I completely get what you are saying. My first few groups I tried to join weren't accepting, and in college I was "the weird girl who sews." I started out in the college costume shop ( I got spoiled learning to do piecing with 3 berninas at my disposal) with basic sewing, and then met one of the fraternity housemothers who quilted. I didn't meet someone my own age who quilted for several years. My first online group experience was a nightmare, and I didn't reach out again online until I joined this board last year, at the urging of my quilt guild president. The ladies in my IRL group are great, and now we have a lady in the guild who is younger than me, as well as a few my age, although the vast majority are older. Keep searching until you find a group that works!