Architectural Collection

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.

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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!

A Desperate Fortune Scarf for Author Susanna Kearsley

| Valerie Baber Designs

A Desperate Fortune Scarf and hand warmers designed for Author Susanna Kearsley and her newest book “A Desperate Fortune”.  This one of a kind design was designed from the inspiration that Susanna used for her newest book.  Take a trip into the past and present with this extraordinary book with a cryptic journal from the past telling a secret story in the present day of this written book.  A fabulous read that includes suspense, deception, allegiance and love that will entice you through each chapter with plenty of visually written moments.  Plenty of twists and turns to entertain you throughout the book and as always a surprise ending.  I absolutely love this book, it is a must read so add it to your list soon.

I am fortunate that Susanna is a most wonderful friend and I thank her for asking me to work with her on this wonderful adventure.  Like the two women in her book working separately, yet together though they lived far apart in time and Susanna and I in distance.  It is a true pleasure being a friend of Susanna’s and I am so very proud of all she has done and continues to do.  Awesome job my friend on your newest book!!! One of my new favourites by far!

The A Desperate Fortune collar style scarf (small scarf) and hand warmers are available for purchase together or separately at http://www.valeriebaberdesigns.etsy.com  takes about 1 to 2 weeks to make. See more information about them at my Etsy store.  

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/234093217/stained-glass-rose-window-small-scarf?ref=shop_home_active_12  

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/234093633/stained-glass-rose-window-scarf?ref=shop_home_active_13 

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/234094189/stained-glass-rose-window-fingerless?ref=shop_home_active_14

The present day character Sara wears various scarves through out the book and originally I thought of designing a scarf that included these various scarves.  The Architectural descriptions in Susanna’s latest novel were speaking louder likely since I have been greatly inspired by Architecture of the past in my work this past year.  I couldn’t wait to begin this newest member of my Architectural designs just for Susanna.  Below are some pictures of the building Susanna was influenced by in her description of the building in the book.  Susanna’s description:  “The building with the windows is the chapel inside the old chateau of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in France, which once housed the exiled Stuart kings of Britain and their courtiers. For me, having written for several years now about these people and their lives, actually getting to stand on this spot was a very moving moment, as this chapel would have been at the centre of their daily routines”.

Susanna Kearsley is an award winning Author with many books she has written on her shelf.  You can check out more on her website at http://susannakearsley.com/  

You can read the first two chapters of this wonderful book here: 

http://books.sourcebooks.com/adesperatefortune/

I began this journey into the past for the A Desperate Fortune Scarf with a crochet base of a light coloured stone as shown in the pictures above.  Adding green at the bottom for the stained glass effect that the stone tracery would be adhering to down the road.  You can see more of the progress in the pictures below as I design the stone tracery and add the brick colour to the scarf and hand warmers.  There are two brooches that accent this scarf so you can wear it in various ways and use them to fasten the scarf.  The are both Stained Glass Rose windows that were designed for these wonderful Architectural buildings of the past.

For the “A Desperate Fortune” scarf I used beautiful yarn from SweetGeorgia Yarns, a Canadian Company, who dyes yarn in wonderful colours that portray their local area and Canada.  A fitting yarn to use since both Susanna and I are Canadian.  The colours were perfect for this design with the light stone colour being the Birch colour way, the stained glass is the Woodland Colour way of greens and the brick is done in the Terra Firma colour way.  All yarns were by SweetGeorgia Yarns in the Superwash Merino wool blend.  SweetGeorgia yarns are as noted in the name, SWEET!  One of my favourite yarns to work with, luxuriously soft and the colours are truly fantastic.  I recently took a visit to Vancouver and popped into the store to see the latest colours and newest yarns for this year.  They are even more delectable and wonderful than ever.  I can’t wait to use them in my next series of designs.

Be sure to check out SweetGeorgia’s website at  

Home

I am off to work on some new Architectural designs and new designs for Fall.  Come back soon to see my latest as well I am restarting my Architectural project as there was so much inspiration in my research that I have decided to go a different direction.  I will blog my start on that very soon.  Have a most wonderful day today.