Our group has been going at church for six years now. We sell at church bazaar twice a year, and those Joann's 50% off coupons are used for batting purchases. We've had an amazing amount of thread, fabric, and sewing machines donated and the scrap quilts go to Board of Childcare (foster care facility) comfort quilts for congregational members, and since one of our sewers has been diagnosed with breast cancer, items (pillows. tote bags) are starting to be made with the oncology center in mind.
Storage space anywhere is always at a premium.There is a fairly large conference room at church with a storage alcove that we've curtained off where ironing board/iron , fabric storage bins, rolls of batting are tucked out of sight when not in use.
About a year after start up, two of us group members privately purchased a used longarm with frame setup. For better or worse, it resides at my house so I'm the quilter and I pray that just a fraction of the longarm talent shown by QB members somehow transmits itself to me.
Like any church group, 10% of the people do 90% of the work and that's been the biggest drawback. Why join a quilting group if you don't like/want to sew? Answer: the social aspects can't be beat!!!