Guilds all have their own flavour. Some are open, friendly, welcoming and encouraging while others are not. Go and try out your local guild and make up your mind after a few visits. Many guilds have smaller more informal sub groups that may just be the right fit for you (Stitch and Share or Community Quilts). I love my guild and the enouragement and support they provide.

I belong to two locally, plus our state guild. For me its seeing what everyone else is doing, and getting help when I have something that's not working. Plus the programs and classes offered by the guilds is a great place to learn new things. Am signed up for a dying class in January. Should prove interesting.
The guild also has a library so quilting books are always available to check out.
One guild also has a "workday" which is come and bring your own project OR there will be a class of some kind. Usually taught by a member and only costs $5. People take turns bring in some new technique or some cool design to work on.

I belong to a guild but it is so big, over 100 members, and I find them to be unfriendly. They are all divided up into their little sewing groups, a new person doesn't have a chance, especially a shy one. So I rarely go anymore. I like the show and tell and the tips you often get from the program, but I would prefer a small group of sewing buddies, which I hoped to acquire from this group, but didn't happen.

I belong to a Guild with 150 members - it does vary with snow birds. It offers demonstrations, speakers, show and tell, a Quilt Show every two years, etc. Our fee is $25/year. I enjoy going. You meet new quilters and I learn a lot. Two pluses I wouldn't have if I didn't belong.

All guilds are not created equal. If its too "business-like" join, or START a GROUP! - Just the fun without the %$#

I am one of the co-presidents of our local Austin Modern Quilt Guild. It's lots of fun. A small but committed group that meets once a month to share projects, learn new techniques, holiday swaps, etc. Just a lot of laughing, eating cookies and visiting. I'm actually super bummed out right now because I was supposed to be going to tonight's meeting but my oldest woke up with a fever so I can't take her to a sitter tonight :(

I am the President elect of our local guild. We have capped out guild to 50 ladies with a waiting list for members. I love our guild. Our fees are $30 a year but that includes membership to our guild and membership to the TVQA.

We have challenges, provide classes and instruction, go on field trips and shop hops together and we also meet a second time in the month for our Charity Quilt Day. On that day we make quilts for two charities we support.

I think a guild is well worth your time. Making friends who share a common interest is awesome. I've only been quilting for two years and the awesome talented ladies have been so helpful.

I love my guild friends. Two other quilters and I started our guild in January 2000 and we average at least 30 gals per meeting with an overall high membership of 60. We've put on 3 quilt shows in these 10 years and they've received rave reviews. We meet in my church's Fellowship Hall and our quilt shows are held in the church, filling up every room and space in the church. Our craft room sales finance the expenses of the shows and no entrace fees are collected. Our raffle quilts have provided hundreds of funds for local charities. If I hadn't been involved in this guild, I wouldn't have met so many wonderful gals and made such wonderful "quilty" friends, and would never have become the quilter I am. Love the sharing of ideas, techniques, and exposure to do patterns and quilts. Everyone should give a guild a chance and reach out to the quilting community.

Our guild is wonderful! We have about 23 active people. We are always doing something - round robins, challenges, pincushion gift exchange for Christmas, pro bono quilt this year is for the local Lioness group.

The gals are all very nice. We have a show n tell just about every meeting (twice a month) and there is a LOT of extremely great talent here.

Everyone is helpful and shares and willing to help someone solve a problem. We pay $20/year dues. We have a Christmas and End of Year party. Everyone makes food for both and we have excellent cooks among us. Most of all, WE CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.

We don't meet in July and August because we meet at the local High School and it is closed then. I miss it a lot when we are not in session.

I am all for guilds! I just found out about another one on the island which meets on a different day and during the daytime. It closes for the winter and is open through the summer so I am planning on checking that one out. It meets at a Church I love which is another plus.

[quote=plainpat]I also had a bad experience when I was going to join a guild.It was so big, you were on a list & was supposed to join as an opening came up.A friend told me, they chose ppl from the list they were buddies with,that your name would be on there for yrs before you got in, if you ever did.
Not for me.My name describes me very well.I'd like the speakers & show & tell, but the Queen Bee syndrome is alive & well. Would love to have a small group of quilters such as you describe, but don't know other quilters.No prob tho, I'm used to it & gain so much from this board.

I love your attitude and wish you lived close to me. I'd sure get together with you for a small group. Maybe someday all of us on this board could look at where people are from and write to those who might be close to us and start something like a small guild. I've been looking but haven't found anyone close yet but watch out if you are; I'm coming after you, LOL.