LISA NORTON/LORA ZMAK

Material Girlfriends

Twin sisters Lisa and Lora have been sewing since they were very young. In 1999, Lisa decided to try quilting and with her neighbor Ingrid, began a block of the month program at her local quilt shop. Unknowingly, Lora, living a 1000 miles away, decided to try quilting and began a block of the month program with her friend, Inger. It s a twin thing. The sisters took to quilting like ducks to water. As artists, it wasn t long before the girls were making their own patterns and designs. Fast forward to 2012, the sisters began Material Girlfriends Patterns.

Lisa has a BS degree in Graphic Design and Illustration and does most of the design work for their patterns. Lora has a BS degree in Interior Design and Textiles lends her skills to color and fabrics, finishing their quilts with incredible stitching with her long-arm machine. Both enjoy the piecing and often get together and sew with their mother, Carolyn. The girls joke that it takes the two of them to make one complete quilter.

Lora, her husband Kelly, and their two daughters, moved back to California and reside in Clayton. Lisa, her husband Michael and their three sons reside in Discovery Bay. The sisters live just a half hour from each other and get together weekly for sewing and design fun. Their love of quilting is contagious and they both eagerly share their passion with new and used quilters by teaching and lecturing at their quilt shops, guilds and quilt shows.

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