Quilting Groups - Yes or No
 

I went to my first quilt guild meeting last night as a guest. It was interesting and the speaker was very good and had some awesome projects to share with us. Not sure if I am ready to join just yet. One thing it did was make me wish we had a quilting/sewing group in our area. Maybe something a tad less formal than the quilting guild, and smaller! There were so many there last night. Didn't not get that warm and friendly feeling. It was more of an informational meeting - not get together and share type meeting to me. Now I would be interested in starting a stitching group. Get together once a month, share tips and ideas, maybe have a sewing retreat once a year, and a sew in day every now and then. We could also pick a charity and as a group work on quilts for them.

So have you done this? Is it too much work? I work full time and keep grand children a lot on weekends. But I would really like the idea of a smaller, more personal quilting group of friends.

If you have done it, or are in a group like this please share any and all do's or don'ts.
Terri

I think a small group is a good idea. I was introduced to the ladies in my bee by a woman who coordinates the small groups at my larger guild.

if you enjoyed the lecture and might go again to the big group I suggest you ask if they have smaller groups and then consider joining one or starting one. If the larger group has a newsletter you could see if you could post something there asking if people would like to meet with you and post just what you wrote above with your contact info.

I started a small group to do exactly what you describe. I announced in church about starting a quilt group and had several people ready to join. We now have 13 gals, give or take depending on the day and we meet twice a month in the church's social room. No rules or formal meeting. Then we plan on two trips a year to various quilt shops and a different gal plans the trip so we have a variety. Lots of fun and nice group.

I have a wonderful group of friends that do just this. We all used to belong to a local quilt guild and this is how we met. In a way we do lots of charity work. We all make quilts and then we have one gal that if we wish, will keep the quilts we donate. Whenever someone in the community has a catastrophic event i.e. house fire, tornado, or whatever, she will take our donations to the family in need.
We have also made KID COMFORT QUILTS for deployed armed services.
We have all become very close to each other in friendships. That is the most wonderful part. We have 12 in our group at the moment. What is so great about this is WE ALL GET ALONG AND LOVE EACH OTHER.
Here is how we work our "meetings"
1. Only 6 of us have places large enough to fit all of us with machines. So on the last Saturday of each month one of the six will host a SIT N SEW. The hostess will provide lunch and drinks. The rest of us will bring various items. I bring the morning KRISPY KREMES, another may bring a dessert or salad, and so on.
2. We have NO FORMAL RULES. We are just a bunch of friends gathering in one place to sew and have companionship.
If there is a shop hop or quilt show, we usually go as a group. We do have quilt retreats which are an absolute BLAST!

I can honestly say I will probably never join another guild. But I refuse to give up my "sewing sisters". My gals are a very special kind of group and I do believe I would not be as passionate about sewing without them.

I so hope you can bring a group together and have as much fun as us. GOOD LUCK!

I am co-leader for such a group at our church. The group existed before I joined, so I didn't work on the initial organizational part. We have a lot of fun and are very productive doing charitable things as well as building our quilting skills and enjoying the time sewing together. We are beginning our planning for the coming year and found this general outline worked well in 2013, so we'll probably do again in 2014. We had a "theme" for each quarter (Q1 teach a basic quilting skill through a project each member can do for themselves--in 2013 that was HSTs; Q2 projects for a specific identified charity--this year quilts for the child protection sections of the sheriff and police departments; Q3 a simple quilt pattern all can do either for the charitable shelf or themselves, this year rag quilt; and Q4 a holiday theme project). In addition, on an ad hoc basis throughout the year leaders show quick projects that may appeal to group members, and those who are interested may do these. At our meetings we always have a show-and-tell that allows the sharing of individual projects underway as well as those being done for the quarterly "theme." One thing we emphasize is we are happy to have those of any skill level join in...we'll even teach them to sew. We have instituted a "two foot rule" for our group charitable projects...if you can't see the "mistake" from two feet away, don't worry about correcting it! This approach has reduced the stress for less skilled quilters who are working along side much more experienced ones. I think you could lead a group even given your schedule if you share some responsibilities with others in the group and keep things simple/flexible.

I was a part of an informal group( until I moved). I found the smaller group was more to my liking. The down side is not having access to the speakers of a large guild.

Our small group started about 5 years ago, with 5 of us, we have had several others come and go. We meet the first Sat. of every month at our local Library. They let us use a large room with Micro Wave and Coffee Maker. We are there from 9 to 4, everyone brings food and we have a pitch in. We bring our sewing machines or whatever we want to work on. The Library doe's not charge us anything. Once in awhile something will come up at the Library and we won't be able to use the room, but they let us know ahead of time, then we just plan a road trip. These ladies have become my Dearest friends and we are all very close. Some times we bring our machines and don't sew a stitch, just sit and talk. I really look forward to our meetings.

Our group is a quilting club with show and tell, a quick lesson by our leader and lots of fun and fellowship. This is no ya guild, but a group that loves quilting and comparing notes and their love of quilting.

A few years ago a lady at our church started a quilt group to make quilts for our graduating seniors. She was told there were only 4 or 5. The first year we made 9 and this year we are making somewhere around 16. We meet every week and used to do other things on other weeks. But since we are a small group we are working on them every week. There are only about 6 that come regularly. We have started a once a month on Sat. At the church( we normally meet at the leader's house) for the ladies that would like to help but can't come during the week. It was a great success. Currently we are making reversible blocks that are QAYG and scrappy because we work with donated fabric and no one has a LA.
We have been on a couple of quilt retreats and shop hops and these ladies are becoming very good friends to me. Some I knew before and others not. I love them all and we have the best time together. I encourage any quilter to have a small group to sew with- we learn from each other too.

This is exactly how I felt when I visited Kaufman County Quilt Guild, you know I didn't get the warm friendly vibe and to adhere to all bylaws - so many charity quilts, so many hours in preparation of this or that event.
My area is rather rural and I doubt anyone would get together on evenings or Saturdays to have small quilting groups, including myself!

I went to a luncheon at a quilt guild just recently. I was invited, verbally but personally and even then said Ok Thank You. I asked should I bring anything; "no". Ok. When I got there the person who invited me never showed up. Everyone asked why I was there and replied by invitation and gave the person's name. The invitation was only 4 days prior. The gal who invited me had quit the guild in the meantime and never let me know. She was an officer in the guild. I was "gently" asked to leave because it was a "private luncheon". When I contact the gal who invited me, she laughingly apologized. I let her know how humiliated I was. I recognized and knew a couple of the members of the guild and said hello. Their only response was "hi" and right away I felt shunned. No more guild for me. I saw one of the members yesterday and asked why everyone was so stand offish. Her response was they really didn't want someone who was associated with the gal who invited me. I told her she could extend my comments back to her guild that I really didn't want to be around those who would not see newcomers as individuals who would only compliment their group.

My guild is definitely not like the one Tessagin has described. We do have 140 members and have a general monthly meeting with guest speakers, Show and Share, demos, lending library etc. These meetings are informative and interesting but if you really want to know the members better, you need to join one or several of the sub groups and any guild member is welcome at any of the smaller groups. We have a couple of different weekly Stitch and Share afternoons, Community Quilt stitching group, Modern Quilt group, Monthly technique or new pattern group to name just a few all working under the larger guild umbrella. Most of these smaller groups have a core group with other members coming and going. It is such a friendly guild (we're known widely for this) that it all works very well. In my opinion there just shouldn't be snotty nasty guilds who won't welcome newcomers.

I, like Shelbie, am a member of a rather large guild. We have several sub-groups according to various interests. Each meets at different times once a month. I have found that joining in the work days for the charitable organizations we serve was the best way to make "quilting friends". Our LQS also has a couple "clubs" of which I am a member. Met many wonderful quilters that way also. I am also in a church quilting group (not my church, but wonderful ladies to work with and learn from...). Best of luck finding comrades -- they are the best!!

Linda in Missouri

I started a group almost 13 years ago! and we meet 1 time a month at someone's home..........we have lost a few members if they have moved or passed away. We have either block exchanges, ufo challenges to see who gets the most done and they win a fat quarter from each member.
[we have 10 to 12 members max.]

Lots of fun and good friendships. :D Be careful.......not all women fit into all groups.

I like many others have not had the best experiences joining guilds. I've tried a couple with unsatisfactory results. But I'm still looking and asking carefully. Some groups are welcoming but then get into so much gossiping that I'm offended; others try to push their political or religious opinions and that's not for me either. So I'll continue looking.

I also had a bad experience with a guild. It was full of cliques and I never felt welcomed ... at all! I wish I could find a group like Shelbie is part of! But sadly, there is only one guild within reasonable driving distance, and that is the one I joined ... and left. When I worked full time, I had a quilting buddy there. We worked on our hand piecing projects during lunch, sometimes went fabric shopping at lunch, and swapped fat quarters. That was really fun! So, like MaryMo, I guess I'll keep looking, too, but not with much enthusiasm. I just hear too many negatives.

There is a friendship in my community sponsered by the LQS. I visited it last week and enjoyed it very much. The shop presents new fabrics, patterns and examples of the items. There is a fabric challenge that I have signed up for and a show and tell segment. The group also contributes to the local crisis center. The ladies were friendly and it doesn't require a big commitment of time, it is just what I have been looking for.

I am so sorry to read about such negative experiences. I joined a nice quilt guild which was very welcoming. It did take a little while to get to know other members and for them to know me but since then it's been lovely to attend the meetings. All activities, whether it is a charity sew in, special projects, a class and even the meetings themselves are voluntary. Some members go to all the meetings and others drop in now and then. Love it! I belong to another one geared towards long arm machine users....another great group. I feel so lucky.

Small groups are much better in my opinion. Larger groups attract several Quilt Police and clicks.

I would go to the same group again and see if it is better. If you are friendly and talk to a few people and let them know what you are interested in, you may find that there is already a small group, or maybe several that you could talk to someone about. Our guild has several "groups", although they are not formal ones. They are just several friends who get together to quilt. Also you might ask at your local quilt shop (if you have one) if there is a group that meets to make charity quilts and you might find a good spot there. Our guild also has about 4 people who meet regularly once a month to make charity quilts at our local quilt shop. Don't be afraid to advocate for what you want and the quilters group is probably the best place to do it.

We moved around a lot during my husband's career. I have belonged to two of these groups over the years and really enjoyed them and loved the fellowship and sharing ideas. Both groups were sub-groups of a local guild. I enjoyed the guilds because of the programs and workshops but I enjoyed the smaller groups the most. I do not belong to one now but get together from time to time with quilting friends to share projects and ideas. Being in such a group is just plain encouraging!

I belong to a guild and have participated in two small groups over the years. The guild is okay, but personalities can sometimes cause problems. Right now the leadership has improved and the gals who want to dictate stuff are not as active, so it has been better. As most groups we have a huge core of gals who don't do their share and a couple who are very pushy.

I have also belonged to two small groups, which initially were wonderful. The first was great until one of the founders invited a friend without asking. That gal caused so much strife that people started dropping out or rarely coming. It has since folded. The second is at the LQS and is okay. It is fun, but everyone is so busy that they don't make it a priority, so it's hard to plan a workshop or whatever.

I have belonged to two guilds and found most of the members to be standoffish. They have already established friendships and cliques and don't have room for new people so if you don't know anyone there forget it. At least that's how I found it to be. I also quilted in two smaller groups and they were great! They were informal and friendly and also very helpful. Then unfortunately I moved and now I cannot find a small group. Just the two guilds I have belonged to in the past. Someone on this list invited me to join a group where she lives and the people were very nice but unfortunately did not quilt at their meetings.

we started our own little group of 4 at our senior center because the guild were too far, we do field trips, volunteer projects, and we meet avg. 6/month. its working out great.

I think the 'feel like an outsider' thing isn't just with guilds but with any organization that has been established awhile. Lions, VFW, etc.Those who were early joiners have formed links, and a new person feels those fences whether meant or not.

You will see the most active members in any group (Quilt Board and any other forum or email/yahoogroups included) all chat together because they have a history. It isn't meant to be snobbery but it is the common human development. So those of us outside the group aren't very comfortable.

I only belong to one email yahoogroup, and the only time I turn on the mail to recieve the posts is during the mystery coming up. I'm already sick of the ongoing conversations by the regulars :) Who cares? Not me, but they do...again, human nature.

Don't take it personal... I had the most fun when I put a note in the Portland guilds newsletter asking if there were any quilters that wanted to form a mini-group in my zipcode. I remember well the time one of the members brought a rotary cutter, using it on a breadboard that had a piece of linoleum nailed to it. We were raw quilters then :)

At the current local guild I just asked during open time if anyone wanted to start a mini group. It too was a wonderful group, only gone now because all the members have moved or sadly, died.

On the same vein I was invited twice to a mini group that had been in existence for about 10 years at the time. Nicest ladies in the world, but they were a group and I was an outsider so I didn't go any more. It is hard to break through that natural comradre and find a spot as a newcomer.

I guess what I'm taking a lot of words to say is don't take it personal...except the lady who was ejected from the dinner...gad, that was COLD!

I belong to a group of women who get together every spring and fall and have a retreat. I met them through my sister. She died in 2003 and I don't feel as welcomed as I did when she was alive.

I have a friend on the board here who I've been pming daily for one year and four months. I live on the west coast and she lives on the east coast. We are the best of friends. We encourage each other and praise each other. We both belong to a few of the same BOMs. She is faster than I when it comes to getting a block done, so I write her and ask her for tips on making the BOM. She's wonderful about that. We show each other pictures of our finished projects - she more than me because she is on a roll! I know this is about joining a group, but I just wanted to share that there are all kinds of ways to belong. I'll never meet her, but she's my best friend and when I was in a rut and couldn't sew, she kept sending me pictures of her quilts she completed and would encourage me to quilt and after seeing all her beautiful quilts, I couldn't help but start to quilt again. I feel we have our own group and it's a great one!

I have been meeting with the same group of quilters for 25 years, we gather once a month at each other house for lunch and quilting, twice a year we go away for a long weekend. But smaller groups gather when there is a project or we need help. We started out with 12 but now there is only 8 of us due to some of the member passing or going to a nursing home, the oldest member is 86 the youngest is 66, we always have such a great time we always joke that we will never need therapy because we have each other. How it all started? we took a beginner quilting class together and went on from there

The wonderful woman who owns our LQS has open sewing every Friday night. It costs $5, but she provides refreshments and utilities. She's also an invaluable source of help :)

Wish you were a little closer as I am in the same boat. I went to a guild meeting and it was small and friendly and I will join, but the driving distance is a little more than I like but it is only once a month. So I am looking to start a group in my little town as I have not been able to connect with the quilters here yet as I just moved here. I prefer small group quilting and have been quilting with a couple of groups back in AK just as you described. So I say go for it and I am doing the same. Also you might try the guild again. It can be awkward at first but then again a larger group might not cut it.

We have started our group in the Bend area, met the first folks thru this site and we decided to get together. Now we meet once a month and have about 10 members and just have a wonderful time! We all look forward to it, do some group project, some teaching, lots of chatting and laughing as well as good food! Some of the newer ladies to the group have mentioned that we made them feel so welcome that they keep coming back. One of the most important things I think is to always treat others the way you want to be treated. I will have to say we have a very successful guild... group or what ever you want to call it.!

I have a group that meets every Thursday night at my house for about the last ten years. I have 8 children still at home and we have our own business.

I have it every Thursday evening same time.
You will probably need to provide a large cutting board, iron and ironing board.
You will need snacks and drinks.

Some problems I have run into-
Demanding people that think that I am a free alternative to paid classes at a store.
People that take/use my stuff and at times damage it. This especially applies to rulers, cutters and scissors.
Dominant people that make it miserable for the whole group and or start planning other things instead of quilting, going to movies, eating out etc.
People that come too early and or stay too late.

I do like it and am glad to have it at my house. Currently I am blessed with a studio that is large so we meet in there. For those that are done quilting or can't because of current medical issues there is an area with a couch and tv they can sit or visit. My studio is upstairs which makes it that some people need help carrying their stuff up.

I started this as an alternative for myself to have a quilt group I did not have to pay for. A popular quilt store has a quilt group but it was for pay. Often the group would be full or at other times there were not enough people so it would be canceled on the last moment.

We used to do more things together as a group like a small retreat at a member's home or vacation condo, quilt store runs and conventions but due to the economy this has really slowed to almost none. We now share fabric finds off of Craigslist and others now also bring snacks at times.

Over time I have also put down some basic rules and parameters as to what is available for the group and that I am a participant and not a teacher or store clerk. We do help each other as a group and share if we want to. I do also have an extra 6x24 ruler and a rotary cutter available if some one forgets their stuff.

An alternative to meeting at your own home is seeing if any quilt store in your area, or church, will let you meet for free at their building. I tried this, a quilt store, for about 1/2 a year, but no one came but me at my DD.

You can search your area at meetup.com and find one to join or start one! I was in a knitting one for a while.

The first quilt guild I belonged to I didn't like. I never got that warm fuzzy feeling or felt very welcome. It was only a few miles away. There is another guild here that is huge. I never went there but I have heard it is very clicky. I googled and found a guild that I love. I drive 30 to 40 minutes but I walked in not knowing anyone and felt welcome from the minute I walked in the door. I am now the treasurer and everyone there is so nice and friendly. Several of us meet for dinner before the meeting etc. Look around maybe try another guild.
We do charity projects and other things.

I belong to a small guild and a fairly large guild. The small guild is more of a social time and I enjoy that aspect of it. I rarely bring my sewing machine because I always arrive about 1 hour late (sleeping issues) and i yak too much to bother setting it up. The last time I did bring it, I sewed about 4" and then the meeting was over!

The other group is more focused on learning skills and charity work. It's a fun group, but because it is larger it took longer to find my self a group of friends within the larger group. Now I feel like i fit right in.

Both groups have some amazing women in them and I feel fortunate to have met them.

You're right about personalities clashing.

As a pushy person, I've learned to let the other pushy folks do all the "pushy personality stuff" they want. Life is too short to worry about it, plus I don't want to run anything except the dishwasher anymore.

I am in Alabama also Tezell. If you aren't comfortable telling me in an open message feel free to pm me and tell me where you are. I am in the Anniston area. Thanks

I belong to a guild of about 40 members. I did not get a "warm vibe" at first, but saw how dedicated the members were to helping each other and to charity quilts. I hung out with them and helped with the quilts and got to know them. We meet three times a month- one a business meeting, one a technique/special project meeting, one an open sewing time (I baste quilts then, women jump in and help me pin). I saw how they rallied around a member with terminal cancer, a woman who suffered a stroke, etc and realize that sometimes you need to earn the trust of members and are not just a taker, but a contributor. Some rules and structure moves the whole ship a bit more effective. We have a quilt show every three years, and I never saw a more cooperative, team, jump right in group of women. They all do different kinds of work and level of expertise. I do a lot of art quilts, and they enjoy seeing that even though most of them are traditional pattern makers. I have learned so much from them. I am grateful for them.

There are five of us that get together every other week on a Wednesday and sew together and have a great time making things that we want to donate or for ourselves. It's really an informal get together and we have such a geat time. In the winter we meet at each others homes and in spring and summer we meet at our youth center. Good luck with your getting a small group together. It really is a great time.

I started quilting 3 years ago because a neighbor asked me to come to their quilt meeting, she was hosting.
I am now a part of this group. There are 24 ladies in our group, no one else can become a member until someone leaves because we meet in our homes, you can come as a guest. It is a wonderful group, very casual.We have a show and tell, once a year we do baby quilts for mothers who decide to keep their babies, have breakfast made by the hostess. The person hosting hands out a block the month before hosting to be sewn by each women in the group so you end up with 24 blocks to build a quilt of your choice.This group was formed 30 years ago but it doesn't take long for a newly to feel she's known these ladies forever. Form your group it will be worth it and you can share the work with the ladies of your group once your get the group started. Good Luck Mia