there's one here and I was thinking about going to the next meeting on the 16th. I'm just not sure though. On one hand I'd love to make some quilty friends but I have this idea (may be wrong) that if you're in a guild you make perfect quilts and I am nowhere near that point! So what are your thoughts on this?

Not at the moment, but I have been in the past.

Quilt guilds are just like any other group of ladies. It takes a while to get to know people, especially when you only see them once a month for a focused activity.

Most guild meetings have

1. a business meeting
2. a program (usually a lecture on some technique or something)
3. show and tell (and in all of my guilds, over 15 years, I have never seen anyone treated unkindly because their quilts were not perfect)
4. refreshments


More "getting to know each other" is done at special events - social meetings, shows, workshops and small groups that meet to do projects between the guild meetings.

I belong to two guilds. I find the bigger the guild gets the better I like it. When my original one was small, less than 10 people, we had problems with quiltzillas. The larger group is better because each person's contribution is not as important. Each guild divides up into smaller groups by natural selection. If you don't like one group there are always others to join. With a larger group there are more people to take on the jobs and there is less pressue on individual members. Larger groups also mean there is more money to hire good speakers etc. I now belong to a Bee which is a small group of guild members that meet at a local Bernina dealer's shop twice a month just to visit, do handwork and swap advice. Then we all go out to lunch. AT this point in my life they are my main social outlet. We also go on shopping excursions together and to big shows.

i've been in 3 guild's and now i'm in 2.

i left one guild because it was more of a social group then a quilt group. not that i don't like to chat with people its just i want to learn things too.

very few people in guilds make perfect quilts - the ratio is maybe 50/50.

not to mention, the experienced people like beginner/intermediate because they have people to teach and motivate - otherwise its just a bunch of "know it alls" sitting around with nothing to talk about except gossip.

I'm guild president. I had more fun as a member! One thing I insist on, if anyone has a complaint do not air it at the meetings. Talk to me personally and have a working solution to the problem or don't bring it up. I want the meetings to be fun, interesting, and a learning time.

I procrastinated about joining ever since I got interested in quilting about 4 years ago.
I felt if I had $25 (annual fee), I would rather use it for fabric. I had alot of books and patterns downloaded from the internet. Why did I need to join a guild?
Then, in January this year, I decided to join. Wow! I should have joined years ago!
The first meeting I came home inspired in 3 styles of quilts or new techniques. Not only from the speaker, but from the member show and tell. It has been the same each meeting.
One thing I noticed that first meeting, and each meeting since, is that whether we are talking the national speaker's quilts, the professional longarm quilter's quilt, or the great-gramma, who hand quilts wobbly seamed little doll quilts that are just simple little squares all the same size - each one is oooohed and aaaaahed over. Each one is grabbed for on the way back to their seat, wanting a closer inspection of fabrics, colors, blocks, quilting - something.
Each person is praised (not like it is in the unwritten rules somewhere, but an honest appreciation), and each person comes away encouraged and inspired.
Also, the guild uses the speakers to teach classes (outside the time of the regular monthly meeting). True, there is a fee for this - but it is more than worth it! I took a class with John Flynn, and felt I learned so much, not only from the teacher (who was fantastic by the way), but from the other class participants too. I felt I now have someone I can show small issues to and ask for advice of those other class members.
Since I have joined this chat group, I feel it is sort of the same. Good friends meeting, and sharing, and rejoycing, and getting jealous of! But, it is not ever a judgement, a put down, a superiority thing. It is just great friends together.
Over the summer the guild doesn't meet, and I have been having serious withdrawls! I can hardly wait for September to come.
One other thing our guild does, is it has several small groups that meet once a month to work on individual projects and just chat over coffee. I joined one of these groups a couple of weeks ago, and it was wonderful to feel a part of a bunch of friends.
My advise is to join a guild. From my experience they are a great way to learn, share, become inspired and just have fun! Good luck finding a guild near you.

I am in a quilt guild, and no my quilts are not perfect. The guild members are kind, caring women. I receive a ton of encouragement and i learn and get inspired every time I go. You could try it for a couple of times and see if it is for you. I have had a good experience so far.

I belong to a large guild and yes, there are a few people that make perfect quilts and will critizice others, but those are the minority. The majority in my group make good quilts and share their knowledge and experience by holding classes and workshops, and then there is a very large group that make not so good quilts, and are there to learn. As you grow in the guild you will move (not Knowing) from group to group and will have a lot of fun. My favorite part is show and tell, even though I am jealous because I see a lot of women (no men in my guild) that spend most of their day sewing, while I hold a full time job and daydream about quilting. The next day after a meeting I want to call in sick.

I find that even the quilts that are not so perfect will get ohhs and ahhs during show and tell, because most of the time the imperfections are only noticeable to you. A quilt with the right color combination and best of all, with a great story behind, doesn't need to be perfect. From the distance of a chair in a school cafeteria, for example, you don't see corners that don't match or cut off points. You just see a woman that spent time making a quilt and is proud of it, and just the fact that she stood there is a wonderful thing.

I say join the guild and enjoy. Take all the classes that you can. You will not regret it. The good thing is that if you don't like it, you can always leave.

Maria

I belong to a guild! Have been an officer, and worked on lots of committees in the 20 plus years that I have been a member off and on. There are men and women in our guild of all levels of experience and interests. There are social events and teaching events and show and tell. We have a big quilt show every two years, (Coming up at the end of September) and I love each of the members in a special way. There is sew much to learn and sew much talent and..... more than I can tell!
There are several guilds in the greater metro area and if I didn't like the one I was in sew much, I would join another! :lol:

I belong but I am not an active member.