I think that like a lot of things, its all in finding a guild that is a good fit for you. I used to belong to a huge guild here that was not very welcoming and pretty much ignored anyone who wasn't an experienced quilter. I was a member for a few years mostly because they had good programs and workshops. After a while, I lost interest and quit paying dues. Last night I went to a guild meeting that I really enjoyed. There seemed to be people at all levels of experience and I felt very welcomed and really enjoyed it. I even signed up for a workshop! It can take a few tries to find the one (or two) that you like.