I too have had a bad experience with a guild. I joined about 13 years ago and I became friends with the pres. I jumped in with both feet -- did the jobs no one wanted, was an officer, worked on the quilt show. I kept getting comments like -- "you haven't been here long enough to know how things are supposed to be done". We had a block exchange and folks had to donate one 12" block to charity -- I pieced all of these blocks because no one else would do it and in 2 months made 24 tops for our charity. I said at the outset that someone else had to quilt them. When I finished them (reallize the colors and sizes were all over the map), the comments were I should have arranged them better and why didn't I quilt them. I was unhappy but my friend poined out that there are complainers in every crowd. While my friend was alive, folks were very friendly and when she passed away I became a non person. Needless to say I quit going to the group -- and now I get asked why I quilt, they really miss me, and would I be interested in piecing some tops...
Go figure -- it takes all kinds.
One LQS I went to had this young girl (about 12) who would help cut fabric. I started talking to her and found out she was quite a quilter. Over the years she and I had a lot of conversations and I got a lot of good tips from her. She entered a couple of shows and won some ribbons . The shop closed and I lost touch with her. A couple of years ago she started teaching at another LQS I go to -- she is in her 20's and is an amazing quilter. She also does FMQ now and she does an amazing job.
Age does not matter with quilting -- I think it is just being new and not knowing them for 20 years.