I've only attended a small handful of classes so far but I've enjoyed them. Some have been very work-oriented but some were more social; I've enjoyed both formats. I've been to a couple from my guild that were long (4+ hours) and towards the end of those I'm often in the mood to pack it in and go home but I know several of the ladies stayed a long time afterwards, working and chatting. I have old car accident injuries so my neck & shoulders need a break after 4 hours!

I seem to do okay talking while I'm working as long as I've got my things laid out properly. I'm not likely to cut myself or have bad workmanship, but I am likely to cut the wrong size piece out of the wrong fabric or sew the wrong two blocks together if I'm being too chatty. So I prep with post-it notes for each stack of fabric so I don't mix myself up as I talk. I'm a chatty person so I like that part of classes.

I'm still sort of a "newbie" but I've been made very welcome at every class and event I've gone to, guild-related or not. I was really nervous about joining the guild but it's been wonderful! I've learned a few things, seen some gorgeous quilts, and made some new friends. :)

Yes, it's very distracting to sew in a group. It seems like I always "get" to sit by the ones who need help, and they never ask the instructor. I'm so helpful, that I miss some of the next steps, because I'm helping the other person....:eek:

I have a quilting group that meets monthly for lunch, we have been meeting for 25 years now, I do bring some hand work for the lunches sometime as we really spend most of the time at the lunch table. We also go to a retreat about 5 times a year, I do produce an enormous amount of work during that time as we practically work from morning till night with some interruption for fabric shopping, restaurant breaks etc.

I absolutely can relate. Dealing with this currently. Neighborhood quilters would like to start in home group to just quilt and chat. My problem is I don't always have a project going and also don't normally do small project to take along. Hmmmmm what to do and not hurt anyone's feelings. I like you need few to no distractions to work well.

I feel the same way....sometimes I feel I'm not catching on to a technique as fast as others

It is so nice to know I am not alone! I belong to a quilting group at our church, which meets on Tuesdays. I used to go and sew there, but then it wasn't worth the effort of hauling my stuff up tot he church, unloading, setting up, etc. to sew for a couple of hours. And I really didn't accomplish much there because of all the chit chat and that. I love my quilting friends, but find I like sewing at home better because I can sew and get laundry done or dinner ready instead of sewing at church and obsessing over what I need to do at home.

And here I thought I was an oddball! I get so much more done sewing by myself in my own environment. I love the peace and quiet when sewing by myself. I don't care to take classes. One of my "friends" tells me that I'm pretty much anti-social. Don'tcha love "friends"!!!

Jennie and Me--you are certainly not an oddball because I can so relate to getting more sewing done by myself and in my own environment too. I may be a little anti-social but I have been to more than one class where the fastest one in the class made me feel too rushed and then frustrated because I am not a fast sewer. When this happens I just don't want to play anymore. I have also been in classes when the "fast" person finished the class was basically over. I do love the tutorials and youtube videos available as I can go back as many times as necessary to get a technique more clearly explained/shown.

I don't usually take classes at the LQS because they have the same instructors most that work in the store and don't know much more than me except for jackets which I don't have any interest in. Though I like BOM just to get out. Now that I retired I can go Bee University and Bee Creative once a month only costs $5 each at the LQS.I dont know many people there but they are fun to be with. I was going to start going to open sew Mondays which is fun and friendly but new bible study at a friends house Monday evenings which I go to with my hubby.

I relate exactly. I love to see everyone, but I prefer to work in my own sewing room.