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Hands Occupied

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

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Free Patterns

Dozens of free knitting and crochet patterns ranging from basic scarves to cabled sweaters.

The Knit Candle Ornament can be easily made in under an hour, making it the perfect little finished object to shoe horn in during the busy Christmas season. Get the free pattern to light up your holiday!

Knit Candle Ornament

November 29, 2018 1 Comment

This Knit Candle Ornament can easily be knit in under an hour, making it the perfect little finished object to shoe horn in during the busy Christmas season. Get the free pattern to light up your holiday!

Trim your tree with a hand knit ornament! This festive poinsettia will add a splash of color to your holiday decor. Click through for the free knitting pattern.

Knit Poinsettia Ornament

November 20, 2018 Leave a Comment

Trim your tree with a hand knit ornament! This festive poinsettia will add a splash of color to your holiday decor. This ornament is knit in pieces and adorned with little french knots to capture the texture of a poinsettia’s floral center.

Knit yourself a quick cowl that doubles as a hood - a snood! The Checked Snood is a colorful, geometric knitting pattern that uses 3 colors of Berroco Brielle to create a stunning, versatile accessory you'll wear from fall to spring. Bonus: it's a free pattern!

Checked Snood – free knitting pattern

November 15, 2018 5 Comments

Knit yourself a quick cowl that doubles as a hood – a snood! The Checked Snood is a colorful, geometric knitting pattern that uses 3 colors of Berroco Brielle to create a stunning, versatile accessory you’ll wear from fall to spring. Bonus: it’s a free pattern!

Scandinavian Advent Calendar - free crochet pattern -- An advent calendar is a great way to make your own keepsake Christmas decoration and build a family tradition for years to come. The Scandinavian Advent Calendar is great for crocheters at almost any skill level and is inspired by beautiful holiday decor found in Scandinavia. This pattern features basic embroidery stitches for added texture and a handmade look.

Scandinavian Advent Calendar

November 6, 2018 1 Comment

An advent calendar is a great way to make your own keepsake Christmas decoration and build a family tradition for years to come. The beginner-friendly Scandinavian Advent Calendar is a fun, free crochet pattern featuring mostly single crochet stitches and basic embroidery for a handmade, homey look.

Get your hands on the free crochet pattern for the Ripple Wrap! The Ripple Wrap is a four-color take on one of the most universally-recognized crochet stitches: the ripple stitch. Seen in afghan patterns in grandmothers' houses everywhere, the ripple stitch creates a fun zig zag pattern that opens up tons of possibilities for color combos.

Ripple Wrap – Free Crochet Pattern

September 18, 2018 2 Comments

The Ripple Wrap is a four-color take on one of the most universally-recognized crochet stitches: the ripple stitch. Seen in afghan patterns in grandmothers’ houses everywhere, the ripple stitch creates a fun zig zag pattern that opens up tons of possibilities for color combos.

Who doesn't love an easy-to-knit, versatile pattern? The Wherever Wrap is a fun colorblock piece knit with a simple lace motif. Get the free knitting pattern by designer Heidi Gustad.

Wherever Wrap – Free Knitting Pattern

July 17, 2018 4 Comments

Who doesn’t love an easy-to-knit, versatile pattern? The Wherever Wrap is a fun colorblock piece knit in simple lace. Worked on the bias with a zig zag effect, this wrap’s unique shape opens up cool possibilities for styling with your favorite summer outfit or on the beach.

Crochet the versatile Market Cowl, a free pattern that does double duty as a layering-friendly cowl or wrap.

Market Cowl – Free Crochet Pattern

May 29, 2018 3 Comments

Crochet the versatile Market Cowl, a free pattern that does double duty as a layering-friendly cowl or wrap.

Knit the Fisherman's Rib Baby Blanket, a great option for a decorative throw or baby blanket. This pattern uses an addictive stitch with lots of and dimensionality that will give your blanket endless texture.

Fisherman’s Rib Baby Blanket

March 20, 2018 16 Comments

Knit the Fisherman’s Rib Baby Blanket, a great option for a decorative throw or baby gift. This pattern uses an addictive stitch with lots of dimensionality that will give your blanket endless texture.

The Big Old Bias Knit Scarf is a free knitting pattern. It's perfect for experienced knitters looking for a palette cleanser (and a way to use up those yarn ends), but it's also good for beginners who want to make something that looks super elegant.

Big Old Bias Knit Scarf

February 19, 2018 18 Comments

There is something so elegant about knitting on the bias, a.k.a. knitting diagonally. While it’s just a matter of increasing on one edge of your work while decreasing at the same rate on the other edge, it elevates something like basic garter stitch with such simplicity.

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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), and I’ve been helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010. I got my start here, as a blogger, and since then I’ve shared more than a few tutorials here and on YouTube as I’ve grown as a pattern designer. 🧶 

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handsoccupied

Knitting & yarn crafts designer helping makers untangle various techniques with a blog & YouTube channel
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop new patterns ⤵️

Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts
Happy with how the mini Nightmare Before Christmas Happy with how the mini Nightmare Before Christmas sweater vest turned out! Now my dog and I can go on walks in matching seasonal fits 😂
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1. I knit this bottom up with scraps and ran out of black yarn. If the vest consistently drifts down her chest upon wear, I might extend the collar or redo the chest panel at a smaller size. If you’ve read this far, what do you think? As a designer, I so rarely get to improvise a knitting project, and I’m having fun working with fewer rules than usual. 🧶
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2. June has a grooming appointment this weekend. She’s currently the mayor of scruff town, I know. 🫡
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Pattern: Chart is from the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern by yours truly in the official Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book 
Yarn: @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted
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#spiralhillsweatervest #spiralhillsweatervestkal #handsoccupied #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook #dogknit #knitsfordogs #handmade #brooklyntweed
I finished June’s doggie version of the Spiral H I finished June’s doggie version of the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest & it’s so cute! 🥰
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Do you think June appreciates the fact that she now has a sweater made with @brooklyntweed yarn? 😂 
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#handsoccupied #dogsweater #dogjumper #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #spiralhillsweatervest #spiralhillsweatervestkal #handmade #brooklyntweedimbue #brooklyntweed
Squeezing in some stitching on a selfish sweater t Squeezing in some stitching on a selfish sweater this Saturday morning 😋
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Pattern: Fruit Stripe Pullover with some intarsia mods on the front panel 
Designed by Rachel Brockman for @universal_yarn 
Yarn: Fibra Natura Cobblestone in Dragon’s Breath & Antarctica 🧶
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#handsoccupied #knitting #weekendknitting #sweaterknitting #universalyarn #fibranaturacobblestone
As a yarn craft designer and former librarian, rev As a yarn craft designer and former librarian, review copies of craft books get sent my way from time to time. It's awesome, but I'm always looking for new, quick ways to share them with you. Today's experiment: a mini review of the new crochet book Hooked on Shakespeare: Crochet Projects Inspired by the Bard. A review copy was provided by the publisher. 
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Book: Hooked on Shakespeare by Gurinder Kaur Hatchard  @yay_for_crochet 
Publisher: @herbert.press / @bloomsburybooksus 
Number of projects: 15
Hardcover, 128 pages
Retail price $22/£14.99
Uses UK crochet terms, not US. My copy came with a conversion table (pictured).
Good for: literary enthusiasts, amigurumi crocheters
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Overall, this is a really cute book that would make a wonderful gift. Each of the 15 Shakespearean works covered features patterns for a few characters from the story. The styled photography is fantastic, with whimsical backgrounds highlighting each pattern. Includes some step-by-step instructions with photos and how to crochet tutorials at the back. I'm highly on board with the name of the last pattern in the book, "Wooliam Shakespeare". 👏🏻 
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If you made it this far, thanks for reading! I'm always trying to figure out the best way to share these new titles, and this is a first try at a new format. So if you have any feedback (if I should include more/less detail, more photos, video, etc.), please let me know. 
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#handsoccupied #bookreview #craftbook #craftbooks #crochet #crochetbook #crochetersofinstagram #crochetinspiration
New post & video tutorial are live! How to weave i New post & video tutorial are live! How to weave in intarsia ends, including avoiding holes at joins, how many ends to weave in one spot, when to use duplicate stitch, and more. Everything is on the bl0g, the 🔗 is where you’d think. 
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P.S. I feel like this video took forever to edit, so thanks for your patience as I worried too much over small details. 😜
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#handsoccupied #intarsia #howtoknitintarsia #intarsiaknitting #pictureknitting #weavinginends #knitter #spiralhillsweatervest #spiralhillsweatervestkal
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