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Hands Occupied

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

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Sugar Cookies & Butterfrosting

December 12, 2012 1 Comment

 

Sugar Cookies & Butterfrosting | HandsOccupied.com In my totally unbiased opinion, my family’s sugar cookies are the best. I’ve been really into holiday baking this year (see here and here), and no holiday season is complete in my family without this signature recipe from my mom’s side. The key to a great sugar cookie is shortening and not using too much flour as you cut the cookies out – too much makes the finished product kind of… hard and flavorless. Luckily, I’ve been making this particular cookie and frosting recipe since I was a toddler. Enjoy!

Cookies

Ingredients

1 c shortening (half butter – soft)

  • In today’s terms, this means you actually need 1/2 c shortening and 1/2 c soft butter. This is an old recipe.
  • I also recommend using room temperature butter. It mixes better.

1 ½ c sugar
3 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3 ½ c sifted flour (I don’t sift mine)
2 tsp baking powder
1 ¼ tsp salt

Directions

Mix shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla
Stir in sifted dry ingredients, mixing well.
Chill dough several hours.
Preheat oven to 375.
Roll out small portions on dough on lightly floured board to 1/8″ thickness. Cut with floured 3″ cookie cutter.
Place on ungreased baking sheet.
Sprinkle with colored sugars, nuts, etc. or frost after baking.
Bake in 375 oven 10-12 min or until delicately browned. Cool on racks.
Makes 5-6 dozen.

Butterfrosting

Ingredients

6 Tbsp soft butter
1/3 tsp salt
1 lb. powdered sugar
4 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

Cream butter in mixing bowl
Add sugar, salt, milk and vanilla. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency.
If necessary, thin with additional milk.
For orange or lemon frosting: substitute 4 Tbsp orange or lemon juice for the milk and 1 tsp of grated orange or lemon peel.

Filed Under: Baking, Christmas, Recipes Tagged With: butterfrosting, cookies, family, holiday, recipe, sugar cookies

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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  1. Mother’s Day – Hands Occupied says:
    May 12, 2013 at 12:02 am

    […] age, thanks largely to my mom*. She made sure I knew the important things in life, like how to make from-scratch sugar cookies because store bought cookies are garbage, how to grow a garden, and about a million other things. […]

    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), 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
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
How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with jus How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with just a few supplies ✂️
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When I was a librarian, we would use these hanging bags to circulate books with audiobook CDs. They came to mind when I wanted to develop a filing cabinet-like system for my differently-sized WIPs. To fit in my studio closet, a standard bedroom closet, they just needed custom hangers. 🤙🏻 
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HOW TO MAKE THE HANGERS
1. Carefully cut approx. a 9” (23 cm) length of flexible 3 mm aluminum wire.
2. Near the end of a large knitting needle or dowel, wrap the wire around it as you would a twist tie. 
3. Bend the other end into a hook shape, perpendicular to the circle shape you just created. 
4. Hang like a hanger in a closet, as shown. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadelife #knitting_inspiration #craftcloset #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #craftroomdecor #crocheter #latchhook #knittersofinstagram #wip #wips #hangingstorage
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