$25 for seniors and $35 for the "young ones." We have great speakers and a quilt show every other year. Many seniors pay the full fee just to help the guild financially.

:) our local guild has different dues prices for different ages: regular $30, 65-75 $20, 75+ free, junior $10 -- we are a large group (250+) with lots of activities --

My guild is $20 a year. We have a general meeting once a month with different speakers/programs and also different groups within the guild that meet monthly to sew for themselves or make charity quilts. We have a quilt show every other year.

My guild dues are 20 and worth every penny. We have guest speakers every month. Some good some not so good. We have workshops and reteats and a quilt show every other year. But the friends I have made are priceless.

Our guild is $20 per year. It was $25, but we actually lowered ours. We have around 30-35 members and we don't do any fundraisers to keep the money for ourselves. We donate proceeds to different organizations. We do bring in guests and speakers. It is a great group!!

$25 and we have great meeting! 4-6 Nationally known speakers per year and the other meetings are interesting mix of fun and quilting tips and techniques. We have lots of different ongoing things that you can choose to participate in if you wish--fabric swaps, raffle blocks, Birthday FQ swap, HST swap, and FQ lotto. Once a year we do a bus trip that is 3 days of non-stop shopping, and twice a year we do a retreat in Amish country. I'd pay double if I had to. I left out charity quilts and workshops!

Update to the original questions
 

OK - first of all - you people ROCK!! I asked two questions and have been so pleased at the number of folks who took the time to answer. Thank you for your answers!! :thumbup:

Secondly - and this pertains to the "not as fun" part of guild meetings: do you have the "business" meeting part first, then the program, or vice-versa?

Elected board make most of the guiding decisions prior to meeting--according to our by-laws, and committee chairs give very brief report if needed.

I pay $24 per year. All we have is a monthly business meeting, occasional member lead classes and sew ins. We have around 70 members and half or less attend regularly. We do have an annual quilt show and do a yearly raffle quilt which used to do very well ($3000-$5000 per year). Quite a few newer members, but little participation it seems.

We have the business meeting at 9:30 a.m. and the program starts at 10:00 a.m. We have lunch at 11 a.m. then a workshop or open sewing until 4 pm. We are having a problem with the older members not being quiet during the meeting. They sit and talk among themselves and don't realize (care) they are very loud. The President doesn't want to be rude but sometimes she has to call them down and they get all huffy. And even when asked to turn their cells off they don't and will speak loud all the way to the door to go out and talk more. I told my quilting friends if I start acting like that when I get older to please just tell me to go home and stay there.

I belong to 2 quilt guilds, one with 150+ members and one with 50+ members. Both guilds' annual fee is $25. Since their year starts at different times (September and January), the cost is spread out. The larger guild has a quilt show & auction every other year. This guild has been around for at least 40 years, and they bring in nationally known speakers. They also have a small item raffle at each meeting with 5 to 10 different items, where the tickets are 5 for $1. The smaller guild has at least one raffle quilt and a silent auction every year and a small item raffle each month. We also have a "special" raffle item at our August birthday party and December Christmas party. The tickets for those are usually $5 each. We have had a couple sewing machines donated by one of the LQSs and they donated a quilting chair for this year's birthday party raffle. We have also had an Oliso iron, an Ott floor lamp and a quilt ladder which was made by the husband of one member. This guild has only been in existence for 5 years, and brings in local speakers. Both guilds have charity bees, and the smaller one has a Quilts of Valor bee.

Both guilds meet in local churches, which charge for use of the meeting room. That, after the speakers, is probably the largest expense. Then there are office expenses (p.o. box, stationery, postage, photocopying).

Age is no excuse for rudeness. At one guild I belong to, we have a jar and there is a $1 penalty if your phone rings during a meeting.

We pay $25 and it's worth it. Wonderful speakers and interesting meetings. That's until we are 80, then it's free. I am in the free range, like the old hen!

Both the guilds I belong to have part of the business meeting (committee reports, BOM, etc.) at the beginning of the meeting, then the program, then the raffle and end with Show & Tell. Everyone stays for Show & Tell.

$25 for one, $20 for another and $12 for a sewing club not limited to quilting. The guilds have fund raisers that really aren't all that successful. There were some complaints about a recent proposal to increase dues, so I suggested that everyone pay the old dues and then make a $5 or $10 contribution and nearly everyone did. Aren't people wonderful. froggyintexas

Everyone of these ladies are 80+. They don't seem to care. We will just wait them out. LOL

My guild is $10 a year. We have workshops and some speakers. A lot of the workshops are given by members. If there is a bus trip etc we all pay individually for that, whomever comes. Some members are retired and can go to almost all of the trips. Some still work and can't get off for trips.

I don't belong to a quilt guild, but I do belong to a smocking/needlework guild. We are fairly small (membership is limited to 50 due to the facility we use). Our guild dues are $15 per year, and we are also required to join the national organization at a cost of $35 per year.

Our guild costs $15.00 a year and is worth every penny. We talked about raising it last year but we have a number of our members on fixed incomes and we did not want to lose them or cause a hardship for them.

Costs are going up everywhere, for gas, raw materials, etc. Its not surprising the guilds are having to raise their dues in order to continue to function.

I pay $20 a year which is a fair amount.

The guild I belong to is $20.00 a year for members 65 yrs old and younger and $15 a year for members over 65 yrs old. We do a quilt show one year and then an educational conference the next year. We get great speakers and teachers to come in for both along with vendors.

I belong to 2 guilds. 1 is 20.00, and the other is 15.00. I'm very happy with both guilds. There both worth the money. And being the only guy, in both guilds, I still will say its worth every penny.

Ours is $20.00 a year. Then we sign up to be Hostess for the month & bring food for a social hour post meeting. We also do a quilt raffel each year as a fund raiser. to help with the funds needed for the scholarship we give & other things we do.

Quilt guilds each highlight different parts of quilting.. Guilds are really specialised now days . My church guild is wonderful and gives 50 some quilts away each year. Twelve ladies do miracles and it is free . My professional guild charges $25. This group has authors, designers, and accomplished professional ladies it is a very creative group. Lots of retreats and pro speakers.My newest group is a country guild. Mostly farmers , housewives , teachers, retired ladies and the most fun group. I really enjoy this group most the dues $12. Each group is special in its own way. I have a problem with one group having a bank account of $20,000. Our bills run about $2,000. I believe it is a temptation to someone not honest to have this much in reserve.

My guild is $15.00 per year - and that lets you into the annual quilt show free. (instead of paying $5.00 per day) I believe there is a business meeting on Mondays and a work day on Tuesday morning and Tuesday evening (for those that work) We donate $1.00 each time we go to a meeting to pay for the facility. This guild has about 250 members. The quilt shops in town give discounts if you make a purchase on a meeting day.

Just joined a Guild - dues are $2/month Guild is over 50 members divided into smaller groups. Each mo one group has program and another group is hostess. 2 meetings under my belt and so far so good.

My quilt guild is $25.00. I heard comments from officers about how $ is used in the guild. One of the big pushes is to bring good instructors in for a lecture, and then a class which we pay individually. Teachers are increasing their prices. Airline's have increased airfare, Hotels increased their fee, all in all some changes have to be made. Do you increase your dues, or class fees? How much does your quilt show bring in $ along with the donation quilt? It has many tiers and there are lots of weigh ins on the best thing to happen. But in the long run, we all have to contribute.

Our dues are $25 a year. Personally I think they need to be higher. We are a large guild 350 + members and bring in Nationally known speakers We recently had to move to find a larger place to meet and even though we have this place for a great bargain it is more that what we paid at the old place. We have a show every other year. Just yesterday we gave away 365 quilts to our various charities, in December we gave away 340.

We normally have the business part of the meeting first, except for twice a year, June and December, when we give away all our quilts. The various charities each have a representative here to view and pick up the quilts given to them so we take care of that first, then get to the business meeting.

My guild is 20$ a year. We have so much going on.Quilt Fest is coming sooner then we thought. So worth the money to enjoy the friendship of these ladies. We learn,sew, oh yes and we Talk.

Our guild charges $20.00 a year, but is prorated. Personally, I'd prefer paying higher dues and not fool with the fund raisers which actually don't produce that much additional money. We basically meet, have show and tell, the raffles, and leave.

Our dues are $20 if you receive your monthly newsletter via e mail. We also make a raffle quilt every other year which pays enough to keep us going for 2 years. The majority of that goes to pay speakers. I enjoy my guild, many friends.

$50 a year and fundraiser quilts

Ours is $15. We have a big Quilt show/fundraiser every year to make money, and we make/donate hundreds of quilts to the needy.

Annual membershp
 

I belong to two quilt guilds in my area. One is $5 and the other $12. They are both worth the money. Wish we did more at one of them. The other one is so much more advanced and challenging.

Our guild is considering an increase from $15 to $20 per year and members are not happy...with the increasing costs of printing and postage for our newsletters I have no problem with this. For what we get for the buck, I am not opposed to the increase. Where else can you get a mini trunk show of show and share, learn to make a block of the month and keep the instructions for another use, fellowship with your friends and have monthly program speakers????

$20.00 and worth it.

$20.00 a year

Interesting reading on this thread! My local guild has around 400 members, $30 a year for dues, an extra $5 is charged to those who require a mailed copy of the monthly newsletter; the rest of us get it by email. Great speaker each month, a morning and an evening meeting with a workshop in between, paid for by participants. Meeting has a small amount of business to start with, then a great Show and Tell, followed by the speaker, who usually is very impressed by what was Shown and Told! A Quilt Show every other year raises some money, not sure of the amount. The mission of this guild is to help others and to share our skills. There is a guild committee called SOS, Share Our Skills, which receives donated fabric constantly, and is offered to the members at each meeting. Huge numbers of quilts are made by members and donated to several local institutions, care facilities, shelters, etc. The members are so encouraging and helpful to each other, and never have I seen any negativity. They are such good givers! Two retreats are held each year and they are always sold out early. I look forward each month to the meetings----I always learn something and see something new each meeting! Shop Talk is a part of each meeting where a representative from any quilt-related business in the area can come to say a few words, pass out brochures, coupons, etc. Good venue for a just-opening shop to get the word out. We meet in an American Legion hall, not sure if we pay to rent or not, but we have it for the whole day, 12+ hours. The board of the guild meets monthly in a rent-free neighborhood association building. Bus trips to area quilt shows are offered. Quilts of Valor is a part of this guild as well. A great group of men and women!