Kristin La Flamme » Gallery: Older Work

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	Gallery: Other Work
	War Sucks 2009 83 1/2" x 53" Fractured, raw, messy and dark, war sucks no matter where it is or which side you are on. I used stencilled, splattered, scribbled, new commercial, re-purposed, discharged, uniform, and dyed fabrics. The fabrics were worked and layered both before and after piecing them. The quilt is backed with an old woolen-blend army blanket and I left the edges open and stuffed them with fabrics and yarns that could allude to bandages and guts. The intent is more gruesome than the look, but it works for me. The overall quilting is intersecting straight lines that could be tracer fire or bullet trajectories. Collection of the artist.
	California Special 2006 25” x 31” I started this quilt as a sampler for a class on simple embroidery for embellishing quilts. I finally finished it for charity auction benefitting a California family. I thought the imagery was appropriate for the cause, and the quilt did indeed help the auction organizers exceed their goals. It is constructiod of commercial cottons, a vintage flour sack and two images stamped from a hand carved linoleum block. It is machine quilted and, in places, densely hand embroidered. The batting is cotton/poly. Private Collection
	Seaweed? 2005 26 1/2 x 26 1/2” Recently I have been dabbling at marbling fabrics. I think this appeals to me because of my background as a graphic designer and my affinity for books. To me, marbling and bookbinding go hand in hand. One particular piece of fabric spoke to me and called out for embellishment in the form of something organic like a nymph’s eye view of low woodland plants or a magical bed of seaweed. I stuffed areas of the fabric that looked like knotholes in wood and then encrusted them with embroidery in pearl cotton, floss, metallic ribbon and wool. I also couched wool and eyelash fibers to emphasize the flow of the pattern. To take it over the top (for me at least), I added a variety of beads. This is my first quilt that just IS. It is almost purely abstract and has no pretenses of ever laying on a bed or lap. It is also my first quilt with no binding. I have to thank Melody Johnson and her informative blog for introducing me to her “escape hatch finish.” I think it was perfect for my intentionally wavy border. The quilt is made of commercial and hand dyed and marbled cottons. The batting is polyester. It is machine pieced and hand quilted, not to mention plenty of hand embroidery and beading. Private Collection. Juried into 2006 Road to California, and 2006 Quilts for Change Shows
	Katja's Owlz 2005 32" x 45 1/2" "Katja's Owlz" is based on a drawing of an owl family by my four-year old daughter. It is also the first completely fused quilt I have made. The top is all silk fabrics, some of which I painted and marbled myself, some are hand dyed by Melody Johnson and Sigrid Pöschle. It is machine quilted and hand embellished with a variety of silk, rayon and cotton threads. The eyes are abalone buttons. The batting and backing are 100% cotton. Collection of the artist. Juried into AQS Nashville show 2006.
	Abby 2005 49 1/4” x 37 1/2” Abby was my in-laws’ wonderful Great Pyrenees. Not long after my father-in-law died from Alzheimer’s disease, Abby died as well. I made this quilted portrait to memorialize both of them, and presented it to my sister-in-law Betsy on her birthday as Abby held a special place in her heart. The fabrics are mostly commercial cottons, with a little organza to unify the dog’s body, and lush velvet for her nose. The batting is 100% cotton. The collage technique was inspired by Susan Carlson’s “Freestyle Piecing” book. The quilt is machine quilted. Private Collection. “Abby” won third place in the 27th annual Marin Quilt and Needle Arts Show in the small, realistic, art quilts category (2005).