I had a very bad experience with a guild. I'd like to find a different one, but now i'm shy about giving it another try. Once bitten . . .

I belong to a guild that was church founded (not my faith). I am frequently impressed by the charitable attitude and true caring these ladies show for each other and others in the community.

I belong to a Bee and a Guild.
In the Bee, we all become fast friends. Helping each other with a technique, color choice, and lots of encouragement to beginner quilters, etc.. We make charity quilts for the sick, exchange books for reading and then give them to a nursing home, make 2 quilts a year to raffle for our church, have pot lucks at birthday times, a yearly retreat etc.
In the Guild, we have excellent classes, do charity quilts, have show and tell, block of the month, sell used quilting books, bi-yearly retreats, and a quilt show every year. It is hard to make friends in the group. They do say 'hello" and then go join their friends. I do volunteer, but have to admit, if it wasn't for the great classes at reasonable prices, I would not belong.

I wish you the very best for your new guild. I am the member of one guild and would probably be a serial guild attender if I didn't still have a child in school and there were more daytime guild meetings available. My guild added a daytime meeting a little over a year ago and that has worked out beautifully for me. With the daytime guild I have made it a point to try and greet everyone, learn their names and ask them to do something. There is always a general need for help on various chairs or committees, but asking someone directly seems to be a better approach.

Games: Our evening guild plays Quilto once a year and our daytime plays sewing box scavenger hunt once a year.

Challenges: The ones with a "carrot" of fabric seem to be the best participated in. Secondly, a meaningful topic idea also seem to generate many participants.

Silent Bid or Montly Mini Fundraising: Small quilted or quilty item valued at $15 or more.

Show and Tell: Of course! This is what many come for. We actually moved this before the speaker so it didn't get pushed to the bitter/late end of meetings.

Try: Make and takes, something that can be made in less than 45 minutes. Skills Rounds, have three different people demonstrate a skill or differing versions of a skill and then rotate groups every 20 minutes. Try a fun way of mixing the audience before you start to allow the opportunity to meet new people.

Their loss!!! you're better off here with those who appreciate you, regardless of age! This is a great group and from all over the world!

Our guild is very active in Charity quilts. We do one for ourselves every two years, this year we did one for the local Native american Rancheria to raffle off, we make cuddle quilts for the hospital, we do quilts for the safe house for battered women. These things are important to me, and we have classes, and challenges and all sorts of fun things. There is always one group that is catty, but they have kind of been sent off to one corner by themselves to be ignored, but I have made a lot of friends there, and met a lot of wonderful ladies that love to quilt for a purpose

My guild is large, 175, w about 75 at meetings. We get one or two national speakers a year, host two retreats a year, do BOM, a holiday block exchange where names are drawn at the party to win 9 or 12 blocks depending on how many people participate. Everytwo years we put on a quilt show and make a quilt to raffle to help defray costs. We meet at a Methodist Church so we cannot do this but another local group does - they raffle off 3-5 half yard cuts of fabric - one ticket for $1 or 6 for $5. Nice way to get a little money to do things with.

In both of the Guilds I belong to I enjoy the selflessness of the members. There are many different personalities and economic levels but we/they all share a willingness to help in any way needed. We live in an area where quilters abound and have lots of fun and projects.Some single Guilds, some combined. And there are some very good cooks in both groups. We always enjoy the treats. We learn a lot and share with each other.Do try a group and enjoy the members.

Ditto. our group is like this and I love it.
We are all very supportive of one another.

The best thing is the show and tell, and the people are not secretive about explaining the techniques. However, the true reason that I go regularly is that everyone is extremely nice and welcoming, with no nastiness or freezing - out behaviour. it is stimulating to go there.