I'm so glad you found a guild - hope it leads to some kindred spirit friendships!

That is great Annie!!!!!
We are trying to start one in our small town, hopefully we will be able to get one started. We have about 12 so far showing interest. It is a busy time for everyone so the going is slow.
How many are in the guild? They are referring to this one as a 'quilting club' LOL.
Rosa

I'm happy for you, Annie! It's so nice to have like minded people to share a hobby--makes it all twice as fun.

Rosa--there were 32 members there last night and that was definitely not the entire membership, so it's a good-sized group. 12 is a good number for a new guild, I think. Enough that you can meet in someone's home for the time being, if you wish, large enough that you can do some community service projects. I can't encourage you all enough to move forward with your group.

I'm not much of a joiner but did finally join the local guild which is large. And, now I'm so glad I did. There are over 100 members at meetings and they have a big show every other year. They raise enough money in memberships and show to fund some wonderful speakers and workshops. But, the best part is that they spin off small "friendship" groups and I am in one with only five ladies, all terrific. So, being the anonymous one among 100 doesn't really count, it's the small friendly ones you really get to know well. We sometimes don't even bring sewing to our get togethers, just eat and talk for four hours. It's a good time to sew on a binding or something.

Thank you ladies for the encouragement!!!!
I was afraid that we would not be 'big' enough to really do anything.
But, I can see where a smaller group might make some more comfortable. At least we can't complain about the driving time LOL.
Rosa

Rosa, go for it... and you don't have to call it a guild to start with. It can just be a very informal group of gals getting together to quilt/sew whatever. You might still take on a community project suited to your small group... making small quilts (40 x 40 for example so you don't have to piece the back :-)))) to give to the police in your town to give to a child who is "taken from the home" for some reason, or the small baby quilts for the hospital neo-natal unit (we let the nurses decide which moms really NEED to have something pretty and special to take baby home in), or scraps into pillow cases (or "baggies") for the local no-kill animal shelter to go home with a new adoptee, etc. These are all small projects that mean a lot and can be done on your own schedule without "promising" something that's way too much for your group. If there's enough interest in the future, a guild can always be formed.

I'm glad you found a nice guild in Galveston and that they are a nice group. When we lived in Texas I always loved going to Galveston, we used to camp near the beach.

Rosa, it is exciting to be in on the ground floor of a new guild. There are a lot of things a group of 12 can do, and I'm sure once people see your projects the group will grow.

beverly

Beverly--Galveston is an interesting town, but we've met some really great people and I do like it here. Feeling homesick this week as we aren't going to be able to go home for Thanksgiving, but I'm going to spend the week knitting and sewing Christmas gifts and my DH is going deer hunting for a couple of days so I'll be able to work long into the night without guilt. 8^) It'll be my own personal retreat righ in my own home. I'm going to make a big pot of chicken/wild rice soup and get some wine and chocolate and have a ball.

I spoke with a lady last night about starting a guild and it doesn't look promising. YET!!!
She is meeting with a group at a church that wants to learn to quilt. I know the ladies and none of them have even basic skills, half don't have sewing machines and at their position in life I don't see them buying one.
When we met before (same group)making prayer shawls I was told we were making them for the community, not only the members of the church. I was deceived so now I make and give them out to the various community services myself.
Some of the members told me that the quilts were going to the 3 nursing homes locally.
Last night the lady said you are misinformed, mine are only for the church members. At least she was honest!
So I explained very nicely to her that I am not a member of that church and I am for the community.
The church I attended in Orlando had members from all different walks of life and I liked that.
Here the churches are all segregated by choice so that is the main reason I want a community project.
I have not given up, we are building a new community center and I know there are other quilters in this area. When we meet there it will make quilters of other religions feel more comfortable to join in.
At the present time the lady wants me to teach her to quilt, so I said OK.
As the saying goes, 'Rome wasn't build in a day' LOL!
Rosa

Damascusannie-

YOU make the soup & I'LL bring the wine & chocolate!! Sounds like a perfect couple of days to me! Your own mini-retreat.
Seriously, enjoy every minute. And know that there are a few of us out here green with envy!

~Cindy

Thanks, Cindy--I will. I love my husband, but two or three days of uninterrupted sewing sounds like a little piece of heaven to me!

"Annie"... me too. I'll bring salad... not lo-cal since this is a splurge :^0)))))) but something that can be used for a meal between the wine (well, maybe during the next glass of wine...LOL) and the chocolate.

My best friend here lived in Galveston (Tiki Island) for some years and she's always talking about how the Galveston Guild was such a fun and active guild (at least at that time). And you get to shop and take classes at The Painted Pony... how lucky you are!!!!!