Meet Kristy Lea: The Maker Behind Clue 7

When talented quilters come together for a cause that matters, something special happens. For Clue 7 of Cotton Cuts’ Mystery Quilt with a Mission, we’re excited to welcome Kristy Lea of Quiet Play Designs to the sewing team!

Meet Kristy Lea of Quiet Play

Kristy describes herself as a mama, maker, and designer with a particular love for FPP. There’s something about the precision of foundation paper piecing that keeps drawing her back: those perfect points, crisp angles, and the satisfaction of watching a design come together piece by piece.

Her patterns often feature two of her favorite things: rainbows and geometric shapes. And if you follow Kristy’s work, you’ll quickly discover that color and creativity are at the heart of what she does.

“I love to foundation piece,” Kristy says. “There’s just something about those perfect points and crisp angles.”

Since beginning her FPP design journey in 2012, Kristy has focused not only on creating beautiful patterns, but also on encouraging other sewists to try foundation paper piecing, make patterns their own, build their skills, and—most importantly—have fun sewing.

Clue 7 Is in Good Hands

For Mystery Quilt with a Mission, each clue is sewn by a different quilter, bringing together a talented group of makers to create one very special quilt. When it came time to choose the sewer for Clue 7, Kristy was a natural fit.

Her years of experience with foundation paper piecing give her a special appreciation for the precision and detail that can make a quilt design shine. We’re excited to see how her skills translate into this mystery quilt—and, of course, we’re just as excited for everyone to see the finished result!

Kristy has actually participated in a previous mystery quilt with a mission, so she already knows what makes this project so meaningful.

“I've been fortunate enough to be a part of a previous Mystery Quilt with a Mission and loved the process, and the fact that it raises money for an amazing charity,” she shares. “When I was invited to join in again, it was an easy answer.”

That charity is the Social Justice Sewing Academy (SJSA), and Kristy says she loves what SJSA stands for and the opportunity to support its mission through quilting.

A Love for the Process

Ask Kristy what her favorite part of quilting is, and you might get two answers: fabric selection and piecing.

She loves the moment when an idea that exists in her mind begins to take shape in fabric.

There’s something magical about that transformation—from an idea, to fabric choices, to individual pieces, and finally to a finished quilt. It’s a feeling many quilters know well, and it’s one of the things that makes mystery quilting so much fun.

And while she has plenty of experience, Kristy is also a big believer in encouraging quilters to try something new.

Her favorite quilting tip? Give foundation paper piecing a try!

Kristy knows that FPP can seem intimidating, especially when you’re worried about wasting fabric or making a mistake. But she encourages sewists not to wait until they feel completely ready.

“You don't have to wait for the perfect time, or the perfect project, just jump on in and give it a go!”

That’s advice worth remembering—whether you’re trying FPP for the first time or simply tackling a technique that feels a little outside your comfort zone.

Rainbow Is Her Favorite Color

If you’re wondering what inspires Kristy’s colorful designs, there’s a simple answer: rainbow!

Kristy says rainbow is her favorite “color,” and nothing makes her happier than arranging fabrics and patterns in rainbow order.

There’s even a fun fact behind her love of color: Kristy didn’t learn the acronym ROYGBIV—the traditional way to remember the order of the colors in a rainbow—until she was an adult.

Her kids, however, didn’t have to wait that long. Kristy made sure they learned it from a young age!

That love of rainbow color is easy to spot in her work, making her designs especially fun to explore if you enjoy bright, colorful, geometric quilts.

What's on Kristy's Sewing Table?

There’s always some FPP in progress for Kristy, but she’s also working on something a little different: a large pixel quilt.

She describes it as her “slow sew”—a project she’s enjoying watching come together over time.

It’s a great reminder that even a quilter who has made FPP her specialty enjoys mixing things up and exploring different styles and techniques.

Don't Miss Kristy's Sewing Room Collaboration

If you love foundation paper piecing, you’ll definitely want to check out what Kristy has been working on with a group of fellow designers.

One of her favorite things in the quilting world is collaborating with other designers, and she recently teamed up with eight other FPP designers to create a special collection of patterns celebrating one of the best places in the world: the sewing room!

The Sewing Room FPP collaboration invites participants to sign up for free and receive a brand-new pattern in their inbox each day for nine days, beginning August 20.

It’s a fun opportunity to discover new FPP designers, create beautiful sewing-themed blocks, and enjoy plenty of paper piecing along the way.

You can sign up for the free Sewing Room FPP collaboration through Quiet Play Designs.

Follow Along with Clue 7

We’re thrilled to have Kristy Lea joining us for Clue 7 of Field of Dreamers Mystery with a Mission. Her passion for foundation paper piecing, her love of color, and her enthusiasm for encouraging other quilters make her a wonderful addition to this project.

So if you’re not already familiar with Quiet Play Designs, now is the perfect time to take a look. Follow Kristy’s work, explore her FPP designs, and get inspired to try a little foundation paper piecing yourself.

And, of course, keep following along with Cotton Cuts as Kristy sews Clue 7 and another piece of our Mystery Quilt with a Mission comes together—all while supporting the incredible work of the Social Justice Sewing Academy.

One clue, one quilter, one mission—and a whole lot of sewing goodness!