A Case for Navi

After a little technical difficulty with the blog, I have returned!  This is one of my most recent projects, a case for my GPS.  (Her name is Navi, which is important.  You'll see.)  Hit the jump for the details...

Poor, naked Navi...

More Summer Crafts

So, I've been getting a lot done this summer (at least now that I've finished working).  Here's some of what I've been working on...

Catching Up

Well, it's been a while!  I've been unexpectedly busy for the last month or so.  I was suddenly offered a full-time research job at school for the summer (not 3 days after College for Kids ended), and have been so focused on that, I haven't been able to craft much.  We're almost done now, though-- my partner and I finished our presentation this Thursday, our mentor is on vacation for the rest of the summer, and there's just a week left of wrapping up loose ends (prettying up our code, pursuing a few last questions, that sort of thing).  So, with a little more free time now, I thought I'd share the little bit I have been up to.

New Gauntlets!

I just listed a new pair of Link's Gauntlets in the shop-- this one is wool, with two brown triforces.  For more pictures, check out the Ravelry page or the shop listing!

Why I Love Yarn People (An Observation)

It's always great hanging out with other crafty people, especially the yarny ones.  There's just this sort of... solidarity, I guess?  Everyone understands what you're doing.  They understand which work is simple and which is worthy of praise; they know when to offer advice and what to say; they don't mind sitting quietly, listening to the yarn and hooks/needles in each other's hands.

And, one of my favorites, they always know when to make appreciative noises.  When I'm at a craft store/LYS/craft group, whenever someone mentions baby alpaca or cashmere, there's invariably a chorus of "Mmm"s and "Ah"s.  It's just the understood reaction.  The same thing goes for some of the more difficult knitting/crochet techniques-- mention one and there's always "Wow!"s and "Ooh!"s.  That's just something non-yarny people can't understand, and it's something that always makes me feel like I'm part of something special.

This is why I love helping at College for Kids in the summers-- a friend of mine that I met through the program teaches knitting, crochet, and weaving to kids in grades 3-8.  It's so exciting to help spread the yarn love to younger generations!  Every year, the kids get so into their work and learn so much-- it's just the best to see what they make and help them develop new skills.  I usually learn a lot, too.  Just today, I finger-knit for the first time.  It turned out a bit weird and loopy, but I liked it.  I've also really developed my weaving skills-- more on this later.

And also, arm knitting?  I had no idea this was a thing.

Or Not So Much....

Well, I did sew, but most of it wasn't the doll clothes-- more on that in another post.  However, I did get the first petticoat/forepart and bumroll almost done (with just a little handsewing to go) and the muslin of the gown finished:

Unfortunately, though, the sewing room is now going through some renovations, and will be out of commission again for a week or so.  Oh well.  I'll finish them eventually!

Progress!

The court gown pattern is drafted.  The sewing room is dry and put together enough to work in.  Tomorrow, we sew!

Fancy workspace, no?  I can't feel my knees...

New Snood!

I just listed a new snood in the shop (well, new-ish-- I've had it finished for several months and just needed to take pictures of it).  More historically accurate cauls and coifs will be probably be coming, but for now, enjoy this faire classic!

More Independent Study Gown Pictures

I got the pictures of my gown from the school photographer today!  Here's a few of them to enjoy while the sewing room is still in soggy disarray:

Rain and Renaissance Regalia

So, I've heard that the weather here in Galesburg has made national news-- especially the flooding at Carl Sandburg College.  We were pretty lucky at our house-- no major damage-- but since the sewing room is under an inch or so of water, it may be a while before I can actually get to crafting again.  In the meantime, I thought I'd share with you more details about my Elizabethan independent study...

The original plate next to the finished outfit.

Welcome!

Hello, and welcome to Realms of Legend!

I'm Emily, and I'm the owner of RealmsOfLegend on Etsy, where you can find all manner of fantasy-, sci-fi-, and historical-inspired creations.  I'm especially fond of the Zelda series, Lord of the Rings/The Hobbit, and the Elizabethan era, so products relating to those areas tend to show up more often in the shop.

I've been crafting in various forms since I was very little, and I have no plans to stop any time soon.  Over the last few years, I've spent an inordinate amount of time knitting and crocheting-- if you're a Zelda fan on Ravelry, you might have seen my Link's Gauntlets pattern-- but right now, my passion is Elizabethan costuming.  I've spent this term at college working on an independent study entitled "The History and Construction of Elizabethan English Costume," the results of which will appear in an upcoming post.  It's been a lot of fun, and I've learned a lot that I intend to apply to my shop's products.

I'm working now on a line of sort-of-historically-accurate Elizabethan outfits for 18" dolls-- "sort of" meaning that I've tried to preserve the silhouettes and styles of the time as much as possible, while keeping the prices reasonable and the clothes easily enjoyed by the dolls' young owners.  Some examples of this philosophy in action include pairing decorative period lacing with the convenience of hidden velcro, combining multiple garments into one to avoid bulk and facilitate easier dressing, and disregarding entirely some of the many layers worn by the typical Renaissance lady.  Some of these outfits are in my shop already, with many more to come over the course of this summer.

I've decided to start this blog both to give my customers a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into producing the items they see in my shop, and to let them share in my other crafting adventures-- from crochet to corsets-- as they unfold.  So join me here, and let the adventure begin!