on quilts for her twin granddaughters, and then face...
9: Debbie's First Stitch Story + Binding Tips to Finish Your Quilts
First Stitch Story: Meet DebbieIn this episode, we meet Debbie, whose quilting journey took her from a childhood filled with stunning handmade clothes sewn by her talented mom, to walking away from sewing entirely after a difficult e...
8: Beth's First Stitch Story + Creating Your Own Quilt Retreat Day
First Stitch Story: Meet BethIn this episode, we meet Beth, whose sewing journey spans decades...from her first White sewing machine purchased in 1982 to rediscovering quilting after retirement. After years of raising three daught...
7: Judy's First Stitch Story + Are All Your WIPs Worth Finishing?
First Stitch Story: Meet JudyIn this episode, we meet Judy, whose quilting journey is a powerful story of finding purpose and joy after loss. From learning to sew in high school to making clothes for her children, and then redisco...
6: Vickie's First Stitch Story + Taking a Bird's Eye View of Your WIPs
First Stitch Story: Meet VickieIn this episode, we meet Vickie, whose quilting journey connects three generations through fabric and thread. Her story is a beautiful reminder of how quilting ties us to the people we love, and how ...
5: Lisa’s First Stitch Story + Making Quilting Fit Into Real Life
First Stitch Story: Meet LisaIn this episode, we meet Lisa from Germany, whose love of quiltmaking has spanned decades…and is still evolving! Lisa shares how her creative interests developed over time, what continues to inspire her, ...
4: Cynthia’s First Stitch Story + A Simple Step to Make Forward Progress on Your WIPs
First Stitch Story: Meet CynthiaIn this episode, we meet Cynthia, whose First Stitch story is rooted in generosity, tradition, and learning by doing. From being taught to quilt by hand, to creating deeply meaningful quilts for loved ...
3: Mary’s First Stitch Story + A Simple Way to Prioritize Your WIPs
First Stitch Story: Meet MaryIn this episode, we meet Mary, a fellow Kansas City–area quilter whose creative path included early sewing lessons, a break for life, and then rediscovering sewing and quilting years later, Mary’s story t...
2: Dot’s First Stitch Story + Simple Organization Tips to Move Your Projects Forward
First Stitch Story: Meet Dot!In this episode, we meet Dot, whose First Stitch story spans decades of making. From learning to sew as a child to a lifetime of creative work, Dot’s story is a beautiful reminder that creativity evolv...
Episode 1: My First Stitch Story + Tools to Help You Finish More Quilts
In this episode, I’m sharing my own First Stitch story—from learning to sew with my mom and grandma, to returning to quilting (many!) years later and eventually founding Wild Plum Lane. It’s a little backstory on how quilting became such a mean...