Book Report

I’m working hard on my new book, and, although I can’t really show you anything at this stage, I can say that it’s going very well so far:

• My trusty spiral-bound notebook (and my new virtual equivalent, Evernote) are full of my crochet knowledge and tips, ready to be shared with you next year!
• I’ve added to my photography and lighting setup and I’ve created the ultimate crochet tutorial photo studio, so you can expect excellent quality photos in this book (and it’ll make editing photos much easier for me in future too).
• I have a box of beautiful yarn (sneak peek of some of it to the right) waiting for me to crochet it into lovely things. I’ve already crocheted 14 skeins from it into secret projects…

It’s very exciting to see things starting to take shape after all the preparation and planning I’ve done over the past couple of months, but there’s still a long way to go. I’ll be spending all my time for the rest of the year writing, designing, crocheting, photographing – okay, that’s not much different from my usual work, but as I’m not working for myself, I don’t have the luxury of setting my own schedule.

Unlike my self-published work, book deadlines aren’t arbitrary and can’t be pushed back; I’m one cog in a machine that includes editors, designers, indexers, printers and more, and they’ll need time to work their magic after I’ve finished my part in the process. So, for me, everything else will be taking a back seat from now until I complete my author review in December and hand this baby off so the publishing magic can begin…

Review and Win contest

For the first time in the 3.5 years I’ve been running my monthly free pattern contest, there were no reviews left in my shop last month, so that means there’s no winner in the August ‘Review and Win’ contest. That’s good news for you though, because I’ll roll the prize over to this month, so I’ll be drawing 2 winners (of a free pattern of your choice) from the reviews left in the PlanetJune shop in September!

To be entered, just go to the page of the item you wish to review in my shop, click the Reviews tab and click write a review. If you’ve enjoyed any PlanetJune patterns and haven’t yet reviewed them in my shop, this would be a good time to do so… 😉

And now it’s time to play catch-up; I didn’t have time for a monthly update post last month, so I’m drawing the July ‘Review and Win’ winner today. And the winner is… Sarah M, with her review of my AmiDogs Chihuahua pattern:

What a great pattern! This was my first time doing color changes in an amigurumi pattern. Following June’s pattern directions and her online tutorials regarding color changes, it was so easy! Plus, it looks great. The directions on the pattern were very clear and easy to follow. I have made a handful of amigurumi animals before, but I would not consider myself an expert. I felt very confident following this pattern. The finished product looks just like the pictures! I particularly appreciate the detail regarding how to place the legs, tail, head, muzzle, and eyes. With that many pieces, it was nice to not have to debate how and where to attach everything. I also used June’s invisible join method for a superior looking finished dog. Can’t say enough about it!

Thanks, Sarah, and congrats! I’ll email you to find out which pattern you’d like as your prize 🙂

Donationware CAL

The CAL is already in full swing! I think the fact that these patterns are all fast and easy means we’re going to see lots of entries this month, and I’m looking forward to seeing them all. Please join us by making any of these patterns (including my brand new Twisted Chain Bangle):

…and posting your photos in the Donationware CAL Ravelry thread 🙂

Exciting News…

Time to let the cat out of the bag: I’ve just signed the contract to write a new crochet book! This is the first book offer I’ve actually wanted to accept since writing the Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi, and I’m already giddy with anticipation about this new book; it’s exactly the book I wanted to write next.

My goal as an author is to write books that become valuable long-term reference sources on your bookshelf, not just collections of patterns. And that, I’m afraid, is all I’m saying for now – I’ll share more details as we near the publication date!

But, of course, I have many months of work ahead of me before I can share my fabulous new book with you, so please excuse me if I’m slower to respond to questions, and less prolific with new designs, for the rest of this year; I’m going to be working very hard to get all the pieces of the book ready so it can be published in late summer 2014 (if you’re familiar with publishing schedules, that’s a pretty fast turnaround)!

If you need crochet help while I’m in the book-writing zone (or at any time), I recommend the PlanetJune Ravelry group as your first port of call – you’re guaranteed to get fast and friendly advice there, and I’m always lurking to weigh in if nobody else has an answer for you 🙂

And, in other news…

Review and Win contest

June’s ‘Review and Win’ winner is Susanna V, with her review of my Fruit Bat:

This was the first PJ design I ever bought and it’s still probably my favorite. I love bats, and this guy is the perfect mix of realistic but still cute. It’s actually fairly easy to crochet and the shapes are basic. The most challenging part for me was sewing the wings on straight; it’s very easy to start angling without realizing it. Also, if you’ve only ever done amigurumi, you’ll need to know how to do standard crochet rows for the wings, but it’s very easy and the simple trick for making the points on the wings really adds a lot to the design. I’ll never tire of making this one!

Congrats, Susanna – I’ll email you to find out which pattern you’d like as your prize 🙂

Fruit-Along CAL

If you feel like a fast and refreshing crochet project, we decided to have an extra crochet-along throughout July, featuring all my fruit designs:

As a bonus, my Apple, Pear, and Citrus patterns are all donationware, so you can pay as much or as little as you like for the patterns (or nothing, if you can’t afford to pay at all!) Join the fruity fun in the PlanetJune group on Ravelry 🙂

* * *

Okay, now I’d better get back to working on the new book! (Eek!)

A Personal Note

I’m not telling you my current woe-is-me story to ask for sympathy (not that it wouldn’t be welcome!) but to explain what’s going on with PlanetJune, why I’m so quiet lately, why I’ve fallen behind with my design commissions, and why the situation should be improving very soon!

Last week, we suffered a burst pipe leaking through an electrical outlet at home, which threw off my plans for the whole week while the house was filled with first water (well, a flooded kitchen) and then plumbers and electricians, and we had no hot water, shower or stove for the best part of a week.

This couldn’t have come at a worse time, as I now have only one week left on my visa and it’s going to be a mad scramble for the finish to apply for the new one in time. All this stress and worry is affecting me badly, with crippling tension headaches, eczema, and insomnia.

My Red Panda design was actually finished a couple of weeks ago, but I can’t muster the focus I need to complete the pattern to the PlanetJune level of detail and clarity, so the only option I have is to delay – a sub-standard pattern is not an option!

I’ve decided to stop trying to work on the Red Panda until the immigration stuff is out of the way – the added pressure just makes me feel even worse, and I’m really not making any progress on the pattern. Instead, I’m working on several simpler patterns, and making gradual progress on some longer-term design ideas, so there will be more good stuff coming 🙂

And, once the visa applications are in, I won’t have to do anything else except wait, so I should be able to rest and rejuvenate very soon and then get back to business as usual – and a lovely Red Panda pattern! In the meantime, thank you so much for your continued patience.

Review and Win contest

May’s ‘Review and Win’ winner is Kathryn P, with her review of my Baby Cephalopods:

I love how quick these work up! I made all four in an evening while watching tv, and they are so cute! Patterns are straightforward and do not require sewing together a crazy number of pieces, plus the end product is cute and realistic. I definitely recommend this set!

Congrats, Kathryn – I’ll email you to find out which pattern you’d like as your prize 🙂

Reptiles & Amphibians CAL

The June CAL is an extended 6-week CAL to take us through to mid-July and give you plenty of time to complete one or more patterns. The Reptiles & Amphibians theme includes all my dinosaur, lizard, turtle and frog designs:

For easy browsing, you can find all these patterns in one place in my shop by clicking this special link: all PlanetJune Reptile & Amphibian patterns.

Please join us in the PlanetJune group on Ravelry for this 6-week CAL – I think it’s going to be a colourful one!

A Personal Note

I’ve been trying to put on a brave face, but I’m really struggling at the moment: my life, especially this immigration-related stuff, has got insanely stressful. I’m still doing what I can for PlanetJune, but stress and creativity don’t mix well, and my progress is frustratingly slow.

This situation won’t last forever (and I have lots of ideas waiting in the wings for when my mojo returns!) – I just wanted to explain why I’ll be unusually quiet for a while, especially on Twitter and Facebook.

Okay, enough about that!

Review and Win contest

April’s ‘Review and Win’ winner is Kim W, with her review of my Orca (Killer Whale):

This pattern is very detailed. The many color changes were very time consuming, but not difficult and the finished product was worth the effort. I appreciated the the tips on exactly where to sew on the flippers. I was able to get them to look right the fist time.

I’m glad you enjoyed it, Kim! Congrats – I’ll email you to find out which pattern you’d like as your prize 🙂

May Flowers CAL

Which of my botanical patterns (flowers, plants and fruit) do you like best? Why not make it for the May Flowers CAL this month? You’ll find all the details in the PlanetJune Ravelry group.

NB: All the patterns are available in the Flowers & Plants section of my shop, except the Mushroom and Toadstool, which are exclusively available in my book: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amigurumi. And if you’re short on cash, 10 of the patterns are donationware, so you can use them for free (or pay what you can)!

It’s all go for me at the moment: we have to renew our visas so we can stay in South Africa, and we’re applying for permanent residency too. As much as I’d like PlanetJune to be my top priority at all times, I have to renew my passport from abroad, get police clearances from various countries, get X-rays and medical reports, liaise with a lawyer, and all the rest of the rigamarole that goes along with immigration stuff. That’s all quite stressful and time-consuming – bureaucracy here is never fast, cheap or easy – but I have to believe it will, eventually, all get sorted out.

As a result, you may notice I’m also a little quieter on social media at the moment – I don’t want to be that person who tweets about every trial and tribulation, so that means there may be days/weeks where I have nothing to say. If I’m quiet, just assume I’m still working hard, dividing my time between my business and all this other stuff, and inching closer to the point where this new stress is nothing more than a memory and I’m free to devote 100% of my attention to PlanetJune again!

Review and Win contest

March’s ‘Review and Win’ winner is Susan S, with her review of my Sea Otter:

Made the sea otter and his clam shells recently, and everyone who sees him is amazed. Has far more personality and is more “realistic” than other sea otter patterns I considered. The pattern is clear and easy to follow, and contains excellent tips.

Congrats Susan – I’ll email you to find out which pattern you’d like as your prize 🙂

Forgotten Gems CAL

Every month, in my monthly newsletter, I give a discount code for a ‘Forgotten Gem’ of a pattern – one that, for some reason, hasn’t enjoyed as much popularity as it deserves. All 17 of the previously featured Forgotten Gems patterns are included in the April crochet-along, so there’s a lot of variety including both amigurumi and accessories:

From the chatter in the CAL thread, it seems like the Chunky Elegance Rug Trio and Aardvark patterns are going to be popular CAL choices this month! If you’d like to join in too, we’d love to welcome you in the PlanetJune group on Ravelry.

PocketAmi Re-releases

My pattern re-release project is making progress, and today the PocketAmi (individual Sets 1-6 and the multipack deal of Sets 1 & 2) are all available in the new format, and any you’ve previously purchased are ready for you to download! Log back into your PlanetJune account at any time in the next 2 weeks and you’ll see the download buttons for all your past PocketAmi pattern purchases have been re-enabled, so you can click and download the new versions.

If you have any questions about the pattern reformat project, or you received the patterns through a different mechanism (and so don’t have an order for them in the PlanetJune shop) but you’d still like the new versions, I’ve set up a Pattern Re-Release FAQ that should answer all your questions. I’ll keep it updated throughout this project and add any further questions that arise.

Craft Business Help

I’ve amassed quite a collection of helpful information posts on various aspects of running a craft business, but I just realised they aren’t too easy for you to find, as my Craft Business category also included posts about my own business. To solve this, I’ve separated the old Craft Business category into My Craft Business and Craft Business Help. Now you’ll easily be able to find my helpful articles! Craft Business Help includes my advice on:

• Selling crafts and patterns online
• Beating craft business overwhelm
• The secret of my success
• Pricing amigurumi
• PayPal and rights for digital sellers
• 3 tips for aspiring designers
• Inspiration/influence vs copying: drawing the line

…and more! So if you’d like my advice that may help you with your craft business, check out the Craft Business Help category from the Categories menu in the right sidebar, or the Blog > View by Category menu at the top of this page 🙂

Stash Replenishment!

You may have guessed that one of the hardest things for me about living in South Africa is the lack of access to the craft supplies I’m accustomed to. So I took full advantage of my husband’s business trip to the US and restocked my stash a little – two years with no shopping is a very long time, so I had some catching up to do (within the limitation of suitcase size)!

Now I have new needles, hooks and notions to play with…

New yarn shades for future amigurumi designs…

And some yarn for new accessories…

Actually, the KnitPicks Reverie yarn (fluffy baby alpaca!) on the right is destined to become my next knitted sweater, but I don’t have any specific plans for the rest as yet. The funny thing is that I ordered my non-amigurumi yarn over several weeks from several different online shops, and I had no idea until I unpacked Dave’s suitcase that I seem to have something of a teal obsession going on – I picked all my yarn from the same colour family without realising it! I guess that means you can expect to see several new teal-coloured PlanetJune Accessories popping up over the coming months/years…

Review and Win contest

February’s ‘Review and Win’ winner is Sara T, with her review of my Baby Cephalopods 1: Octopus & Squid:

Baby Octopus & Squid are on the left in these photos.

These are so much fun!! Directions are clear with lots of pictures, and the finished products are adorable. They worked up for me in about an hour and a half, and they are the cutest cephalopods I’ve ever seen! I am very satisfied with these patterns.

Congrats Sara – I’ll email you to find out which pattern you’d like as your prize 🙂

February CALs

The Baby Cephalopods and other AquaAmi are already starting to multiply in the Ceph-Along (& friends) CAL thread on ravelry. There’s still plenty of time to join in – the CAL runs all month and you can make a cephalopod in an hour or so! One thing I love about these patterns is how few pieces they have; there’s almost no sewing to do (bliss when you’re used to having to stitch head, muzzle, body, 2 ears, 4 legs, and a tail for one animal…)

It’s rare that I’m still excited enough about a new pattern to want to make more immediately, but I really can’t resist the cephalopods – they’re just so quick and fun to make. I’ve just bought this insanely-coloured yarn that I think will make wonderful colour-changing cephalopods (I can’t imagine any other uses for it – no wonder the shop had only this colourway left):

I’ll be joining in the CAL myself, to see if my gut feeling is correct and I can turn this exuberance of colour into a set of amazing cephalopods….

And if you’re making hearts and roses from my free patterns, don’t forget to share them in the Valentine’s CAL thread before the 14th and I’ll include your photos in the roundup here!

Review and Win contest

January’s ‘Review and Win’ winner is Emily W, with her review of my ever-popular Baby Bunnies:

I ABSOLUTELY ADORE THIS PATTERN!!! As soon as I saw the bunny pictures on June’s blog, I was absolutely ecstatic!!! I had previously looked everywhere for a realistic bunny pattern, but hadn’t found anything that looked promising.

As soon as I bought the pattern, I was immediately swept up in a colony of bunnies – I just couldn’t stop making them! The pattern is SUPER easy, even with the odd increases and decreases needed for the shaping. June explains the concepts needed so well, such as the entire page devoted to explaining angora bunny-brushing techniques! I’m also really glad that, unlike some other designers, June always pays great attention to important details, such as: where to put the eyes and ears, and where to put the feet so the bunny doesn’t flop forward or look like it’s pregnant (I speak from experience from my own attempts at designing a bunny pattern… did NOT turn out well 😛 ) Most of all, I love the fact that the bunny pattern is so easy to customize to look like your own bunny.

Everyone I make bunnies from this pattern for loves the results. This pattern will DEFINITELY become my last-minute birthday present pattern! Thank you SO MUCH for yet another wonderful pattern, June!!!!

You’re welcome, Emily, and thanks for the lovely review – I’ll email you to find out which pattern you’d like as your prize 🙂

And for everyone else, Baby Bunnies will be part of the next PlanetJune CAL (Spring/Easter theme), starting Feb 15th, so get ready for BunnyFest 2013, coming soon to a ravelry group near you…

This post isn’t PlanetJune-related but I do love a bargain and I’ve found some crafty deals you might like too, so I wanted to share them! If you’re waiting for a crochet post, I’ll have a brand new pattern collection to reveal, next week…

MOO card winners and discount codes

Thanks to everyone who entered my MOO giveaway! I wish you could all win – it was great to hear about your small businesses, crafty ventures and good ideas that could benefit from some MOO cards.

But there can only be 3 winners, and random.org tells me they are Kati, Diana Mullins-Atkinson, and Katie. Congratulations to you all!

I’ll email you to notify you of this too, but I’ll be passing your names and email addresses along to Dan at MOO and he’ll contact you to arrange your prize – your choice of 50 Classic Business Cards or 100 MiniCards 🙂

Now, if you didn’t win, but thinking about what you’d do with your MOO cards has got you all excited, I have another offer for you! With my order, I received 5 discount codes each worth 15% off your first order at MOO, and I’d like to share them with people who can make use of them. Here’s what I have:

• 3x 15% off your entire order
• 1x 15% off any 1 product (the cheapest, if you order more than one item)
• 1x 15% off 1 pack of MiniCards

As I don’t know how many people may want them, and people read my blog at different times of day, I think the fairest thing would be to give you a 24-hour window to let me know if you want a code.

• If you haven’t ordered from MOO before and would like to now, please leave a comment below to let me know. (If you could also say if you’d be happy with any of the codes or you need one in particular, I’ll try to match the winners with their requests so the codes will do the most good!)
• If there are more than 5 requests, 24 hours from now, I’ll randomly draw 5 to get the codes.
• If there are less than 5 requests in 24 hours, I’ll keep this offer going until I’ve received 5 requests and given out all the codes!

UPDATE 27 Jan: All the codes have now been claimed! I’m glad they’ve found good homes. Chrisie, Aimee, Amanda W, milla1222, Karina – I’ll email your codes to you tomorrow. Hope you enjoy your discounted MOO orders 🙂

Try Zinio for free

I must confess I’m quite addicted to Zinio now – it’s made buying magazines so easy that I’ve bought digital subscriptions to crochet magazines, and also to some knitting titles (for clothing inspiration and techniques), and Ideas magazine (for some local South African crafty flavour). It also makes it really easy to pick up a one-off back issue of a magazine that has a pattern or article you want, which is very handy!

Anyway, I found an amazing offer to try $50 of Zinio managzines for free – you have to activate it by January 31st, so hurry and get on it if you’d like to take advantage of this deal too! There’s a wide selection of magazines to choose from and, although there aren’t any crochet mags included, there are two knitting titles and a nice selection of other crafty magazines, as well as food, home, lifestyle, computers, photography, music, sports, etc etc.

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Click here and then click ‘Claim Coupon’ to get started.
2. Once you get your code, copy and paste it somewhere safe (so you can log back in again later and choose more magazines).
3. Login here to redeem your voucher.
4. Don’t worry if nothing happens when you’ve selected your magazines – you’ll be emailed the links in a couple of days. I’ve tried it and it does work; it just takes a while!

Now, here’s how I made the deal even better for myself. You don’t have to order all 18 magazines at once, and you have 90 days to redeem them. So:

1. Keep a note of your voucher code – you’ll need it to log back in later.
2. Select single issues, not subscription, to get the latest issue and be able to choose 18 different magazines.
3. Some magazines only have a 1-issue subscription available, but if you log back into the redemption page in a month (or whenever the next issue comes out), you’ll be able to get the next issue of the same magazine free too! A handy tip: you’ll receive whichever issue has its cover pictured on the page at the time you redeem your voucher.

I hope you enjoy these deals. Don’t forget to leave a comment requesting a MOO code, if you’d like one!