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Hands Occupied

Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

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Currently Knitting

September 14, 2015 4 Comments

Currently Knitting | Hands Occupied

Every month, I share a roundup of 10 things to knit, featuring patterns I’d love to cast on (as soon as I find the time!). I’ve been meaning to put together a second monthly series highlighting yarns I’m working and designing with at the moment, so today we’re jumping in the deep end. Hopefully seeing a little bit of how the sausage knitting pattern is made will inspire you to try new yarns or even take a whack at designing for yourself! This month, I’ve got lots of fingering weight yarn on my needles, and the designs I’m working on are all going to be accessories. Let’s take a look at the yarn I’m working with these days.

Louet Gems Fingering yarn in Grey Sky

Louet Gems Fingering in Grey Sky

The first yarn I’ve been spending a lot of time with is Louet Gems Fingering yarn. Obviously this is a fingering weight yarn. It’s made of  100% merino wool, and it comes in 185 yd. (50 g) skeins. I’ve designed with this yarn before (my Turtle Mitts pattern is done in the same exact yarn), but this time, I’m designing a lace wrap with it!

Shibui Maai

Shibui Maai 

One of the newer yarns from Shibui, Maai is a DK weight chainette yarn that’s a blend of 70% superbaby alpaca and 30% merino wool. For those of you new to chainette yarns, they’re basically a yarn constructed like an i-cord or crochet chain from small fibers that you then knit with. The open structure of the yarn results in a less dense and highly flexible finished piece of knit fabric that is super lightweight. Maai comes in 175 yd skeins, and I’ve just about finished a new cowl pattern using this luxe, fluffy yarn.

Leading Men Fiber Arts' Soliloquy

Leading Men Fiber Arts’ Soliloquy in Poison Apple

Last but not least, I’m working with Leading Men Fiber Arts for the first time, using their Soliloquy yarn. Soliloquy is a fingering weight yarn made with 100% Superwash British Bluefaced Leicester Wool, and it comes in generous 657 yard skeins. I’m in the early design stages for a special, literary-inspired design project. Since it’s so early in the game I don’t want to give too much away, but the design I have in mind is really fun – I’m looking forward to sharing it when it’s done!

Since this is a new series, I’d love to hear what you think. Would you like to see more of this kind of post on Hands Occupied? Leave a comment & let me know!

Filed Under: Knitting, Knitting & Crochet Tagged With: cowl, currently knitting, design, design process, knit design, lace, leading men fiber arts, louet gems, louet gems fingering, maai, shawl, shibui, soliloquy

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. She specializes in knitting, crochet, latch hook and macramé, and her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now!

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Comments

  1. Jane rogers

    September 14, 2015 at 8:06 am

    Hi yes! Love to see new yarns and can’t wait to see what you are up to with them.
    Jane

    Reply
  2. DebbieW

    September 15, 2015 at 9:30 am

    I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for a “literary inspired project!” Seriously, these yarns look absolutely yummy!

    Reply
  3. Valerie

    September 15, 2015 at 3:36 pm

    I’ve never seen the term “superbaby alpaca” before, and now I’m picturing teeny-tiny baby alpacas. Adorable! (and probably super-soft, too!)

    Reply
  4. Joan Trautwein

    September 23, 2015 at 2:43 pm

    Yes, I do enjoy this type of informative post. There are so many new and different types of yarns now available but because I don’t really know enough about them to spend $15 to $20 + on them to sample them, I won’t buy them. Your information on the chainette yarns encourages me to give it a try. I like the idea of lightness and warmth. Also seeing what you’re working on with these different yarns gives me ideas how the finished fabric will look. That’s really important to me. Thanks.

    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, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

Professionally I’m most known for: advanced intarsia knitting design & modern latch hook design.

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Craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. / #latchhookbook out now!
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knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
A new YouTube tutorial is live today covering how A new YouTube tutorial is live today covering how to knit the Little Butterfly Stitch (aka Bowknot Stitch). It adds so much cute character to simple stockinette. Only a little funky to knit, and it packs a huge visual punch! 🦋 
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Find the video & written stitch pattern on the blog and YouTube, links are in bio. 
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#kpambassadorsfeb21 #sponsored
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Yarn: @kelbournewoolens Germantown in Baby Blue via @knit_picks. Needles: Prism Interchangeables, also from Knit Picks. 
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Pictured: a light blue swatch of Little Butterfly Stitch knitting on a pink background. A skein of yarn and a few stitches of knitting are nearby.
“You’re telling me words can be pronounced in “You’re telling me words can be pronounced in different ways and mean the same things?!” 👀 Posting this here, just to make it clear: when anyone says skayne, skeen, or skyne, it can be safely assumed we’re talking about a bundle o’ yarn,  a SKEIN. It’s not necessary to shame someone for using a word that is known to have MULTIPLE common pronunciations. 🧶
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Can you plz comment sharing how you say SKEIN and where you learned it? The OED happens to say SKAYNE, but it’s not a personal attack if someone says SKEEN and you say SKYNE or even Saskatoon. I’m legitimately curious. We don’t all knit or crochet the same way, and craft evolves a bit like language - it is passed on. There is so much value in having conversations about & embracing these variations! ✌🏻
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Pictured: A blond woman holds a skein of mustard yellow yarn up to her head like a phone, looking shocked. She’s wearing glasses & a knit sweater. 
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#handsoccupied #heidigustad #skein #yarn #yarncraft #knit #crochet #yarnaddict #knitincolor #soldotnacrop #language #englishisweird #oed #oxfordenglishdictionary
Sometimes my weekend projects involve hair rather Sometimes my weekend projects involve hair rather than yarn. Here’s the latest mediocre-but-improving result of my slow quest to learn to set vintage inspired curls. 💇🏼‍♀️ I’m hoping to be able to wash my hair less using a regular vintage set, but we’ll see if it ends up being practical. 😆 Hair frustrates me so much more than crafts! 
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Do you also style your hair using vintage methods? If you have any tips for vintage hair styling or good resources to share, please do!
I suppose this is one way to decide what yarn colo I suppose this is one way to decide what yarn color suits your pooch. 😆 Navy really might be Woodrow‘s color - what do you think? 
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Pictured: A medium sized, brown, senior dog asleep on a green bed. For some reason a donut ball of navy wool yarn sits on his head.
The first stitch tutorial of the new year is live The first stitch tutorial of the new year is live on YouTube! Diamond Brocade is a great knit+purl only stitch for beginners or anyone wanting a classic look for their knitting project. Find the video with a written stitch pattern on the blog or head directly to the video on YouTube. Both are linked in bio. ✌🏻 
#kpambassadorsfeb21 #sponsored
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