Laura Kate

Another Friday Finish – update

Posted on April 28, 2023May 7, 2023 by Laura Kate

After receiving this photograph yesterday, I simply had to update my post.

It has been a delight to make this charming sweater for my grand-daughter. Lu chose her yarn very well. It’s the variegated one spun from merino wool and dyed by an indie dyer. Its quality shines through in the finished garment.

Here is a link to my earlier post where I wrote about the pattern.

https://wordpress.com/post/dailyfiberfun.wordpress.com/6380

It was very well written, no errors found. I made a few adjustments to accommodate a lighter weight yarn and adjust the measurements to fit my giftee. This sweater is sized halfway between the size 4 and 6, per pattern instructions. I also chose to make the neckline and button bands wider. It took just about all of 3 balls of 100 gram dk weight yarn. – I’d guess 650 yards.

I had a lot of fun experimenting with a gradual color change as I knit up the sleeves from the cuff. Once I got a color sequence that pleased me, I repeated it on the sweater body.

Even setting in the sleeves went great. I was telling Bill that this sweater ended up so well I should retire from sweater knitting – like an athlete who desires to quit at the top of her game.

Naw, I’m not gonna do that. It would be a shame to disappoint the fans. ; )

drawing, painting

100 Day Project: Days 22 to 26

Posted on April 17, 2023 by Laura Kate

It seems that I’m drawing and/or painting just about every day, but not finishing very much. In the interest of keeping my progress on this project going, I’m posting some works that may not be quite done.

As usual, Bill’s photographs are wonderful. I chose two that focus on springtime, one vacation photo and an outdoor snapshot of the grand kids.

Day 22: Daffodil “Geranium.

This is an early morning shot. Besides the freshness and beauty of the flower trio, I am also attracted to the backlighting and the colors that lie in the shadows.

Day 23: An alley in Assisi.

I chose to make a pencil sketch. My main goal was to render the perspective accurately. After a few hours of work, I stopped with only contour lines in place – no attempt was made to capture values.

Oh, I did add a little figure to the picture, at its focal point. He is wearing a cloak and carrying a staff. Perhaps he is the saint himself?

Day 24 – 25: The grands at Olbrich Botanical Gardens in November.

This photograph totally captivated me, to the point that I’m intimidated to paint it. This week I got started.

UNFINISHED. I transferred the figures, laid down the first washes and one layer of second wash. I like where I’m going but feel the need to develop the painting slowly.

Day 26: Molting goldfinch

This little guy is transitioning to his summer plumage. Bill truly captured the moment.

I chose to make a sketchbook page, adding to the bird a few sprigs of plants that I gathered up from the back yard and brought into my studio. It’s a style I learned from Jean MacKay.

To learn more about Jean, check out her blog:

https://wordpress.com/read/feeds/20723534

See you next time!

knitting

WIP: Child Sweater

Posted on April 13, 2023 by Laura Kate

It’s been awhile since I showed my progress on a sweater for Lu. In my last post, I shared the fun experience of watching Lu select a skein of yarn.

With her selection in mind, I chose this pattern, available from http://www.redheartco/uk.

Since this last post, I ordered two additional skeins of Elysian yarn in the colorway Ultraviolet. The three I purchased in St Louis didn’t provide enough yardage. Also, I needed a dark shade to balance out the tones of the variegated yarn.

I started by knitting the sleeves. This allows me to test out my color plan.

Encouraged by the way the gradation worked out, I cast on the body of the sweater and knit up to the body/sleeve split.

The project is on pause while I await some measurements of the giftee. But I am pleased so far.

Here is a link to this (very easy) pattern.

Click to access LW3852EN.pdf

painting

100-Day Project: Days 18 to 21

Posted on April 6, 2023 by Laura Kate

My selection today is all watercolor, of varying qualities.

Day 18: Amanda’s Shawl

This week I slipped in a photograph taken by me. Last August I had started painting a close-up version in watercolor. The painting has been in time-out for several months. This week I finished it.

The theme is texture, and I’m fairly happy with most of what I did. I’d like to try again using a larger piece of paper and the full view.

Day 19:

Again, I was drawn to the texture, and the points of the barbed wire which look almost white to me.

I didn’t achieve a good range of value. I plan to try again, maybe in a monotone, so I can focus the value contrasts.

Day 20: Sharp-shinned hawk.

Yesterday was First Wednesday Open Studio at the arts center. Cheryl Bryan’s lesson focused on lost and found edges. I chose this photograph because the hawk’s coloration allows it to blend in with its environment. And there are cool shadows.

The lesson started with creating a three-color background in a random fashion. After it dried, we determined the subject’s position in the background and penciled it in lightly. In addition to making a lost and found edge at the bird’s wing and tail, I also practiced negative painting around the right edge and the talons. I enjoyed it and the work went quickly.

Day 21: Sonoma view

Bill took this photo from the upper deck of his brother’s house in Petaluma, CA. It could almost be a view of Oklahoma last week, when, pushed by high winds, fire raged barely five miles from our home.

I brightened up the foreground to see what exactly made up all those plants. Using three different mixes of green and some yellow ochre, I just played around with shapes until it looked done.

The first painting is 8 by 8. The other three are postcard sized. All were painted on Arches cold press paper.

drawing

Sunday Sketching – Live Model

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Laura Kate

Yesterday I had my second opportunity to sketch from a live model. And what an interesting model he was.

Nate arrived somewhat breathless, resplendently dressed in Victorian garb from head to toe: black cloak lined in plum wool, waistcoat with satin lapels, brocade vest and ascot scarf around his neck.

The poses were held for fifteen minutes, with breaks in between each stretch. I sketched this first one fairly quickly in pencil, adding just enough detail to give the right impression.

Later in the session I focused on his face.