Let's Talk Life + Quilts with Wild Plum Lane

I am so pleased to have Lisa from Wild Plum Lane join us on my blog this week! We first met online through a course, but then we met in person when I attended the Sonder Retreat she co-hosted with Lifting Limits Quilting.

 Lisa is such a talented quilter with beautiful quilt designs. She also encourages other quilters to never give up on their WIPS, and she has a passion for planning time for quilting as well as all the other aspects of our busy lives. I hope you all enjoy reading about her amazing planner that I had the privilege to test a year ago! I must tell you, her planner helped get me through a very busy season in my life. It helped me plan with a broader scope and also helped narrow down each day. Enjoy!

Let’s Talk Life + Quilts!

Hello! I’m Lisa Donnelly of Wild Plum Lane and I’m excited to be here on the Fieldstone Fabric blog with you today to talk about planners! Why planners? Well, I love planners because they represent so much possibility, and with the new year ahead of us, possibility is the name of the game!

Today we are going to walk through one planner in particular: The Life + Quilts Planner, designed specifically for busy quilters like you! This planner was born out of my own quest for a simple, effective, and flexible system to bring structure to every day, without the overwhelm. After years of searching for the perfect planner, I decided to take matters into my own hands and design one. I’m thrilled to share the result with you today!

This planner is different. It doesn’t rely on mind-bending systems or demand days of setup and reflection before you can even start. Instead, it’s designed to be intuitive, flexible, and ready to jump in whenever you are. (It’s also undated to use when you need it and leave when you don’t!) It’s not just about quilting projects; it’s about seeing the big picture of your life and making room for what matters most…including time for quilting!

Key Features of the Life + Quilts Planner

Customization and Ease of Use

• Two Options - Pre-Printed or Digital PDF: There’s a pre-printed version of the planner that comes straight to your door with three months of planning pages ready to go -OR- a digital PDF for you to print and arrange the exact pages you want and need. The PDF includes multiple options for monthly, weekly, and daily layouts to choose from to make it your own!

• Disc-Bound System Option: If you have never used a disc-bound planner system, it’s a game-changer! You can easily rearrange the printed pages of your PDF Life + Quilts Planner and add or remove sections to make it exactly what you need it to be. I was skeptical of discs at first, but decided to experiment with them and am now a total convert. They’re so easy to use and hold the pages securely! You can learn more about the components of a disc-bound system on the Planner Tools page over at Wild Plum Lane.
• Roomy Layouts: If you’ve ever cramped your hand trying to write in teeny-tiny planner spaces, you’ll love this planner. It has generously-sized writing space for your normal-sized handwriting—because planning shouldn’t “cramp” your style (pun intended)!

Planning Tools to Match Your Needs

• Long-Range Planning: Need to see the big picture? Alongside a goals list, the yearly and quarterly overview pages help you track goals and plan projects with ease. They’re like your bird’s-eye view of what’s ahead.

• Monthly Views: These pages are perfect for mapping out events, holidays, birthdays, deadlines, or anything else you’ve got going on. Plus, they’re great for outlining your monthly goals—big or small.

• Weekly Planning: This is where the magic happens. The weekly pages let you see your schedule at a glance and even track habits you want to nurture. There’s also an end-of-week reflection page, which is super helpful for looking back…and planning for what’s ahead.

• Daily Pages: Daily pages are divided into Work, Life/Personal, and Quilting sections—but you can tweak those however you like. Write in your top three priorities for the day, jot down appointments, and plan your tasks in a way that feels natural to you. With multiple layout options, there’s something for everyone, whether you prefer vertical, horizontal, or an extra-spacious two-page spread.

Bonus Features

• Self-Care List: Sometimes we need a little nudge to take care of ourselves, especially as quilters! This list is full of ideas to keep your well-being front and center.
• WIP Inventory: If you’ve got a pile of Works in Progress (WIPs) like I do, this simple to use inventory will keep you organized and motivated to take the next step.
• Favorites List: Use this to capture your go-to fabric lines, favorite shops, or contact info for your best quilty friends!
• Dot Grid Pages: Perfect for doodling, brainstorming, or sketching out your next quilt or design idea.
• Quarterly Reviews: These pages help you reflect on what’s working and what’s not. It’s time to check in, re-assess how things are going, and adjust strategies based on all the things life has thrown at you in the past 3 months…which is usually not at all what you expected!

Why Choose the Life + Quilts Planner?

Let’s be real: life is busy. Between work, family, friends, and hobbies, it’s easy to feel pulled in a million directions. That’s why planning is so important. It helps you focus on what truly matters…and that includes time for quilting, of course! The Life + Quilts Planner is here to help you:

• Organize your thoughts and tasks
• Prioritize effectively without feeling overwhelmed
• Find balance - or as close to balance as possible! - and make the most of your time

Whether you’re using a pre-printed planner, a disc-bound system or stapling a few printed pages together for on-the-go use, the Life + Quilts Planner adapts to you and is ready to help you organize your life to meet your goals - quilty and beyond!

Ready to Start?

If this sounds like your kind of planning, you’ll love the Life + Quilts Planner. It comes with everything you need to dive in and get started, including a how-to guide that’s packed to the brim with printing tips, instructions for use, and plenty of encouragement to help you hit the ground running.

If you aren’t quite ready for the full version of the planner, there’s a free Quilter’s Weekly Planner PDF printable that I’d love to share with you today. It is very similar to one of the weekly layouts included in the Life + Quilts Planner. Try it out and see what you think!

So let’s do this! Get organized, stay inspired, and plan a life that leaves room for quilting - along with everything else you love - with the Life + Quilts Planner. I can’t wait to hear how you make it your own!

Thank you so much, Mallory, for having me here on the Fieldstone Fabric blog! As a side note, Mallory graciously offered her time and expertise as one of several testers for the first draft version of the Life + Quilts Planner. Her comments and feedback were invaluable and helped make the Life + Quilts Planner super-helpful for quilters just like you!

Lisa Donnelly, owner of Wild Plum Lane