El Camino Quilters upcoming events

Monthly Guild Meeting - It's All About the Face by Phyllis Cullen (October 13, 2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 17:00:00 GMT

In her lecture "It's all about the face", our own Phyllis Cullen will touch on many of the issues to consider from her book It's All About the Face: Quilted Fabric Portraits, which she co-wrote with Cindy Richard. She will include her process to create patterns, choose reference photos and fabrics, and lots more about making fabric portraits of people and animals. Of course, you’ll see many of her portrait quilts!

I am Phyllis Cullen and I wear many hats: artist, quilter, teacher, author, curator, judge, SAQA representative, physician, mom and grandma. I've been making art all my life, including using fabric as a medium for 35 years. I still also consider myself a multimedia artist, incorporating felting, beadwork, painting and other materials in my work.

I've taught from Israel to Australia and lots of points between. I retired from practicing medicine (much of it as a volunteer in third world countries) and now make and sell art quilts, paintings, felted objects and bead embroidered jewelry. I teach various aspects of art quilting almost daily to students from every corner of the world online and in person, and I have written two books on portrait quilting, both available through Amazon. The first one is "It's All About the Face: Quilted Fabric Portraits” and the second one is called “More than just a Pretty Face!”

I'm co curator of the portrait quilt collection "It's All about the Face," included in Quiltfest shows. Also a facebook group of the same name is open to all. We currently have over 13,000 members!

We've lived all over the US including time now shared between California and Hawaii, which feeds my love of color, and its rich culture inspires my designs. I do not make typical Hawaiian "snowflake" quilts, but the flowers, ocean, palm trees and hula dancers inhabit much of my work. Portraits, social justice issues, collaged scenes from my travels , the animal world, and my family inspire the rest.

Phyllis Cullen workshop - Layered Portraits (October 14, 2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Registration will open July 1st.

Early registration ensures that students can do their own photos. Registrations the day before class will need to buy a kit with one of my portrait patterns. Kit price is $30. There is no charge for custom patterns if I get photos 3 weeks before class.

www.phylliscullenartstudio.com

PREP WORK FOR PORTRAIT CLASS El Camino 2026.pdf

Students in this class will learn the layered portrait technique. Amaze your friends and family! I will demonstrate how to manipulate photos and how to draw contour quilting lines, but for the one day class, I will create a custom pattern for each student based on a photo emailed to me in advance.

Monthly Guild Meeting - Member Spotlight! (November 10, 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 18:00:00 GMT

In November, we will again host a “Member Spotlight” event, where we can look forward to learning about some of our fellow guild members through their own words and works!

Prepare to be awed by Gretchen Clare’s longarm expertise through her presentation, “Digitizing a Custom Quilt.”

Gretchen has been long arm quilting for over 20 years and dreamt of quilting quilts that rival the most talented free motion quilters. She will share how the world of custom quilting has morphed from individual designs, to designs for entire quilts that make the look of free motion a reality through customization!

Patti Rusk, our fundraiser extraordinaire, will delight us with her take on ““Quilting Myth: ‘It’s Cheaper Than Therapy.’”

“I joined the journey, from torn aprons, bound buttonholes, Halloween costumes and curtains, to quilts.The points are sometimes perfect. The curves are pretty smooth. The method may include madness, but friends make all the difference. Quilting IS therapy. Quilting friends ARE lifesavers.”

Patti will show us a few traditional patterns, usually with her own tweak of fabric or pattern or interpretation. Art quilts, collage, applique and more.

Applismith - 3D Applique with Laureen Smith (January 13, 2027)

Wed, 13 Jan 2027 17:30:00 GMT

Applismith™

Forget-Me-Not Pouch

Create a sweet cluster of blossoms on a functional zipper pouch with soft dimension and detail.

A confident beginner project that combines small blossoms, stems, and construction.

Kit fee is $30 - Payable separately from workshop fee

Transform your quilts with this three-dimensional fusible applique technique. During this workshop, you will learn to

Quilt the background,
Make the templates and appliques,
Attach the appliques, and
Embellish the mini quilt to make it really pop
Turn that beautiful block into a project you can finish and display with pride

Includes step-by-step construction and finishing guidance.

Kits are available, which include all the materials except thread for sewing/quilting. Embellishment packs are also available.

Kit Description

Everything you need to make your chosen bloom — except the thread. Each Applismith™ Flower Kit is curated specifically for that flower, so you can skip the sourcing and get straight to stitching.

Each kit includes the pattern, fabric for backing, binding, appliqués, and background, batting, printed freezer paper templates, fusible web and fusible interfacing, and embellishments as specified by the pattern.

Your pattern includes a QR code that gives you access to optional self-paced video lessons for just $5 more whenever you’re ready.

You will need to supply your own marker, needle, non-stick mat, coordinating thread, sewing machine, scissors, cutting mat, rotary cutter, quilt ruler, and iron.