Suggestions to make quilt guilds more positive.
04-30-2010, 02:27 PM
#11
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Central PA
Posts: 1,610
Originally Posted by 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.
04-30-2010, 03:33 PM
#12
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Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Greater Los Angeles Area
Posts: 1,903
I'm not in a guild, but can see where your greeters are a great way to make people feel welcome. Since you have such a large group, what if you had specific areas for different skill levels. The "Pros" could float from area to area to offer tips and assistance. You could even have name badges with "Ask me about ...." (paper piecing, cutting tips, etc.) on them so everyone would know what a person's specialty is. Just some thoughts.
04-30-2010, 03:34 PM
#13
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 610
Hold meetings at a time when working folks can go! I can't go to my local guild meetings, because they hold them in the morning on a Wednesday, so only retirees and SAHM's can go.
Be welcoming to younger quilters; it's becoming more popular with younger folks, but I have had older women basically sniff and say that I didn't know what I was doing (maybe I don't, and you could show me, huh?)
Be welcoming to younger quilters; it's becoming more popular with younger folks, but I have had older women basically sniff and say that I didn't know what I was doing (maybe I don't, and you could show me, huh?)
04-30-2010, 04:16 PM
#14
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: IL Quad-cities
Posts: 252
Our guild has a get-together with new members for about 15 - 20 minutes before meetings, usually a member of the board heads this up. We tell about the guild, what is currently going on, and try to answer any questions. This at least gives new members a person to come to with questions or concerns. (At least we used to do this - this changes with each new board, but it's a nice thing to do.)
04-30-2010, 04:18 PM
#15
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Central PA
Posts: 1,610
Originally Posted by PMY in QCA-IL
Our guild has a get-together with new members for about 15 - 20 minutes before meetings, usually a member of the board heads this up. We tell about the guild, what is currently going on, and try to answer any questions. This at least gives new members a person to come to with questions or concerns. (At least we used to do this - this changes with each new board, but it's a nice thing to do.)
04-30-2010, 05:42 PM
#17
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 2,943
It seems like you are on the right track. You are making it easily available, fun, and friendly. Try to get some of the 'regular members' to commit personally to sit with the newcomers and not with their usual clique.
Keep it fun.
Keep it fun.
04-30-2010, 05:44 PM
#18
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Southern Illinois
Posts: 3,672
OK, ok, ok, I am a guild JUNKIE!! I love them, I really do!!! I belong to 4 guilds, am very active in 3, a member of a 7 woman wrecking crew that holds a VERY professional retreat every year.
I do not know what goes on elsewhere, but I invite all new members to sit with me, I am always looking for new members and I am really hard to duck.
Guilds need to find a member who is outgoing and willing to get their behinds out there! No one asked me, but I am "new" here. Only 7 years!
Scoop up those new and potential memebers, wrap them in a loving quilt and get them involved!!! I am tired.
I do not know what goes on elsewhere, but I invite all new members to sit with me, I am always looking for new members and I am really hard to duck.
Guilds need to find a member who is outgoing and willing to get their behinds out there! No one asked me, but I am "new" here. Only 7 years!
Scoop up those new and potential memebers, wrap them in a loving quilt and get them involved!!! I am tired.
04-30-2010, 06:38 PM
#20
Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Posts: 75
Some of us aren`t "joiners". I like to putz around in my garden, stitch, cook and quilt. I have no desire to be in any club or guild. I`ve experienced the humiliation of sitting in on various meetings of all the above, in different states and the results were the same. High falootin experts with regular followers who make the newcomers feel like they don`t belong. I quit attending church for the same reason. I can talk to God, quilt, cook and garden without all the fancypants experts. I get all the news and clues I need via the internet. And for those of you saying "There`s no personal interaction with that", I say EXACTLY. Life is short. Fill it with what makes ya happy, not with what some goofy club thinks would make ya happy, if only you were up to their standards.
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