Hello UFO groupies! A big congratulations to Cheryl Leedom who won last month’s drawing for $25 to Grand Country Quilters.

I hope you all are working on your next UFOs. The next due date is June 30th. Our drawing will be held at the July meeting. It’ll be a gift card to Quilt in a Day. You won’t want to miss out on that! 

We are so thrilled with all the participation this year & the beautiful quilts & quilted items you have finished. It is exciting to see each picture or quilt as they’re submitted to us. Keep them coming. Don’t give up!

 “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small, manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one. —Mark Twain”

 Happy Quilting , Mar, Kathy & Rena

It’s Time to Register for the 2024 Guild Retreat!!!  

Our annual guild retreat is scheduled for February 1-4, 2024 at Vina de Lestonnac in Temecula, California.  Registrations and deposits for the retreat can be made at the June Guild Meeting!  Registration forms are available on the guild website and forms will be available at the guild meeting. Your $150 deposit check must be made out to EL CAMINO QUILTERS.  Sign up soon before the retreat is filled!  If you are unable to attend the guild meeting you may mail your registration and check to Linda Aubery at 5644 Roane Drive; Oceanside CA 92057

Questions???? Email Jo Anne Foster, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Some Like it Hot!

Colors – Pick two Colors for one block -

                Bright Hot Oranges, Reds or Yellows in a Tone on Tone, Print or Batik that read as one color.

Background – White on White Print or Solid.

Click here for instructions:  Some Like It Hot.pdf

Have we told you lately just how wonderful and inspiring all of you are? You are always asking us what we need and we frequently seem to say, “Baby Quilts”!

These are usually in the 40x40 inch range and can be completed start to finish on a domestic machine…but not always…sometimes you only want to do the tops. So we were inspired by you to find easy patterns that could be completed in 3 hours or less. Our Construction Zone at QIAD on the first Thursday of the month is from 9 to 12:30. Just enough time to sew up our new easy baby tops!

We will have kits for you to make so all you have to do is bring your machine, thread, and tools. These quilts will primarily go to military babies through the Armed Services YMCA at Camp Pendleton and the Federation of Women Warriors. A few will go to Angels Foster Family Network.

So we hope this makes the full circle to inspire you to come to our Construction Zones and work on these beautiful baby creations.

Cuddle wants to thank Diana Lacey for fixing our tabletop ironing board. It has had a hole in the fabric that was getting bigger the last few months. Just when Candy said she would take it home to fix, here came Diana to the Oceanside Cuddle Zone with new fabric, batting and a staple gun to do the repairs. Thanks again, Diana!

We are off to a fantastic start with our next challenge, Flags of Freedom. At the April meeting 36 of you purchased kits in order to participate. So Exciting! If your projects are anything like what we saw during the Crayon Challenge this will be another amazing display of fiber artistry.

This is a simple challenge with lots of room for creativity. All you need to do is include your purchased mini-flag block SOMEWHERE in your project. Turn it into a pocket for your totebag? Make it into a label on the back of your quilt? Use it as the center of an Ohio Star or other block? Put it in the middle of your table runner? YOU DECIDE. You can also make additional mini-flag blocks following our simple instructions and use them in the border or however you like. You can use any additional fabric – reds, whites and blues work well but anything is possible and allowed. We will again have three categories (Mini, Just-the-top and Quilts) and prizes for each along with a Viewer’s Choice winner. Complete rules are listed below. All projects will be due and displayed at the July meeting on July 11, 2023.

This ECQ Challenge begins in April and all finished items will be due at the July meeting.

Purchase a kit for $5 which contains one mini-flag block along with seven patriotic charm squares.

Use the kit and any additional fabrics of your choosing to make a patriotic- themed Quilted object. Your entry MUST include the mini-flag block somewhere in the finished piece (Put it on the back if you want to) but does not have to include the charm squares.

You may make additional mini-flag blocks in your own color preferences to add or include in your quilted item and incorporate your mini-flag within a block or by itself. YOU DECIDE!

There will be three categories: Minis, Just-the-Top, and Quilts : 

Minis: Shortest side measures less than 30" (pillows, table runners, place mats, mug rugs, quilted bags, wall hangings and garments can all count as minis) 

Just-the-Top: Unfinished quilt tops, any size from baby to bed

(Shortest side must be at least 30”)

Quilts: Finished quilts, any size from baby to bed

(Shortest side must be at least 30”) 

Prizes:

Each valid entry will receive one raffle ticket. A drawing will be held to choose one random winner in each category for a QIAD Gift Card.

In addition, there will also be one viewers' choice prize. All members in attendance at the JULY meeting will vote on their choice for the best project across all categories to win a QIAD Gift Card.

I'm so glad to see so many of you wanting to be a part of a friendship circle!  We have new groups forming and as membership can be limited due to space, please don't delay if you'd like to join any of the following or would like more information.

Featherweight group-- meets at the San Marcos Senior Center, second Thursdays  ($1 donation for space) Contact: Tom Blackburn This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Machine Sewing Group-- meets Wednesdays from 9-12 at Rena Hernandez' shop: 823 Grand Ave, Suite 202 San Marcos. Contact Rena at 760-585-6072. 

Ocean Waves Group-- meets second Thursdays in members' homes.  Contact: Cece Blankenship 760-550-0455. 

Collage Friendship Group -- meets the third Monday of each month at Quilt in a Day from 9:30 - 1:30! Bring your collages and come join us! Stay as long as you want and enjoy the company of some very expert collagers. We meet with the Sit and Sew people so there's lots to talk about. Added benefit: you're surrounded (tempted) by miles of gorgeous fabric! Contact: Anne Galdos This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The groups below are also forming (around particular interests) with days and locations TBD.

Bags group

Modern Quilts group

Art Quilts group

Contact me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get connected to the other interested members or for help starting a new group.

Karen Brow-Meier

Java House Quilts
Karen Brow-Meier, Designer

The Opportunity Quilt will be at the Long Beach Quilt Show on July 7th and at Quilt in A Day for the
Quilt Run: July 13 -16 and July 20-23. I am going to need many volunteers to accomplish this. Please
look at your calendars and pencil it in. I will be having a sign up sheet at the May, and June
meetings. Robin Sutherland 858-848-4680