I was proud as a peacock when I mastered Frère Jacques on the tin whistle. It took me hours! To me, being able to play the ocarina sounds like a feat in itself, but building one from scratch is even more phenomenal. If you’re up for the task, gladiator Bob has made a great Instructable for you to follow.
Sometimes it seems that crafting is all about the revival of ‘outdated and old fashioned stuff your grandmother did’. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t embrace new technology when it comes to geeky creations.
Today I’d like to show you Hyrule Foundry, “a blog that combines the ever-changing world of 3D printing and the timeless Zelda Universe.” They explore the benefits and limits of 3D printing and of various printers and software, while working with objects from The Legend of Zelda.
Once printers are cheaper and (therefore) more accessible, 3D printing is certainly going to chance the way we think about safety, property and ownership. Despite some problems a printing culture might cause, such as the recent ‘recipe’ for a gun or copyright infrignments, I sincerely hope it will make crafting even more interesting. Hyrule Foundry is a good sneak preview of what we might expect in the future.
Are you familiar with PixelHobby? To quote their website:
PixelHobby is a new mini-mosaic craft. (…) PixelHobby designs are based upon small plastic tiles called Pixels. Pixels are available in over 300 beautiful colors. The molding process creates a soft plastic tile with a matte finish. (…) Each pixel location on a baseplate provides a small peg onto which a pixel is positioned. No adhesive is necessary to hold a pixel onto a baseplate since a snug fit occurs between the pixel and baseplate peg.
You can show your passion on 4×5 inch baseplates, but also use medaillon-sized plates. I’ve already spotted PixelHobby in my local crafts store, and in various online shops, including their own.
The PixelHobby website offers various designs. If you want something unique, get the PixelHobby Designer Lite and make your own pattern based on photos, art and other images. Or, recreate a sprite! One of my favorite websites for this purpose is Spriters Resource. And finally, nothing keeps you from going with the flow. Don’t use a design or pattern if you don’t feel like it.
Here’s a small preview of what you can do with the craft. Wacker00 is a real genious when it comes to PixelHobby and perler beading and you should definitely visit his DeviantArt!
Craftster member Cross Stitch Ninja has already created a Mario Bros 3 and Zelda map, but she really outdone herself with this piece! The work is 59 by 18 centimeters and it took her about 9 months to complete.
Crafting and 8-bit video games are a perfect combination. You can use beading, quilting, and of course, cross stitching to spark a bit of life in your favorite characters.
At Sprite Stitch, it’s all about geeky stitching. User caslzelda created this scene from Link’s Awakening. I love the colored heart in the center of the piece.
