PlanetJune Blog: Latest News, Patterns and Tutorials

I have a partial victory! Although I have no control over how many hundreds or thousands of people have already downloaded my patterns without paying, I have contacted the websites where my stolen work had been uploaded, and, in both cases, the pattern has now been removed. Yay!

Of course, I have no idea how many other sites that I’m not aware of also have copies of my patterns on display – I have tried googling and only found the two that are no longer available, so fingers crossed this may be it for now.

Thank you to everyone who has commented – either on the blog or by e-mail – with sympathy and suggestions. I hope this doesn’t happen to anyone else. (Incidentally, the thief who targeted me obviously didn’t care about my copyright notices which are printed at the bottom of each page of all my patterns – they were still present in the ripped-off copies!)

I don’t have a photo to go with this post, so I thought I’d show off some of the fuzzies from the PlanetJune flickr group:

ClinkscalesArts has made this lovely bear (from the Fuzzy Bear pattern):

Capps83 made this monkey for a lucky co-worker (from the Fuzzy Monkeys pattern):

Hildeguard based her Inspector Mole on the Mini Fuzzies Woodland Creatures pattern – love that magnifying glass!

I’d love to see what else you’ve been making from my patterns – please feel free to show off your creations by uploading them to my Flickr group!

To the person who has been stealing my crochet patterns and posting them online: I am not a large corporation who can easily absorb a little petty theft. I am not making millions from my patterns. I work hard to produce quality patterns for the enjoyment of the crafting community and I charge a small amount as compensation for my hard work.

I was shocked and hurt when a member of the Crochetville community drew this to my attention this morning (thanks Maria!). One of the things I love most about the online craft community (bloggers, forum users, etsy shoppers, etc) is the culture of inspiration, and sharing ideas and techniques, that enriches us all. I have created lots of free tutorials and I always offer my customers any advice or help they need via e-mail. So to discover that one of my customers has betrayed me like this hurts even more.

My patterns are protected by copyright… or are they??

To all my lovely honest customers and online friends: Thank you for your comments and your custom! Your appreciation of my work makes all this worthwhile, and I’m not going to let one bad apple spoil everything for me. If you see any of my patterns illegally floating around the internet, please do let me know so I can try to stop them from spreading.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how to combat this kind of thievery?

The question I get asked most often is how to make a magic ring to begin an amigurumi.

What is this ‘Magic Ring’, anyway?

A magic ring is a way to begin crocheting in the round by crocheting over an adjustable loop and then pulling the loop tight. The advantage of the magic ring method (below, right) is that, unlike the regular “chain 2, x single crochet in 2nd chain from hook” method (below, left), there is no hole left in the middle of your starting round.

L: ch2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook, 2 sc in each st around.
R: magic ring, ch 1, 6 sc in magic ring, 2 sc in each st around.

How do I make a Magic Ring?

Choose your preferred learning method! I have video and step-by-step photo tutorials, all for right- and left-handers. Continue to:

• Magic Ring video tutorial (right- and left-handed versions)
• Magic Ring for right-handers (photo tutorial)
• Magic Ring for left-handers (photo tutorial)

The Fuzzy Guinea Pig pattern is now available! You can order it directly from PlanetJune.com and the pdf will be e-mailed to you.

Now you can make your own realistic guinea pigs! The pattern includes options to make long haired or short haired guinea pigs, and single-coloured or dual-coloured guinea pigs. Enjoy!

I’m pleased to announce that I am Co-Editor of the new Crochet Along group blog. The first crochetalong theme is amigurumi, so if you’re interested in crochet or amigurumi, why not head over there to find resources on how to get started and a great list of free patterns you can try!

To whet your appetite, here’s a little free pattern that I’ve designed for you: a PlanetJune original crochet pattern for an amigurumi acorn with a removable cup!

Amigurumi Acorns – looks like the one on the right was picked before he was ripe!

The cup on both acorns is removable

>> Continue to the Amigurumi Acorn free pattern instructions >>

Why not join the Crochet Along and make some acorns of your own? Or you can make any other amigurumi you want – we have lots of free pattern links to get you started!

My piggy has found a new friend!

Aren’t they a cute pair?

The Fuzzy Guinea Pig pattern will be released soon. Sign up for my mailing list if you’d like to be notified when it’s available…

Click for larger picture

Week week!

UPDATE: Looking for the pattern? You can find the Fuzzy Guinea Pig crochet pattern in my shop.

We have moved into our new house! Thanks to everyone who sent cards or good wishes by e-mail – it means a lot 🙂

I finally have my new craft room, although it’s currently full of boxes and needs a lot of organising. I have so many ideas for it, but the whole house needs to be set up so I can’t devote too much time to it… yet…

But I have managed to keep one little corner neat and calm and it makes me happy to look at it:

My wire and FIMO bonsai sakura tree, some polymer clay stones I made and some real stones, and my kawaii Hidamari no Tami who waves his head from side to side in sunlight. How cute is that?

This tutorial is Donationware – the instructions are available for free, but if you like it please consider sending me a donation to show your appreciation:

Send me a donation and receive the easy-to-print PDF version of the tutorial as a thank you!

Donations of any size are much appreciated. Just add the amount you wish to donate, and, once you have checked out and paid, your PDF will instantly be available to download from your PlanetJune account.

The complete instructions are available below, regardless of whether or not you choose to pay for them 🙂

This is a PlanetJune original tutorial. Please do not share or reproduce this tutorial; instead post a link to www.planetjune.com/pincushion

I designed my pig wrist pincushion last summer, and it’s been so useful – I wear it whenever I use my sewing machine. This month’s Whiplash challenge theme is Zakka so I thought a tutorial for my pincushion might fit into that category. I have named this pincushion the Offset Square Wrist Pincushion because it’s made from two squares of fabric, offset before sewing, which results in an interesting shape in the finished pincushion:

Click for the full size picture

You will need:

2 squares of fabric, each 3.5″
3/4″ width twill tape, approx 10-12″ (depending on the size of your wrist)
3/4″ width Velcro, 1.5″
A small bead or button
Sewing thread in colours to match fabric and Velcro
A small quantity of polyester fibrefill stuffing

Instructions

1. Measure the circumference of your wrist and add 3.5″. Cut a length of twill tape to this measurement.
2. Lay the twill tape down on a flat surface, and fold up 1 inch at one end of the tape. Position the ‘hook’ piece of the Velcro at the same end so it covers the raw edge of the folded tape. Pin in place if required, then sew all around the edge of the Velcro.
   
3. Turn the twill tape over so the Velcro is face down. Fold up 1 inch at the other end of the tape and position the ‘loop’ piece of the Velcro over this end so it covers the raw edge of the folded tape. Pin in place if required, then sew all around the edge of the Velcro.
4. Cut two 3.5″ squares of fabric using scissors or a rotary cutter. Using a fast-fade fabric pen or tailor’s chalk, mark one square (square A) 3/8″ from the edge around all four edges, then mark the centre of each edge. Mark the second square (square B) with registration points 3/8″ down from the top, at each side.
   
5. Position A face up and lay the twill tape along a diagonal of the fabric with the loop side of the Velcro facing up, so that an equal amount of the tape extends over each corner of the fabric. Pin the tape to the fabric.
   
6. Sew the tape to the fabric with a 1.5″ long rectangle in the middle of the fabric and tape (turned over in photo below so you can see the stitching).
   
7. 

   Place B face up with the registration marks at the top edge. Close the wrist strap and pin to itself to keep it out of the way while you sew up the pincushion (see right), then place A face down on top of B. Now offset A by moving it upward until A’s centre marks are aligned with B’s registration marks. Pin the squares together along the right hand side.

   Now, to sew the squares together. You will be stitching 7 lines, each half the length of one side of the square, and then rotating either the upper or lower fabric square before stitching the next line. The fabric you have already sewn will get bunched up while you are sewing, but it will all work out in the end!

   

8. Starting at the centre of the right edge of A (point a), sew the squares together from a to b. Make sure the sewing machine needle is down, then lift the presser foot. Rotate A so that the next side of A is aligned with the remainder of the first side of B and point c is directly over point d. Pin in place if desired (as the piece is so small, I find it easier to just hold the two pieces together and feed them through the machine), then lower the presser foot.
   
9. Sew along this edge until you reach point d. Make sure the sewing machine needle is down before raising the presser foot. Rotate B so the next side is aligned with the remainder of the side of A. Pin if desired, lower the presser foot, then sew along the next edge.
   
10. Continue in this way, repeating 8 and 9, until you reach the final side. Leave this side open to turn the pincushion through. Finish off securely.
    
11. Clip the excess fabric from all the corners of the pincushion, then turn it right side out through the open side. It will be a tight fit so be patient with it. You can use a pen or your finger to push out the corners.
12. Fill the pincushion with fibrefill until it is fairly solid, then fold the seam allowances inside the cushion and hand-stitch the gap closed.
    
13. Thread a needle with both ends of a length of strong sewing thread, leaving the loop of the thread longer than the two ends. Push the needle through the centre of the pincushion from the middle of the cushion top through to the middle of the tape. Do not pull the thread all the way through – leave the loop extending from the top. Insert the needle close to where it came out and stitch back up through the pincushion and through the loop. Pull tight to dimple the centre of the cushion.
    
14. Add a small button or bead to cover your stitch and then go back through the pincushion, make one more small stitch on the back and come back through to the top. Unthread one of the two ends from your needle, go through the button or bead once more with the other end. Tie the two ends together and then lose them inside the pincushion.
15. Attach the pincushion to your wrist, add some pins, and you’re ready to go!
    

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Please leave me a comment if you did, and consider leaving me a donation. Thanks!