I was a stitcher several years before I joined a needlework guild. I was lucky to have access to a great shop that brought a few teachers for classes every year. I was working full time and was tired at night and on weekends, and I (wrongfully it turned out) decided I didn't really need to go to meetings to learn new needlepoint techniques.
Then someone talked me into joining a couple of local needlework guilds. I signed up for seminars and local classes with national teachers. I discovered a bunch of like-minded, really sweet people. I still remember their genuine horror when I showed up for a seminar and I DIDN'T HAVE A ROOMMATE. Gasp! They fixed that pretty quickly for the next one.
Many of them are still my friends 30+ years later.
It didn't hurt that we went to some interesting cities, stayed in great hotels, ate good food and got to shop at stores I didn't know existed. (Why we love to shop so much is a mystery but who cares, it's fun).
Granted, much of this was before my retirement, which has given me a chance to sign up for classes at shops and retreats that I could never get to when I worked full time. It was also pretty much before the internet brought us cyber classes and online shopping.
Despite these modern innovations I still think guilds bring value to my needlework life. Here are my reasons why every stitcher should consider joining a guild (or two or three):
1. You can learn new techniques without spending a lot of money. Thinking about trying something you've never done and afraid you might not like it? A program, either at a meeting or from free projects available only to guild members, allows you to dip your needle, so to speak, into a new pool. If you don't like it, no big deal - move on to the next thing. If you do, you now have a base on which to make an intelligent selection for a project in that technique.
2. Having trouble with a technique, chart, stitch guide, color, thread or anything else stitching related? There is usually someone, or multiple someones, who can help you. We've all been beginners at some point and there is no charge for help - except that perhaps you could reciprocate in the future.
3. Want to see new things that you didn't know were available? That's what "show and tell" and "social time" at meetings is for. You may end up buying whatever it is but you get a chance to look at it first and get an opinion from the owner.
4. If you are a "stash-aholic," there is comfort in the company of others like you. And perhaps the chance to sell or trade unwanted items among that company.
5. If you like to give back in a more formal way than just showing up, guilds have plenty of volunteer opportunities. There is no requirement to do anything, which makes volunteering a truly voluntary experience. I've learned new skills by volunteering for my guild, like doing (extremely basic) websites and the ins-and-outs of online groups. When I was working this knowledge helped me in my day job.
I encourage you to give your local guilds a try. All it will cost you to attend your first meeting is time and the willingness to meet new people. And you might end up with lifelong friends and new passions - not to mention a bigger stash and some great memories.
