Minda

It seems like we have a lot of members who have had unhappy experiences with a quilt guild, so I thought maybe some of us who belong to groups could make suggestions on how to make new people feel welcome.

(First, though, for the person looking to join a guild, be sure that it is a teaching guild that welcomes beginners. Some guilds work on projects that only experienced quilters can participate in, and their programs are not geared toward teaching. Ask the clerks at your local quilt shops about local guilds and who to notify to ask questions.)

I'm the Program Coordinator for the group I belong to. We are not an official "guild" so we don't have to conduct our business meetings at the group meetings. We have the business meeting on a different day, but all members are welcome to attend and participate. I'm happy to say that we are a teaching group. We have approximately 80 members and we welcome beginners who want to learn to quilt. We also offer workshops for beginners that are taught be our more experienced members.

We have a Sunshine Lady who greets everyone at the door. Before the meeting begins, she walks around and chats with all visitors and new members. If you have a large group, maybe 2 Sunshine Ladies would be appropriate. She also sends out cards to members who are ill or having an operation. If a member (new or old) misses 2 meetings, she calls to invite the person back (which gives the member a chance to say if there is a problem).

We also ask board members to sit at different tables each month, so that no one ever sits alone.

At the start of each meeting, we ask visitors to introduce themselves and tell us about themselves. We also ask them about their quilting experiences.

We welcome ALL show and tell. There is always something to compliment about every piece of work. We never offer criticism unless someone asks what they are doing wrong and wants suggestions on how to fix it.

I hope to see some more positive ideas that my guild, as well as other guilds, may be able to use at our meetings. :thumbup: :D

amma

It is nice to have a topic created that lends a positive light towards guilds. I wish that I lived closer to you!!!:D:D:D

cminor

I would love to join any type of quiling group. I just don't know where to find one. Any suggestions?

LaurieE

cminor - check with your LQS (local quilt shop), they usually know where meetings are.

seamstome

Sitting at different places is a great idea.

One idea would be to assign an "ambassador" to each new member. Sombody who is outgoing and active. Match up types of quilters. Then the ambassador could help the new member through the first year, making introductions, explaining procedures, encouraging the new member.

In other organizations I am in, as a member, you have to pay a minimal fine ($.25) if you DONT introduce yourself to the guest during the social times before and at the break before the presenter. This works in smaller groups of 20-25 people, maybe not 80.

ckcowl

my negative experiences have been:
although a very large group...very 'clique-ie' if you aren't part of the original group (or one of their...protoge's) you are not hardly acknowledged...at show and tell these people always set up front...and if you are not part of their (group) they totally ignore you and talk rudely to each other while you are trying to show your accomplishment...then if the next person is one of theirs they get quiet and ooh & ahhhh...
although i have been quilting for quite awhile and belong to 2 different sewing/quilting groups who also take part in the guild i was never treated as if i belonged walking through their 'sacred doors' so i decided to no longer waste my money on their dues or waste my time showing up to be treated poorly...i can accomplish all of the same things, swaps, donation projects ect here on the forum and with the small groups where i do belong.

Kitsie

This is all the "guild" I need! Talk about friendly and welcoming as well as teaching - and I don't even have to put my teeth in!

I'm so sorry about others' experiences. And its so unnecessary to be nasty and stuck-up. They must forget they were newbies once. *sigh*

macgma2001

wow, talk about been there, done that bought the t-shirt in the face!!! i have tried to break into a guild in my area for the past two years and i've just about given up. you guys have really nailed it-sitting in the front row, no one talking to the new people, cliques. wow. one of my dear friends was an officer and invited me to join her guild, they had their show and i had a quilt i;d hand made and hand quilted - took 2 yrs to make it, they announced at a meeting they didn't have enough quilts to make the show and to bring them to so & so's house by the deadline, but failed to announce the "paperwork" deadline the week before, so i show up with the quilt and was tossed out with a what are we supposed to do with this, there's no paperwork. OH MY GOSH how my supposed to know!!!! no big sisters in this group, you're just supposed to know stuff. i just took my toys and went home and stayed away. now they are crying for members, i went back but its not better much nicer a place, but i'm moving soon, so i'll just kinda look at the pretty quilts during show and tell and go quietly home.

ann clare

Minda, Thank you for this post. We have the power to change a negative into a positive. I am in a quilt group not guild. It is made up of 20 women from ages 50 years to 80 years plus. We have no formal meeting. We meet on Mondays from 10.30am to 1.00pm. We pin quilts, help with patterns and share ideas. We all look forward to Mondays. We close in June and reopen in September. We are on the go for 16 years now.

Minda

Let's try and keep everything on this thread positive with positive suggestions. There are many, many threads started already to post negative thoughts about quilt groups. I'm hoping this thread will help people involved with guilds be able to post suggestions on how they make new members feel welcome.