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Hands Occupied

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

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50 Great DIY Gift Ideas

December 18, 2013 Leave a Comment

50 Great DIY Gift Ideas from Hands Occupied

Christmas is a week away, but there’s still time to DIY a great gift for someone special. Today I wanted to round up 50 of my favorite DIY tutorials from Hands Occupied, all of which are perfect for making and giving in under a week!

PS: Congrats to Melissa D, the winner of the ASPCA Holiday Gift Pack! I’ll be in touch via email with details on how to claim your prize!

How-to: Crab Grabby Sweater Chain at HandsOccupied.com

jewelry & accessories

  1. vintage-inspired sweater chain
  2. knotted metallic belt
  3. washi tape statement necklace
  4. duck tape tablet case
  5. bronze clay headband
  6. vintage-inspired earrings
  7. heart-shaped clutch
  8. painted acrylic necklace
  9. wide statement belt
  10. knotted nautical headband
  11. easy chainmaille earrings
  12. metal stamped necklace
  13. ruler clutch purse
  14. 5-strand braided headband
  15. a scarf made out of almost anything
  16. knit clutch purse
  17. decorated phone case -I used googly eyes, but you can use rhinestones or studs :)
  18. metal stamped cuff bracelet

How-to: Upholstered Arm Rest End Tables | Hands Occupied

home decor

  1. a homemade candle -they’re shockingly easy to DIY!
  2. arm rest end tables -my gift for my husband last year. I made them in about a day, but that was with help, so make sure you’re confident in your ability to make this before attempting them on a tight time frame. :)
  3. simple throw pillow covers -just make sure you get the size right
  4. painted Chinese lantern decor -great for teens & college students
  5. simple canvas wall art
  6. picnic tablecloth weights -for the camper in your life
  7. DIY wool Swiss army blanket
  8. home sweet home sign

How-to: Etched Shamrock Flask & Pint Glass at Hands Occupied

personalize it!

  1. faux tie dyed shirt
  2. customized, stamped pencils
  3. iron transfer t-shirts
  4. stenciled mug
  5. screen printed (with a screen) t-shirt or tote bag
  6. personalized embroidery project -this was a gift for my husband as well a couple years ago
  7. glass-etched flask or pint glass
  8. custom card game
  9. freezer paper stenciled tea towels
  10. glow-in-the-dark flask
  11. custom yo-yo
  12. DIY loom knitting kit -for the friend who always talks about how they wish they were crafty :) 

Sandbakkels | HandsOccupied.com

cookies & baked goods

  1. sandbakkel cookies -my Norwegian grandma’s recipe, super legit
  2. chocolate peppermint blossom cookies
  3. wreath surprise treats
  4. from-scratch sugar cookies and frosting -my mom’s recipe
  5. chocolate-covered pretzel rods
  6. peppermint schnapps swirl cupcakes
  7. a homemade pie

Paracord Dog Collar - Tutorial at HandsOccupied.com

for the dogs (and some cats)

  1. back seat pet protector
  2. rope ball surprise toy for dogs
  3. pet bow tie
  4. seed starter in a jar -just use cat grass seeds for the cat enthusiast in your life!
  5. paracord pet collar

Filed Under: Christmas, Inspiration Tagged With: baking, cats, christmas, christmas gifts, crafts, diy, diy gifts, dogs, home decor, homemade gifts, jewelry, personalized gifts, pet gifts, recipes

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. She specializes in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macramé, and her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now!

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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

Yarn craft designer & author. Into intarsia knits, latch hook, color & vintage-modern style.
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Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
If you look closely, you’ll see I’m casually k If you look closely, you’ll see I’m casually knitting from one sweater into another here, no big deal. (What can I say, I lost a game of yarn chicken. 😂) I almost didn’t post this because I was worried someone might have some nonsense to say about my ability to knit. Then I remembered I can’t care about that. Silly me, I almost forgot myself! 
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Speaking of which, dang it’s good to have my mental health back consistently after the past couple of years. The anxious parts of my personality are just chilling, rather than constantly screaming that my work isn’t good enough to share. The confident parts of me that matter have me creating (and starting to share my creations & process with strangers and friends) again! 
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Anybody else feel like they are beginning to return to themselves, so to speak, this spring?
I’m feeling better, & all my [big, bad bug] proj I’m feeling better, & all my [big, bad bug] project needs is a couple of short sleeves! I’ll be finishing this sweater *just* before it gets too warm to wear, but isn’t that always how it goes? 🫠🧶 
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#knittersofinstagram #soldotnacrop #handsoccupied #knitincolor #springknitting
Just divided the sleeves on this quick sweater, wh Just divided the sleeves on this quick sweater, which has unsurprisingly turned into a love letter to primary colors. ❤️💛💙 The heart stripe is a wee tweak I incorporated, and I don’t regret it! 
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 #handsoccupied #soldotnacrop #strandedcolorwork #knitting #yokesweater
I am unfortunately home bound for the near future I am unfortunately home bound for the near future thanks to the big, bad bug. So far I’ve knit half a sweater, consumed about a gallon of ginger tea, & plowed through 3 seasons of Pit Bulls and Parolees. 
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June doesn’t understand why I’m suddenly so boring, but she seems to like watching animal planet. 🤷🏼‍♀️
A bit of Saturday swatching. 🧶 I am working in A bit of Saturday swatching. 🧶 I am working in greyscale today to practice designing “without color”. Kinda cool, kinda weird. We’ll see if it yields anything interesting! 😆
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#intarsia #intarsiaknitting #stopswatchandblockit #handsoccupied #knittersofinstagram
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