As long as the free table is available at meetings it is a good idea. To do it at your quilt show is not good especially if you have vendors at your show. The vendors at quilt shows are there to offer your members and attendees a variety of quality merchandise, when the guild uses the show for their own garage sale, or free merchandise it cuts in to any profit your vendors make. Most guild show members and attendees are not aware of the expenses vendors have in order to vend at their show. As a former vendor in order to vend at a show I figured it would cost me a thousand dollars in expenses before I made anything. And that did not include any replacement cost of items sold. Sorry if this sounds like a soap box, just offering a little perspective.

I think this is a great idea. I am mot a part of a guild, as there isnt one local to me (closest one is the next town over, a 45 minute drive, and I no longer drive), but I have heard of guilds doing this. I think its a great way of finding homes for the scraps and fabrics you no longer need/want.

Have any of you had members that were in the "if it's free, I will take it home" category?

this is a good plan

One of the guilds I belonged to in Oregon had a free table, actually several long tables put together. (It was a very large guild.) People brought in their fabric, books, magazines, etc. and just dumped them on the table. Members stood around and took what they wanted. Often one person would be looking for a particular type of fabric, e.g. fabric with daisies, or children's fabrics, and everyone would help her search. It was a great way to socialize with the other guild members. I'm not sure what happened to the things left on the table - the person who brought things definitely did not have to take them home. Perhaps they were donated, perhaps tossed, but many (if not most) of the fabric found a new home. These were not necessarily large pieces of fabric, usually just scraps.

More good information. Many thanks. Our guild already has a yearly Silent Auction during one meeting, money going to the guild. People bring items they don't want, quilt tops they have abandoned, etc. The idea here is to not compete with that...just mainly scraps, left over pieces of WOF, etc.

Dina

This table is always very successful at our guild. I have found some great books and older fabrics there. There is NEVER anything left on the table. We have a member who uses unwanted fabric for pet beds for the shelters so that helps. You just never know what might appeal to anyone at any given time.
At least for us it is well worth it.

Yes we have one. It's evolved into some junky stuff in my opinion. Like I see OLD clothes patterns, non-cotton fabric, really out of date (in my opinion) fabric, etc. I think it's a great idea for our Modern Guild because there are a lot of newer quilters who don't have a lot already or a lot of money. Maybe if there were some rules about it? That junkier stuff just sits there and no one takes it. People are supposed to take their stuff back if no one takes it, but I see it still sitting there after the meeting.

The free table is a great addition to any guild meeting. It is a great place to socialize and the fabrics, etc, on it can provide a creative boost.

I recently backed a charity quilt with a 4 yard piece of fabric from the free table. Note that I am color challenged and was not able to determine the background color of the fabric. I was leaning toward black, husband thought black. My helpful guild members agreed that it was a deep green. The top was one piece, a soft gray/blue with large bouquets of dusty brown dried flower bouquets. Somehow, they looked great together -or- everyone was being nice to me!

I also made a few place mats for Meals on Wheels with large scraps and other peoples blocks off the free table.

So I wholeheartedly endorse the idea of a free table.