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Hands Occupied

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

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Announcing the Hands Occupied Pattern Shop! (+ a giveaway!)

June 15, 2015 18 Comments

Cast on a pair of Turtle Mitts, the cute new pattern from Heidi Gustad of Hands Occupied

I’m realizing one of my 2015 goals today! I’m very excited to announce that I’ve listed my first for-sale pattern on Ravelry, launching the Hands Occupied pattern shop. The inaugural pattern is for Turtle Mitts, a pair of hand warmers designed to fit close to the skin, but they don’t end so high on your hands that they affect dexterity. Baggy handwarmers or too-long mitt patterns have always driven me nuts when they get in the way while knitting or typing. The Turtle Mitts feature ribbing and other stitches that accomplish a good fit. Designed with Louet Gems Fingering Weight Yarn in two colors, you can knit these in turtley colors like the ones that inspired this pattern, or you can change it up!

To celebrate the launch of the shop, I’ve got a giveaway below for the Turtle Mitts pattern, and 2 skeins of the yarn I designed them with. That’s enough yarn to knit two pairs of Turtle Mitts – one for you and one for a friend!

Cast on a pair of Turtle Mitts, the cute new pattern from Heidi Gustad of Hands Occupied

Visit my Turtle Mitts‘ Ravelry listing to give it a <3!

Turtle Mitts in detail

This fun, colorful pattern works up quickly. The Turtle Mitts are knit both in the round and flat, and feature ribbing and a bold colorwork section. Nothing is worse than a baggy hand warmer, so these mitts are specifically designed with some stretch throughout to help this single-size pattern fit close to the skin.

All you need to knit a pair of Turtle Mitts are a set of size 3 US double pointed needles, two skeins of Louet Gems Fingering Weight yarn in different colors, and a stitch marker. You may use circular needles if you prefer knitting two-at-a-time, magic loop or if you simply like the feel of working on circular needles.

Cast on a pair of Turtle Mitts, the cute new pattern from Heidi Gustad of Hands Occupied

Enter to win this pattern + yarn!

To celebrate the launch of my pattern shop, I’m giving away a copy of the Turtle Mitts pattern, PLUS enough yarn to make two pairs of these fun little hand warmers for yourself! Enter in the widget below. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The yarn being given away was provided by Louet.

Filed Under: Giveaways, Reviews & Sponsored, Knitting, Knitting & Crochet, Pattern Shop Tagged With: hands occupied pattern shop, heidi gustad, knitting pattern, mitts, pattern shop, ravelry, turtle hand warmers, turtle mitts

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. Jackie

    June 15, 2015 at 7:25 am

    I love how these look. And, I’m a sucker for anything green :)

    Reply
  2. Julie

    June 15, 2015 at 11:20 am

    congrats on your new patterns, they are adorable mitts!

    Reply
  3. Heidi

    June 15, 2015 at 1:48 pm

    These look awesome! I would love to see scarf patterns using fingering weight yarns or Dk weight – love the lighter weight yarns!

    Reply
  4. cindy shipley

    June 15, 2015 at 6:09 pm

    congrats on your new pattern

    Reply
  5. Alexis

    June 15, 2015 at 8:53 pm

    Patterns for Louet Euroflax. It’s a favorite yarn and under-represented in patterns!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      June 15, 2015 at 9:13 pm

      You’re in luck, Alexis! I’ve got one in the works! :)

      Reply
  6. Mom

    June 15, 2015 at 9:20 pm

    Love theses. Hint Hint ; )

    Reply
  7. Rebecca

    June 15, 2015 at 10:50 pm

    I always love to see color work patterns!

    Reply
  8. Ellen

    June 16, 2015 at 9:01 am

    I love accessories! Your photos are fantastic, by the way. Good luck with your new shop. You may also want to check out Craftsy for selling patterns.

    Reply
  9. Diana Salmon

    June 16, 2015 at 9:49 am

    I love colorwork, especially mosaics. I love this pattern with its colors and the name. Turtle mitts. Are you a turtle? LOL

    Reply
  10. Melanie Richards

    June 16, 2015 at 10:25 am

    Those are absolutely adorable!

    Reply
  11. craftyone

    June 16, 2015 at 10:54 am

    I like your hats so more of those.

    Reply
  12. Sky Turtle

    June 16, 2015 at 11:19 am

    These are so cute! I am a big turtle fan and love the idea! So clever!

    Reply
  13. Meghan

    June 16, 2015 at 12:11 pm

    These mitts are so cute! How creative! I’m big on sweaters and would love to see some pullover patterns.

    Reply
  14. Adriana Bon

    June 16, 2015 at 1:55 pm

    these are lovely! so many possible color combinations!

    Reply
  15. Carmen N

    June 16, 2015 at 9:48 pm

    I love hat patterns and am always looking for something for new.

    Reply
  16. Pam

    June 17, 2015 at 9:11 am

    Congrats on the new shop! It looks great and the mitt pattern is too cute!

    Reply
  17. Lindsey

    June 17, 2015 at 3:21 pm

    so cute! hmm, maybe Christmas presents for my coworkers?

    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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Latch Hook by Heidi Gustad

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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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