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Hands Occupied

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

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Picks of the Week for April 8, 2016

Picks of the Week

April 8, 2016 Leave a Comment

Find weekend yarn craft inspiration right here.

Picks of the Week for January 22, 2016 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

January 22, 2016 Leave a Comment

Doing this roundup every week means that I see quite a lot of the same types of patterns/ideas/etc. done about a thousand different ways over and over again. This week there were some really fun and different ideas shared on some of my favorite blogs. Add a little variety to your yarn crafting this weekend and give one of these new ideas a try!

Picks of the Week for January 8, 2016 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

January 8, 2016 Leave a Comment

How great are these ideas? Get inspired to try one of these cute ideas and patterns this year!

Picks of the Week for October 16, 2015 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

October 16, 2015 Leave a Comment

It’s mid-October, which means we’re at the point where we have to decide if it’s too late to incorporate yarn into Halloween costumes or not. I vote yes! I’m going to be buckling down this weekend to knock out my vision for this year’s getup, and I’m crossing my fingers my vision matches the reality of the finished costume. Wish me luck!

Top Knitting And Crochet Inspiration at handsoccupied.com

Weekly Reader

May 30, 2014 Leave a Comment

I’ve been experimenting with a new format for my Weekly Reader recently, and I think I’ve finally got it! Every Friday, I round up my favorite yarny finds, and then when I do other inspiration posts, I pick a different theme. The next big hurdle for me as a blogger, which has been a hurdle of mine for awhile now, will be actually opening up and sharing more of my personality. For now, I’m still most comfortable with being a teensy bit opaque and continuing my grand tradition of simply sharing my overwhelming enthusiasm for DIY and knitting. For now. :)

Weekly Reader 04.18.14 | Hands Occupied

Weekly Reader

April 18, 2014 Leave a Comment

Easter weekend is finally upon us! And once again, the craft blog world did NOT disappoint. The decoupage bunny eggs and doodle eggs above are particular faves of mine from this whole Easter season. I wonder what will inspire the world’s DIYers next month? Mother’s Day? Spring gardening? I can’t wait to see what everyone posts next week!

Weekly Reader 10.04.13 | Hands Occupied

Weekly Reader

October 4, 2013 1 Comment

Vegan recipes, crochet patterns, fall TV picks, and of course, more Halloween DIY inspiration!

10 DIY Knotted Jewelry Picks | Hands Occupied

10 DIY Knotted Jewelry Projects

August 13, 2013 3 Comments

Knotted accessories are super fun to make, and they’re also a really affordable way to add some DIY to your style.

How-to: Turn a Vintage Scarf into a Headband without Destroying It - HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Turn a Scarf into a Headband (without destroying It)

July 22, 2013 5 Comments

Temporarily morph a favorite scarf into a cute headband with a bit of elastic thread.

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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
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Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
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
Spent time with family this weekend down South. Go Spent time with family this weekend down South. Got some stitching in & felt spring for a minute, which was lovely. ☀️ 
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I’ll be catching up on comments, etc. tomorrow. 
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#handsoccupied #travelknitting #planeknitting
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