Sandy comes from a family of weavers all of whom were involved in the development of the regional style of weaving called Burnham. It was Sandy's older sisters Marie Begay and Anna Mae Barber who initially got the Burnham movement going, and her other two sisters Alice and Helen Begay are also Burnham weavers. Sandy learned to weave by watching her older sisters since her mother died when Sandy was very young. She also has a number of nieces that specialize in Burnhams. Sandy's textiles are noted for their unusual artistry in the placement of design elements, as well as the subtle colors of her finely spun natural wool yarn.