I can’t tell you how excited I am to reveal my latest crochet pattern collection – making more cats with different body types is something I’ve had planned since I released my first amigurumi cat patterns in 2015!

It may have taken over four years, but now, here at last, is AmiCats Collection 2:

AmiCats Collection 2, L-R: Burmese, Himalayan, Persian, Siamese cats

For my first AmiCats Collection, I created all the designs based on a standard intermediate cat body type with different colour markings. For this second collection, I’ve developed new designs based on foreign (oriental) and cobby (exotic) cat body types.

AmiCats Collection 2 includes two patterns in each body type. The assembly process is the same AmiCats process you’ll already be familiar with if you’ve ever made an AmiCat before, but I’ve reworked every piece of the cat shape to reflect the shapes of a stocky flat-faced cat and a slender oriental-type cat.

About the Designs

I’ve named each of these patterns after the most distinctive breed with that body type and markings, but of course you’re not limited to making those specific breeds from these patterns! Here are a few more ideas for breeds you can make using these patterns:

• Persian: Exotic Shorthair, American Shorthair, British Shorthair, Scottish Straight
• Himalayan: Colourpoint Persian, Birman
• Siamese: Tonkinese, Balinese, Colorpoint Shorthair, Thai
• Burmese: Oriental Shorthair, Russian Blue, Javanese, Havana, Abyssinian, Sphynx, Peterbald

And of course you can make any of these into a regular domestic cat – these patterns aren’t only for pedigrees! Pick whichever pattern you like best, or the one that looks closest to your own furbaby 🙂

About the Patterns

The cats in AmiCats Collections 1 and 2 are all the same overall size, even with the different body shapes, so you can even mix and match pieces between all the patterns in both collections if you have e.g. a tabby cat with massive siamese-style ears, or a long-haired (or fat!) cat with a slender head. Or, if you’re trying to make a custom cat, you can use the closest parts from each pattern as a starting point!

All the AmiCats! L-R: Burmese, Tabby, Himalayan, Tuxedo, Persian, Calico, Single-Coloured, Siamese

As with the original AmiCats, the new patterns come with two-page appendices for both right- and left-handers that clearly explain my innovative method for joining the legs and body while you crochet so they sit at exactly the right angle in the finished cat, and bonus instructions to crochet the (optional) pictured nose from crochet thread or embroidery floss and a 1.25mm/size 9 steel hook. (Instructions for making a simple felt or embroidered nose are also given.)

The assembly instructions in the appendices are the same for all 8 cats so you only need to print one set (LH or RH as needed, plus the crocheted nose) for all 8 cats. Note: don’t print the appendices from the Siamese or Burmese unless those are the only AmiCats you buy, as these two patterns omit a step that’s needed for all the others! But the figure numbering is consistent between all 8 AmiCats, to avoid confusion.

Buy Now!

If you just need one specific cat pattern, they are each available individually, but the AmiCats Collection 2 price is great value (all four patterns for less than the price of three), so I do advise you consider picking up the whole collection. Here are the links:

• AmiCats Collection 2 (all 4 new patterns)
• AmiCats Persian Cat
• AmiCats Himalayan Cat
• AmiCats Burmese Cat
• AmiCats Siamese Cat
• List of all the AmiCats options (8 individual cats and 2 collections)

And if you’d like to save even more on AmiCats Collection 2, join us for the Cats & Dogs crochet-along (details below)…

Crochet-Along (and Save!)

I’m hosting a new crochet-along (CAL) in the PlanetJune group on Ravelry, to make any AmiCats or AmiDogs from now until November. Join in by choosing any of my 8 cat and 24 dog patterns to crochet!

To join, just leave a message in the CAL thread saying you’d like to join, and I’ll send you a private welcome message including a special CAL-exclusive discount code to use on AmiCats Collection 2!

And there’s more: this is a prize CAL too, with one grand prize winner winning my upcoming Christmas Collection of crochet patterns, and runner-up discount codes for all other CAL entrants.

Sound good? Post to the CAL thread now and I’ll send you your AmiCats 2 discount code so you can get started!

(New to Ravelry? See my crochet-along FAQ for answers to your questions!)

I hope you’re excited about my new cat patterns – which is your favourite?

Can’t choose? You don’t have to – pick up AmiCats Collection 2 now and you can enjoy making all four… 😉

Say you find the cutest mug or basket that would look lovely with a crocheted plant inside, or you’re crocheting a plant as a gift and don’t have time to make the pot too… How can you ‘plant’ your crocheted plant securely so it’ll look good in a non-crocheted container?

I’ve been asked this many times over the decade since I published my first potted plant patterns, so I thought it was about time I document and share my preferred method with you.

In this tutorial, you’ll make a ball of crocheted ‘soil’ and stitch your crocheted plant to the ball. You can then ‘transplant’ your crocheted plant into a decorative container of your choice!

The online version of this tutorial includes the basic recipe for making a soil ball of any size. As I like to reward people who choose to donate for my donationware patterns, the PDF version also includes special bonus content: the full crochet patterns for two sizes of pot (1.5″/4cm and 2.25″/6cm diameter), and additional tutorial photos.

As always, though, the basic pattern is free for you to use, and you need only donate if you’d like to thank me for my time in creating it, or if you’d like the easy-to-print PDF version.

I hope you’ll enjoy this tutorial, and find it useful next time you’re making a PlanetJune potted plant pattern 😀

Go to the Soil Ball for ‘planting’ Crocheted Plants tutorial >>

I recently started using a facial toner, and suddenly I was throwing out more cotton pads in a week than I usually use in a year! I try to minimise the amount of trash I generate, and, as the bathroom bin started to fill, I decided this had to stop. Enter my new free crochet pattern: washable, re-useable Eco-Friendly Cosmetic Rounds.

Use these washable rounds anywhere you’d use a disposable cotton round or facial wipe – for cleansing, toning, or removing makeup – and save money while helping the environment! They crochet up in minutes, take very little yarn, and make a pretty and practical gift.

Eco-Friendly Cosmetic Rounds are easy to clean – simply toss the used pads into a mesh laundry bag or a drawstring bag and run them through your washer and dryer with your laundry.

As I like to reward people who choose to donate for my donationware patterns, the PDF version of the Eco-Friendly Cosmetic Rounds pattern also includes the bonus pattern for the Mini size (pictured above; I find this size is perfect for applying my toner!) and additional instructional photos and tips, including left-handed photos. As always, the pattern for the Standard size is free for you to use, and you need only donate if you’d like to thank me for my time in creating it, or if you’d like the easy-to-print PDF version with the bonuses.

Go to the free Eco-Friendly Cosmetic Rounds pattern >>

Or jump straight to donate:

Order the Eco-Friendly Cosmetic Rounds pattern >>

Not ready to make them yet? Add this pattern to your Ravelry queue:

I hope you’ll find this pattern useful! And every step we can make towards helping the environment by reducing waste is a step in the right direction, no matter how small.

My patriotic Beaver just can’t wait until Canada Day (July 1st) to start his celebrations!

I’ve just updated my Maple Leaf Collection crochet pattern to also include instructions for making this small thread Canadian Flag too – it’s perfect for an amigurumi to hold.

If you’ve already bought the Maple Leaf Collection, log back into your PlanetJune account, go to your old order for the Maple Leaf Collection and re-download the Canadian Flag Background PDF – you’ll see a new page at the end with the updated details for the thread flag!

Canadiana crochet patterns

I have a small, but growing, collection of Canadian-themed patterns now – the adorable Beaver, and the Maple Leaf Collection (which includes the Canadian Flag background):

Find all my Canadiana crochet patterns here!

Are there any other Canadian icons you’d like me to add to my Canadiana pattern collection? Let me know in the comments!

I have a very special new design for you today – it’s a beautifully-shaped Seahorse crochet pattern:

Aren’t they sweet? I’m so pleased with how they turned out 🙂

Seahorse Fun Facts

• Seahorses are a very unusual-looking type of fish.
• They live in sheltered areas of warm seas across the world.
• Seahorses swim upright, using their dorsal fin (at the back) to move them forwards and their pectoral fins (at either side of the head) for steering.
• They are slow, weak swimmers, so they use their prehensile tails to grasp onto seaweed, coral, etc so they don’t drift away in the currents.
• Unlike most animals, the male seahorse cares for the babies. The eggs are kept safely in a special brood pouch on his stomach until they are ready to emerge as fully-formed miniature seahorses!

About the Design

My seahorse design is realistically shaped and about 9″ (22.5cm) long when worked in worsted weight yarn.

It’s an elegant low-sew design, as the entire head, body and tail are crocheted as one piece. The only sewing is to attach the fins and coronet.

I made my samples in Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice worsted weight yarn in realistic seahorsey shades, but you have lots of scope for creativity in your yarn choice!

• Multicoloured or variegated yarns would work well.
• Glossy or sparkly yarns would add a magical touch.
• Scale it down with finer yarn and a smaller hook for a cute miniature seahorse.
• Make a giant cuddly seahorse using my Giant Amigurumi techniques!

About the Pattern

As always, the pattern includes full instructions and detailed step-by-step photographs for assembly and all special techniques used, so you can follow along and make a perfect seahorse.

I’ve also included stitch diagrams in addition to written instructions for all the fins and coronet, so you can use whichever instructions work best for your learning style.

You’ll love the way it magically comes together…

Buy Now & Launch Discount

Ready to get started? Pick up my Seahorse crochet pattern from my shop right now. Or, if you’re not ready to make it just yet, add it to your Ravelry queue or favourites so you don’t forget about it:

And for one week only, you can take an extra 50c off the price: add the Seahorse pattern to your shopping cart, and enter the discount code MAGIC at checkout! (Offer ends Thursday 6 June, 2019.)

I feel that there’s something almost magical about these special creatures – don’t you agree? And their beautiful elegant shape lends itself so well to a sculptural design like this.

I really hope you’ll enjoy my Seahorse pattern. Don’t forget to share photos with me when you’ve made one:

• Post in the PlanetJune Ravelry group
• Tag me (@PlanetJune) on any social media
• Email me a pic to june@planetjune.com

…I always love to hear from you, and to see what you’ve been making from my patterns. 🙂

Since leaving the warmth of Africa for the Great White North, one thing I really miss is being able to see lizards all the time – both when out exploring nature, and in my own garden. I grew to love lizards after observing them in the wild for so long, and I’m considering getting a pet bearded dragon one day.

Until then, I now have the next best thing with my new addition to my amigurumi menagerie – a life-sized Bearded Dragon crochet pattern:

She’s such a cutie!

Bearded Dragon Fun Facts

• Bearded dragons, aka ‘beardies’, are one of the most popular reptiles to keep as pets.
• These lizards are docile and friendly, and eat insects and vegetables.
• In the wild, bearded dragons can be found in the Australian deserts.
• Beardies can flatten their bodies and change colour when they bask in the sun, so they can absorb more heat.
• When threatened, they puff out their spiky ‘beard’ throat skin and open their mouth wide so they appear larger.

About the Design

My bearded dragon is roughly life-sized and realistically shaped, at about 12″ (30cm) long. It has an alert stance, a wide body and wedge-shaped head, and tiny spines along the sides of its head and body, just like a real beardy!

I made my sample in a heathered yarn (Lion Brand Heartland) which adds a subtle variegated effect which I love, but you can use a solid colour of yarn instead if you prefer. Fancy bearded dragons come in a wide range of colours (orange, yellow, brown, grey, and even red or white) so you have lots of scope for making life-like beardies in all sorts of colours.

About the Pattern

As with my other lizard patterns, the realistic legs are wired with pipe cleaners, but the pattern also includes tips for omitting the pipe cleaners if you want your beardy to be baby-safe.

The pattern includes stitch diagrams for the spines in addition to the written instructions, so you can use whichever instructions work best for your learning style.

And, as always, close-up photos aid with every step of the assembly, so you can be confident you’ll be able to make a perfect bearded dragon too.

Buy Now & Launch Discount

Ready to get started? Pick up my Bearded Dragon crochet pattern from my shop right now. Or, if you’re not ready to make it just yet, add it to your Ravelry queue or favourites so you don’t forget about it:

And for one week only, you can take an extra 50c off the price: add the Bearded Dragon pattern to your shopping cart, and enter the discount code BEARDY at checkout! (Offer ends Wednesday 8 May, 2019.)

This bearded dragon design has been over a year in the making, but I’m really happy with the end result – I think I got the alert beardy pose just right, and the tiny spines don’t overwhelm the design, even in worsted weight yarn.

I hope you agree, and that you’ll enjoy my Bearded Dragon pattern 🙂

PlanetJune Herps

With this new pattern, my herp (reptiles and amphibians) pattern collection is now up to 10 designs: 5 lizards, 3 turtles and 2 frogs! You can find all the PlanetJune reptile and amphibian crochet patterns here 🙂

Do you have any other herp pattern requests? Let me know in the comments!

Here’s a new addition to my stemmed flower patterns: a beautiful realistic tulip flower with a clever one-piece construction. You’ll love how it comes together!

Don’t they look gloriously spring-like in their distinctive tulip colours? (I had so much fun picking the colours for these!)

I’ve also completed a new video (the first of many!) using my new audio/video equipment to accompany this pattern, and all my other stemmed flowers: Easy Yarn-Wrapped Stems for Crochet Flowers. As always, my videos are available in right- and left-handed versions, so you can see exactly what to do.

I hope you can see/hear the quality improvement in this new video, but if you don’t even notice because you’re concentrating on the content, that’s fine too. Clear, close-up and well explained techniques are always my top priority. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel so you’ll always see my latest videos – I have lots more in store!

Here are all my stemmed flowers together: Basic Rose, Daffodils, Carnations and the new Tulips. I hope they all brighten your day!

As I like to reward people who chose to donate for my donationware patterns, the PDF version of the Tulips pattern includes additional assembly photos (including left-handed photos) and my special technique for fastening off the yarn neatly at the base of the stem. As always, the pattern is free for you to use, and you need only donate if you’d like to thank me for my time in creating it, or if you’d like the easy-to-print PDF version.

Go to the free Tulips pattern >>

Or jump straight to donate:

Order the Tulips pattern >>

Not ready to make it yet? Add it to your Ravelry queue:

You might think I’d be running out of animal ideas to recreate in crochet, but there are lots of really obvious choices that I haven’t had a chance to make yet. Case in point: the national animal of Canada – how could I have not designed a beaver pattern yet?! Well, let’s rectify that right now…

When I stopped my pattern commissions program, the beaver was almost fully pledged, so I’m really happy to have finally had the chance to fulfill the wish of those would-be commissioners (and other Canadians, nature lovers, people who just like cute amigurumi animals…) with my PlanetJune Beaver crochet pattern! (And – bonus for the commissioners – now you don’t have to pay the full cost of your pledge, just the regular pattern price!)

Beaver Fun Facts

• The beaver is the largest rodent in North America. It lives in ponds and lakes and on riverbanks.
• Beavers can see underwater as well as they can on land, and can close their ears and nostrils when swimming. They swim using their webbed back feet as paddles and their flat tails as a rudder.
• Each beaver uses its chisel-sharp teeth to cut down over 200 trees a year, to use both as food and building materials.
• Beavers are one of nature’s builders, using mud, twigs and bark to build a lodge to live in. They contruct the lodge on a platform in a pond, with all the entrances underwater.
• Beavers remain active in the winter, beneath the ice of their pond. If their water source isn’t deep enough, they build a dam to create a deeper pond so it won’t freeze all the way through.

If you’ve ever heard the phrase “busy as a beaver”, now you know why – beavers are always busy, building and repairing their constructions!

About the Design

I love how beavers sit up on their back feet, using their tail for balance, and that’s the distinctive pose I tried to capture in my design.

I think you’ll love how it all comes together – the body shaping, the cute little arms and big webbed back feet, and of course the iconic tail.

Buy Now & Launch Discount

What are you waiting for? Pick up my Beaver crochet pattern from my shop right now. Or, if you’re not ready to make it just yet, add it to your Ravelry queue or favourites so you don’t forget about it:

And for one week only, you can take an extra 50c off the price: add the Beaver pattern to your shopping cart, and enter the discount code BEAVERTAIL at checkout! (Offer ends Tuesday 5 March, 2019.)

I hope you love this beaver design as much as I do!

Don’t forget to tag me (I’m @planetjune everywhere) when you’ve made yours 🙂