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Hands Occupied

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

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Big Changes!

September 6, 2016 17 Comments

The Hat Hat | Hands Occupied

This month marks 6 years since I started this blog, and in that time so much has happened. I got married, moved to Chicago, learned a ton of new skills, made new friends both online and off, got published in my first magazines, booked my first video contract, and more. For awhile I thought I’d done as much as I could ever want to in the creative world, but in the last few months, I realized I was wrong.

For those not in the know, I am a Librarian who specializes in Teen Services when I’m not a craft blogger. However, after much deliberation, I recently decided that I’m ready to move on from Librarianship. It’s officially official – Friday was my last day of working as a Librarian. As I said in a status update to my friends:

I have lots of complex feelings about moving on from Librarianship, but in the end, pursuing my design career full time is the right move right now. Being a Librarian, particularly one who works with youth, has been profound. So much of life has been illuminated for me among the lifelong friends I’ve made, the personal growth I’ve experienced, and the impact I’ve been lucky enough to have on some incredible teens’ lives. […] I can say for certain that I am walking away proud of my library career thus far.

Even though I’ll no longer be actively working in the field, I’ve realized (thanks to the advice of some very wise women) that one does not simply stop being a librarian. I’ll always have the degree, and as I mentioned in my update above, the profession has left an indelible mark on me in the almost-decade I’ve spent on the job.

What this means for Hands Occupied!

You may have noticed I’ve taken it easy on Hands Occupied this summer. The nice thing about being primarily a knit designer is that summer can be used to focus on designing new patterns and reflect on how you run your business. And that’s exactly what I did.

On your end, you saw fewer posts, tutorials, patterns and newsletters. On my end, I was busy making the decision to focus more on Hands Occupied and figure out how to share more crafty content with you all. Moving forward, I’m going to be sharing more free patterns and tutorials more often, and I want to expand into sharing all things string. More than just knitting, crochet and yarn crafts, I’d like to add thread into the mix! I’ve tried a lot of hats on this blog over the years. When I made the gradual shift to focus on yarn crafts almost exclusively, it was in an effort to tighten up the brand and become a specialist in yarn, my favorite crafting medium. Now, I think it’s time to loosen the reigns a wee bit and explore sharing new ideas using all sorts of needles and thread!

How to Make a Pom Pom at handsoccupied.com

For those who want more details, read on

What’s written above pretty much covers everything relevant to Hands Occupied specifically, but in case you’re really interested in the (k)nitty gritty of what brought about this major life change, here you go!

I’m still young. 

This decision was not all about age (which would be weird), but part of why I decided to pursue a full time design career in the crafts world is because I’m still young. For the past 18 months, I’ve been working to figure out how to make a full time creative career financially viable for my husband and I. My husband works full time, so pesky considerations like insurance are taken care of without my having to mortgage my left boob to pay out of pocket for it. It took me SO LONG to figure out how in the heck people afford to be creative professionals. I wish more people would have been more transparent about their stories as I made this painstaking decision, so I’m sharing a wee bit of mine here.

On painstaking decisions and feminism. 

It took me years to be okay with the fact that I would need my partner’s emotional and financial support to do this. It’s 2016- isn’t it my sworn duty as a millennial feminist to be one of those girls who run the [working] world? To own her tattoos and bad language? To live for her hard-earned and hardcore librarian job working on a gang boundary on Chicago’s South Side? (And yes, I mean gang boundary literally.)

My husband works in a STEM field. He is a charming, articulate, tall man with multiple college degrees and Southern charm. He loves his job, and he loves me. This decision was never about gender or about caring for imaginary future children. Without going into the painstaking details of this painstaking decision, suffice it to say that I knew I needed to give being a full time creative a shot before I got promoted or transferred into a position that meant I’d have so much union seniority (yup, some librarian gigs are unionized) or so much pay I couldn’t justify walking away. This was the right decision at the right time.

And it’s okay if people judge me for this decision. Worrying about what other people think is the biggest factor – I’m ashamed to admit – that held me back from doing this a long time ago. As RuPaul says, what other people think of me is none of my damn business. With that in mind, I’m ready to work! Stay tuned! 


via GIPHY

Filed Under: Life Tagged With: blogging, girlboss, librarian, librarianship, solopreneuer

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad (she/her) is a craft book author & designer specializing in yarn crafts. Her work combines vintage and modern design elements, prioritizing color and graphic motifs. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Lettie Conlin

    September 6, 2016 at 2:03 pm

    Congratulations on making this momentous decision! Although I am a bit older than you, eight years ago I faced a similar decision/crossroads. At that point I had worked in the Technical Services Dept. of the University of Oregon Library for 17 years and just felt that I wanted to have the time to explore my creative side more, though not as a new career. Luckily my husband, like yours, had a job he loved, also at the UO, with all the benefits, so after much deliberation I took the plunge and resigned from my position. I don’t regret it for a moment and I’m guessing you won’t either! I am looking forward to hearing and seeing where this new road takes you. Happy Trails!!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      September 10, 2016 at 5:29 pm

      Thank you, Lettie! I really appreciate the solidarity! <3

      Reply
  2. Jamelle

    September 6, 2016 at 3:23 pm

    Good luck!!

    Reply
  3. Chelsea

    September 6, 2016 at 3:43 pm

    Congrats on making the leap, Heidi! I’m sure there are big things in store for you and Hands Occupied. Good luck!

    Reply
  4. Kim Kalisik

    September 6, 2016 at 8:44 pm

    Congrats!!! You have nothing to worry about with starting your own journey. Sometimes you need the help of loved ones to get to where you are going. I started by graphic/web design business 9 years ago (after a layoff from the corporTe world) with the help and encouragement from my then boyfriend (who is now my husband). It has helped to have his steady income and benefits to get my business off the ground and 9 years later it’s still a solid business. Never would have got there without his support, both financially and emotionally.

    Looking forward to following your journey and checking out the new patterns and tutorials :)

    Reply
    • Heidi

      September 10, 2016 at 5:30 pm

      Thanks so much, Kim! It is really a boost to know I’m not alone. :)

      Reply
  5. Amy

    September 6, 2016 at 10:34 pm

    Congratulations! I support Steve in our household via my business, which I’m sure gets judgements too . . . along with the judgements of being almost 40, not being married, and not having children :0 But it’s okay. I personally think of marriage/a long term relationship as something where both individuals will bring different levels to the table at different times . . . including money and emotional support, etc. As long as you are willing to kick in your end of the bargain when the time comes, you’re being a good partner and feminist :D That’s my thought, anyway!

    You’re going to do great!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      September 10, 2016 at 5:30 pm

      You’re the best, Amy! I consider you to be a woman on my #goals list for sure.

      Reply
  6. Sara A.

    September 8, 2016 at 8:48 pm

    Congratulations on going full time!

    I just wanted to pop in and remind you that there’s no one way to be a feminist. As long as you are choosing to do what you want to do fully cognizant of your choices and their repercussions, you are making a feminist choice. Our mothers scorned hand work because it symbolized subjugation to them, we choose to do hand work because once it had been divorced from a woman’s place it was no longer demeaning. (Once we were no longer forced into it as a matter of course, we were free to find the fun in it.) It’s not like you’re quitting work to go be the next Phyllis Schlaffly, you’re choosing to change fields.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      September 10, 2016 at 5:33 pm

      I literal-lolled at your Phyllis Schlaffly comment, my friend! Beyond the laughs, this is 100% what I needed to hear. Thank you :D

      Reply
  7. Elizabeth

    September 8, 2016 at 10:19 pm

    Congratulations! You will never go wrong when you follow your heart . Good luck . I look forward to watching Hands Occupied future.

    Reply
  8. Jace Holmes

    September 10, 2016 at 10:44 am

    Girl you just hang in and do it….You’ll be surprised how it will all pull together and you’ll wonder at some point…why didn’t I do this before. I am monsoons your elder, always wanted to do what you have done, but worked out of necessity, when I finally got to where I could do”my great desire”, did it, never have regretted or looked back.

    Reply
  9. Nrs

    September 10, 2016 at 11:25 pm

    Congrats on making the move. Your decisions are yours and your husband and it is no one else’s. I am happy for you.

    Reply
    • Heidi

      September 11, 2016 at 12:06 pm

      Thank you! I appreciate the kind words.

      Reply
  10. Helen White

    October 9, 2016 at 9:23 am

    Heidi, I am a retired high school Reading Specialist. wish I had know about you a few years back, since you were a teen librarian.

    Helen

    Reply
  11. DiAnne

    October 19, 2016 at 3:36 pm

    You go girl, congrats!

    Reply
  12. Judy

    October 19, 2016 at 7:37 pm

    Oh I am sooo happy for you.! Best wishes to you!

    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 (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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Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts

handsoccupied

Knitting & yarn crafts designer 🧶
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Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop new patterns ⤵️

POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern POV: Showing you how my new Bevelled Tank pattern fits with no ease vs. 4” of positive ease. There’s a bit more length to the cotton (brighter color) sample, but both are cropped and feature shoulder seams designed to sit an inch back onto the shoulder instead of on top, giving it a little swing. Length is easily adjustable for folks looking for less of a crop. 
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Pattern: Bevelled Tank by @handsoccupied for @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn summer 2024. Available for free from Hobbii at the 🔗 in my profile.
Yarn pictured: @kelbournewoolens Skipper and Camper. 
Dress form is adjusted to a 36” chest and ~5’3”ish in height. 
Human has a 40” chest and is 5’5”.
Both skirts are vintage.
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #handsoccupied #intarsia #handmade #knitting #colorwork
Let’s talk about fit and ease! . During the Beve Let’s talk about fit and ease!
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During the Bevelled Tank design process for @pompommag, I knit 2 samples using 2 different @KelbourneWoolens yarns. One was in Skipper (100% cotton, second photo) and the other was in Camper (100% 2 ply wool). The Skipper sample was knit for a 36” bust, which measures in at 40” with 4” of positive ease. And I knit the Camper Sample for my 40” bust with a 44” finished measurement. (BTW, I’m 5’5” for folks that find that measurement helpful in visualizing fit.)
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Based on the size chart for the Bevelled Tank, that means I knit one size 3 sample and one size 4. As designed, I conveniently fit a size 4 as intended with 4” of positive ease. When I wear the 3, there is no ease at all because the garment and my body are both 40” in size. Comparing the 2 garments, you can see how the fiber content (cotton vs. wool) and fit (no ease vs. 4” of positive ease) makes a difference in the look and feel of the finished garment. 
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These samples are a great way to compare what ease looks like on different bodies. While I can fit both a size 3 and 4, the garment with no ease feels more like pajamas or a bralette when I wear it. On the other hand, when I wear the one with 4” of positive ease, I feel comfortable enough to wear it to work, even as a crop top. Plus, it leaves me with enough room to layer it with a nice button down if I’m not feeling the cropped look one day. 
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I’m curious - how would you style this tank? Would you modify it with a few stockinette rows for added length? I’m so curious now that this pattern is finally out in the world. :) 
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #bevelledtank #handsoccupied #knitting #intarisa #handmade #kelbournewoolens #croppedsweater #summerknits
After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m ba After a 6 month hiatus, I am happy to say I’m back with a brand new pattern in 9 sizes, and it’s FREE as part of @pompommag x @hobbii_yarn’s summer design collection! (Link is in my bio.)
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In my December newsletter, I announced that I was soliciting test knitters for a pattern that had originally been selected for the summer ’24 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly magazine. However, the magazine ceased publication after its spring ’24 issue, leaving in-progress designs unpublished. (It happens.) As a result, I’d begun the long process of editing, testing, and photographing the pattern for independent release through the Hands Occupied pattern shop and Ravelry.
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Before I was done with that process, Pom Pom Quarterly’s former editors reached out with an exciting proposal for the pattern. Post-magazine, they’ve begun to partner with yarn companies to produce high quality pattern collections. They wanted to include designs from the would-be current issue of Pom Pom Quarterly in a new collection for Hobbii yarn, including my Bevelled Tank. I worked with the same technical editors I would have for the magazine on this one, and as you can see from the photos, Pom Pom’s team did an amazing job of styling the garment to the beautiful standards they’re known for.
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You can learn more about the pattern on my blog and get the free pattern from Hobbii yarn - links to both in my profile. I’ll post sizing info in the comments for quick reference too. 🧶
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#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #knitting #intarsia #sponsored #colorworkknitting 
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Photos: @dianascarrunz 
Model: @angel.jade_
Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vi Here’s a nice throwback for you: my take on a vintage knitting pattern from 1938 called the Fernlace Pullover. A pattern so nice, I knit it twice.
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Yellow version 💛: knit with Despondent Dyes’ Vintage Vixen Sport after attending a @squidneyknits vintage knitting retreat in 2019 & learning *so much*. Paired with a self-drafted circle skirt pattern. 
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Blue version 💙: knit with @eweeweyarns Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue. Paired with the 1940s Boardwalk Duet sewing pattern from @decades_of_style 
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Head to my stories for 🔗🔗 to the handmade wardrobe blog posts I wrote about each take on the Fernlace Pullover, working with a vintage pattern, where to find vintage patterns (including the one I used), & some thoughts on sizing. 
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Image descriptions available in alt text. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadewardrobe #fernlacepullover #vintageknitting #vintageknittingpatterns #knitting_inspiration
Frogging is a word in the knitting world that mean Frogging is a word in the knitting world that means to rip out your knitting. It’s called frogging because frogs say “ribbit,” and when you’re tearing out your knitting, you will “rip it” out, and that sounds like ribbit. No really. 🐸 Did you know this fun fact? 
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P.S. I did like this design concept, but to make the pattern more knitter friendly as well as more wearable, I am making some tweaks to the construction. Excited to share when it’s ready! 🥰🧶
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Yarn: @blueskyfibers Woolstok North in Morning Frost & Highland Fleece 
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#handsoccupied #knitting #frogging #blueskyfibers #knittersofinstagram #blueskymakers #knittingvocabulary #bsfmakers #knitdesign
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