pumpkinpatchquilter

I am another younger quilter - 27 when I first joined a guild. I feel for you Jennifer22206!!!

I haven't gone in about a year, I stopped attending because I was in school last year which I've since put on the back burner as we're having a new baby...but I'm returning to the guild tomorrow actually! There are things I liked and disliked about the guild. I was also a member of a small little group too that met at the library, there were only about 4 or 5 other ladies at that meeting who were incredibly nice, but I always had that feeling like I never really fit in. I think a lot of it had to do with my age. As for the bigger guild (of about 100 members) I really like that they hire speakers and teachers to come in which is really exciting. There are a lot of the dreaded "quilt nazi's" there who love to make you feel inferior, and it was REALLY difficult for me at first because I'm kind of a sensitive person. But for every stinker there are ten other really nice ladies who would love to talk quilts with you until your heart's content. I think it's REALLY hard to be a younger quilter...they are far and few between and it can be very challenging to connect with other ladies because either they assume you made a couple baby quilts for your kids and now call yourself a quilter or they lose all sense of manners and tell you how and what to do at every opportunity! Lol* I definitely joined to learn, but the approach counts for a lot too! It doesn't feel good to be treated like a little kid when you're nearly 30. ;) BUT, all that aside, I really do like guilds, I just think it helps to have a thick skin...something I'm working on.

Good luck with your new guild - oh and show and tells were always fun and I really like when they have the guild members volunteer to teach techniques that they've learned! It's nice because you are really less afraid to ask questions and kind of think to yourself, "well if she can do it, so can I!"

kanakama

I belong to a guild of about 25 members. Our main focus is to make quilts for charity. We meet once a month and have day-long workshops 2 or 3 times a year. We go on a weekend retreat once a year on Cape Cod, have a summer picnic and Christmas party, and show and tell at every meeting. Every other year we collectively make a quilt which we raffle off and donate half the money to local charities and the other half to purchase more fabric to make more quilts. Twice a year we drive to Marden's in Sanford, ME to buy fabric (good selection, prices can't be beat). We do BOM's (2 at a time). One of the finished quilts is donated to the guild and the other we can keep for ourselves. It's a small guild, but active and we have built strong friendships over the years. We do accept new members, but don't want to get too big. I love my guild.

fireworkslover

I've belonged to a guild for a year. We have speakers just about every meeting. Some have peaked my interest, some not, but that's OK. There's about 140 membership, but of course not all come for a meeting. There's usually around 75 - 100. There are also some small groups. I joined one this month. It's a contemporary group, so will push my buttons to get the creative juices flowing and try some new things. There's a challenge theme for each month and it's optional whether you make a quilt or not. These are not expected to be large. Postcard to 12" X 24" or whatever you can finish in a month. I know I'll be making a bunch of new friends with this smaller group.

I Herd Ewe

I love my quilt guild! We have about 25 members and every one of them is willing to share their knowlege and help the others in the guild. I have learned more about quilting in the couple years since I found my guild than the 20 years previous to the guild.

We meet once a month for a sew in (basically 9am to 4 pm but we can stay longer if we want to). Everyone brings a current project to work on. I love to stroll around the room to check out what everyone else is doing. I love working on my own projects while listening to the happy voices conversing around the room. A favorite time is when someone is laying out their blocks for a quilt--then everyone gathers around to watch and offer suggestions. If you every have a sewing problem, this is the place to bring it--someone will know the answer.

Some come only for the refreshments and the business meeting which lasts about 1 1/2 hours in the afternoon. We hold 4 3-day retreats a year, do a quilt show with another quild each year, make a quilt for charity every other year and have various other activities that need to be planned. Every meeting ends with "tips and techniques" where members share short bits of information and then of course, everyone's favorite, "show and tell" where we get to admire the quilts members completed that month.

We do lots more stuff but this gives the main activities of this wonderful guild.

Donna

moreland

The very favorite part of our guild meetings is "Show and Tell" Our members are really good to share their work and it is so much fun to see what everyone is doing (and to hear the Oh's and Ah's when it is your quilt that is being shown).
The second favorite part for me is the workshops we have several times a year. I learn new things and have gotten acquainted with a lot of the women that way. My guild is a large group and I do NOT interact with the members except at the guild functions. We also have a lot of small groups within the guild where folks meet regularly to quilt together.

Minnisewta

We started out as a quilt group but have ended up as friends. I call them my quilting friends.

drella123

If it wasn't for my guild I would have a Frenc Braid quilt top that was a complete diaster. They helped me fix it. I have also become good friends with of 3 of the most awesome women who I can truly call my friends

Baloonatic

An 18-year-old has joined my guild and my Friendship group. She is sweet, friendly, and OH so talented! She puts many of the older quilters to shame

Janet Espeleta

The guilds that I have enjoyed belonging to the most have had great outside speakers. Unfortunately I think a lot of guilds have cut back on that due to the economy and the hassle of dealing with airlines, etc. Also, I prefer a guild that allows everyone the chance to volunteer. I was given the opportunity to volunteer a lot with my 1st guild and enjoyed every minute of it. I not only got to know a lot of the other members by doing that, I learned a lot about how to run an organization. Unfortunately a lot of guilds have at least 1 person who tries to control everything and if you don't do things her way, forget it! With my 1st guild we also had bees & there are no words that can describe how much I miss the bee I belonged to then.

craftymatt2

I think the smaller a group is the better it is. Ones I have been in sometimes the people would get caddy, or they already knew people coming in and there was no room for outsiders.