Today we’d like to introduce you to Octavia Pitts, president of the St. Louis Modern Quilt Guild.
Hi Octavia Pitts, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
We are the official St. Louis chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild (STLMQG), which was founded July 20, 2010, by Kristy Daum. The guild was born out of a desire to connect with other quilters and sewists from around the area who have an interest in the modern aesthetic. Since then, we have grown to over 200 members and celebrated our 15th anniversary this summer.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our guild was able to remain functioning through the pandemic with a quick pivot to zoom meetings. Not only did this keep us connected, but the format was enticing for new members too and our membership grew as a result. Sometimes teaching our members “what is modern quilting?” can be challenging because it is abstract . To me, modern quilting is easier to understand as a language rather than a definition.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Our guild focuses on educating our members about quilting through the tenets of the modern aesthetic such as bold, graphic use of color, negative space, maximalism, asymmetry, etc. We offer regular monthly programming and bring in guest speakers to keep things fresh. Biannually, we host a quilt show to showcase the diligent work of our membership and highlight what modern quilting is all about. Our next show will be March 14-15, 2026 at Queeny Park. Several of our members have also had their quilts shown at the Modern Quilt Guild’s yearly main event, QuiltCon.
What matters most to you? Why?
Beyond educating members about modern quilting techniques, sharing our community with others is a regular priority. We collaborate with a local charity every year and have donated quilts, pillows, totes, wheelchair covers or whatever they specifically request. We have also done supply drives and many of our members volunteer their time and expertise at City Sewing room. We also try to spread the word about other St. Louis organizations we think our members might benefit from.
Pricing:
- Dues $40/year for 2026
Contact Info:
- Website: https://stlmqg.org
