YarnCraft interview and contest
Note: Don’t miss the giveaway at the end of this post!
YarnCraft, Lion Brand’s knitting and crocheting podcast, will air its 100th episode on September 13th! You can catch up on any episodes you’ve missed at the YarnCraft blog, or listen directly through iTunes.
The YarnCraft hosts, Liz and Zontee, are on a celebration blog tour, and today they’ve stopped at PlanetJune for a chat…
June: When you’re not podcasting, what are your roles at Lion Brand?
Liz: I do the product development at Lion Brand, which means I am in the lucky position of getting to work directly with mills to produce our new yarns!
Zontee: I work in marketing on content and outreach. I edit our various email newsletters like The Weekly Stitch and YarnPlay, oversee our blog (The Lion Brand Notebook), produce the podcast, and develop content for our website. I also work on our programs at yarn conventions and festivals and work with artists and designers who use our yarns, which means I get to spend a lot of time getting out in the yarncrafting community.
June: You’re both very knowledgeable! Has working on the show broadened your knowledge? And what’s your favourite yarncraft?
Liz: Working on the show has definitely encouraged me to learn a lot more about yarncrafting. We have such great guests that all specialize in different areas, so we get a lot of great information from them. And our listeners always challenge us with unique questions, so we have to do our research to bring them the right answers!
Zontee: One thing I’ve learned about teaching others is that it makes you more aware of the skills you already possess and just how difficult it can sometimes be to explain them. Working on the show has made me more appreciative of people who teach crafts and teach in general, because it really is a skill. I don’t think either Liz or I can really pick a favorite yarncraft, since we’re both multi-craftual. I’m just going to say that I think every craft has its strengths and its place in the world.
June: What’s your favorite YarnCraft episode?
Liz: I love all the episodes with Lily Chin because I always learn something new whenever she’s on the show. My all-time favorite tip is taping your swatch to the wall to measure gauge to get more accurate numbers!
Zontee: I like the episodes when we answer listener questions, because I think that they’re the episodes that cover the most varied, and in the end, probably the most useful advice for our listeners’ daily crafting lives.
June: Liz, I mentioned on Twitter the other day that I was having trouble finding good yellow shades for my amigurumi and there was a lot of agreement. Is there a particular reason for the lack of yellow/orange shades of yarn?
Liz: Generally if it’s hard to find a certain color, yarn weight, or fiber, it’s because that type of product has not sold well for retailers in the past. Yellow and Oranges have typically not been strong sellers in yarn. Even though these have been trendy colors in fashion the last few years, a lot of customers are hesitant to wear yellow and orange, or use it in home décor. We have a great article on our website about Natural Dyeing with food and spices that produced some nice yellows if you want to experiment and make your own.
June: That makes sense; I wouldn’t want to wear yellow/orange shades either – I’d only use them to make flowers and animals! I’d love to try natural dyeing; unfortunately I’m sensitive to wool and acrylic won’t accept dye – it’d be a great solution for people who can work with wool though.
Thank you, Liz and Zontee, for taking the time to chat with me!
Win Vanna’s Choice yarn and a PlanetJune pattern!
I love to design amigurumi patterns using Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice yarn. It has more substance than many other worsted weight yarns, which makes for really nice shaping on my amigurumi, and there’s a huge range of lovely muted colours to choose from.
All these PlanetJune crochet patterns use Vanna’s Choice yarn
Liz and Zontee are giving one lucky reader three balls of Vanna’s Choice in the colour(s) of your choice, and I’ll kick in a free PlanetJune pattern of your choice too, to give you a project for your new yarn!
To enter: just leave a comment on this post, letting me know which shade(s) you’d choose for your 3 balls of Vanna’s Choice if you win (and as you can make at least two amigurumi from one ball, I’d recommend you choose a selection of colours!) and which pattern of mine you’d like!
The contest is not US only (yay!) – you can enter if you have a shipping address in the US or any of the countries Lion Brand can ship to. (If you’re from outside the US you’ll be responsible for any duty and/or import taxes on the prize.)
You may enter until 6pm (EST) on Thursday September 15th 2011. I’ll draw a random winner from all the entries after that time.
Good luck!
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Mindi said
I absolutely LOVE your patterns! I’ve purchased 6 of the dinosaur patterns and plan on purchasing the rest in the near future. They are awesome patterns. They are so clear and easy to follow! I wasn’t sure if the combo sets were a part of the giveaway. If they are I would love the 3rd dino set. But if they aren’t included I would love to have the poison dart frog pattern. He looks so awesome! My boys would love him! For my color choices I would like the sapphire, scarlet and the toffee.
Thank you so much for offering this!
sarah daniel said
I love the colors Dusty Blue, Sapphire and aqua.. I would love to make the dinosaurs for my son. He is so into dinos right now and he is 2 1/2
Jackie Watson said
I would make the fox! Orange, brown and white it looks like to me. Great work shown above. I haven’t much experience making amigurumi but would love the chance to try! Thank you for the chance to win.
Theresa Matthews said
I would really love the pattern/yarn for the toffey and tangerine gecko, also the dinosaurs set of six in cranberry, mangents eggplant and charcoal. I think they will absolutely adorable in these colors.
Jen said
I love the Vanna’s Choice yarns! Oatmeal is my favorite color so far. The bat would be fun, or the bronotsaurus. Something easy, LOL.
Eva North said
Hi June, I love love love your site so much. I’ve been a self taught crocheter and would love to learn more on crocheting ami’s. I love the crocheted animals and I love dolls and wouldn’t mind having the pretty bright colors,any bright colors would do, i’m not picky and whoever is the lucky winner, is gonna be a very happy hooker.
Rebekah said
I would love to have your cactus pattern (so cute!) and Fern, Kelly Green, and Dusty Green to crochet them with!
Sara Strombach said
I LOVE this contest. Thank You
I would like to pick the amigurumi Guinea Pig patterns or the potted cactus patterns.
I think for colors…. would be , yellow, rusty brown, or the sage green.
Keep crocheting!
Sara
kerry zollecoffer said
I would love to try the chocolate, sapphire, & charcoal gray. I’ve never made amugurumi. I think the dinosaurs would be super cute! Thanks for the opportunity. I look forward to my lionbrand emails everyweek for ideas and inspiration 😉
Kristin said
LOVE this contest! If I won I’d pick Eggplant and Dusty Purple (so I can make a purple fruit bat – because that’s just cool) and Wild Berry because it’s gorgeous.
Thanks June!
Lyn said
I would love to make a bunch of those stegasauruses in dusty purple, dusty blue and dusty green for my grandchildren. We love to play dinosaurs at Grandma’s house.
Chrystal Corliss said
Pumpkin orange, charcoal print and autumn print! I love Vanna’s Choice yarns. 🙂
I have a hard time picking just one amigurumi pattern– so I’ll say the fuzzy bear pattern. Good bears are hard to find. 🙂
Gail Hogsten said
I love all of your patterns and have made several Ami’s from them. I think that this time I’d choose to make some of your Yeti and Bigfoot Amigurumi.
The yarn colors I’d want would be White, Honey, and Rust.
OR
That great gecko pattern. When we lived in Hawaii, they were all over the place and laid their eggs in the flower beds next to the house. For colors – Kelly green, fern, olive!
Whoever wins will be a lucky hooker!
Lisa said
I just came across your website recently and LOVE LOVE LOVE all your patterns. I see many of them in my future!!! If I had to choose just one though – it would be the alpaca pattern as I raise alpacas!! I would choose Toffee, Beige and Honey in the Vanna’s Choice yarn to complete these. My color choices might be a little boring…but I already have some Vanna’s Choice yarns in my stash that are brighter – perfect for some of your patterns that I’ll be purchasing soon! 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win!
Liz said
I would love your dinosaurs set 2 pattern, or just the Tyrannosaurus Rex if I have to choose one. I have a friend who would get a huge kick from receiving a T-Rex, and I know my office still needs more friendly creatures walking around. Your patterns are fantastic to follow and absolutely adorable.
I’d like Fern, Dusty Blue, and Antique Rose.
Thank you!
ana vicente said
I have never use Vanna
Trish said
I’d like the AmiDogs set 2 and the colors silver blue, navy and pea green. Thank you so much!
Leanne Musso said
I would make either the Fuzzy Monkey or the Turtle! And The yarn choice is Linen, Chocolate, and Espresso. I want to me the Monkey for my new baby 🙂 I chose monkey’s for the theme for him 🙂 And I would do the Turtle for me LOL I have admired the Turtle and all of your crocheting for several years now! You have too many to chose from but those are my top 2 LOL. And I cant decide which one of the 2 so if I do by some chance win you would have to surprise me with one or the other LMAO.
I hope you are having a great Thursday!!!
Melissa said
I love the aqua, terracotta, and mustard colors – my favorite colors! I’ve been eyeing your dinosaur patterns for a long time and would love to make them in those colors! Thanks for the review and the giveaway!
Mary said
I would love to have dinosaur set 1 stomping around on my desk, or even just 3 triceratops in antique rose, dusty purple and fern.
Karen Mokas said
I am just getting started making toys for NCH. Any patterns with a size that is good for this project and any yarn that goes with it. Thank you for doing this…
Debbie C. said
I’d choose Magenta, Lime, and Purple print in Vanna’s Choice. I choose Pocket Ami from the patterns. Thanks for the nice giveaway! Hard to choose because everything’s so cute!
Erin M said
Aqua, eggplant and magenta are some of my fav VC colors. I love almost all of them. Fern is a close choice too 🙂 As for patterns, I love the Christmas trees, since my husband will be deployed yet another one Im not really feeling the spirit, so maybe that would help. That dart frog is on my radar too 🙂 Thanks for such a fun giveaway!!!
Karla (Mom2LittleMiss) said
I’ve had my eye on that gecko pattern for a while now (www.planetjune.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11_17&products_id=94) I think he’d be just brilliant in the sapphire, fern, or the olive!
Luann said
I would love to have your Pocket Ami set 2 and yarn in Fern, Pearl Mist and Dark Heather. Thanks for the giveaway
Emm McAndrew said
I would choose the fuzzy Guinea Pig pattern because they look so cute! I know my 3 girls would love one each so I would make one in silver blue, one in scarlet and one in linen.
I find a distinct lack of choice in yellow yarn too!
Michal B. said
Wow, what a generous giveaway!!
I love the Fern, Dusty Blue and the Mustard!
Janet Trieschman said
eggplant, magenta, and aqua for the yarn.
for the pattern, I am not sure possibly the pocket set 1 and 2
Lynne said
Hi
My girls would really enjoy the fuzzy ferret, fuzzy kitten, and red fox toys. I would choose white, beige, and chocolate for yarn colors. Thank you for the wonderful blog!
Lenka said
This is a tough choice…from patterns I would choose either basset hound (my parents have one, so they might like a crocheted version too) or the stegosaurus. From the yarns, I love seaspray mist, tangerine mist and autumn print (I guess I like them because they are hard to find here)
Thanks for the giveaway!
Lenka
Stephanie said
love Vanna’s! If I could get the baby shades with this contest that would definitely be my choice, since I can’t find those in Canada anymore. If not beige, eggplant and fern 🙂 and I would love the pug pattern, I have a friend who would die if I made her one of those.
Sara said
What an amazing contest!
If I won I most likely choose one of the dog patterns 🙂
My color choices are Toffee, Chocolate, and Honey. . . all of which make me really hungry!
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
Sara
Terri H. said
Hard to decide, but I think I’d have to make a plesiosaur or three. My favorite dinosaur!
Colors are hard to decide too, but since dinosaurs can be just about any color… hmmm… Dusty Purple, Fern, and Mustard. Thanks!
Kati said
I’d like Pink, Beige and Honey (always on the quest to find nice skin tones) – the pattern was a much harder decision but I’d go with the Fuzzy Monkey one.
Marcia Scarpelli said
Hi June
Thank you for this great opportunity to use Vanna
Mack said
I’d love to do the Aqua Ami Sea Turtle in Tangerine Mist, Kelly Green and Dusty Green.
Thanks a lot!
Bren said
I have never use Vanna
Sofia said
Ohhhhhh. I’d love to try Vana’s Choice yarn! Here’s my choices and the pattern I’d love the most is your Triceratops – amigurumi dinosaur.
Yarns:
Dusty Green / Article: #860-173
Olive /Article: #860-174
Charcoal Grey /Article: #860-151
Espresso /Article: #860-127
I know – that’s four yarns – maybe they’ll let me pay for the fourth and send it with 🙂
nilda said
You can’t go wrong with dinosaurs! I have a little girl so I would pick, eggplant, magenta and cranberry! Just in time for fall also 🙂 My little girl and I love dinosaurs, they are so neat!!
Gina said
Hi!
If i win i would love to make the Fox, and for my yarn selections i would like the reddish color you used for the foxes body, and for my 2nd selection i would like Moutain print and i would like Purple Mist for the 3rd Selection.
Thanks!
Gina
Lisa said
Wow what an awesome giveaway!!! I haven’t used Vanna’s Choice yarn yet. I think for colors I’d go with Charcoal Gray, Dusty Green, and Honey because I don’t have anything in my stash similar to these. I so totally want your PocketAmi Set 3: Halloween!!! Too adorable!
Desiree said
Thank you for offering this – you have my imagination flowing.
If I had an option, I would choose the Poison Dart Frog (I’ve promised my friend to make her a frog, and yours is the most realistic I’ve seen) with the colours of Saphhire, Toffee, and Magenta.
Vicki said
I absolutely love Vanna’s yarn! I use if for almost all of my projects! I would love to have the colors Taupe, Espresso, and Charcoal Grey. And the pattern I would like is the Diamond Lattice Neckwarmer. Thanks for this giveaway!
Jazz said
Hi! Thanks for the giveaway! I’d like the pattern of the fuzzy ferret because my husband had one and really love her! I’ll make the ferret, so I’ll need these colors: chocolate, taupe and white. I hope I can win them 🙂
Becky D said
June,
I found your site compliments of The News Journal article. I LOVE IT! OMG!
We already have plans to make shrinky dink rings this weekend. My 11 year old daughter said she wants us to win the Fuzzy Bunny with Chickies pattern… LOL She’s still a novice at crocheting. Right now she’s making her 1 year old cousin a blanket. When she gets better at it, she wants to make things for the kids in the local children’s hospital since she spent 4 days there when they found out she was diabetic four years ago.
I didn’t see any eyelash yarn from Vanna, so the Mountain Print for all three would be great.
Erin said
Huge turtle fans over here so I’d love the AquaAmi Sea Turtle pattern and the brown, green, and brown yarn! I heart your Disc World project!
Lynn R. said
Wow, a hard choice but I think the Kingfisher bird is really cute. I also like the Vanna Choice yarn in sapphire, silver gray, and charcoal grey.
Jodiebodie said
June, you have such lovely patterns. I am especially impressed with the variety of dogs and how you have kept your designs faithful to the distinguishing features of each breed.
However, if I were to choose I favourite, I would be here for a long time because I cannot decide between the sea turtle (because my m-i-l collects turtles and I would love to make one for her) or the Aqua ami as all of these creatures live in the waters near my home. We have dolphins and seals off my local beaches and a short hour away is the southern ocean where, every winter, we get pods of whales coming into the shallower water to breed and frolick.
The Vanna’s Choice colours I would choose for the aqua ami would be any three from toffee, silver blue, silver grey or silver heather
For the turtle, I like terracotta, autumn print and any of the autumn print solid colours.
Sorry to be so indecisive but you have presented too many beautiful patterns and colours! Lots of excuses to keep returning to your blog.
Rita said
If I win I would like to make your chinchilla pattern! He looks so cute!! I love Vanna’s choice yarns colors: linen, wild berry, Taupe Mist. Thanks for such a neat contest!
Vi said
I’d like to try your Dinosaurs Set 1 pattern with honey, wild berry, and silver grey. Amigurumi make my work desk a happy and colorful place!