I'm trying to give the "waiting list" issue the benefit of the doubt - perhaps the meeting place has limited space.
Any other reasons I can think of (and there are several) are totally unacceptable and I wouldn't want to be affiliated with these people.

On here is the closest I come to being in a guild.

Two of my girlfriends and I joined a local quild last year. We average over 70+ ladies a month. I enjoy getting to meet others that enjoy quilting as much / even more than I do.
They have a new technique/teacher/ some kind of spotlighted event each month.
Our quild also has a annual quilt show each July. We volunteered last year and I will do it again this year.
This is a very friendly group, so willing to help you, answer any questions,or show you how to do something.
We all enjoy the one we go to.

I am Guild-less I prefer the solitude. Just me, my sewing machines and my music.

I've been thinking about the waiting list too. Limited meeting space is the most obvious reason, but there is another. The character of a guild changes completely when it becomes really large. Many people who would volunteer to be on the board of a small guild are intimidated by a large one. Show and tell becomes less personal, and hard to see when the meeting room holds 100+ people. Members can't know all the other members or invite all of them over for tea and cookies (and quilting). Now don't get me wrong - I belong to a big guild (and a small one) and I love the advantages of both. But I can understand people founding a small guild and wanting to keep it that way. And to do so they have to come up with a maximum number of members and stick with it, otherwise they would be rejecting some new applicants and accepting others. So I've come to the conclusion that having a waiting list is perfectly fine and understandable.

When I wasn't working full-time, I belonged to the local quilt guild and even served as President for two years, as well as serving on other positions along the way. It was a great place to learn new things about quilting, see what others were doing and make new quiltng friends. However, when I started working full-time I had to stop going, and since I didn't like going out at night, quilting for me became a solitary thing. However, I miss seeing what people are doing and learning new things. I'll probably start looking for a new guild soon.

I have belonged to the Rivers Bend Quilt quild for 5 years. We have 40 members,a variety of age grouping-some newbies and some Master quilters. We meet first Monday of the month and I enjoy it. No one is mean spirted and every one is helpful. If you need help there is always some near to help. Plus we have a LAQer in the group who makes it easy to take your tops to.

I can understand this as I had the same experience. I know coming into any group is hard but it helps if they are open and friendly. I go it alone.

The last two years I haven't been as involved with my guild as I'd like because of health issues. I have met wonderful, kind, and helpful ladies. I managed to attend two retreats and enjoyed quilting with others and made great friends. Our guild gives away about 200-300 quilts a year. They have interesting national and local speakers, who offer classes the day after the monthly meeting. After the meeting, they have an experienced quilter show a technique. There is no waiting list. All are warmly welcomed. I hope you all find a group as wonderful.

I would love to join a guild but my schedule prolly wouldn't allow it. Also, I don't know how they would be. My quilts dont' seem to measure up and get comments so it may just be a downer for me.

Kyia