• 0 items$0.00
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hands Occupied

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

  • BLOG
    • Knitting
    • Crochet
    • Latch Hook
    • Macramé
    • Punch Needle
  • ABOUT
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • TikTok
    • YouTube

Crocheting with Unusual Materials

May 4, 2011 Leave a Comment

When I started crocheting a few years ago, I found myself growing bored with the type of projects I was capable of creating. My skills weren’t yet developed enough to crochet really complicated patterns, and I felt like the real power of crocheting rested on the ease with which I could create three-dimensional shapes, like amigurumi.

That’s when I decided it was time to get creative. I found some plastic twine that looked like it might make an interesting hanging lamp or sculpture. It’s kind of shiny and futuristic looking, unlike many crocheted items.

Plastic Twine Sculpture

Following a instructions for creating a basic amigurumi sphere, I figured the only way to find out if this sculpture would work was to try it. A ton of crochet stitches and a few increases and decreases later, I had my sphere… and a lot of blisters. Imagine rubbing a shredded plastic bag on your bare flesh for like fifty hours. It’s not pretty.

The other thing I had at the end of crocheting my sphere was kind of a deflated looking volleyball. Shoot! It wasn’t until I pulled my sad creation out of my WIP/failed projects drawer to write today’s post that I decided to fix it. Lucky for me, my first idea worked! It was as simple as blowing up a balloon (inside of a weirdo crocheted trash bag sphere).

Mason Line Hammock

After my blisters healed, I wanted to make an exercise ball hammock using something softer.The fiber of choice? Mason line! It comes in a lot of really interesting colors and weaves. The hard thing was knowing how much to buy. It’s not like the dudes at the hardware store know what to tell you when considering yardage or ounces needed for a project!

Another note about working with this material. I learned the hard way that there are no dye lots in mason line. I’ve got a couple of shades of pink going on in this project.

Have you ever seen those corner hammocks for kids’ stuffed animals? I wanted to recreate that design for my exercise ball hammock. For the pattern I ended up winging it, so I didn’t write it down. How I constructed this thing: I crocheted a right triangle shape and added an extra spine of stitched from the right angle to the center of the hypotenuse. Don’t forget: a^2 + b^2 = c^2 when you’re planning this project! ;) Then I wove some other mason line in to a basic net formation, with two more crocheted spines dividing them.

Some pics to help you pick up what I’m putting down:

…and yes, it totally looks like a thong. I don’t know if I’d, uh, pick neon pink next time.

Other Cool Crocheting Materials

  • Cassette Tape Clutch at My Recycled Bag
  • How to Crochet a Rug Out of an Old T-Shirts at CraftStylish
  • Knit and Crochet with Wire and Beads at Stitch Diva Studios
  • There’s also the Unique Crochet Materials thread at Crochetme.com

Filed Under: Crochet, Inspiration, Knitting & Crochet Tagged With: avant garde, balloon, crochet, hammock, mason line, plastic twine

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

Previous Post: « Crochet Week, Day 2: Amigurumi
Next Post: Crochet Inspiration Thursday »

Reader Interactions

DID YOU LIKE THIS POST?
Visit similar articles...

  • Picks of the SeasonPicks of the Season
  • Making My Way Through The Rest of 2020Making My Way Through The Rest of 2020
  • The New Hands Occupied YouTube Channel is Live!The New Hands Occupied YouTube Channel is Live!
  • Picks of the WeekPicks of the Week

DON’T MISS ANOTHER UPDATE

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

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.

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Never miss a tutorial with these short & sweet monthly updates.

Find Me on Social Media

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
Latch Hook by Heidi GustadDiscover Unique Items

Footer

INSTAGRAM

handsoccupied

Craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé
❤️ Email preferred

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
Weekend knitting design aftermath. Remember kids, Weekend knitting design aftermath. Remember kids, it’s always good to stop, swatch and block it. 🧶
.
#stopswatchandblockit #handsoccupied
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. 
.
For a longer, full-width & more detailed overview of magic loop knitting, check out my u2be & b1og, the 🔗🔗 are where you’d think. 🧶
.
#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! 😆
.
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! 
.
#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?
.
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. 🧶 
.
#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. 😉
.
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. 
.
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?! 
.
Here’s to keeping it clean for a few weeks! 🧶 
.
#handsocupied #handsoccupiedstudio #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #yarncraft #knitter #crocheter #latchhook #latchhookbook
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 / Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework / Branding by Ink + Mortar
All Site & Shop Policies / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy