• 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

Currently Knitting

October 26, 2015 1 Comment

Yarns from Ewe Ewe, Manos del Uruguary, Lion Brand & Mountain Meadow Wool

Knitting season is in full swing, and I’ve been busy developing and working on a lot of designs for winter and spring releases this month. Based on where I’m at with sketching, collaborating, swatching, designing and finally knitting these new creations, you guys can brace yourself for lots of winter accessories, and even a fun baby project headed your way! Let’s take a look at what I’ve had my hands on this month, shall we?

Manos del Uruguay's Clara yarn in Follage

Manos del Uruguay’s Clara yarn in Follage

I spotted this new Follage (that’s right, not foliage, follage) colorway on the Manos del Uruguay site a few months back and was totally smitten. When I got this yarn in the mail, the color was true to how it photographed, plus the single-ply, 100% merino yarn is so buoyant and lush. It’s one of those rare yarns that my husband spotted in my studio, picked up, and immediately said, “You know, this would make a really nice hat for like a guy. Like for me.” Ha! I hadn’t yet decided what his Christmas present was going to be, so I think he made the choice for me! Basically, this yarn is awesome, and expect a one-skein hat designed with dudes in mind in the coming months. :)

Swatches knit with Mountain Meadow Wool's Powell yarn in Fern and Natural

Mountain Meadow Wool's Powell yarn in Fern and Natural

Mountain Meadow Wool’s Powell yarn in Fern and Natural

I’m also knitting with a couple of skeins of Mountain Meadow Wool’s Powell, and as you can see from my swatches up there, I’ve got some fun slipped-stitch colorwork planned for it. This yarn is labeled differently than a lot of yarns out there. The ranch of origin is listed right alongside the yarn’s fiber content, which is super cool! Most of the time, you don’t have the slightest clue where the fiber you’re working with comes from, but since Mountain Meadow is first and foremost a mill, it makes sense that their yarn prioritizes letting the maker know where their yarn comes from.

Lion Brand Yarn's LB Collection Cotton Bamboo yarn in Cherry Blossom

Lion Brand Yarn’s LB Collection Cotton Bamboo yarn in Cherry Blossom

Next up, I’ve got this fun cotton/bamboo blend yarn from Lion Brand’s LB Collection. The LB Collection is a line of affordable yarns made with higher quality fibers, so they occupy the space between more expensive boutique yarns and big box store yarns. Like a lot of cotton bamboo blends, LB Collection’s Cotton Bamboo yarn is smooth to the touch and has great stitch definition. Perfect, ahem, for some adorable baby knits!

Ewe Ewe Yarn's Ewe So Sporty yarn in Orange Peel & Sky Blue

Ewe Ewe Yarn’s Ewe So Sporty yarn in Orange Peel & Sky Blue

Last but not least, I’ve been spending a lot of time with Ewe Ewe Yarns this month, specifically their Ewe So Sporty yarn. This yarn is springy, and I’ve found it to be very colorwork-friendly, sticking to itself just enough to make stranded projects go smoothly. I’m working on TWO designs with this yarn which are set to be released together in January. I’m so excited, I can’t wait to share these designs with you!

Yarn featured was provided by the brand or a distributor thereof. Much of the yarn was given as yarn support for designs to be released in the coming months. Opinions are my own. 

Filed Under: Knitting, Knitting & Crochet Tagged With: currently knitting, ewe ewe yarns, lion brand yarn, manos del uruguay, mountain meadow wool, what i'm knitting with

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.

Previous Post: « Picks of the Week
Next Post: October Sponsor Spotlight »

Reader Interactions

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

  • September Sponsor SpotlightSeptember Sponsor Spotlight
  • Manos del Uruguay Sami & Marla – Double Yarn Review and GiveawayManos del Uruguay Sami & Marla – Double Yarn Review and Giveaway
  • Traveling Afghans Knit Square 20 & Triangle Rib TutorialTraveling Afghans Knit Square 20 & Triangle Rib Tutorial
  • Manos del Uruguay Cabrito Yarn Review & GiveawayManos del Uruguay Cabrito Yarn Review & Giveaway

Comments

  1. Ina

    November 3, 2015 at 10:07 pm

    The manos de urguay yarn looks so wonderful! I don’t know why but I don’t feel attracted at all by cotton this time of year! Your bamboo cotton swatch looks really smooth though!

    Reply

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), 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. 🧶 

learn more / work with me

Find Me on Social Media

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
Latch Hook by Heidi Gustad

Footer

INSTAGRAM

Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts

handsoccupied

Knitting & yarn crafts designer 🧶
.
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. 
.
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.
.
#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #handsoccupied #intarsia #handmade #knitting #colorwork
Let’s talk about fit and ease! . During the Beve Let’s talk about fit and ease!
.
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.)
.
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. 
.
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. 
.
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. :) 
.
#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.)
.
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.
.
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.
.
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. 🧶
.
#pompomxhobbiisummer2024 #knitting #intarsia #sponsored #colorworkknitting 
.
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.
.
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. 
.
Blue version 💙: knit with @eweeweyarns Ewe So Sporty in Sky Blue. Paired with the 1940s Boardwalk Duet sewing pattern from @decades_of_style 
.
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. 
.
Image descriptions available in alt text. 
.
#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? 
.
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! 🥰🧶
.
Yarn: @blueskyfibers Woolstok North in Morning Frost & Highland Fleece 
.
#handsoccupied #knitting #frogging #blueskyfibers #knittersofinstagram #blueskymakers #knittingvocabulary #bsfmakers #knitdesign
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2025 / Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework / Branding by Ink + Mortar
All Site & Shop Policies / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy