Does your quilt guild do anything to help integrate new members?
 

Years ago I belonged to a large urban quilt guild with perhaps a couple of thousand members. Enjoyed many of their meetings, but after a number of years realized that I was tired of seeing a slide show/lecture every month. I did not know any members going in, and when I left knew some of the members by name only; never got to know any of the other quilters personally. Members were encouraged to join committees to meet other quilters, but I'm not a committee type person at all, and so was content to just find an empty folding chair at the monthly meetings.

More recently I joined a smaller rural quilt guild that had perhaps 50 to 60 people coming to meetings, hoping to meet other quilters. Meetings were somewhat hectic what with minutes, committee reports, show-and-tell, and presenters all packed into 1-1/2 hours. Again I went in knowing no one, and left knowing a few people by name only. When I did not renew my membership, the guild president emailed to ask about it. I replied at some length, detailing the difficulties I had had with actually getting to know anyone, and suggested perhaps they should consider setting up a "welcome" table staffed by longstanding members to help newbies integrate. (I had noticed several other newcomers encountering the same problems I had at the meetings, never having a chance to talk to the regulars who all sat together in their own groups.) The guild president thanked me for the input (apparently few who leave ever told her why) and said that she had been lucky enough to start attending the guild with two neighbor friends.

Anyway, this experience got me to wondering if any quilt guilds actually do something positive to help newcomers become part of the group. I can see where it would help a *lot* to know someone who is already a member of the guild. What about people who come knowing no one?

I belong to two quilt guilds. Both have a workday each month in addition to the meetings. It is always fun and you get to interact without the business portion. We work on charity quilts and learn new techniques. We call out for food and eat together. That is where I have gotten to know the members.

This is why I don't belong to a guild now. I tried so hard to get to know members in the guild I belonged to, but they wanted to keep to their tight groups. A newcomer was not welcome. I find it sad that we all were there for the same reason, but the longstanding members wanted nothing to do with new guild members. I even went on 2 trips with them, and at the next meeting, it was like they had never seen me before.

I've been trying to join a local guild and they won't answer my email. I kind of am tempted to just go show up at a meeting but I feel like that would be really awkward since I have no clue if I'd be welcome or not.

It's frustrating.

Making friends is hard when we get older. No one comes knocking on your door and ask if you can come out to play. Quilters are the same way, by taking classes, doing community quilts, volunteering for a position, you get to know members. If you just attend meetings, you'll never meet anyone. Sometimes, a Guild just isn't a good fit. Some are extremely cliquey. Just jump in, look around and see if it's a good fit for you and what you are looking for. Sew days at LQS can also be a good way to meet people. Our Guild has a Bee Board for members to sign up and say they want to be in a Bee, but it's up to them to get together. Bees are separate from the Guild.

Our guild has a mentor program in which every new member is assigned to a volunteered mentor for a year. The mentor helps to orient the new member; introduces them around; takes them to lunch with other members following a meeting; keeps them updated on doings, programs, and participations (BOM, round robins, bees, community quilt workdays, etc.) they may have missed; encourages them to attend the spring and/or winter luncheon; and takes them to the mentor/mentee luncheon in the spring, where the mentors provide the meal and tell all they know about their mentee to the others present.

It's a wonderful program and the guild gets kudos for it all the time.:)

Jan in VA

our guild introduces new members at the meeting and posts their pictures in the next newsletter. We give each new member a handmade "luggage" tag to use as a name tag until they make their own quilt block name tag so you can spot the new people if they wear the tag. We also have a "bee keeper" who introduces herself to the new members and helps them find a small group "bee" that works with their schedule or helps them start a new bee if necessary. Every year there is a new member tea and the officers and committee chairs introduce themselves and the new members all get to meet each other.

You admitted to being content just attending and not getting involved. Just sayin'.

It is up to You to take the steps of getting to know others.
sandy

Sometimes "it's in the air". Being approachable and attentive to a new person in a group is good manners.

The guild I belong too has also had all those same problems. When I was president I tried to boost membership, participation, classes, and all for naught. From a membership of over 30, is now down to about 12, most are so wrapped up in their only little world I wonder why they even come to the meetings. No one wants to help, do any fun things, even the new president seems lost, unable to come up with anything to encourage or suggest improvement in participation. She looks to the last president at each meeting for guidance on how to run the meeting. I just feel like standing up & taking over because it is now not any fun. I am at a loss as what to do, & I'm not alone.