the problem is the meetings are on Thurs. during the day and I work full time. I can't take off every Thurs and go to quilt guild, only get 30 min for lunch so I can't use my lunch time. I suppose it would be rude to join pretty much in name only just so I can meet some other quilters and would be able to go to retreats or workshops that are held on the weekends. (You have to have been a guild member to attend and workshops or retreats)??

Since I am still pretty much a quilting virgin, the answer for me will have to be NOT YET!!!!!

There are many guilds which accommodate working members and hold evening or weekend meetings. Look around for different guilds in your area.

Or, find retreats that you can register for without being in a guild. I do not belong to a guild here and there are many retreats and learning situations you can go to without membership. I would be concerned about a group that did not allow non-members to participate in retreats, etc. IMHO.

Would your employer let you shift your time on that day, come in early, take an extended lunch and stay a little later at night??

A friend of mine, added 20 minutes to each day in order to have part of Friday off. The boss did not mind at all.

I joined our local guild and have not gone to any of the meetings, they take place on Thursday evenings and conflict with my daughters cheer practice. The good thing is that I get to participate in a small group that has broken off and have sew ins on Monday nights for guild members in the local area.

Every guild will have its own rules about meeting attendance and how it relates to participation in retreats and special programs. Surely there is a guild somewhere in your neck of the woods that meets at night. Check with your local LQS or fabric store.

I'm second on the waiting list here. Someone (or two) has to drop off their perch before I can get in!!!

Why would you be concerned? In all of the guilds I've belonged to so far retreats and workshops are filled by members first and if there are spaces leftover they're opened to non members. I don't remember any retreat or workshop that wasn't filled by members though. If you're going to do the work of the guild then you deserve to get the benefits of the guild.

I personally don't feel like people that don't put anything in to the guild should benefit from other people's hard work. It takes work to put a retreat or a workshop together. Even just paying your membership each year is a benefit to the guild. Membership dues are what help pay for speakers and workshops.

I would join the guild & help out any way you can, maybe donate door prizes or treats or help out at quilt shows. If you can't attend a lot of meetings, try to attend at least a couple each year so you can participate in retreats, etc. and not be a member in name only. I belong to 2 guilds & a small group and there are lots of members that can't attend the meetings, but they are there to help at our shows. (One guild has over 400 members, and there wouldn't be room if everyone DID show up at the same time!) Perhaps you'll meet others with the same schedule and you can form a small group.

Sherry, I joined our local quilt guild and attended for about a year whenever my job schedule did not interfere. Then my schedule changed and now I cannot go at all. We have one member who has agreed to hold the guild on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month. This works out much better for me. Perhaps you could talk to the guild and ask if they would consider the 2nd and 4th Saturday. We are able to get a lot done. On Saturday it is not run by an officer of the guild, however it is taught by a very experienced quilter. Good Luck