I have started a quilting group at my work place, no money involved. There was about 15 of us, we meet after work once a month to sew and just to get some questions answered and just get inspired.Some came with a sewing machine brand new in the box and never sewed before and now has just gone wild, and as so many others have been continue to sew, but now the problem is no one is coming out. They are quilting, sewing on their own, which is great and we do have a show and tell, they bring in their projects for us to awe over when they finish their projects but, my group has seemed to fizzle. Does anyone
have any suggestions, how to get that excitement back into our group to actually come together? It is held at our school, and we just meet from 4:00 - 7:00, we started out meeting twice a month, this year it is once a month was with a pot luck, then now just appetizers, and last couple times, it was only me. Any suggestions? I know everyone is busy, I even changed days from Mondays to Wednesday thinking that would have helped.
Starting Jan, I think I have maybe two people coming. Please help!

in my guild we each take turns 'teaching' a project at a meeting - table runners, bags from placemats, pot holders, tree shaped napkins, ornaments, casserole carriers, color wheels... whatever the 'instructor' wants to share with group.

we also work on group quilts in meetings that are donated to fire victims, newborns in need, domestic violence home, nursing homes

every year we also do an ongoing secret project (i.e. round robin, row robin, brown bag) so each month we have something to complete independently ~ final projects unveiled in June.

hope this helps

We had a Featherweight Club. We all brought our Featherweights and we all made the same sampler quilt. We had oodles of fun and all learned to do different blocks. Then we also had "Drag and Brag" or "Show and Tell" as some call it...We stayed 2 to 2 1/2 half hours. That seemed to be a long enough time to work on one block. I like the idea of everyone taking turns on a demo.

Oh, featherweight Beth, I love the idea of an FW gathering. They ARE social, aren't they? They attract one another. I haven't made anything on mine yet.

the one quilting group i belong to has been getting together for almost 10 years!!! Some of the members attend the church that it's held at. There are some of us (like me) that come just to quilt and enjoy one another.

We found a bunch of cross stitch quilt tops that were shoved in a closet and forgotten, so we have had a line of projects to keep us busy.

I think the one thing that has made it successful:

We don't have to bring anything except our favorite thimble and needle. We have 3 frames set up and there always seems to be something going. One of the women doesn't like to quilt, but she does cross stitch. The room we've taken over is "ours"

There's no cost involved - we just show up. We generally enjoy one another's company.

I do belong to another group that meets during the evening, and that one is harder for me to go to, but it is less women, and I personally don't care for the current quilts they are working on. They also do a lot of stitch in the ditch and i hate that kind of hand quilting.

A lot of us hate to do hand quilting. Or our hands do not permit us to do it. But we love quilting even if it is SID!!!

Perhaps start a project that everyone takes part in. A quilt to be auctioned off for a favorite charity and everyone helps with the blocks or baby quilts for a nearby hospital. I also think that some special classes is a great idea.

A Featherweight club?????? Ohhhhhh that sounds fantastic!!! :D:D:D

Maybe have everyone bring a sewing themed "white elephant" gift one time, a FQ or two another? other items each time? Play some kind of a quick game for the prizes, or do a blind swap? draw names for first pick? :D:D:D

I would say do a service project (i.e. pillowcases), where everyone can do them at home, but you all come together to do some too.