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Hands Occupied

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

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decor

O (mini) Christmas Tree - Hands Occupied

O (mini) Christmas Tree

December 12, 2013 2 Comments

Tips for getting, decorating & maintaining a Norfolk Island Pine Christmas tree, including an easy pom pom garland DIY.

How-to: Spooky Eyeball Garland - Hands Occupied

How-to: Spooky Eyeball Garland

September 26, 2013 5 Comments

Halloween decor is a way better use for ping pong balls than beer pong.

How-to: Bat Place Cards | Hands Occupied

How-to: Bat Place Cards

September 16, 2013 Leave a Comment

Make a set of quick & spooky place cards for Halloween with recycled toilet paper tubes!

Weekly Reader 08.23.13 | Hands Occupied

Weekly Reader

August 23, 2013 Leave a Comment

The internet was crazy cute this week, and my top picks include gilded magnetic letters and a DIY felt stick horse.

How-to: Geometric Wall Art | Hands Occupied

How-to: Geometric Wall Art

August 14, 2013 2 Comments

DIY some incredible and perfectly precise 3D wall art with just a few supplies you have on had.

Foam Crafting Inspiration at HandsOccupied.com

Foam Crafting Inspiration

April 11, 2013 Leave a Comment

8 awesome ideas for crafting with styrofoam & foam core!

Yarn-Wrapped Bottle

DIY Yarn-Wrapped Bottle

March 9, 2013 Leave a Comment

Make an easy home accent with leftover yarn & recycled bottles.

How-to: Party Supply Wreath | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Party Supply Wreath for New Year’s

December 27, 2012 1 Comment

They’ll never guess you made this with dollar store supplies!

How-to: Make the Perfect Pinwheel | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Make a Perfect Paper Pinwheel

December 18, 2012 2 Comments

Make the perfect pinwheel every time by following these easy steps.

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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

Craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé
❤️ Email preferred

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
Nobody panic. This is just the back of an (admitte Nobody panic. This is just the back of an (admittedly insane) intarsia project. One day, this will be a seamed sweater, but today is not that day. 🧶 
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Have a good weekend, everyone! 
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Yarn: @universal_yarn’s Fibra Natura Cobblestone in Antarctica & Dragon’s Breath 
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#handsoccupied #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #wip #knitting
Here’s how to work a Norwegian purl stitch for e Here’s how to work a Norwegian purl stitch for easier continental style knitting. With this purling method, the working yarn says tensioned (held) at the back of your knitting at all times. For many knitters, always holding the yarn at the back helps with tension issues, as well as feeling a little more comfortable. 
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Have you ever encountered this style of purling before? If you’ve tried it, have you found it helps with your purl tension and knitting speed? I’m curious.
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For a written tutorial, visit handsoccupied-dot-com. For video, you guessed it, You2be. Both of these platforms allow for longer, more in-depth versions of this tutorial, including full transcripts, alt text & the ability to pause, slow down or speed up at will. (Like if you really want to learn this, I recommend using a platform that doesn’t keep your hands occupied. Thinking of putting this in all my captions these days tbh - shout out to you if you made it this far. 🙌🏻😂)
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#handsoccupied #learntoknit #continentalknitting #howtoknit #norwegianpurl #norwegianknitting #knit #knitting #knitter #knittersofinstagram #knittinghack  #handknitting #handknit #norwegianpurling
Have you ever tried this style of purl? . All thi Have you ever tried this style of purl? 
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All this recent talk about throwing vs. continental style knitting made it clear many people struggle with purling in continental knitting. Turns out that Norway may have the answer! In Norwegian purling, the working yarn stays tensioned at the back at all times, helping with speed and tension. 🤯
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Head to the bl0g (🔗 in bi0) for a more in-depth look at how to work a Norwegian purl stitch, including a photo tutorial with animated GIF & a video tutorial. Wrapping your mind around how to work a stitch you’re familiar with in a totally new way can be confusing, so I tried to give a few options for clarity. 🤙🏻 Video is also on You2be. 
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#handsoccupied #norwegianpurl #norwegianknitting #norwegianpurling #continentalknitting #howtoknit #learntoknit #knitterofinstagram #knitters
It’s been a hot second since I showed my face or It’s been a hot second since I showed my face or reintroduced myself, so here goes! I’m Heidi Gustad, a craft book author, pattern designer, and tutorial creator who specializes in yarn crafts. Lately, I’ve been focused on releasing quality knitting videos and related blog posts to help teach things like the difference between provisional cast ons and how to fix common knitting mistakes. Next week I’m shooting requested crochet and latch hook videos, so h👀kers, your time is coming! And if you ever have tutorial requests, please let me know. ☺️
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TLDR: I’m Heidi. I design & teach yarn crafts. You can find tutorials on my blog (est. 2010) & You2be. I also have several knitting & crochet patterns + a book about latch hook available. / All of these can be found on my website, the 🔗 is where you’d think. 
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#handsoccupied #fridayintroduction #heidigustad #knitting #knitter #knittersofinstagram #yarncrafts #latchhookbook
Are you a picker or a thrower? Do you knit Contine Are you a picker or a thrower? Do you knit Continental or English Style? Here’s a quick overview of the differences between the two most common knitting styles, including a side by side comparison. (A good one to save for future reference. 👍🏻) 
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There’s more on the differences between picking and throwing in my latest blog post & You 2ube video - the l1nk is where you’d think!
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#handsoccupied #learntoknit #knittingstyles #howtoknit #knittersofinstagram #knitter
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