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Nine Things about Ryla

The Nickname

Truth be told, it's a moniker I've never been able to rid myself of—willingly. A while playing Ultima Online wit a good friend of mine, we somehow settled on the name as the name of my newest character. It was short, had an exotic-sounding, fantasy namey ring to it, and I've kept it ever since.

The Site

This site has been active since the mid-ninties, and I've had various and sundry permutations on what it means and what it contains, but at the heart of it all has been my love of historical research, reading, and sewing theories.

The Girl

I'm a twenty-something I'm a twice-over graduate from Portland State University, having recieved both my Bachelor's in English and my Master's in Writing with a focus in Publishing; I currently work in the publishing industry, and have a love for book arts, incunables, and illumination & calligraphic arts. I also have very short thumbs.

The Seamstress

I am a self-taught sewing and costume enthusiast, and though I do have a (borrowed) sewing machine, most of the work you see here is the result of hand work, which I much prefer, both for the therapy and the look of it. I am a firm believer in using natural fibers, when available, and try and consider my modern concessions in the context of period work.

In terms of other periods, I also enjoy Victorian and Sci-Fi/Fantasy costumes, which may have a place here at some point. Some of the costumes I've worked on have included corsets with flossing or embroidery, but I'd always love to learn more. I've been known to be a Jedi, Hogwarts Student, and Sheildmaiden of Rohan. But only on the weekends.

The Family

I'm the youngest in my family, and share a birthday with my older sister; we're six years apart, to the day! Which leads to some pretty fun and interesting celebrations, let me tell you. As a stereotypical youngest daughter (Cordelia, eat your heart out) I've got a tendency to behave like an only child, and feel overwhelmed and overlooked. *sarcasm* Woe, it is to be pitied! *sarcasm*

The Hobbies

Apart from sewing, which is the main focus of this site, I love reading, writing, and the outdoors. And long walks on the beach, and classical music. No, really. I'm married, anyway, so this isn't exactly a personals ad. But in all seriousness, I like hiking and exploring—ask my mother and she'll agree that my favorite toy growing up was a pair of hedge clippers, for carving paths in the woods behind our house—as well as working with people to develop and refine their writing.

The Writing

Teaching writing, in my humble opinion, is one of those incredibly difficult things that not all people can do—and even fewer can be truly receptive to, either. Because I am a writer, I love to work with other writiners and read new works. But I'm also incredibly shy, which is why you'll never find my work here, not for a while, anyway. So I completely understand how it is to be a new, fresh, enthisiastic writer. Some advice: Learn how to take criticism. And read. Read a lot.

The Books

Here's some books I like, in no particular order:

The Manuscript

When people ask me about my favorite books—especially if they know my background—I'll usually rattle off the list above. But for those who really know me, and really ask, this is what I sa. Quite possibly one of the earliest and most well-known medieval feminist writing, Le Livre de la Cite des Dames was written in the late 14th century by the fascinating Christine de Pizan. It is a chronicle of great women throughout history and an invocation to modern society to allow women to become educated and excel in the fields in which they are gifted. You can view the full manuscript page here.