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Hands Occupied

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

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A Farewell to the Studio Space, but Not Hands Occupied

November 18, 2022 Leave a Comment

A blond woman packing several boxes.
As I taped up the last of my studio boxes, I thought I’d be remiss not to document the end of a space where I shot so many photos, including my book. 👍🏻

Hi everyone! It’s been 3 months since my last post, but that’s okay. It’s been a season of a lot of unanticipated change. At a time when I’d been planning on releasing my first collection (more on that in a moment), my husband and I ended up buying and moving into our first home. Before mid-August we had no plans to do so. 😅 Things moved quickly, but we feel very lucky!

Two days before a truck was booked to move our stuff to our new house, I got a call from the landlord at my studio space for Hands Occupied. They informed me that the studio rental spaces weren’t working out as planned, and someone will be taking over Startwork Studios, as they’re called, soon. All tenants had to be out by December 1. Lucky again, I was already moving to a house with a room earmarked for my studio space. Unsurprisingly, few of my fellow renters were coincidentally moving their studios, and especially not during the holiday sales season. There was even an article in Block Club Chicago about the situation. 

For me, this means I’m going to go ahead and officially tap out on 2022 in terms of output for Hands Occupied. I was already struggling from having to move my studio back in February within the studio spaces – studio 1 to studio 6 after a recurring ceiling leak. These studio spaces were the only affordable place I could find in my part of Chicago, so I rolled the dice on a recently-vacated space that didn’t appear to have a history of leaks. I made do as makers do, and all I can do is shake my head and move on.

The Rest of 2022

Speaking of making do and moving on, I don’t plan on abandoning my collection or other projects I’ve got in the queue, but for the rest of 2022, I’m taking the space I need to decompress from the bizarre, discouraging experience that became the studio space. As I unpack my studio again, I’ll focus on the amazing times we had in the Hands Occupied Studio during weekly Craft Nights when that was still possible in 2019-2020, rather than the awkward ending of the space. 

Take a look inside the new Hands Occupied Studio in Chicago, learn about when it's open to the public, and share your ideas for workshops and events you'd like to see in the new space! #handsoccupiedstudio
Some of the smiling faces who came to the Hands Occupied Studio warming in February of 2019. ❤️

I want to spend this holiday season enjoying being a “regular maker.” I want to make felt Christmas stockings for my family to celebrate moving into our first house. I want to work on my cooking a little. I want to be able to catch up on knitting for me. So that’s what I’m going to do! I’ll keep up with comments and messages at least 1-2 times a week in case you’ve got holiday knitting questions, and I might share tidbits, particularly the stockings since they’re crafty. But this year I’m just going to let myself be in the moment during the holidays. Again, I’m lucky. 

Happy Holidays,

Heidi

Heidi at work in the first Hands Occupied Studio.
Working in Studio 1.
Heidi (Hands Occupied) answers the phone with skepticism.
One of the few shots I have from Studio 6.
Heidi shoots a picture of the Hands Occupied Studio window decal from the inside. You can see her reflection in the glass.
It will always be pretty cool that I had a studio window. :)

Filed Under: Hands Occupied Studio Tagged With: hands occupied studio, home studio, moving, studio

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!

Previous Post: « Summer Reading for Makers
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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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Craft book author & pattern designer ❤️💛💙
knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé
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Please email for pattern support. 🧶

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
Working on a sample for some upcoming videos. It’s an overcast day with intermittent sunshine & I have a scruffy little sidecar. 🐶 Can’t complain! 
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What’s on your needles this week? 
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Yarn: @debbieblissknits Cashmerino Aran 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #knittinglife
Peg boards and craft room organization go together Peg boards and craft room organization go together like peanut butter and jelly. So, as you can see, do latch hook tools and screwdriver organizers! 🪛 
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I think this trick translates to any tool with a thick handle, so leather working tools, punch needles, print making tools, etc. should work! What other tools am I, a needlecrafter, blanking on right now? 
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#craftorganization #handsoccupied #latchhook #latchhooking
Pegboard storage is my favorite for craft supplies Pegboard storage is my favorite for craft supplies, so getting a few hung in my new studio has been a priority. Here’s my first attempt. 🔨 
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Details: This pegboard panel is for organizing my knitting needles, latch hook tools, sewing thread, etc. It doesn’t need to hold much weight, so I didn’t anchor this into a stud - just used basic drywall anchors. I’ve also got a set of two 2’x4’ panels for another spot in my studio, and those will need a stud/more than 3 drywall anchors. Wish me luck! 
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[description: video features a woman hanging a panel of pegboard using a square dowel and drill]
It’s time for the annual Hands Occupied new year It’s time for the annual Hands Occupied new year update, and for the first time in years, I feel like I have some clarity about what I’m doing next. ❤️ Head to the blog to read all about it, the 1ink is where you’d think. 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #creativeburnout
June’s face is giving, “What fresh heck is thi June’s face is giving, “What fresh heck is this?” 😆
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June’s big ears can get cold in winter, so I’m improvising a doggie ear warmer/hood for her. What are the odds she tries to shred it immediately when it’s done? 
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#knitting #knittingfordogs #handsoccupied #schneagle #wipwednesday #wip
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