If I may??? Do try again to attend a quild meeting. Programs at guild meetings (at least in my experience) can vary wildly from month to month. One month may be a speaker from the guild who has volunteered to share her knowledge/experience or it may be a "professional" who is being paid for their time. Either may or may not be a good public speaker. They may or may not offer something in which you are interested, but you may expand your knowledge of quilting. What I gain from belonging to a guild is not so much the monthly programs as is the connection with people who share my interests. Our guild has several groups who meet separately from the guild with sort of "quilting bees". We have a knitting/crocheting group consisting entirely of guild members who knit/crochet. Some get together for sewing at each other's homes. These groups welcome anyone to join in and foster friendships in ways that the "formal" guild meeting cannot.
In other words, a guild is a great place to connect with and possibly make new friends. I don't know what I would have done or what would have become of me if I had not went to that first guild meeting and returned time and time again. Some groups may be harder to connect with than others, but at least give it more than one try.
The group of women I have connected with are a great source of fun, support, and share my enthusiasm for "all things fabric". They are my friends and I treasure them.
our guild just returned from our annual retreat and those three days were the most fun I have had in a long time.
Just my two cents worth...
Murphy

Aw, I'm sorry I didn't get to meet you! I'm the treasurer (and got re-elected by a landslide last night LOL). If you can make it next month to the holiday party, you will have a chance to meet people and talk with them. It's just a social meeting with the business meeting first.

Marsha's right about the monthly programs. We've had quite a variety of speakers and some are great, some not so much. It may also be that Ellen told us she was going to talk about color then decided to present another lecture. :)

I hope you'll be able to attend the quilt show in Feb! If you volunteer for a couple of hours you get in free for the day.

I won't be at the Dec. meeting, but I should be there in Jan. Maybe I'll get to meet you then!

Donna

Yes! Please give the guild several visits before you pass judgement. I'm sure you will find some friendly folks there and over time mix with quilters who can teach you all kinds of things.

Yes! Do volunteer to work in some capacity at the guild quilt show. And yes! Check out guild committees to join. It's a way to work with other members and make friends in the guild. If you show you are a willing volunteer, you'll make many new BFF!

Teresa

I'm sorry I wasn't there last night! I'm working the election today and we have to be at the polling place at 6am so I didn't do anything last night except get to bed early. Most of the presentations at the guild have been great and fit the descriptions well. I always learn something or am inspired to try something new!

Kate

I think that this was more like initial impressions than final judgement :o) Thanks for the encouragement. I thought the technique that Eileen talked about called double reverse applique looked interesting... I googled it and her web site came up, so I wonder if it's something she invented.

Donna, I saw you, but I didn't know it was you... I should have gone up and said, "Are you msmeow?"

Kate I looked for you since I'd seen your picture before and I saw a woman that I thought looked like you... after the meeting I asked her if she was Kate and she said, "No, but if I was you honey, I'd just do it the easy way and holler KATE!"

I wasn't about to do that! :o)

I have e-mailed someone named Darlene before so asked about her and was told she was in Texas... she's been out of state every time I've e-mailed and now she is again when I show up to the meeting! She told me to ask for her when I got to go to a meeting, but I think she spends more time out of Florida than in it :o)

I was one of the few guys there and seemed to be the only person under 30 there, but I still felt like there was a sense of camaraderie because we were all people who love quilting.

It's about a 50 minute drive for me from work or home and I hate the downtown Orlando traffic and parking and one way streets, but I may again if I don't have to work. :o) I think Second Saturdays would be more interesting than the regular guild meetings, and may try to go to one of those sometime...

There was a group who went on a bus trip to the Houston quilt show, and Dar was one of the hostesses, so she was probably either still there or recuperating from the trip! LOL

I haven't been to one of the Saturday sew days, but really should try it. It's a way to mingle with a smaller group and have some fun sewing, too.

I know what you mean about the traffic! It's a pretty long trip for me, too. The last time I was treasurer the board meetings were the week before the general meetings so we had to go downtown twice. I'm really glad they have them on the same night now!

Donna