Architectural Collection

New Architectural Designs photo page

| Valerie Baber Designs
Architectural Designs by Valerie Baber

Added a new photo page on my Blog with various pictures of my Architectural adventures over the years with fibre. I had the honour of designing for various galleries which often included my architectural pieces some shown here. My love for architecture began while taking Interior Design. Since then it has been a passion for me to create designs with knitting and crochet that are inspired by the amazing artists, designers, architects and all the people involved in making such extraordinary buildings of the past. This is a small sample of the many designs I have created with an architectural theme. You can link to the page below that shows more of my architectural designs.

Architectural Designs – Valerie Baber Designs

I hope to pattern some of these designs and other crochet patterns with an architectural essence this year. A wonderful customer has recently sent me various photos of beautiful cathedrals etc. in France and I am looking forward to using them for a new architectural inspiration and creating a new crochet pattern from these wonderful photos. Thank you Marie for sending them to me. I really appreciate it! It is great having photos from your travels instead of relying on the internet. Here are a few of the inspiring photos below:

One day I hope to travel to France and other European locations. Fun fact: We do have a small piece of France on the East Coast of Canada! It is a French Territory. You can read more on these links below.

St Pierre & Miquelon – Current French Territories In North America – WorldAtlas

Top Tips for a Visit to Saint-Pierre and Miquelon – Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (newfoundlandlabrador.com)

Enjoy the inspiration in your life today. You never know where it will come from. Perhaps someone who lives in another country will help direct you in your newest adventure like my renewed inspiration to design architectural crochet pieces because a customer was so kind to share their travel photos with me. I can’t wait to begin designing with these photos and other architectural features from buildings of the past.

Various crochet patterns by Valerie Baber Designs are available at: 

Etsy store: www.valeriebaberdesigns.etsy.com or Ravelry www.ravelry.com/designers/valerie-baber

Follow me on my Instagram, Twitter and here on my Blog for the newest patterns, free patterns, weaving adventure, crochet journey and other fiber related items. 

Have a fibertastic day!

Stained Glass Window Scarf – Gothic Architecture Inspiration

| Valerie Baber Designs

stained glass scarf large window scarf9stained glass scarf large window scarf

Stained Glass Window Scarf is based on the Stained Glass Windows of past Architecture with a trim reminiscent of Gothic Style Architecture. As I continue to work on my Architectural journey with yarn and needles I am inspired by many different styles and designs of the past that continue to influence us today.  In previous designs I have concentrated on the Stone Tracery on Gothic Architectural buildings.  This year I will be concentrating on the Stained Glass with an undertone of Stone Tracery and other aspects of design.  I have always loved Stained Glass and even took some course on Stained Glass for a couple of years.  I know the depth and extreme talent, patience and skill it takes to make and design a window like this.  It is very time consuming and you need to be a perfectionist to achieve the finished product.  I can tell you having made Stained Glass in the Past that is much easier to crochet it like I have.  I love both working with glass and with yarn, but now that my designing is in yarn again I just had to let my inspiration go in this direction.   SEE MORE PICTURES BELOW.  At the bottom of these pictures you will see the underside of the Stained Glass Window showing 3 buttons you can use to fasten this design where you like.

Various designs are available at www.valeriebaberdesign.com, www.valeriebaberdesign.etsy.com  and other local store locations (message me for locations of stores in the Edmonton, Alberta area).

This is my first try at Stained Glass with yarn and there is definitely room for improvement and fine tuning so pop by again to see how I improve and enhance this stained glass crochet.  I will be selling a few down the road and will let you know at that time where.  This is just the beginning of this adventure so come along with me and join in the journey by following my Social Media where I will post new blog posts and listings in this Collection and more.

This scarf was made with beautiful www.sweetgeorgiayarns.com in the dk weight Super Wash Merino wool on the base of the scarf.  The metal trim around the “crochet glass” pieces was done in the exquisite Cashluxe Spark yarn in the Slate colour way.  It has a lovely sparkle to it that shines in the light giving that perfect metallic essence.  The Stained Glass pieces were done in www.malabrigoyarn.com Rios yarn that I had on hand.  I love combining different yarns from different companies at each is unique especially when it comes to hand painted yarns like these.  Each skein of hand painted yarn is done perfectly just for you to expand the Artistic journey for the item you are making.

 

 

 

Lace Shawl/Scarf with Stained Glass Brooch

| Valerie Baber Designs

Lace Shawl – Scarf – Poncho with a Stained Glass Rose Window Brooch showing the details of the stained glass window that is under the Rose window tracery.  This design shown in two different stone colours has the “Wired to the Past” design essence that I am continuing to work on this year.  You can wear this design as a poncho/shawl or a scarf depending on where you fasten the buttons and brooch.  The brooch can be worn on or off this piece.  See the slide show below for the various ways to wear this new design.  Other styles and colour will follow as I have time to make them.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Yarns used in this design are mostly from www.sweetgeorgiayarns.com

See more of my designs at www.valeriebaberdesign.com, www.valeriebaberdesigns.etsy.com

 

Wired to the Past Gradient Shawl – Black to Grays

| Valerie Baber Designs

wired lace shawl poncho black to snowfall6

MORE PICTURES IN THE LOOK BOOK LINK BELOW, Check it out.  🙂

wired to the past shawl pattern look book teaser

Check out the new Wired to the Past Gradient Shawl Look Book and Photo shoot fun in the link above coming soon to www.valeriebaberdesign.com, www.valeriebaberdesign.etsy.com  The Wired to the Past Gradient shawl is part of my collection “Wired to the Past”  where I am taking inspiration of the past in design and architecture and “wiring” it to the present in yarn with an essence of the past.  This shawl has a wired feel to the design in both the colour and stitches.  I used beautiful yarns from www.sweetgeorgiayarns.com that include the Party of Five Gradient mini skeins in the Graphite with a skein of the Cashluxe Spark yarn that has a lovely sparkle effect especially when light hits it a certain way.  This really shows up in evening light beautifully giving it a metallic essence perfect for the Wired Look I was going for.  To top it off it is extremely luxurious yarn.

On a side note, I would love to start patterning some of the many designs I have made over the years, however whenever I start I stop as it is just not what I enjoy nor it is something I am good at anymore.  I used to design kids and adult sweaters and accessories and pattern them for others to enjoy, but that was years ago.  When I took my Interior Design and Interior Decorating it opened a part of my designing mind that hasn’t been able to stop since.  I absolutely love the designing process, it is where I experience pure bliss.  I scribble down in my notes, very messy notes, of what I did in some sort of short form that I can’t always read later.  You would think I would know better by now lol.  🙂 There they sit on pieces of paper, books, post it notes and other strange places that were available when my thoughts and hands started designing the newest idea.  It’s a dilemma that I struggle with as I would love to pattern many of my designs, but it really is not in my skill set to do this well anymore.  I can be honest about that and though I wish it was something I excelled at I feel it is more important to be who I am and create in the realm that I was meant to be in and that is in the designing end.  Perhaps one day I will come across a company who is look just for a designer or a person who is wonderful at pattern writing and just loves this part more than designing and we could work together to bring you beautiful patterns to make.

This is one of my dreams I wanted to share with you today.  You can’t always have everything you want or be good at everything, but if you work hard at what you are good at, concentrate on that skill set you will become great at it down the road.  Don’t get side tracked by the ideas and goals others think you should take or even the ones you feel you should be adding to your goals because that’s what other people do.  If it is not who you are you will not enjoy it and then what is the point! If you are a designer, then design to your best ability.  If you are a pattern writer than write the best ones you can.  In whatever you do work the best you can at it and enjoy it. Work together with people who love what they do and the outcome will be amazing and great.  When we work together to support each other and help each other everything is better.  Perhaps one day I will find a company who wants a designer to design and nothing else or a group of people or another person who whats to collaborate our skills and make amazing designs and patterns together for you to enjoy.

I have struggled for a long time about this and have tried doing some recent pattern writing, but it truly is not something I am good at anymore as my mind is purely on designing and I truly enjoy it.  Designing is my bliss where I can create something new on a daily basis.  Designing something I am inspired with each day or take an old design and revamp it into something better and continue in my adventure in design with yarn and some needles.  Working with colours and textures with beautiful yarns that are hand painted by other Artists and creating something special with these amazing yarns.

My newest love of yarns is from www.sweetgeorgiayarns.com the colours Felicia designs and the staff make are just amazing and inspire me everyday to design something new. The Wired to the Past shawl above was inspired by their new Part of Five Gradient yarns in the Graphite colours and their new Cashluxe Spark yarn.  The outcome of these two yarns together is so very soft and elegant with and edge. The Cashluxe is stunning with the soft sparkle in it that comes alive when light bounces around in the evening, it really is a beautiful stunning yarn. The Part of Five Collections are so fun and fabulous to work with, check out some of their newest colours including the lightest one in the shawl called Snowfall.  This colour is so elegant!  I absolute love them together.  I wanted to pattern this design and share it with you as I love making them.  They are calming and relaxing and easy for most people to make, but my dilemma is as above when I get to the pattern writing part I stop.  I would love to share this pattern with you, perhaps down the road something will come together and I will be able to share it with you.

I am currently selling various knitting kits with patterns and yarns by Sweetgeorgia Yarns on at www.valeriebaberdesign.com and www.valeriebaberdesigns.etsy.com  More to come including yarns soon.

In the meant time I will continue to do what I love and design and create what I am inspired by each day.  Be inspired today and remember to do you best at what you love!

Stained Glass Rose Window, Gothic Architectural Hand Warmers

| Valerie Baber Designs

stained glass long hand warmer

stained glass long hand warmer1

The Eclectic Stained Glass Rose Window hand warmer has part of the Stained Glass Rose Window shown with the Stone Tracery on top on one half with a lovely Gothic Inspired metal button and clock to accent this design. The Eclectic Stained Glass Rose Window Hand Warmer is designed with a longer top that drapes nicely down your arm for a great Wearable Art look.  It has an asymmetrical effect that makes this piece unique.  Other designs using this new look will follow.  This is just the beginning of the Architectural Collection – Gothic Architecture Inspiration for 2016 so pop by often to see what I am working on and check out my stores as I often have one of a kind pieces there.

The picture below shows various other styles available in my latest additions to my Architectural Collection.  You can purchase them at http://www.valeriebaberdesign.com or http://www.valeriebaberdesigns.etsy.com  More coming soon.

 

stained glass rose windows and more 2016

A sneek peek into Fall 2016 for Valerie Baber Designs with the new Stained Glass scarves, hand warmers, hats and ear warmers to come.  I decided to revisit my Gothic Architectural designs and this time make the focus the Stained Glass while still using the Stone Tracery as a secondary focus.  (Last time I focused on the Stone Tracery as the main view point)  Here are a few of the newest designs in my Architectural Collection.

Have a wonderful day!!

Stained Glass Hand Warmers

| Valerie Baber Designs

stained glass regular hand warmerstained glass regular hand warmer1

The Stained Glass hand warmer has part of the Stained Glass Rose Window shown with the Stone Tracery on top on one half with a lovely Gothic Inspired metal button to accent this design.  The picture below shows various other styles available in my latest additions to my Architectural Collection.  You can purchase them at http://www.valeriebaberdesign.com or http://www.valeriebaberdesigns.etsy.com  More coming soon.

stained glass rose windows and more 2016

A sneek peek into Fall 2016 for Valerie Baber Designs with the new Stained Glass scarves, hand warmers, hats and ear warmers to come.  I decided to revisit my Gothic Architectural designs and this time make the focus the Stained Glass while still using the Stone Tracery as a secondary focus.  (Last time I focused on the Stone Tracery as the main view point)  Here are a few of the newest designs in my Architectural Collection.

Have a wonderful day!!

Stained Glass Window scarf and hand warmers

| Valerie Baber Designs

stained glass rose windows and more 2016.JPG

A sneek peek into Fall 2016 for Valerie Baber Designs with the new Stained Glass scarves, hand warmers, hats and ear warmers to come.  I decided to revisit my Gothic Architectural designs and this time make the focus the Stained Glass while still using the Stone Tracery as a secondary focus.  (Last time I focused on the Stone Tracery as the main view point)  Here are a few of the newest designs in my Architectural Collection.

stained glass rose window inside out purplestained glass rose window inside out purple1

On the Purple and Orange scarves I have split the Stained Glass Rose Window Stone Tracery in half to show the more detailed Stained Glass windows underneath.  The trim and style of these scarves have a Gothic Architectural essence and stone colours added in the beige or grey yarns.  These two will be at the http://www.albertacraft.ab.ca soon for sale and I will be adding others to my Etsy store and Website at http://www.valeriebaberdesign.com or http://www.valeriebaberdesign.etsy.com  as well as other unique pieces in the near future.

See my other blog postings for information about the other designs.  Have a fabulous day!

 

Architectural Inspiration scarf – Milan Cathedral

| Valerie Baber Designs

More Architectural Inspiration scarves with a floral stone tracery feel.  All of these designs are available for order at http://www.valeriebaberdesigns.etsy.com  This group of scarves new this season were inspired once again by the many Gothic Cathedrals of the past especially the Milan Cathedral.  This amazing building was designed and built by many architects, artists, craftsmen and so many more.  It is one of the most decorated Gothic Cathedrals that took over 200 years to build.  The various architects used a lot of floral inspiration in their stone tracery throughout the Milan Cathedral as shown below.

The various floral accents on the Floral Tracery Gothic Cathedral Inspired scarves were inspired by the Milan Cathedral and other Gothic Cathedrals of the past.  As mentioned in  my previous blogs I will be restarting my Architectural project as you can see why.  There is so much inspiration that I felt I needed to go another direction and begin my project with various Architectural buildings to pull my inspiration from.  I will be adding these designs to my work soon for Fall and Winter 2015/16.

It amazes me the incredible amount of work that has gone into these beautiful buildings.  I am awed at their creativity and design as each Gothic Cathedral stands alone in unique stature expressing the Architect, Artist and Craftsmen ideas and design skills that have stood for many years in their beautiful strength.  The Gothic Architecture era had a huge impact on how we design and build today.

Check my website soon for dates I am at the local St. Albert Farmers Market in the fall as well some of my work will be at another booth by the library at the Wiggles and Giggles booth.  Website:  www.vbaberdesigns.com

You can also purchase my designs locally at the http://www.artgalleryofstalbert.ca and the http://www.albertacraft.ab.ca

Have yourselves a wonderful week full of inspiration!