Hands Occupied

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

DIY FYI

How to Make Fabric Yarn

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A couple weeks ago, I shared how to make yarn from an old t-shirt, and based on the number of times I’ve seen it pinned, you guys were into it. The thing with t-shirt yarn is that one t-shirt doesn’t yield all that much yarn. I mean, the cross-body phone case pattern I shared took most of one t-shirt’s worth of yarn to make. But what about when you’re thinking about projects on a larger scale? That’s when I recommend you try your hands at making fabric (a.k.a. jersey) yarn. It’s super easy, and if you get your hands on a set of jersey sheets at the thrift store, you can upcycle that into yarn using the same technique I’m about to share. It’s so easy and the effect fabric yarn has on knit and crochet projects is something I’m LOVING right now!

How to Make T-shirt Yarn

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Is it just me, or is jersey (t-shirt) yarn all over the place this summer? Don’t worry, I’m totally into it! Jersey yarn is perfect for summer, and can work up into fast, fun, chunky projects. Jersey yarn is also super affordable, especially if you make it yourself. Here’s how!

Washi Tape Twist Ties

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At least in my neighborhood, twist ties are super hard to find!* And sometimes a DIY chick really just needs a couple of frigging twist ties to do her project right now. Such was the position I found myself in last week when it came time to do a final Easter project shoot (tune in Wednesday, btw), so I had to get creative. That’s when washi tape and craft wire from my stash came in very handy!

How to Block a Knitting Project

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Blocking is something I took years to start doing with finished knitting projects. Just like test swatches. It turns out that both can be pretty important as your knitting gets more sophisticated. Especially if you are making a wearable item, testing your yarn by knitting a sample swatch and blocking it is how you’ll establish a good fit. Here are the basics of how to block a knitting project.

These Colors Won’t Run

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The basketweave baby blanket knitting pattern I shared recently was made with one of my favorite yarn colors ever. As much as I love the color, I noticed early on that it turned my fingers blue! Using a simple vinegar bath, I was able to keep my fingers dye-free and preserve the yarn color’s vibrance.

DIY FYI: Threading a Needle

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When I took an etextiles workshop last week, I was reminded that not everyone in the world can easily thread a needle. There are many people in this world (myself included when I have a tendonitis flare-up) who can’t grasp something as small as a piece of thread or hold it steadily enough to get it through a needle. Or maybe there’s a vision issue at play. Physical limitations aside, sometimes you’re just working with crazy thread! Read on for my top tip for getting your needle threaded so you can get down to DIY business!