Meet Christy
I’m a textile artist, quilter, educator, and lifelong maker. I believe the things we stitch carry memory, care, and love. My work explores legacy, tradition, and the quiet power of handmade practices passed from one set of hands to the next.
Starting with quilting and expanded through embroidery, cross-stitch, and yarn-based textiles, I’m especially drawn to texture, imperfect beauty, and the stories tucked into well-loved fabric. I get a little giddy over an heirloom piece with history, but I’m just as excited about finding new ways to turn modern materials into something meaningful.
To me, craft is both connection and expression. The stitches we choose, the colors we combine, the pieces we keep all say something about who we are. Quilting is a favorite way to allow tradition and personality to sit side by side.
Why Quilting
Are you always asking yourself, “how can I turn that into a quilt?” I am.
Quilting is holding scraps of clothing from childhood, cross-stitch lessons from my mom, and the steady influence of my grandmother who first taught me how to make garments as a child.
I’m also fascinated by the why behind what we make. Why do certain patterns repeat across generations? Why are scraps saved? Why are some textiles kept even when they no longer match our décor. Quilting gives us permission to ask, “What could this become now?”
It also gives us a way to experiment.
Not every seam has to be flawless. Not every block has to match. Sometimes the most meaningful pieces are the ones that carry evidence if the hands that made them, the unpicked stitches, the slightly crooked lines, maybe the bold color choice that felt risky. Quilting creates space to grow, to play, and to let go of the idea that perfection is the goal.
Founding Quilts Unlocked
Sewing has always been part of my life. I learned to make clothes with my grandmother and to cross-stitch with my mom. Through quilting, I found not only a craft but a community of mentors, friends, and fellow makers who encouraged curiosity over perfection. I learned new techniques, experimented with color, stretched my skills, and began to see quilts as comfort, art, and personal statements expressed in fabric.
After retiring from the U.S. Air Force, I chose to step more fully into this creative path.
Today, I’m the founder of Quilts Unlocked, a space centered on curiosity, craftsmanship, and connection. Through teaching, writing, and design, I help makers explore quilting as both a technical skill and a reflective, expressive practice.
My upcoming book, Granny Chic Quilting, grew from that same desire to honor the women who came before us while encouraging today’s makers to reshape heirloom traditions in ways that reflect their own voice and life.
If you’re here, I hope you feel welcome. Experimentation is encouraged, and there’s always room for one more at the table.
