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Hands Occupied

Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

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Spiral Hill Sweater Vest is Here + Knit Along Details

September 27, 2023 Leave a Comment

Get the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern, inspired by the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book from Tanis Gray and Insight Editions. Designed by Heidi Gustad.

As announced last month, I have a new intarsia pattern available called the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest, inspired by the Nightmare Before Christmas’ iconic landmark. You can find the vest pattern in the new book Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town. To celebrate this release, and help teach knitters more about intarsia colorwork, we are doing a knit along (KAL) from October 1-29. Read on for all of the knit along details.

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yarn review, yarn giveaway, manos del uruguay, marla, sami, knitting, crochet, yarn

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September 21, 2023

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A round Intarsia Flower Pillow sits on a rocking chair.

The new Intarsia Flower Pillow pattern is here!

September 11, 2023

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Learn how to knit a right lifted increase (RLI) and left lifted increase (LLI) in knitting, and why you might want to use them instead of a make 1 right (M1R) or make 1 left (M1L), depending on what you're knitting. Video tutorial and photo tutorial included.

Lifted Increases: How to Work RLI, LLI & When to Use Them

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Learn how to knit a right lifted increase (RLI) and left lifted increase (LLI) in knitting, and why you might want to use them instead of a make 1 right (M1R) or make 1 left (M1L), depending on what you’re knitting. Video tutorial and photo tutorial included.

Coming this October: A knit along (KAL) featuring Heidi Gustad’s pattern from the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book from Tanis Gray and Insight Editions.

Nightmare Before Christmas Knit Along Coming This October!

August 11, 2023

Coming this October: A knit along (KAL) featuring Heidi Gustad’s pattern from the new ‘Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town’

Check out two newly published books for knitters. A picture book about a child learning to knit for her grandmother and a new knitting pattern book all about mosaic knitting are featured.

Summer Reading for Knitters

August 3, 2023

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See more from the blog →

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https://youtu.be/IMMsMwOe8BU

Free Patterns

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Mini Golden Snitch Sweater Pattern

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All Cables Cowl Pattern

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Chunky Ribbed Cowl & How to Knit Rib Stitch

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Market Cowl – Free Crochet Pattern

Knit a Harry Potter inspired lightning bolt toy in no time! This free pattern makes a great baby gift, gift topper, key chain or holiday ornament.

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More Free Patterns →

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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handsoccupied

Helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010
🧶 Really into intarsia
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Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the S Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. Thank you. 🙏🏻❤️ If you love this pattern & didn’t know already, we are going to be doing a knit along (KAL) from October 1-29 featuring this spooky sweater vest & lots of tutorials, especially for the intarsia part. 
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Later today my newsletter will be coming out with additional Knit Along details, so if you’re not already signed up, now is a great time - the 🔗 is in my b1o. 
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Pictured: My Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern from the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book by @tanisknits. Model is wearing size 1 with 2” of positive ease, knit in @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted. Vest images via @insighteditions 
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#spiralhillsweatervest #handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook
At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest, my contribution to the new book Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town, out now! 🎃💀 
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I’m hosting a knit along (KAL) October 1-29 for anyone who’d like to knit this vest along with a group & learn a little about intarsia while we’re at it. I’ve got weekly tutorials planned to help you knit this worsted weight sweater vest, and there’s a prize package giveaway at the end for KAL participants too. Details are on my site - you know where to find the 🔗 I think. 😉
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Book by @tanisknits 
Publisher @insighteditions 
Yarn @brooklyntweed Imbue 
Find it wherever fine books are sold. 
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#handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmas #intarsia #sweatervest #knittingpattern #knittingbook #spiralhill #knitting_inspiration #knitting
Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs closet after this weekend’s quick tutorial, here are few. ✂️ The tutorial is one post back in my feed as a video.
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As you can see, I didn’t worry about the wire hangers all being perfectly uniform, but it doesn’t matter to me. Also, this closet holds a lot! Despite that, it is already at capacity. Since the hanging bags don’t appear to be recyclable, I want to reuse them as long as possible. Who knows, maybe this will be a way to limit my WIPs? 😅
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P.s. In the third photo you can see how I use this system to store the original swatches, scraps, yarn ball bands, & notes from a design project all together. 
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#handsoccupied #wips #craftstorage #yarnstorage #yarncrafts #knitting_inspiration #craftstudio #craftroom #craftcloset
How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with jus How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with just a few supplies ✂️
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When I was a librarian, we would use these hanging bags to circulate books with audiobook CDs. They came to mind when I wanted to develop a filing cabinet-like system for my differently-sized WIPs. To fit in my studio closet, a standard bedroom closet, they just needed custom hangers. 🤙🏻 
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HOW TO MAKE THE HANGERS
1. Carefully cut approx. a 9” (23 cm) length of flexible 3 mm aluminum wire.
2. Near the end of a large knitting needle or dowel, wrap the wire around it as you would a twist tie. 
3. Bend the other end into a hook shape, perpendicular to the circle shape you just created. 
4. Hang like a hanger in a closet, as shown. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadelife #knitting_inspiration #craftcloset #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #craftroomdecor #crocheter #latchhook #knittersofinstagram #wip #wips #hangingstorage
It’s time for the monthly review and giveaway! T It’s time for the monthly review and giveaway! This go around, get to know two new sister yarns from @manosyarnsusa, Marla and Sami, and enter to win a skein of each to try for yourself. 
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What makes these yarns sisters is that, while dyed differently, they’re the same weight and come in intentionally coordinating color palettes. For my review, I opted for a sky-inspired combo of Sami in Natural and Marla in Nube. 🌧️ 
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Check out the full review & enter the giveaway at the link in my bio. 
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#handsoccupied #yarnreview #manosdeluruguay #knitting_inspire #crochet #yarngiveaway #knitters #yarn #crochetersofinstagram
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