Jordan St. James is one of the three quilt designers on the True Colours Quilt Along block selection team. Learn more about the quilt along and join the fun here.
“Make what makes you happy,” says Jordan’s website. “Just cut fabric and sew it back together.”
This provides some insight into how Jordan got his started with quilting…he just started quilting. He used his sister’s sewing machine. That was in 2021, and he says he hasn’t stopped since.
Please Like Me…,: Take a close look. The 12 rose blocks—“each one a testament to the thrill of first love—on this wall hanging are joined by zippers. “Adorned with an astonishing array of over 10,000 hand-laid crystals, it shimmers with the excitement and sparkle of newfound passion.”
Jordan’s work is bold and colourful, and doesn’t follow any rules. “I didn’t understand that there were so many rules in quilting, so I didn’t follow them,” he says. “I made up my own rules and somehow it worked.”
His work is inspired by pop art, movies, theatre, costumes, and musicals.
“An idea will come to me, such as ‘I want to make a quilt inspired by the dress that the baker’s wife wears in Into the Woods’, and then I try to create a piece that would exist in that fantasy universe.”
I don’t remember growing older: “Inspired by the rhythmic pulse of Sunrise, Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof, it dances through the hours of a week with flair.”
Jordan likes collages and being inventive. “If I have seen it done before, I most probably won’t want to do it,” he explains.
“I just cut and sew and hope for the best. It’s quite liberating.”
His quilts often have a theme or message for people. “I want to make people smile,” he says. “Make them uncomfortable. Just make them stop and think.”
Sinners and Saints, 21” x 15”. “Vibrant colours and meticulous stitching weave together a provocative narrative, challenging conventions and celebrating diversity. This piece is a testament to the power of art to provoke thought, spark conversation, and embrace the full spectrum of human expression.”
Jordan is challenged by “too many ideas, too little time.” He says that as he’s making one piece, he’s planning six others.
To see more of Jordan’s work, visit www.quiltsbyjordan.com, where you can also purchase some of his recent pieces. He also makes custom quilts by commission, using new fabric, or textiles that you already have and are meaningful to you.
CQA/ACC is grateful to Jordan for serving on the committee that chose the final 12 block designs for the True Colours Quilt Along. His insights are very helpful, and he’s excited about making several of the blocks himself. We can’t wait to see what he does with them!
