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.
The First Stitch: Every Quilter Has a Story
5: Lisa’s First Stitch Story + Making Quilting Fit Into Real Life
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
First Stitch Story: Meet Lisa
In 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, and how she keeps learning new skills even as life grows full and busy. Her story is a thoughtful reminder that creativity doesn’t have an expiration date, and that making can adapt to every season of life.
WIP-Finishing Tip: Keep Your Projects Within Reach
Today’s WIP-finishing tip is all about making progress when time feels limited. Where your current quilt projects live can have a bigger impact than you might expect. I share a simple mindset shift that helps you take advantage of small pockets of time…without needing a long stretch in the sewing room.
This approach works especially well for tasks like cutting, trimming, or prepping pieces ahead of time, so you can keep things moving forward even on busy days.
A Peek Into My Studio
I also share an update on a long-term quilting project I’m working on this year and how breaking it into small, weekly steps has made the process feel manageable and motivating. Taking things one piece at a time has helped me stay engaged without feeling overwhelmed.
There’s also a meaningful story behind this project that connects quilt making across generations in a way that feels both grounding and inspiring.
Email newsletter signup (to see project updates and photos)
The Farmer’s Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt Book
Share Your First Stitch Story
Your story might be next! If you’d like to share how you got started sewing or making, and possibly be featured in a future episode, I’d love to hear from you!
Send an email to: firststitchpodcast@wildplumlane.com
Or use the quick submission form