Your gramma was very wise!!! This is my philosophy as well...I've been hurt by someone's forked tongue and it is not good!!!

Look for the good and the bad fades into the background!!!

I mistakenly joined a local guild about this time last year and I say mistakenly because I did not take the time to find out what they offered and what they did for the community. I was gung ho, had money to blow, and was promoting the guild like no body had seen. It caused a riff with an officer of the group and my integrity was questioned so I dropped out of it. This happened a couple months after I had joined. The second month I was there new officers were elected which was all pre-arranged as to who would get it.

Anyway it took the out going President over three months to get with me and trying to smooth things over. She is a very nice lady who has become my friend. She told me she did not care if I came back to the guild but wanted me to start back coming to her shop once a week and be a part of that sew/craft group. I had stopped that as well because the officers of that guild show up there as well. Well I started back up going to her place and I have not returned to that guild.

It's there lost and not mine because I have time and money that I could be pouring into that guild and now I'm doing it with another guild in a neighboring town. Everyone made me feel welcome and was invited to join one of the sew groups once a week outside of the two monthly guild meetings we have. I also am a member of one of the committee's for that guild.

This guild has alot more going on than the first one I joined in the last year with classes, social events like yearly birthday bash, valentine event, dogwood festival, secret sisters club, big sister little sister (where an advanced quilter has charge of a new member for a year to help them out)....that started just this year because of me. Have yearly quilting retreat and we travel to quilt shows as well as LQS Hops couple times a year.

My biggest gain though is being a part at least once a week with the sew/craft group in this guild. We meet on Wednesday's at this lady's quilt house which is a trailer on her property where we all meet to sew and socialize. I have formed many new friends there.

As for the local Tuesday night meet with my friend things are going well because she pretty much told them if they did not like me there they could leave that everyone is welcome at her place to sew, craft, and socialize. I have made new socail sew "acquaintance" friends there and things are going well.

Seriously quilt guilds are a good venue to learn about sewing and quilting and even socialize but to me it's not a club to make "best friends". To me a "best friend" is someone who literally would give up there life for you and you would do the same for them.

Social friends in such situations are just acquaintances who have some of the same interests and that is as far as it goes.

I quickly step away from clicques and such. Like some of you I really prefer sewing by myself most of the time and I did not join it to find friends. I did so to contribute to the community and also learn things about sewing and quilting.

Ask in your favorite quilt shops, they will know the guilds active in your area. Chances are many of the ladies who work in the shop are members.

I have been going to a guild here my area and am starting to feel the same way. I went on trips, white gloved at many events, participated in charity quilting bees, made the little hand outs for the quilt show, etc. It is a pretty tightly knit group. I do enjoy the fellowship here though :)

Try looking here to find a quilt guild close to you:

http://www.quiltguilds.com/

I've gone to our local guild several times as a guest. Signed in with my name and number and address on several occasions. I always thought I might receive an application with information in the mail....so I knew how much it cost to join, how to apply, what was upcoming in the future, etc.
NOTHING. I have been a leader in a different type club for almost 20 years. No one who comes for a visit leaves without a greeting and introduction and information on what our club actually does, how much it costs, etc.
I am thinking I dont' need that kind of guild....and I agree with others. All of you here on the board are the best "guild" anyone could ask for!

i was in a quild as well and found it to be qlickish as well so dropped out ...but have now happily found another quilt group which is basically a bunch of local quilters taht come together to work on their different projects quilt and gossip eat and have lots of fun and laughs it is great.

I will look into it and check it out, thank you for the info.

Exact same experience. I was even hospitality chairman one year and still no one knew I was there. I too would rather do it myself. I do miss the workshops.

I can not believe that I am so lucky. One of my co-workers and I visited a quilt guild last January and were welcomed and ask if we were wanting to learn to piece quilts or quilt or just learn to sew. Of course we were interested in making quilt tops and are we ever hooked. Our guild has sewing every Wednesday from 10 to 3 for those that do not work and every Friday night for those that do work.

Of course you have little cliques or some that cling together but they are very willing to share some of their sewing techniques and short cuts. We love going and we have a lot of very talented quilters and they love to help you every way they can to improve your abilities. We have learned so much and have come a long way.

I wish all of you could have found a guild like mine.