sewist2000

I was a charter member of one for about 4 years. At first I loved it, but it grew so rapidly and became clique and I no longer felt welcome so I left. I joined another and gave it a year but never felt welcome, so now in the summer I quilt with a group in Delevan, NY. There are 14 of us and it's great. The rest of the year I am in FL and I quilt alone which I would rather do in lieu of a guild.

BellaBoo

The bigger the guild the better. A small guild there are not many to take charge of different projects and activities. My experience in a small guild, the new members get overwhelmed with requests to take an office or be on a committee.

When you go for the first time, don't sit in back and wait for members to come to you. Take a show and tell and when it's your turn, announce your name and tell a little about your quilting experience and what you would like to learn from others. If you encounter an old biddy or two, just smile and think I'm sure glad I'm not her.

Bungie

So much business that it puts pressue on the speaker/teacher and few participate in workshop. The teacher has made much prep and it is very rude.

catpawski

I belong to one quild and have enjoyed it ............early on I was very involved and even became treasurer for 4 years........but the politics just weren't my thing........I now just go and enjoy the speakers and learn something new each and every time....

GailG

While shopping at our new LQS, I overheard a group of ladies saying they were on their way to their guild meeting. While shopping around for fabrics to go with my feature fabric, I asked them for advice. They were very helpful and before I knew it, they were inviting me to join them at the library on the third Saturday of every month. Well, months went by and I thought about going but never did. Then I saw an article in the newspaper annoucing the next guild meeting of this group. Around the same time, I noticed that a member of this board is from our area; I contacted her just to say Hi and she invited me to the next meeting. That was a year ago. I went to the meeting and she met me with a cute little birthday gift. She had seen my profile and saw that the meeting was the day before my birthday.

The guild members are fun to be with. Yes there are "cliques" but I see it as groups of ladies who are good friends and just kinda stick together. I soon met people I used to see around and about the community... the lady who used to cut my fabric (and often gave me good ideas) at WalMart when there was a fabric dept there; ladies I work with years ago; the lady who processed my retirement papers at the school board office, etc. I even met two ladies who are COUSINS of mine. In this area we claim all of our cousins. Even though these ladies are daughters of my dad's second cousin. So I suppose we're our own little clique. I try to participate in the BOM project (I'm behind, but we're have a couple of workshops for those who need to catch up. This is the end of our guild year. We start a new quilt in September.

Besides the Bom project, we do charm swaps, FQ Bingo, and lottery blocks. It's a day I look forward to every month. I don't mix well. I usually arrive early so I don't have to walk into a room full (and I mean full) of people. Now the "cousins" are holding seats for each other....our own little clique. :o)

Edit: Oh my! I didn't mean to be so chatty. I'm very excited about this group. it's fun to be with people who speak the same "language."

Buttons922

I will take the high road and remember what my grandma taught me...."If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.

Good Luck

pumpkinpatchquilter

I have been a member of two guilds in the past, one was more of a bee than a guild though. I have always felt akward in guilds because I was 28 when I went to my first meeting, and have always been the youngest member. I'm 30 now, but I tend to feel like a lot of the ladies don't relate to me because of the age difference. There always seem to be one or two ladies too who are a little condescending and talk to me like I just learned to quilt last week. I suppose that's ok, I am a good quilter but of course I don't know everything, but I have had ladies get up and take my rotary cutter right out of my hand and try to show me how to cut fabric. I think that's rude no matter what your skill level and I don't think those ladies would dare do that to someone their own age...I think they just sort of feel they have a right to treat my that way because I'm younger. I still enjoyed the meetings though for the most part, and they had really good guest speakers. I don't really go anymore because I have three little children at home and it's hard to get a sitter, and also I think my skill level has surpassed the focus of the group a bit. I wish I could just have a couple quilting buddies closer to my age in this area who I could sew with while our kids play though! I went just as much for the friendships as I did for the learning.

jitkaau

I had a similar experience but was invited to join a very nice group which is about an hour away from my town.I enjoy that group very much.Perhaps you will be lucky enough to join in with a nice group as well and quilt in harmony.

olgaflowers

I would so much like to start some type of quilting get together in my home town, but finding a good location,
is always a problem, If I were to have a quilting group,
I would so much make everyone feel so welcome !!!
I believe it's how we make people feel, not everyone has
that ability, but I would treat them like I would like to be treated :) hoping to get a Joanns in Mckinney,
perhaps will be able to meet other quilters :).

edensgaite

When I joined one in my early twenties (married with 3 children,struggling to make ends meet)I overheard a rude comment by a member regarding my financial status and my ability to contribute to the guild. I didnt come back after that.