My sister and 2 friends are starting to meet this month for some quilting/sewing/tatting/whatever time. We're very excited!! We're keeping it very informal and meeting for about 2 hours once a month - I wanted enough time for coffee and dessert! I used to go to a little church/homeschool group meeting in Illinois where we had girls of all ages and of various skill levels. It was wonderful to share with those who were just starting, or to learn from those who were experts. I learned so much from those kind, patient ladies.
As we begin, we're going to set the tone clearly before we invite any others: encouragement and honest constructive advice, no gossip, good desserts, sharing of responsibilities (like cleanup).
I hope you'll post about how your group is doing!