Barbara and Mary are award-winning quilt artists, and their quilts have been published in many quilting magazines. Born the fourth and sixth children in a close-knit family in south New Jersey, their mother taught these Jersey girls the art of garment sewing at the young age of ten. Mary began quilting in 1992 when she moved to upstate New York. As a stay-at-home mom, she needed a creative outlet and immediately knew quilting was the answer. She began teaching quilting classes in 1993 and opened a quilt shop in 1999. Despite living 300 miles apart, Barbara and Mary began collaborating shortly after the start of their own businesses. This collaboration quickly became a partnership that has grown into the pattern and design company, Fourth & Sixth Designs.