Originally Posted by ckcowl
my negative experiences have been:
although a very large group...very 'clique-ie' if you aren't part of the original group (or one of their...protoge's) you are not hardly acknowledged...at show and tell these people always set up front...and if you are not part of their (group) they totally ignore you and talk rudely to each other while you are trying to show your accomplishment...then if the next person is one of theirs they get quiet and ooh & ahhhh...
although i have been quilting for quite awhile and belong to 2 different sewing/quilting groups who also take part in the guild i was never treated as if i belonged walking through their 'sacred doors' so i decided to no longer waste my money on their dues or waste my time showing up to be treated poorly...i can accomplish all of the same things, swaps, donation projects ect here on the forum and with the small groups where i do belong.
Good for you, I wouldn't be part of a group like that either. A couple years ago I was at a luncheon and the people at the same table I was seated were talking about types of RV's they had owned or own. This one lady who thinks she is some sort of mover and shaker in that commuity talked about the camping trailer that she and her husband have. I mentioned the brand my hubby and I have. She looks at me, "Oh, you can't join our club because we only allow "Brand X RV's". I return her "look" and said that I have no plans to join any camping club. She comes right back with, "You can't join ours". The other ladies at the table are looking at her and I could tell they were surprised at what they just heard. Mrs. High & Mighty just thought she was royal or something. Yep, it takes all kinds to make the world go around, my Gram used to say that.