i don't belong to our local guild. not because there's anything wrong with it. i just never remember the meetings. :roll:
i did remember to go to one meeting last year. they each bring one fat quarter to each meeting and get to exchange it for one from the pile that accumulates. a variation of that theme could be a square swap done like a cookie swap. each person brings as many random squares (standard size) as there are members to each meeting. make one pile for each member from all the squares brought in. everybody takes a pile home.
this is just my personal opinion. (worth a cup of coffee if you add a dollar to it.) i think guilds should look for ways to turn the members' talents and resources to good works. in addition to all the other activities, if each member brought one block to each meeting in one month, the group could put together a top (more than one if you have enough members). then, either somebody volunteers to do the tieing/quilting before the next meeting, or the next meeting includes a quilting bee to get it done. you'd have at least six quilts a year to donate to a local shelter, hospice, or hospital ward.
step 1 - somebody demonstrates a block or technique at the meeting
step 2 - each member makes one of that block, or the block of their choice using the technique demonstrated
step 3, etc - use the blocks to make the tops, etc