I have been in many quilt guilds as I have moved around the country and yes, there can be mean girls. But seriously, you are cutting up pieces of fabric and sewing them together again. No need to be unkind. But there are tons of nice people out there.
I buy most of my fabric Online. If you need good hints for good prices just ask.
I would encoirage you to to find a good group. If you have to drive a half hour or hour maybe you could carpool with the other two women.
Another option is is an online group. Facebook has a ton of them and everyone posts pictures of their stuff, encourages and shares tips. Quiltville open studio is a group on Facebook and Bonnie Hunter is getting ready to start a new mystery quilt. Tons of patterns, advice and fun. Last year, there was a quilt along and we did two blocks a week that eighty designers made up. I never would have completed this 5000 piece quilt without the encouragement of my online quilting sisters. My projects this year is farmers wife, and I also have a Dear Jane in progress.
Edited to add, 35,000 people worldwide participated in this quilt along. Now it is a book, the splendid sampler.