I have a group that meets every Thursday night at my house for about the last ten years. I have 8 children still at home and we have our own business.
I have it every Thursday evening same time.
You will probably need to provide a large cutting board, iron and ironing board.
You will need snacks and drinks.
Some problems I have run into-
Demanding people that think that I am a free alternative to paid classes at a store.
People that take/use my stuff and at times damage it. This especially applies to rulers, cutters and scissors.
Dominant people that make it miserable for the whole group and or start planning other things instead of quilting, going to movies, eating out etc.
People that come too early and or stay too late.
I do like it and am glad to have it at my house. Currently I am blessed with a studio that is large so we meet in there. For those that are done quilting or can't because of current medical issues there is an area with a couch and tv they can sit or visit. My studio is upstairs which makes it that some people need help carrying their stuff up.
I started this as an alternative for myself to have a quilt group I did not have to pay for. A popular quilt store has a quilt group but it was for pay. Often the group would be full or at other times there were not enough people so it would be canceled on the last moment.
We used to do more things together as a group like a small retreat at a member's home or vacation condo, quilt store runs and conventions but due to the economy this has really slowed to almost none. We now share fabric finds off of Craigslist and others now also bring snacks at times.
Over time I have also put down some basic rules and parameters as to what is available for the group and that I am a participant and not a teacher or store clerk. We do help each other as a group and share if we want to. I do also have an extra 6x24 ruler and a rotary cutter available if some one forgets their stuff.
An alternative to meeting at your own home is seeing if any quilt store in your area, or church, will let you meet for free at their building. I tried this, a quilt store, for about 1/2 a year, but no one came but me at my DD.
Last edited by Annaquilts; 11-23-2013 at 12:45 PM.