Latest / The First Stitch: Every Quilter Has a Story / 18: Jay's First Stitch Story + Taming the Fabric Stash

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18: Jay's First Stitch Story + Taming the Fabric Stash · The First Stitch: Every Quilter Has a Story

• 0:04
  SPEAKER_00: Hello, and welcome to the First Stitch Podcast, where we tell the stories of how everyday quilters just like you got started quilting.
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_00: Plus, talk about some other fun quilty things along the way.
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_00: This is your host, Lisa Donnelly from Wild Plum Lane.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get started.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Today's episode is one I think a lot of you are going to see yourselves in.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: Jay found quilting completely by accident back in the 70s and stuck with the simple geometric patterns that feel like home.
• 0:31
  SPEAKER_00: Plus a fabric stash that's grown into something truly impressive.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: If you've ever felt torn between loving your fabric collection and wondering what to actually do with it, stick around, because today's whip finishing tip is just for you.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_00: Here's Jay's first stitch story, in Jay's own words.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: My mom taught me to sew garments, but I was rarely satisfied with the results.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_00: In the 70s, I took a hand-pacing quilting class, or cardboard templates cut from cereal boxes, and I fell into quilting for good.
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not an adventurous quilter.
• 1:00
  SPEAKER_00: I like fairly simple geometric patterns and generally make lap or throw size quilts.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: Minis and baby quilts are in my comfort zone as well.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: I have a ridiculously large fabric collection.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: Sometimes I feel guilty about the size of it, but more often I'm grateful to have everything I need to make what I want.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_00: That's me in a nutshell.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_00: I love that Jay started with serial box templates and it's grown into a lifetime of quilting.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_00: And honestly, that feeling of being grateful for a big stash instead of guilty about it is exactly the mindset I want more of us to have.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about how to make that big, wonderful stash work for you instead of feeling like one more thing on your to-do list.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_00: If you're sitting on a stash like Jay's, first of all, congratulations.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: You already probably have most of what you need to start your next project.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: The problem most of us run into isn't having too much fabric.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's not having a simple way to find and use what we've got.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_00: So here's my favorite fix, and I call it the one project one bin method.
• 1:53
  SPEAKER_00: Step one, pick your career project or the next one you're excited to start.
• 1:57
  SPEAKER_00: Just one.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_00: Step two, pull only the fabric for that project and put it in a single labeled bin or tote.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_00: A clear one works best so you can see what's inside at a glance.
• 2:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I have a recommendation or two for you coming up.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: Step three, everything else in your stash says exactly where it is.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: You don't have to sort, fold, or reorganize the whole collection to make progress on your quilt.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_00: Step four is optional, but very satisfying.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_00: Label the bin with the project name and a target finish date, so it's calling your name every single time you walk by.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: If you only have 15 minutes today, that's plenty.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: Just pull the bin, set it by your machine, and you're ready to cut fabric or sew the next time you sit down.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: And if you want an even smaller win, try a quick 15-minute stash date this week.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_00: Put on a podcast, like this one, and fold or sort just one shelf or one drawer.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_00: No pressure to tackle it all at once.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_00: So to make today's tip even easier to put into action, I want to point you toward the stackable clear bins I use in my own sewing space.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_00: They're inexpensive, they stack neatly on a shelf or in a closet, and because they're clear, you can see exactly which project is inside without opening up a single lid.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's the simplest way I've found to keep my one project, one bin system actually working long term, instead of turning into one more pile.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'll drop the exact bins I use from Target down in the show notes.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_00: Plus a couple of other options I think you might find intriguing, so you can grab the same ones or something similar for your own space.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: Jay, thank you so much for sharing your story with us today, serial box, templates and all.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: And to everyone listening, if you've got a big, beautiful stash of your own, I hope today's tip gives you a simple way to put it to work on your projects.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_00: And with that, we'll wrap up this episode of the First Stitch Podcast.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: If you enjoyed listening, I'd sure appreciate it if you'd hit the subscribe button in your favorite podcast player, write a review on Apple Podcasts, or tell your best quiltie friends so they can listen too.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_00: By the way, do you have a story to share?
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_00: Every quilter has a beginning to their story, and we'd love to hear yours.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_00: Plus, over the years you might have picked up tips or tricks you could share with others.
• 3:54
  SPEAKER_00: It might inspire another quilter, so we want to hear about it.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_00: Share your personal quilting journey, your best project finishing tip, or your first stitch moment.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_00: Your story might be read on an upcoming episode of the First Stitch.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: You can submit your story today by sending an email to First Stitch Podcast, all one word, that's first stitch podcast at wildplumlane.com, or use our quick submission form down in the show notes.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_00: I can't wait to talk with you again soon.