Quiltforme

Mine was not nice at sharing. Or allowing new members in. I love this group because I have learned so much more than any guild could have taught me!

patski

Thank you all. I think I expected too much for the guild I joined. Only meetings, no sewing together or friendship. So I think I'll stop going and enjoy sewing with my girl friends!! Much more fun and I can save the $$ for fabric :)

Hammockhanger

I have been in a few. The bigger the guild the less I liked it. Too small boring. I finally found a medium sized group. We have good speakers, road trips, sew in, etc. I have enjoyed being a part of this group.

quiltinghere

I'm in a guild - about 120 ladies (although actual attendance varies with the weather :) ). Business meeting once a month, show and tell every meeting, sewing days after meetings often, coffee and delicious treats each meeting, 2 parties a year. Speakers, "how to" demonstrations, 'garage sales', and trip coordination.

A small amount of dues is collected at the beginning of the year. All other things are optional.

I'm sure there are individual groups within the guild who get together and do more things on their own.

Have you thought of heading up something new in your guild? Include your girlfriends and a member or two from the guild. The more the merrier.

LindaM

I belong to a guild with about 135 members - even joined the executive (newsletter editor & webmaster).

The executive meets once a month, the main meeting is also once a month, a couple of weeks later.

The main meeting always has a program and show & share - speakers have been wonderful, from Cathy Miller (the singing quilter) to Superior Threads speaker to just 'mixer' activities.

There are subgroups that put together comfort quilts, etc. I haven't been able to join those as they take place during the day.

Our fees are $35 for the year, which I consider to be a very reasonable cost for the chance to learn all kinds of things, to share the guild library and all the fun stuff we do.

There are all kinds in our guild - those with perfect, exquisite work; those with beginner skills who are also cherished; organizers and followers; doers and workers and yes, those who just plain will never be pleased with anything.

I'm having fun with this group!

marymm

I belong to a very large guild--more than 200 people. We meet monthly and often have national speakers, who stay a 2nd day for a workshop. (There is a fee for these.) We support charities, making quilts--and other items-- for sick children, veterans, and abused women. A beginning quilter when I joined, I found amazing encouragement and friendship. Though cliques are inevitable in big groups, almost 10 years later, I still find inspiration, especially in show and tell. For me the best part has been joining two small bees (one with 10 members, the other six.) Maybe others view those as cliques.The ones who gain the most from a guild jump in with both feet and participate. I see a lot of comparisons to this board--the inspiration, the encouragement, the friendships, the tutorials and otherhelp.. Guilds may not be for everyone, but they can be wonderful. Wordy..sorry.

Lynnie25

Ditto. I don't go to either a local group or the State guild anymore because of unfriendly members, secretive members who were willing to share ideas / patterns etc and it had become so 'clicky', I always felt as an intruder. Prefer now to sit at home and sew by myself and of course, I too have learned so much from this Board. Much more welcoming and pleasant.

brushandthimble

I belong to a guild, I am the treasurer. We just Louisa Smith for a trunk show and workshop. A few months ago we had Eleanor Burns sister, she was great! We've also had Carol Doak and others I don't remember names.
We have over 100 members but not everyone show up each month.

Val in IN

I belong to a small group. We limit our group to 20 members. We meet monthly and have a yearly project, show and tell,"problem children" (things that are giving us trouble and we give and get help), demos on techniques or new products, Secret Pals, and of course dessert! twice a year we have a sew day. We are all very close, all of us are at different skill levels and have varied areas of expertise. I joined the group as a beginner (you have to be recommended for membership adn voted on)and I have learned so much. I've gained 20 new friends, I love it. no egos in our group so I think we are very lucky.

tjradj

I do belong to a guild. The meetings are very formal and the attendance is usually around 200 people.
There isn't much camaraderie among new people. The old guard is a pretty tough clique to crack.
I even served on our quilt show committee to try to fit in but all we got was grief from the 'old gals.'
And yes, there are a few with the 'Queen Bee' syndrome.
The reason I still go is because I'm exposed to new things. We often have guest speakers that have a new take on quilting art. Some are absolutely beautiful, and inspiring.
I would not know about a lot of techniques and would not be challenged to try new things if I didn't go to my guild.
NOW, I also belong to another club.
There, we laugh, a lot.
It's a senior's group. But they adopted me, even though I'm not 'legal' as a senior. LOL
We sew. We stitch 'n bitch. And we laugh.. We support each other and we ooh and aah over each other's projects. We even 'do lunch.'
There is no comparison of the two.