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Hands Occupied

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

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Sponsor Spotlight

March 24, 2016 Leave a Comment

March Sponsor Spotlight at Hands Occupied

Bijou Basin Ranch / Feel Good Yarn Co.

I’m so excited to have two favorite yarn companies as our sponsors this month! Each company makes yarns that feature special ingredients: Bijou Basin Ranch uses yak fiber in many of their yarns, and Feel Good Yarn Co. uses pure silver. I think that’s why I love working with both of them: any time I get to use unusual fibers, I love the refreshing change of pace! Let’s take a closer look at my favorite picks from both companies and some of my favorite snaps from their Instagram feeds too!

Feel Good Yarn Co.

 Trillium Mitts in SilverSpun

Trillium Mitts in SilverSpun by Chelsea Berkompas

Feel Good Yarn Company makes yarn wound with actual silver, rendering it conductive. Their SilverSpun Sport and Sock yarns are both a blend of 87% combed cotton/5% silver/5% nylon/3% spandex, making the yarn springy and relatively lightweight too. I find the springiness fun to knit with, and finished SilverSpun projects have a subtle earthiness to them that I really like.

In addition to recommending trying SilverSpun if you’re new to the yarn, I have great news! I have a pattern coming out using SilverSpun in the next couple weeks. If you want to get your hands on a skein of SilverSpun Sport or the kit they made for my DIY Touchscreen Gloves (which is just $12 & comes with a project bag!), you’ll have the yarn on hand for when the pattern comes out. I can’t wait to share the new pattern and some new tutorial videos to help you make them for yourself! :)

A behind-the-scenes look at SilverSpun being wound

A behind-the-scenes look at SilverSpun being wound

Bijou Basin Ranch

Bijou Basin Ranch yarns dyed by ModeKnit Yarns!

The latest Bijou Spun colorways from ModeKnit Yarns

You all know I love Bijou Basin Ranch. I have designed with them a few times, I’ve visited the actual Bijou Basin Ranch itself, and I’m obsessed with their yaks. But one thing I haven’t written too much about is BBR’s commitment to working with independent dyers to bring amazing color to their amazing yarns! Right now in particular, they have a whole line of Bijou Spun yarn colors hand dyed in St. Paul, MN by ModeKnit Yarns. If you love color as much as I do, you’ll love this line.

PS: Get your hands on some of these awesome, new colors with free Bijou Basin Ranch shipping by using HANDSOCCUPIED at checkout.

A balled skein of Bijou Basin Ranch's Tibetan Dream Yarn dyed by Miss Babs

A wound skein of Tibetan Dream dyed by Miss Babs

Filed Under: Sponsor Spotlight Tagged With: bijou basin ranch, bijou spun yarn, feel good yarn, feel good yarn company, modeknit yarns, silverspun, sponsor spotlight, tibetan dream

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.

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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), 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.

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handsoccupied

Helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010
🧶 Really into intarsia
Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop the latest patterns ⤵️

Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts
The first lesson of the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest K The first lesson of the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest Knit Along is now up on the bl0g! First thing’s first: better understanding gauge in intarsia, a.k.a. my most-requested intarsia tutorial topic. 🧶
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Maybe it isn’t the flashiest or funnest of topics, but knitting your patterns at gauge accomplishes 2 important things for projects like the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. 1️⃣ Your garment will fit properly. 2️⃣ The intarsia you’ve worked hard to knit won’t look squished like an image in Print Wizard 2000. (Is that software reference too niche? 🖨️)
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Find the first #spiralhillsweatervest Knit Along lesson at the 🔗 in my profle. 
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P.S. I’m currently finishing editing a related video for the lesson, which will be live on You2ube later today/tomorrow. I’ll post in Stories when it’s up.👍🏻 
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#handsoccupied #intarsia #knittinggauge #knitting #sweaterknitting #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook #knitting_inspiration #stopswatchandblockit #swatching
This audio was me last summer while secretly desig This audio was me last summer while secretly designing the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern behind the scenes. 😆 I very often design with primary colors, so trying to explain suddenly working with black, white and grey was awkward/kinda funny. 🩶
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In case you missed it, this is my design from the new book ‘Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town,’ available now from @insighteditions & @tanisknits. We’re doing a knit along starting very soon, and we’ll be knitting this pattern! I’ve got weekly video tutorials planned for this educationally-focused knit along. This KAL is especially for you if you’re eager to work on your intarsia. 🧶
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Full KAL details, yarn quantities & pattern information are available on my bl0g, the 🔗 is where you’d think. 
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Yarn: @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted
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#nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook #handsoccupied #spiralhillsweatervest #knitting #halloweenknitting #knitalong #kal #knitting_inspiration #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #learntoknit
Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the S Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. Thank you. 🙏🏻❤️ If you love this pattern & didn’t know already, we are going to be doing a knit along (KAL) from October 1-29 featuring this spooky sweater vest & lots of tutorials, especially for the intarsia part. 
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Later today my newsletter will be coming out with additional Knit Along details, so if you’re not already signed up, now is a great time - the 🔗 is in my b1o. 
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Pictured: My Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern from the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book by @tanisknits. Model is wearing size 1 with 2” of positive ease, knit in @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted. Vest images via @insighteditions 
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#spiralhillsweatervest #handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook
At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest, my contribution to the new book Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town, out now! 🎃💀 
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I’m hosting a knit along (KAL) October 1-29 for anyone who’d like to knit this vest along with a group & learn a little about intarsia while we’re at it. I’ve got weekly tutorials planned to help you knit this worsted weight sweater vest, and there’s a prize package giveaway at the end for KAL participants too. Details are on my site - you know where to find the 🔗 I think. 😉
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Book by @tanisknits 
Publisher @insighteditions 
Yarn @brooklyntweed Imbue 
Find it wherever fine books are sold. 
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#handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmas #intarsia #sweatervest #knittingpattern #knittingbook #spiralhill #knitting_inspiration #knitting
Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs closet after this weekend’s quick tutorial, here are few. ✂️ The tutorial is one post back in my feed as a video.
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As you can see, I didn’t worry about the wire hangers all being perfectly uniform, but it doesn’t matter to me. Also, this closet holds a lot! Despite that, it is already at capacity. Since the hanging bags don’t appear to be recyclable, I want to reuse them as long as possible. Who knows, maybe this will be a way to limit my WIPs? 😅
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P.s. In the third photo you can see how I use this system to store the original swatches, scraps, yarn ball bands, & notes from a design project all together. 
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#handsoccupied #wips #craftstorage #yarnstorage #yarncrafts #knitting_inspiration #craftstudio #craftroom #craftcloset
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