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Material Girlfriends

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Happy Thanksgiving

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Lora and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with friends and family. It’s an in-law year for us. We alternate years. Last year was with the Wooldridges (our maiden names) and this year is with the in-laws. Lora and her husband are headed to the Zmak clan. We’re setting up to be cozy with the Norton fam. I’ve been browsing through cookbooks. Amongst the favorites, I like to add a new recipe or two. Since two of my sons are in Florida this year, I think I’ll add key lime pie. If they can’t be with us in CA, we’ll remember them with pie. 😉

Traditionally, Lora and I start the Material Girlfriend’s Black Friday Sale the day after Thanksgiving. Still, since I prefer to limit email blasts to once a month, I thought we’d jump the gun and start our Seasonal Sale with the Nov. 15 monthly email. Woohooo!!! We have a lot of lovely quilting patterns, fabric bundles, and kits on a very nice sale. Receive up to 50% off! Check it out. The sale ends December 31.

Drum Roll, Please…

Introducing Material Girlfriends’ latest release, Stellar Magic.

Stellar Magic Quilt Pattern is much easier than it looks!
42″ x 56″ or 53″ x 67″ with Optional Borders. Layer Cake Friendly! Thirteen Layout Options! The Stellar Magic quilt is made from a simple L block that is cut and reassembled with magical results! The clear and detailed cutting and sewing diagrams make the block assembly quick and easy!

Basic Fabric Requirements

  • 24 Medium/Dark 10″ squares (be sure there is a good contrast between any Mediums and the Lights)
    24 Light 10″ squares
  • 1 1/4 yards for optional 5″ Outer Border
  • 1/2 yard for optional 1 1/2″ Inner Border

Missouri Star Quilt Co

Misty from Missouri Star Quilt Company recently launched a video tutorial for Stellar Magic. Misty did a fabulous job. Check out her tutorial.

The fun starts once you get your blocks created. There are 13 layout options in the pattern. However, after publishing the pattern I did design one more. It’s like potato chips! The image below includes the one additional layout that isn’t in the pattern (second row, third design).

Stellar Magic Pattern and Kits

Instant gratification with the pdf digital download can be purchased at our Etsy Store.

Digital Download for Stellar Magic, $10

The paper pattern will be mailed by the next day and can be purchased on our webstore.

Paper Pattern for Stellar Magic, $11.99

Kits! The featured quilt in ruby and gold is in a new line and though we were able to get the layer cakes early, Island Batiks won’t have the border yardage bolts until April 2025. Ugh! I know! At first, the bolt arrival was expected in December. I just checked for an updated ETA and I am bummed to report the delivery has been bumped back. I’ll have 15 more kits in the Ruby and Gold in April. (*sigh*)

The Stellar Magic Grove Kit is available now. It is in lovely green and aqua batiks also by Island Batiks.

Stellar Magic
Stellar Magic
Stellar Magic Grove Kit, $100.99

Lora is finishing up the binding on the Stellar Magic Grove. I’m sure she’ll take beautiful pictures of this green/aqua one. We’ll post those on Facebook soon.

Free 3-Yard Pattern Download

Don’t forget you can download a free 3-Yard pattern! Introducing a very charming 9-Patch pattern, 3YD Tango. The free download is available from November 15-30, 2024. Use the link in the header for the 2024 3YD Sew Along or click here. The Sew Along posting includes different color options, a scrappy version, making it larger and more. Below are pink and blue versions of this 39″ x 57″. Need a 3-yard kit? Click here. Kits are $35.99 and include 1 yard each of a Light, Medium, and Dark, plus 1/2 yard for binding. Kits do not include a pattern, backing, or batting.

3YD Tango
3YD Tango
3YD Tango
3YD Tango
3YD Tango
3YD Tango
3YD Tango
3YD Tango
Take Me to the 3YD Tango Download Page

2025 Sew Along

We put a poll on our Facebook page. We wanted to know what everyone would like to do for the 2025 Sew Along. We had an idea of what we’d do but we really did want to know what everyone else wanted. We were surprised! We had wonderful input from quite a few quilters.

  • 38% voted for continuing with the 3YD series
  • 33% voted for the mini projects
  • 10% voted for mini holiday themed wall hangings

There were votes for the monthly block, as well as some other great ideas, but all less than the three above. The nice thing about the “governing party” of the Material Girlfriends is we can compromise. Our logo isn’t red or blue. Our logo is purple. There isn’t going to be a winner/loser outcome for the MG 2025 Sew Along vote. This is what we decided.

2025 Sew Along • Home is Pieced One Stitch At a Time

  • Six months of new 3YD quilt pattern
  • One mini with the option to make it a placemat to king-size
  • One mini wall hanging, seasonal
  • Three runners, holiday/seasonal
  • One scrappy throw-size quilt

Everything will be mixed up and not in the order listed. We’re very excited about the 2025 Sew Along. We’ve already designed all six 3YD quilts, the runners, and the minis. Now, we just need to write the instructions.

We’ll run it just like we did last year. FREE. We don’t require your email address. It’s just for your convenience. I’ll send an email once a month. This email is to remind you of your free download. If you don’t want to enter your email (we get it!) you’ll need to remember to download your free pattern from the 15th until the end of the month from the 2025 Sew Along page.

Remember to invite your quilting friends!

Key Lime Pie

Ever since I typed Key Lime Pie above, it’s been calling my name. I think I’ll make one. I’ll make two. It’s my neighbor’s favorite as well.

This is the recipe I use. It is surprisingly easy to make. I’m hooked on Sally’s Baking Recipes. She’s amazing. I know Key Lime is not a traditional Thanksgiving pie, but nonetheless, I love it. To save time, I buy the pre-made graham cracker crust. Enjoy!

Hello Autumn!

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I’ve missed you. Is anyone else as excited as I am for Autumn to finally arrive?!! This was a HOT Summer with more triple digits than I could count. This week, however, the wind has been blowing, leaves are falling, and the forecast is cool 90s and mid-80s. I’m thrilled! I know Autumn doesn’t officially start for another week, Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 08:44 A.M. EDT in the Northern Hemisphere, to be exact. But let’s not wait!

Autumn 15% Off Sale

Every Fall pattern, kit, or fabric bundle is 15% off with the coupon code HelloAutumn15, entered at checkout. We’ve listed over 30 Fall items to be activated for 15% off when you enter the code at checkout! Coupon Code expires Oct 15, 2024.

Shop over 30 Fall Patterns, Kits, & Bundles
3YD Bravo
Scarecrow’s Song kit
Scarecrow’s Song
Charming Pumpkin Runner
Oak Wreath Bite size
Happy Jack
Harvest Apple
Autumn Breeze
Under the Oaks
Material Girlfriends Shop

Free 3YD Bravo Pattern Download

Don’t forget to download your free pattern this month! Free to download from Sept 15 through the 30, 2024 is 3YD Bravo. Click on the 2024 3YD Quilt Series Sew Along tab above to learn more about the 3YD series. Every month this year, receive a monthly free 3YD pattern download. Or you can click here for a shortcut. Scroll down a little until you get to September 15.

Free Download 3YD Bravo

The above button should take you to google drive to download/print the pattern. If google drive doesn’t work with your system, just email me at Lisa@materialgirlfriends.com. I’m still working out the best way to do free downloads. Adding it as a file too. I don’t know why Google Drive is having such issues.

3YD Bravo.Pattern.DigitalDownloadDownload
3YD Bravo is made in Riley Blake Designs Mad Masquerade Halloween fabrics. Sure looks like another 15% off kit to me! Our 3YD kits include 1 yard each of Light, Medium, and Dark, plus 1/2 yard of binding for $35.99. Fall color kits will enjoy the HelloAutumn15 coupon code discount! Orange/Gray/White kit link.

Back in Stock!

Re-introducing the Material Girlfriends’ Scarecrow’s Song panel and fabric line. When the fabrics were released in June, we sold out so quickly! It never even made it to a show! The panel was on back order and now finally back on our shelves – just in time for our Hello Autumn Sale.

Scarecrow’s Song

How are fabric lines made?

Well, it takes a village. This pretty scarecrow girl was requested by Marcus Fabrics as a follow-up for our Autumn Waltz panel. He was so well received, that they wanted a sequel. He is sold out everywhere, sorry. See him in an image below side-by-side with Scarecrow’s Song.

Lora was my scarecrow model. Isn’t she pretty? From the photo image, I drew my scarecrow sketch. When I was happy with the sketch (after dozens of sketches, mind you) I scanned her into my computer and re-drew her in Adobe Illustrator. Lora drew the mums and thistles which I also scanned and added to the panel. The panel was going to be a ‘cheater appliqué’ so we needed to design the fabrics to drop into her clothes, pumpkins, background, etc. Lora is the color specialist and always puts together a fabulous palette for me to play with. I peck at the computer until it looks like fabric.

Lora Modeling
Sketch of Lora the Scarecrow
Developing the Scarecrow

We always design far more fabrics than we need, nor can be printed. Monika, who is the art director at Marcus Fabrics, is a huge help. She helped us edit the panel, and narrow down the fabrics, and she and her team did the color corrections. For example, I was trying to make an egg apron (light green apron above) and Monika didn’t even know what an egg-collecting apron was. Don’t wanna confuse the city-folk so we went back to a basic apron with two pockets.

It takes us about a month to go from the Lora picture to the “final” files for Marcus Fabrics. After months of paper proofs and edits, the files are ready to print. We then get strike-offs of actual printed fabric to make more edits and corrections. Marcus Fabrics then prints and distributes the fabric lines. Whew. It’s a year. I started drawing in June 2023 and the fabrics were shipped to the stores at the end of June 2024. I couldn’t tell you how many people ended up working on this single line of 15 skus – a village for sure.

Coordinating with previous panel
Scarecrow’s Song
Scarecrow’s Song

We have a couple of free pattern downloads for Scarecrow’s song too! This whole line is included in our Fall Sale going on right now until October 15, 2024. Enter coupon code HelloAutumn15 for 15% off.

Free Scarecrow’s Song Patterns

Lora and I are still designing fabrics. We look forward to when we can reveal our next line. Until then, we have to keep it under wraps!

Fall Show Schedule

We’ve three shows this fall! We hope to see you at one of them if you’re local.

September 21-22, Diablo Valley Quilt Show in Walnut Creek, CA. We’ll have all our Autumn kits and patterns at this show. Tell us the coupon code HelloAutumn15 to receive 15% off your purchase.

October 4-5, Mother Lode Quilters Guild Show in Sutter Creek, CA. We’re featured artists at this one. We’re so excited! Again, just mention that coupon code for 15% off your purchase.

October 10-12, Pleasanton Quilt, Craft, & Sewing Festival at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, CA. We’re new to this show although it’s the 10th annual show this year! The coupon code is still good until Oct. 15!

October 19, at 3020 2nd Street, Knightsen, CA, 10 am to 4 pm. We have a local Holiday Craft Show we’ll be participating in. Most of the vendors are quilters but I heard there will be kittens too!

Happy sewing,

Lisa Norton & Lora Zmak

I WON!! I WON Your Quilt!

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Lora and I had donated a Quilters Color Therapy sample quilt as the 2024 Opportunity Quilt for the Delta Quilters Guild. We’re members of the Delta Quilters Guild. Raffle tickets were sold throughout the year to raise funds for the guild’s quilting and charity programs. Last weekend, Delta Quilters had its annual Quilt Show. Sunday, 3 pm, was the big drawing for the winner of the Quilters Color Therapy Opportunity Quilt. Drum roll, please…

Lora and I were at our booth socializing, I mean, selling kits and patterns and didn’t realize the drawing was happening. When Judie, one of our guild members, comes running into the room. “I won!! I won your quilt!” What?!! We were so happy!! This was the first time we had known the winner of the Opportunity Quilt. We were over the moon, happy for Judie.

You can win a quilt too. Buy Opportunity Quilt tickets from your local guild. The funds are always used for a good cause. Better yet, join the quilt guild. It is a great place to learn to quilt. Members range from young to old, novice to expert. You’ll meet wonderful people, make new friends, learn new skills, and join a group that makes a difference in their community. If you don’t have a guild near you, there are online quilt guilds that meet via Zoom.

Do you need a copy of the Quilters Color Therapy pattern? Visit MaterialGirlfriendsShop.com and enter IWon! coupon code for 20% off the Quilters Color Therapy booklet.

If you can’t tell, I am thrilled to have won your beautiful quilt. Thank you for sharing your talent and creativity with all of us and for your generosity💕 – Judie

3YD India – August Free Pattern Download

We’re all winners! Meet us in the Winner’s Circle to download your FREE 3-Yard Pattern. Click on the 2024 3YD Quilt Series Sew Along and scroll down to August 15. This quilt takes three yards; 1 yard each of Light, Medium, and Dark. For the Medium fabric, I chose a multi-color cheater quilt fabric because it looks like it has a ton of little piecework. Nay. This pretty Fool’s Puzzle block is made from just eight Flying Geese units. The 3YD India posting has instructions and pictures plus the pattern to download. Enjoy! Have you miss the previous months’ downloads? The 3YD Series is 50% off digital downloads on our Etsy store.

3YD India Quilt Pattern

In the Shop

Inner Reflections is back in stock! We have kits in two colorways; black background or cream background. Unfortunately, this beautiful Material Girlfriends fabrics line is sold out and we are unable to get more fabric from Marcus Fabrics. These kits are all that are left. *sad sigh*

Inner Reflections Kit
Inner Reflections Colorways
Inner Reflections Pattern

The Inner Reflections Pattern includes three bonus projects, plus video tutorials for every technique in the pattern.

What makes this pattern special? It includes fun information on quilters’ personalities! We’re all different, yet seemingly made from the same cloth. Let’s pull on a thread and unravel quilting personalities.

There are four different personality types. From Hippocrates to Freud, philosophers to psychologists have been studying the mystery of personality for decades. We prefer the four-style model as a guide to understanding quilters. To be clear, we are not psychologists. We are just having fun applying personality to quilters. 

Not a single person in this world was created the same. We are all a wonderful mixture of different temperaments and personalities. As you read about the four personality types in the pattern, you will identify your strongest personality trait, as well as, the personality of your quilting friends! While we all have a mix of the four basic personality types, one personality tends to dominate.

There are four main personality types:

• Red Lion – the doer and leader of groups and events

• Blue Monkey – the life of the quilting bee

• Green Owl – the analytical thinker

• Yellow Koala – the nurturer and caregiver

Enjoy more information on Quilters’ Personalities in the pattern. As Aristotle once said: “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.”

Coupon Code

Visit MaterialGirlfriendsShop.com and enter coupon code IWon! for 20% off the Inner Reflections kit price ($155 less 20% coupon code is only $124!) or 20% off Inner Reflections, Quilters Color Therapy, and Bundles and Bows patterns. Kits include the pattern but if you already have the pattern, just leave a note in the order form and I’ll take out the pattern and refund the pattern price back to your payment method.

Inner Reflections Video Tutorial
Inner Reflections Video Tutorial
Inner Reflections Video Tutorial
Coming off the long arm
Lora’s crazy good at this
Be still my heart
Lora Zmak, Material Girlfriends

In the News

Recently, Missouri Star Quilt Company aired a video tutorial for one of our patterns, Bundles and Bows. That’s going great! Watch the tutorial here. Yes, she mistakenly calls us Material Girls a few times. No worries. We’ve been called worse. 😉

Material Girlfriends’ Color Personality by Marcus Fabrics
Tonga Batiks Sea Glass
Hoffman Navy and Cream Batiks

The Bundles and Bows pattern has multiple layouts which has created a fun little buzz on the MSQC Facebook postings. Use coupon code IWon! for 20% off Bundles and Bows pattern.

We hope you’re enjoying your summer. Stay cool. Come indoors and quilt when it gets too hot outside. We can’t wait to see your 3YD India come together.

Happy sewing,

Lisa W. Norton and Lora W. Zmak

3 Yards and a Panel

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3YD Andapanel by Material Girlfriends

We’re so excited to introduce our latest 3YD pattern, 3YD Andapanel, pronounced “An Dapa Nél” or “And A Panel” 😉

How did we come up with this one, you ask? This pattern doesn’t really fit our 3YD Series; Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, etc. All the patterns in this series strictly use 3 yards, plus 1/2 yard of binding. 3YD Andapanel is like that awkward second cousin with the weird name you can’t remember. It fits in the family, but barely.

While vending at the various quilt shows this past year or so, we came across several of our vending friends looking for ways to sell their panels. I thought how could these be a hard sell? They’re so cute! Am I right? I bet a majority of us have one or two panels in our stash. The problem was there wasn’t an easy panel pattern to kit or sew. Ah, ha! Lora and I bumped our noggin’ and came up with a clever-for-us idea. What if we had a 3YD pattern for a panel? And 10 months later, our panel pattern was born. Okay, honestly, it might have been just 6 months, but it’s here! And we’re so pleased with it!

Lora has already sewn up her entire panel stash using our new 3YD Andapanel pattern. She is sew fast. I’m still digging for an animal alphabet one I know I have somewhere in my quilt room stash.

She didn’t stop there. We have some new panels that we were able to kit so she kept sewing!

Yes, we do have kits if you can’t find your panel in your stash either. Check out our Scarecrow’s Song, Naughty Elves, and Snowman panel kits.

Free Download

And guess what? The 3YD Andapanel is a free download from July 15 – 31, 2024. Yes! Click this link to go to our 2024 3YD Quilt Series Sew Along. Scroll down to the July header. At the end of the July posting is the 3YD Andapanel pattern download. You’ll be able to check out other versions, plus what it would look like if you sewed it scrappy instead of with three 1 yard cuts. Sometimes on tablets or smart phones, there looks to be a big gap between the text and the download link. Just keep scrolling. The link will be located before the June header. On the computer, other tablets, and smart phones, it actually shows an image of the download file. If you have any trouble downloading it between July 15-31, feel free to email me at Lisa@materialgirlfriends.com. Be sure to let your quilting friends in on our 2024 Sew Along to get their monthly free 3YD pattern download too. Jump in anytime.

PIQF

I have such a hard time with acronyms. It took me several years to get PIQF straight! It is the Pacific International Quilt Festival, in Santa Clara, CA. The show has new dates! It won’t be in the fall, but July 24-27, 2024.

Material Girlfriends will have a booth in row 300. If you’re attending the show, we’d love to see you. Lora and I have been cutting and kitting, getting ready. Check out our online store for all our new kits now available.

Color Your World With Quilts

After PIQF, we’ll be vending at our local guild’s quilt show, Delta Quilters of Brentwood, CA. Come see us and the show, August 10 & 11, 2024.

Delta Quilters 2024 OPPORTUNITY QUILT

Material Girlfriends, Quilters Color Therapy 

To help raise funds for Delta Quilters guild programs, Material Girlfriends donated the Quilters Color Therapy Quilt shown above. A drawing is held at the end of the Quilt Show. To win your very own Material Girlfriends quilt, purchase your raffle ticket before August 11, 3pm. 1 ticket for $1, 6 tickets for $5, 12 tickets for $10. To purchase Opportunity Quilt raffle tickets or show tickets, visit https://deltaquilters.org/home for more information. Quilters Color Therapy pattern will be 20% off on our web store until August 12, 2024.

Pattern Sale

Pattern Sale!

If you’ve missed any of the previous patterns in the 2024 Sew Along, we have all eight of them at 50% off online MaterialGirlfriendsShop.com, as well as 50% off the digital downloads on our Etsy store. All the patterns on our Etsy store are digital downloads. All the patterns online at Material Girlfriends Shop are paper patterns. We have other patterns and kits on sale too!

Coupon Code

Use Coupon Code 10KWOW at check out to receive 10% off any regular priced item! Coupon expires 7/31/24.

Vacation Mode

Earlier this summer we had a family reunion camping trip in La Vita, Colorado. What beautiful country! Tents were set up on my niece’s property (no water/no electricity). Yeah, no. The 30s and under roughed it in that gorgeous bear and wildlife wilderness. Us ‘old folk’ stayed in RVs at a local rv park in town, complete with full hook-ups. Our brother and his wife have a camper that made an amazing outdoor kitchen!

We visited a darling La Vita museum, complete with antique quilts and cast iron stove.

Of course our quilts go camping! Lora remembered to take a picture of hers. This is the Confetti Star quilt in one of the many layouts included in the pattern. Miss Pepper is one good traveler.

A quilt can make a home away from home. Don’t forget to pack yourself one as you enjoy your summer travels!

Happy sewing,

Lisa Norton and Lora Zmak

I Just Want to Sew

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I’ve been away from my sewing machine too long. For good reason, we’ve been traveling. We had a family reunion camp trip in La Veta, Colorado. It was lots and lots of fun. You know it was fun when you arrive home exhausted! I brought a hand-stitching project with me and didn’t do a single stitch. When I got home I had orders up to my eyeballs so it’s been almost 3 weeks since I’ve sewn. This may be a short blog. My Singer is singing to me the song of the siren. Ha!

Sew, What’s Up?

We have the next 3-yard pattern available for you to download. It is dandy, too – Yankee Doodle Dandy! Introducing 3YD Victor, the next in our 3YD line-up. This easy strip-pieced pattern is fast, fun, and free for a limited time. Check out our 2024 3YD Sew Along tab above or click this link. The 2024 Sew Along is free. Jump in anytime. You can find the 3 yard kit (plus 1/2 yard for binding) here but the pattern download is on the 2024 Sew Along page. All the previous 3YD patterns for this year are currently 50% off. Visit our Etsy store for digital downloads or our online store for paper copies.

3YD Victor
3YD Victor
3YD Victor
3YD Victor

Sew Much Fabric

While away, my sister-in-law was very sweet and house-sat our dogs for us. We arrived home to find 6 huge boxes of fabric! I was delighted to open them. A couple of the boxes contained our Material Girlfriend’s Scarecrow’s Song fabric line! Yay! The 15-fabric line includes a delightful scarecrow panel singing to the birds as they fly away. The panel was created in a “cheater appliqué” style. We received the sample yardage to make the Scarecrow’s Fly Away Song quilt last month. See the pictures below. It is a free pattern download. Download your copy here. I’ll have a free Scarecrow’s Bargello pattern at the same location in a few more days. I’m still trying to catch up from our 2-week camping road trip. Check out our online shop for Scarecrow’s Fly Away Song kit and Scarecrow’s Song fabric bundles.

Scarecrow’s Song

We also received a lovely line of batiks from Timeless Treasures. We’re making more Bento Bento kits with this line. If you want extra fabric for a border, just let me know.

Also new is a gorgeous green Wowza kit.

Wowza Green Batik kit
Wowza Green Batik kit
Wowza Green Batik kit
Wowza Green Batik kit
Wowza Green Batik kit

Plus we received some autumn charm packs and yardage, some Christmas fabrics, and sew on. Check the online store often. We will be adding more kits over the next week or so. We’re massively stocking up and getting ready for the Pacific International Quilt Festival July 24-27. We’ll be in booth 310!

Sew Little Time

We made progress on Mom’s sewing room. Mostly Mom made progress on her sewing room. I was at her house this morning and forgot to take pictures! We’ll need to report more on her room next posting. See the previous post for the move-in mayhem.

My unfinished projects haven’t increased but they’re not decreasing either. Seams I finish one, only to start another. How are you doing? Are you keeping up with the 3YD quilt challenge? Are you finishing your PHDs (Projects Half Done)? Make a little time for yourself and enjoy some sewing. My Singer Featherweight has been calling to me long enough. It’s time to sew.

Have a lovely Father’s Day too!

Happy sewing,

Lisa W. Norton

Basically Speaking

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The 3-Yard Quilt Along Series has been going great! We’re on our 5th month for the free pattern download. Click on this link to find out the details and to download your free monthly 3YD pattern, 3YD Romeo.

10 Thousand, Wow!

We have 10k subscribers to our monthly email. I can’t even get 10K steps in daily. It boggles my brain that 10K people voluntarily signed up. Not coerced or threatened, right Lora? Why does she look guilty? Coerce your friends, I mean, invite your quilting friends to check out Material Girlfriends. We have a lot to share and we love what we do.

Our Promises to our Subscribers

  • We will NEVER share your email with anyone. We’ll protect it like it was our own.
  • We will NEVER spam your in box. Generally, we send an email once a month around the 15th. Once in a blue moon, we might send a second email if we think there is something you’ll want to know.
  • We will NEVER hold your email box hostage. We have an easy unsubscribe button in every email. You can easily unsubscribe. We get it and won’t have hurt feeling if you need a break from us.

If you think you’re missing your monthly email, check your spam folder. Sometimes newsletter type emails land there. Just mark our email as NOT spam. Otherwise, Join Our Tribe banner at the top of the page. You’re safe with us.

Celebration Sale!

To celebrate 10K subscribers, enjoy 10% off the entire web store, as well as our Etsy store with this coupon code, 10KWOW. Enter the coupon code at checkout. The items that are already on sale will get an additional 10% off on the web store, but Etsy will only allow one sale code. Coupon code expires May 30, 2024.

Material Girlfriends Shop

Digital Downloads Etsy Store

Basically Speaking

How are your blocks turning out? Are your points pointy? Blocks turning out the right size? Frustrated with your results? It takes just a little detective work to figure out the culprit of a mangled block.

Basically, there are Four Elements to Accuracy. The four elements are NOT an expensive sewing machine, a pricey iron, specialty rulers, or bougie quilter retreats. Although those four are plenty of fun and we sure wouldn’t say no. However, those won’t make your blocks any different than they are right now. If you want a bit more accuracy in your quilt block construction, consider these four elements.

The Four Elements of Accuracy

  • Cutting
  • Alignment
  • 1/4″ seam
  • Pressing

Most quilters assume the error of their ways must be that allusive 1/4″ seam. Nay, nay. I find when checking blocks for my students that the biggest culprit is the pressing! If you’re interested in learning more, see our YouTube channel for sewing tips! We have over 90 videos.

For Accuracy, check out our YouTube playlist, Quilting Tips for Accuracy. You’ll find four videos on each of the elements of accuracy; cutting, alignment, 1/4″ seam, and pressing.

Close Enough Club

I teach accuracy. However, I never require accuracy – not from our students, not from Lora, and not from myself. We all need to be members of the Close Enough Club. If a point is off by 1/8″, I’ll fix it. I’m very familiar with my seam ripper! However, if I’ve seam ripped twice, it stays the 3rd time no matter how off. I give myself 1/16th grace too. I don’t fix it just because it isn’t perfect. 1/16″ is close enough for me. 1/8″ might be close enough for you. 1/4″ might be close enough for your quilting friend. That’s okay! We aim to help you obtain the results you want.

The Misadventures of the Material Girlfriends

Quilt room disaster.

Two weeks ago, we helped move our parents from their home in Lodi, CA to Brentwood, CA. Yay! They are so much closer to us – just 6 miles from me (Lisa), 4 miles from Lora, and 6 miles from our brother, Mike.

The family assembled “and we loaded up the truck and we moved to Beverly” as the song goes. I can just laugh at the imagery. Ha! There was a snaggletooth caravan of trucks and trailers hauling their precious cargo.

We affectionately call the grandsons the “Brut Squad” from Princess Bride. Mom and Dad moved into their new Brentwood home in just a day. A hard day, but moved in. The Brut Squad was amazing. They kept great attitudes, joked, and encouraged each other through what could have been a miserable move day.

The boxes were everywhere. Unfortunately, if anyone didn’t know where a box or item went, it was dumped in Mom’s new quilt room. Oh, what a mess! We had about 3 square feet of carpet that we could move around in. It was worse than the photo below. Mom had worked a bit at it before the photo. Let’s play Where’s Waldo? Can you ‘spy with your little eye’ a sewing machine, cutting mat, collapsible sewing box, and 24 UFOs? Why is the kitchen dinette in the sewing room?

Two weeks after the move, Lora and I came to help set up Mom’s quilt room. Fortunately, Lora took the lead. I was at a loss as to where to start. It was so overwhelming.

Move everything out of the room. Lora had us move everything out. We stacked it in the dining room. Then we arranged the furniture where Mom wanted it. The kitchen dinette did not go back in the quilt room!

Make a plan. We (mostly Lora) talked through the room. Where were the fabric, the projects, the computer, the printer, the sewing machine(s), the ironing board, the cutting mat, etc. going to go? They all needed a home and a workable area. We needed to establish where they belonged. Lora ‘organized’ the spaces in the sewing room.

Do what we can. We determined there wasn’t enough storage at the moment. Mom’s previous quilt room had an upright cabinet and three upper cupboards. Can’t snap our fingers and make those appear so we did what we could with what we had. First off, we put away the fabric bins. Then we sorted through her numerous projects. We had a lot of fun poking fun at her orphan blocks and seam-ingly abandoned projects. She had decluttered a lot before packing for the move, but she found quite a bit more she decided she was ready to be rid of. We then put her projects away on the other side of the long cabinet.

Time was up. We set 2.5 hours to make progress. We made quite a lot of head way! We tidied up, and left mom with a list of shopping items she’ll need to pick up for her new quilting room.

Sew, if your quilt space has gotten out of control, remember How do you eat an Elephant? In small bites. Don’t choke on a huge project. Make a time limit, for us it was 2.5 hours. Then clear out some space, organize, then put it back. Declutter as you go.

Stay tuned for Mom’s sewing room next month. We’ll keep you updated on her progress!

Happy sewing!

Lisa Norton and Lora Zmak