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Hands Occupied

Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

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Almost a decade of Hands Occupied

January 6, 2020 2 Comments

A quick look back at a year of growth for Hands Occupied, and creative dreams for the year (and decade) to come!

Last year was a unique year of growth & change that I hadn’t anticipated at all, but looking back, I think I’m really grateful for how much the new year changed me for the better. A wise friend of mine refers to one’s early 30s as a “second adolescence,” and that is certainly the perfect descriptor for how the first quarter of my own 30s have felt, both creatively and personally.

Some might remember my 30s began on the heels of leaving a full time job with a pension to pursue creative work full time (more on that). After a couple years, the isolation of working full time (and then some because that’s how working for oneself goes!) brought some mental health issues to the surface in a way that got my attention. I spent a lot of time last year finding the right therapist for my needs and working on my issues, particularly taking on less design work and understanding the ebb and flow of my brain and how it relates to my ability to do creative work. I had absolutely no idea how intimately linked my anxiety/depression and creative output are, and it’s kind of blown my mind. (Maybe that’s something other folks inherently know, but for me, understanding that connection was revelatory.)

All of this sounds terribly serious, doesn’t it?

I guess I felt like sharing just a little about these adventures from the past year for context, particularly after the response to discussing mental health and crafting on my podcast, Very Serious Crafts, earlier this year (catch the episode about depression here). For anyone who may be concerned, I’m doing great headed in to 2020, all thanks to taking the time to do the work I needed to do to get back to feeling like myself. :) (TLDR: Therapy is great, everyone should go!)

A quick look back at a year of growth for Hands Occupied, and creative dreams for the year (and decade) to come!

Hands Occupied is 10 this year!

Speaking of heading in to 2020, let’s talk about what’s next. As I’ve said for years, opportunities in the blogging world continue to evolve and ultimately shrink as online behaviors change. Hands Occupied turns 10 in September, and I think it’s got me hankering for a bit of a change. In the first part of the year, I plan on taking a serious look at where best to focus my time as a craft designer.

In addition to the big H.O.-versary, the Hands Occupied Studio turns 1 in a few weeks, and I keep thinking about what more I can do with that space. The small IRL community that’s grown in Chicago around the Studio was a godsend this year, particularly when I was grappling with the sads, and I want to experiment with ways to make it grow. If you’ve got any suggestions or may be interested in hosting a workshop or event in the Hands Occupied Studio, please email me at heidi [at] handsoccupied [dot] com.

but life intervened

Until about a month ago, all of these plans fit nicely along a largely logical path that I’ve seen other designers follow, more or less. Then about 6 weeks ago, life tossed a monkey wrench in the works that could shift my career direction overall. Unfortunately, this project officially makes me one of those internet people who can’t talk about their [insert big thing here] right now.

Lucky for all of you, the deadline for said secret project is flying at my face at roughly 20,000 miles an hour, so while I’ll be a bit quiet this winter, the deadline will pass soon! And once my head is again above water, stay tuned for more about exciting new projects for Hands Occupied/me for the new decade.

A quick look back at a year of growth for Hands Occupied, and creative dreams for the year (and decade) to come!

TLDR

Basically, I don’t know exactly what my odd design career journey is going to look like in a year or 18 months, but if 2019 taught me anything, it’s the value of having a little faith in yourself and accepting that a lot of things in this world are out of anyone’s control. Keeping that (and an excellent, focused work ethic) in my back pocket for 2020 seems like the right call.

Thanks for continuing to follow me on this journey,
Heidi

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: mental health, new year, year in review

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is an artist, author and crafts designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame. In addition to running the Hands Occupied Blog and Pattern Shop, you can find her making videos & co-hosting the Very Serious Crafts podcast.

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Comments

  1. Cindy

    March 18, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    Hi Heidi! I’m so happy I found your site I was also taught by my grandmother when I was 10. But unlike you I’m in my 60’s! I love your excitement for knitting and fiber. And I really like your videos on intarsia. Thanks for such a great site.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      March 28, 2020 at 12:38 pm

      You’re so welcome, thanks for the kind words!

      Reply

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

Hi! I’m Heidi, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

Professionally I’m most known for: advanced intarsia knitting design & modern latch hook design.

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Craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. / #latchhookbook out now!
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knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
Head to the link in bio for an update on my 2021 p Head to the link in bio for an update on my 2021 plans for Hands Occupied. The two words that best describe this post are self-care and boundaries. 😜 
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Much love to everyone who sent supportive messages about taking time off and creative burnout. I often deflect with humor, but it was genuinely touching to connect with folks who understand. I’ll have something new for y’all later this week, so stay tuned! ❤️💛💙 
#handsoccupied 
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Pictured: An unblocked pile of four striped sweater panels in primary colors sitting on a blanket in my lap.
There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s ab There’s an update on the blog today, & it’s about how I’m going to take the next 2 weeks off to rest & recharge. ☺️🧶 No new content for y’all means I can also take a moment to zoom out & plan what’s next. Link is in bio. 
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A note on Very Serious Crafts: In the post I discuss stepping away from the @seriouscrafts podcast to give myself more time to devote to some minor medical issues. Don’t you worry - my health will be fine, & @molliejohanson @redhandledscissors and I are still pals, and after a short break of their own, the podcast will be back! Just sans moi. 💁🏼‍♀️😆 
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See you in a couple weeks! ✌🏻#handsoccupied #knitdesign #craftdesign #sofadedsweater
Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it shoul Been a little quiet this holiday week, as it should be. ☺️🎄The past few days have been filled with a lot of catching up on festive zoom calls & raising toasts to the camera. 🥂 Connecting with people has been a welcome change of pace! Now I’m feeling ready to meet my inevitable end-of-year deadlines. 😆
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Warmest wishes for the season, my friends! ❤️💛💙
Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker beh Hi, I’m Heidi, the craft book author & maker behind Hands Occupied! 👋🏻 I’ve been enjoying making Reels a lot lately, but I wanted to bop in to share a regular photo & say hello. 🤓 
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rather than giving you my bio right now, I have a question. I just got this new sweater & I can’t stop imaging how funny it would be to wear this to a knitting class ... is that bad? 🤣🤣🤣
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Pictured: a blond woman with glasses wearing a sweater that reads “all your sweaters are ugly” standing in front of a Christmas tree.
Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is o Wet blocking, also called immersive blocking, is one of the most common methods for finishing a knitting project and helping ensure its final size and shape. Learn basic blocking for absolute beginners in an easy-to-follow (non-Reel!) video tutorial! Catch the tutorial on YouTube or the Hands Occupied Blog, link is in bio. 🧶 #handsoccupied #stopswatchandblockit #KPAmbassadorsDec20 #sponsored
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