This week on The Stitch Please Podcast, Lisa tackles one of sewing’s most surprisingly controversial topics: notches. That’s right those tiny cuts in your pattern that somehow inspire big feelings. Lisa breaks down the three main camps: outward notches (aka outies), inward notches (ennies), and the bold rebels who say “no notches, no rules.”

With help from the sewing community and plenty of real talk wisdom, Lisa explores the pros, cons, and emotional baggage of each method plus how she landed on what works best for her own projects.

Whether you’re team snip, team clip, or team absolutely not, this episode proves that good sewing is less about following rules and more about finding what makes your process smoother and your seams happier.

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

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In this Stitch Please Sankofa episode, host Lisa from Black Women’s Stitch opens 2026 with a reflective 2025 year in review, grounded in the West African principle of Sankofa: learning from the past to build a better future. This episode offers listeners a vivid and personal exploration of the history of Black quilting and sewing, creative traditions, and the lived experiences that shaped the Stitch Please podcast throughout the year.

From a six-month appointment at Wellesley College’s Humanities Center to hands on engagement with the Black craft and fiber arts community in Boston, Lisa takes us through a year of learning, stitching, collaborating, and teaching. She deepens ties to Black women quilters in Boston, craft industry professionals, quilt guilds, and local libraries while examining the shifting landscape of independent craft businesses and maker culture.

This Sankofa reflection also covers Lisa’s entry into narrative podcasting about Black history, including a storytelling episode on Miss Fine Brown Frame and the award-winning narrative short “Very Fine People”, recognized by Audio Flux. Her travels to Cape Town and Ghana highlight the connection between African diaspora textile traditions, sewing history, and the enduring cultural legacy of handmade work.

Finally, Lisa revisits a year marked by creative celebration and industry acknowledgment. Serving as a Golden Scissors judge at H+H Americas, earning an AMBIE nomination, and winning three Black Podcasting Awards all of which further solidified her voice as an award-winning Black podcaster, scholar, and cultural memory keeper. Through the lenses of community, knowledge, storytelling, and recognition, Lisa invites listeners to choose what personal wisdom to carry into 2026 and to embrace the power of Black women in creative leadership, dreaming boldly even in turbulent times.

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

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Stay Connected:

YouTube: Black Women Stitch

Instagram: Black Women Stitch

Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast

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In this episode of Stitch Please, guest Martha McIntosh discusses the intersection of sewing and holiday traditions, particularly focusing on the Garifuna culture. Martha is a proud Garifuna-American from the Bronx, NY, with strong roots in Livingston, Guatemala. She is a sewing enthusiast learning to sew for her curvy, plus-size body and others as well. 

Revisit this episode from 2022 as she shares personal stories about making holiday gifts, what this time of the looks like in the Garifuna culture, and the importance of passing down traditions to future generations.

Join the Black Women Stitch Patreon.

Lisa Woolfork

Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English, specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the convener and founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. #Charlottesville. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Martha McIntosh

Martha is a proud Garifuna-American from the Bronx, NY, with strong roots in Livingston, Guatemala. She is a sewing enthusiast learning to sew for her curvy, plus-size body and others as well. 

Stay Connected:

Lisa Woolfork

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Martha McIntosh

Website: https://marthamcintosh.com

Instagram: Martha McIntosh

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Lisa Woolfork welcomes Carmen Green, founder of the Black Sewing Network. They discuss the network's recent Day of Service initiative aimed at supporting Black girls' health globally through sewing. Carmen shares the journey from digital sewing tutorials to in-person community events, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and community building at home and within thew greater diaspora. The conversation highlights the power of community in sewing, and how the impact of reusable pads has opened up new ways to use fabric scraps. Plus, Carmen gives her thoughts around the evolving landscape of the fabric industry (RIP Joann) and why now more than ever it's important to support independent designers.

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

Ready to tap in to the visuals of Stitch Please? Then join our Patreon! For only $5 a month you can get all of the video versions of the pod. PLUS more goodies at higher patron levels. We couldn't do any of this without your support. Thank you!

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Instagram: Black Women Stitch

Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast

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This week on Stitch Please, Lisa chats with designer and certified fashion powerhouse Shanya Lewis an FIT and Parsons grad who can turn fabric, leather, and even your old assumptions about fashion into pure art.

Shanya spills the tea on her creative journey from stitching knits to slaying in leatherwork and why sustainability isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a lifestyle (and a mood). They dive into the highs and lows of freelancing in fashion’s competitive jungle, the power of a good education, and the hustle it takes to build a brand that lasts longer than a fast-fashion trend cycle.

With wisdom, warmth, and a few laughs, Shanya reminds us that quality over quantity is always in style and sharing what you know is the best accessory you can have.

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Where You Can Find Shanya!

Shanyalewis.com

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

======

Stay Connected:

YouTube: Black Women Stitch

Instagram: Black Women Stitch

Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast

--

Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter

Check out our merch here

Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode.

Join the Black Women Stitch Patreon

Check out our Amazon Store

This week on Stitch Please, Lisa chats with costume designer LeVonne Lindsay, who turned a post breakup hobby into a career dressing drama literally. From sewing Barbie outfits to running a college costume shop, LeVonne shares what it really takes to make magic backstage. It’s a fun, insightful dive into the world of stitches, stage lights, and saying no to shortcuts (until you’ve earned them).

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

======

Stay Connected:

YouTube: Black Women Stitch

Instagram: Black Women Stitch

Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast

--

Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter

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Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode.

Join the Black Women Stitch Patreon

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This week on Stitch Please, Lisa and Mind the Force Podcast host Kristine McPartlin geek out over the secret language of Star Wars fashion from Luke’s hopeful robes to Darth Vader’s villain chic. They laugh about the Empire’s tiny hats, dissect Jedi linen minimalism, and revel in Queen Amidala’s 20 yard gowns. It’s a hilarious, insightful dive into how every stitch in a galaxy far, far away tells a story and yes, sometimes that story is simply “Nazis bad.”

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Where You Can Find Kristine!

MInd The Force Podcast

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

======

Stay Connected:

YouTube: Black Women Stitch

Instagram: Black Women Stitch

Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast

--

Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter

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Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode.

Join the Black Women Stitch Patreon

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This week on Stitch Please, Lisa cozies up with quilt artist Kristin Hott to talk fabric, philosophy, and why quilts are basically the original Instagram stories (but way warmer). Kristen shares her journey into quilting, spills on her creative process, and introduces us to the art of “bed turning”aka the world’s coziest runway show.

They dive into community, storytelling, and the way every stitch carries a little piece of history (and sometimes a little leftover thread you forgot to snip). Plus, they chat about upcycling, sustainability, and why quilting is equal parts therapy session and legacy project.

If you’ve ever wanted your blanket to have more personality than your ex, this episode will have you seeing quilts in a whole new light.

SIGN UP TODAY for the Bed Turning event in Richmond, VA on 10/1/2025

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Where You Can Find Kristin!

Instagram- @Kristinhott

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

======

Stay Connected:

YouTube: Black Women Stitch

Instagram: Black Women Stitch

Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast

--

Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter

Check out our merch here

Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode.

Join the Black Women Stitch Patreon

Check out our Amazon Store

This week on Stitch Please, Lisa chats with the brilliant and multi-talented Tian Connaughton designer, writer, strategist, and all around creative powerhouse. Tian spills the tea on how she stitched her way through life’s messier moments, proving that crafting isn’t just a hobby it’s therapy with prettier results.

From her rise as a go to voice in the knitting and crochet community to championing visibility for Black creators, Tian shares how she’s built a career that’s equal parts artistry and strategy. She dishes out wisdom on chasing your goals, running your business without burning out, and why you don’t have to “have it all together” to belong in the craft world.

With laughs, lessons, and plenty of inspiration, this convo is your reminder to take it one stitch at a time and yes, you absolutely belong here.

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Where You Can Find Tian!

Instagram-@knitdesignsbytian

Website-www.tianconnaughton.com

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

======

Stay Connected:

YouTube: Black Women Stitch

Instagram: Black Women Stitch

Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast

--

Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter

Check out our merch here

Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode.

Join the Black Women Stitch Patreon

Check out our Amazon Store

This week on Stitch Please, Lisa sits down with cosplay powerhouse Daemeryss aka the genius who can turn a pile of fabric into jaw dropping, Con -crushing magic.

From her early sewing inspo to creating her own fabric (yes, custom Beyoncé inspired textiles, because why not?), Daemeryss spills all the tea on what it really takes to bring a cosplay vision to life. They get into build books (your cosplay diary/survival guide), the tricky ethics of copying, and why the creative community thrives when we actually share knowledge instead of gatekeeping it.

It’s equal parts inspiration, education, and cosplay chaos so whether you’re threading your first needle or hand stitching a ten foot cape, this episode will remind you to embrace the mess, trust the process, and find your own fabulous voice in the craft.

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Where You Can Find Daemeryss!

Instagram

Facebook

X

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

======

Stay Connected:

YouTube: Black Women Stitch

Instagram: Black Women Stitch

Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast

--

Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter

Check out our merch here

Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode.

Join the Black Women Stitch Patreon

Check out our Amazon Store

This week on Stitch Please, Lisa gets real about the politics of pressing yes, we’re talking seams, class, and why your iron might be more revolutionary than you think. From cosplay critiques to sewing history, she unpacks why pressing isn’t elitist it’s care, clarity, and craft all rolled into one. Press play and prepare to rethink your ironing board.

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Dr. Lisa Woolfork is an associate professor of English specializing in African American literature and culture. Her teaching and research explore Black women writers, Black identity, trauma theory, and American slavery. She is the founder of Black Women Stitch, the sewing group where Black lives matter. She is also the host/producer of Stitch Please, a weekly audio podcast that centers on Black women, girls, and femmes in sewing. In the summer of 2017, she actively resisted the white supremacist marches in her community, Charlottesville, Virginia. The city became a symbol of lethal resurging white supremacist violence. She remains active in a variety of university and community initiatives, including the Community Engaged Scholars program. She believes in the power of creative liberation.

Instagram: Lisa Woolfork

Twitter: Lisa Woolfork

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Stay Connected:

YouTube: Black Women Stitch

Instagram: Black Women Stitch

Facebook: Stitch Please Podcast

--

Sign up for the Black Women Stitch quarterly newsletter

Check out our merch here

Leave a BACKSTITCH message and tell us about your favorite episode.

Join the Black Women Stitch Patreon

Check out our Amazon Store

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“Be impeccable with your word.”: The Four Agreements," by Don Miguel Ruiz, outlines four principles for personal freedom and happiness. These agreements, rooted in Toltec wisdom, are: Be Impeccable with Your Word, Don't Take Anything Personally, Don't Make Assumptions, and Always Do Your Best

LEAVE US A MESSAGE--https://www.speakpipe.com/BlackWomenStitch

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2019 Pressing Episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/stitch-please/id1477578107?i=1000450213114

2019 Bonus Episode on Pressing: https://blackwomenstitch.org/captivate-podcast/pressing-matters-a-few-good-irons-and-one-amazing-collectible

Sarah Boone, Ironing Board Inventor: https://www.biography.com/inventors/sarah-boone

QUOTED

Erica Bunker: https://www.threads.com/@ericabunker/post/DMd48PQyw70?xmt=AQF0nLB5RBhnJbOvuK73aVHgXoipt3xN0DaU-huV-1MWuw

aaronicabcolestudio: https://www.threads.com/@aaronicabcolestudio/post/DMc8Gd1OKL2?xmt=AQF0wOmaHgrAxwdyrIOLlEb9NEShqSDv8XChtIgwAxuauQ

Additional comments of interest

terrancewilliams_: https://www.threads.com/@terrancewilliams_/post/DMblEBQsR4E?xmt=AQF0H04zsL35zrpnzBx_JOmBt3z5H_0ksq0GszETLN-s7Q

shimere: https://www.threads.com/@shim.sew.creative/post/DMc0ycyMTzP?xmt=AQF0xsJgAmIaWUBExBFhCoE6d_d5hrRSxz1Npb9Q_oSvEw

raisincosplay: https://www.threads.com/@raisincosplay/post/DMfhx5BR-dz?xm