I see you are from central Illinois. If you live close to Morton IL, the quilt shop there, Quilt Corner, used to host a retreat once a year. It's been 5 years or so since I went to one of their retreats, but if they still do them, it would be a great way to meet quilters without the pressures of a guild. It gives you an opportunity to spend 3-4 days with a large group of quilters. By the end of the retreat, you may pick up a few friends!