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Hands Occupied

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

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Picks of the Year

December 29, 2017 2 Comments

Read about the top 10 posts from Hands Occupied in 2017. Did your favorites make the list?
It’s always so interesting looking back on a full year of work, especially when you do something like design knit and crochet patterns. 2017 has been my first year designing full time, and I have learned so much! There was a great deal going on in my personal life this year. Between tending to family (which, sorry not sorry, comes before my career), tending to my own physical and mental health, and working on shoring up the foundation Hands Occupied is built on as a business, I feel like I’ve made some amazing strides. Stuff’s been light on the blog this week as I take time to celebrate Christmas (again, family, duh), but I’m also dedicating time to reflecting on where the business is at and where it’s heading in 2018. I’m eager to keep growing as a designer and business owner, and I am so grateful for each and every one of you for being part of this journey!

Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of free patterns and useful tutorials on this year’s list. (Here’s the best of 2016 list in case you’re looking to compare the two.) They’re absolutely worth taking a peek at if you missed them on the first go ’round. Next week, we’re kicking off the new year with a survey for you guys to help me narrow down some of the ideas and plans I have for Hands Occupied. Don’t miss out on that – I want to make sure I hear from everyone I possibly can to ensure Hands Occupied keeps bringing you the knitting, crochet, yarn crafts, and more that you want to see! For now, let’s take a look at this year’s most-visited posts. :)

The best of 2017:

  1. Little Hats Big Hearts – An overview of a favorite charity knitting & crochet program.
  2. Lopi Tote – A free knitting pattern.
  3. Golden Check Infinity Scarf – A free knitting pattern.
  4. Le Pom Blanket – A free knitting pattern.
  5. Read Along Knit Along – Announcing the fall 2017 RALKAL featuring The Scarf of Dreams (knitting pattern) & The Night Circus (book).
  6. How to Increase & Decrease in Brioche – Knitting video tutorials.
  7. Grab ‘n Go Purse – A free crochet pattern.
  8. Candy Cane Ornament – A free knitting pattern.
  9. Knitting Needle Sizes & A Handy Conversion Chart – A guide to knitting needle sizing and how they vary.
  10. Kleenex Share Mitts – A free crochet pattern.

Here’s to 2018!! 

Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: 2017, free patterns, hands occupied top ten, picks of the year, top ten

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. Louise Pozzi

    December 30, 2017 at 3:40 pm

    Heidi, I am trying to print the instructions for red hats for preemies and I really don’t want to print all 53 pages Please help me to print just the instructions. Thank you so much

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 1, 2018 at 5:47 pm

      You have to copy and paste the pattern into a separate document if you want to print it without images. I am on the lookout for a good website plugin to make my free patterns on the blog printer-friendly, but haven’t yet found one that fits knitters’ and crocheters’ needs!

      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!

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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 🧶✂️
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
Had to share this perfect capture of one of my fav Had to share this perfect capture of one of my favorite weird homemade Christmas ornaments: a simple macramé Santa face with beads for the eyes and nose! My Great-Grandma made it too. 🎄
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Might have to try making a quickie Reel tutorial for this guy - I think it’s the perfect project for it, don’t you? 🎅🏼 #handsoccupied #macrame
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