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Hands Occupied

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

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Valentine's Day

Red Hats for Preemies - Click through for the free pattern & donate a hat to help raise awareness about congenital heart defects in newborns. | hands occupied.com.

Red Hats for Preemies

December 29, 2014 14 Comments

A couple months ago I shared a very personal story about losing a relative to a congenital heart defect as a teen. In that post I shared a pattern called Baby Hearts Hat in two sizes, newborn and infant, and I let you guys know about the American Heart Association’s Little Hats, Big Hearts drive. For those who missed it, the AHA is looking for red baby hat donations to be given to (hopefully!) every baby born in February in Chicago.

Stacked Ombre Heart Candles at Hands Occupied

Stacked Ombre Heart Candles

February 12, 2014 8 Comments

Valentine’s Day is the perfect holiday to celebrate by making a set of romantic and unique candles like these. I learned how to make candles with cookie cutters for Halloween last year, but these layered ombre candles take cookie cutter candle making to another level!

Giant God's Eye Wall Hanging for Valentine's Day

Giant Valentine’s Day God’s Eye

February 10, 2014 Leave a Comment

Isn’t this such a surprisingly chic project? I got my hands on a couple of vintage arrows and have been dying to DIY with them for months! Of course these arrows came to mind when I was brainstorming Valentine’s project this year. What started as a simple vintage find became this ginormous God’s eye. The finished DIY really reminds me of some of the Native American-influenced crazy tapestries of the 1970s. I imagine this on the wall of Cupid’s swinging pad back in the day.

Olympic Rings Valentine - Easy Valentine's Day Card DIY Craft at Hands Occupied

Olympic Rings Valentine

February 5, 2014 2 Comments

The opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics is Friday, so I’ve got both the Olympics and Valentine’s Day on the brain. Using Apple Barrel Craft Paint, I whipped up this easy Valentine’s Day card with teachers in mind.

Easy Friendship Bracelet Sunglasses, Thread Wrapped Glasses at Hands Occupied

Easy Friendship Bracelet Sunglasses

January 28, 2014 4 Comments

I can’t even tell you how many hours I spent making friendship bracelets as a kid! Using some epic Lolita sunglasses as a canvas, I thought it would be cool to inject a little nostalgia for my childhood into a project and personal style – as well as a little nostalgia for the warmer weather that usually went along with summer camp-style crafting. Who wouldn’t want to rock some crazy sunglasses like this this Valentine’s Day? Or any day, really?

Simple Mod Podge Ribbon Vase DIY

Simple Ribbon Vase DIY

January 2, 2014 Leave a Comment

Make this vase as a simple Valentine’s gift for a friend, and check out my go-to tips for DIY floral arranging.

Needle Felted Conversation Heart | Hands Occupied for blog.goodsmiths.com

Needle Felted Conversation Heart

February 12, 2013 Leave a Comment

Check out my latest tutorial for The Good Weekly!

How-to: Punk Rock Valentine's Clutch | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Punk Rock Valentine’s Clutch

February 4, 2013 3 Comments

A great no-sew project that will transform you into a punk rock cupid in no time!

How-to: Seed Starter Valentine | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Seed Starter Valentine

January 28, 2013 Leave a Comment

A cute Valentine alternative for the foodie or plant lover in your life.

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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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handsoccupied

Craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé
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Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
Learn how to do the magic loop method for knitting Learn how to do the magic loop method for knitting in the round in 90 seconds. / Using the magic loop allows knitters to work in the round with a single, long circular needle at a range of circumferences. 
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For a longer, full-width & more detailed overview of magic loop knitting, check out my u2be & b1og, the 🔗🔗 are where you’d think. 🧶
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#handsoccupied #magicloop #knitting #howtoknit #learntoknit #knitter #knittinginspiration #knittinginstagram #knittingintheround
Since it won’t be clean for long, swipe to see w Since it won’t be clean for long, swipe to see what my home studio looks like these days. Nothing will ever quite be like the old Hands Occupied Studio, but I’m pretty pleased with how I shoehorned everything in this space. Function over form + a layer of yarn cuteness-meets-chaos is how I’d describe my creative space needs. 😆 When I was still renting the studio, those needs included “doesn’t rain suspicious brown water from a crack in the ceiling for a year,” so this is an improvement! 😆
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For a time lapse of the studio organizing and tszuj-ing process, scroll down a couple posts on my feed. (There’s also a video or two featuring the old studio if you’re curious.) Happy June, friends! 
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#handsoccupied #handsoccupiedstudio #knitdesigner #craftdesign #yarncrafts #latchhook #makerlife #heidigustad #chicagocrafter
Who doesn’t love magic loop knitting? Who doesn’t know what it is? How about when circular needles were invented?
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In todays new bl0g post + video tutorial, you’ll learn about the magic loop method for knitting in the round, how to do it and why to use it, and when it came to be. The 🔗 is in my b1o. 🧶 
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#handsoccupied #magicloop #knitting #howtoknit #knittinginspiration #knittingintheround
Finally organizing & putting the finishing touches Finally organizing & putting the finishing touches on my home studio. After losing my studio space last fall, it’s feels really great to *occupy* this new space all the way. 😉
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I started by removing general clutter & returning straggler supplies from various WIPs, videos & design deadlines to their homes. Next, I hung a third peg board in the space - this one is mostly for display and less for organizing tools or projects. For the first time ever, I’m displaying projects from my book, plus a couple other faves. (The best thing about designing more yarn crafts besides knit & crochet is that I have some really fun -and delightfully pettable 😆- samples around.) I finished by adding a square dowel to my small supply storage tower to keep it from tipping over, plus re-arranging and de-cluttering the closet. 
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This cleaner space already has me feeling so much more creative and less overwhelmed. Now to find a safe spot in the basement for the tower of project samples in Rubbermaid tubs I liberated from my WIPs closet. Also why are there five?! 
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Here’s to keeping it clean for a few weeks! 🧶 
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#handsocupied #handsoccupiedstudio #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #yarncraft #knitter #crocheter #latchhook #latchhookbook
It’s a disaster in here and my video microphone It’s a disaster in here and my video microphone isn’t cooperating, but it could be worse! How’s your day? 
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(If we haven’t yet met, I’m Heidi and I’m a pattern designer and tutorial creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting & latch hook. You can learn more about my work and regularly find new tutorials in my profile. ☺️👋🏻)
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#handsoccupied #craftstudio #knitter #yarncrafter
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