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Hands Occupied

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

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knewbies

Click through for a free pattern for a Bulky Knit Throw (or rug!)

Bulky Throw

April 28, 2015 72 Comments

Check out this free pattern for a knit blanket that works up quickly and is totally beginner-friendly!

Click through for a free pattern for a Bulky Knit Rug (or throw!)

Bulky Knit Rug Pattern

March 23, 2015 52 Comments

I have wanted to knit a bulky area rug for my office for years, and I finally found the right combo of yarn and needles to do it. What’s so great about this design is its beginner-friendliness. You only need to knit and purl to make this room-warming 5×7′ rug.

Chunky Ribbed Cowl - Click through for the free knitting pattern!

Chunky Ribbed Cowl & How to Knit Rib Stitch

March 16, 2015 1 Comment

Spring has almost sprung, but that doesn’t mean cowl weather has left us just yet. Knit yourself a quick and easy chunky cowl to help keep a stiff spring breeze off your neck with this beginner friendly Chunky Ribbed Cowl Pattern.

How to do a purl stitch - knitting 101 tutorial with video

Knewbies | How to Purl

March 9, 2015 Leave a Comment

Learn how to master the second most important stitch you need to know in knitting, the purl stitch.

Knewbies | How to Bind Off | Hands Occupied

Knewbies | How to Bind Off

March 4, 2015 Leave a Comment

Casting on, learning a stitch or two, and binding off are the three skills you need as a knitter to do a project from start to finish on your own. Check out this tutorial for how to knit a basic bind off.

The Newbie Fringe Scarf - A free beginner pattern!

Newbie Fringe Scarf Pattern

March 2, 2015 2 Comments

This absolute beginner-friendly pattern is knit entirely in garter stitch, which means you only have to know how to do a basic cast on, knit stitch, and a basic bind off.

How to read yarn labels - an easy guide to understanding what each symbol means for your knitting projects

Knewbies | How to Read Yarn Labels

February 16, 2015 6 Comments

Long time knitters know that you need to understand your yarn labels to know how to make & take care of the things you knit. Even beginning knitters need to know what all the little symbols and weights and dye lots (etc.) mean to be a successful knitter. Today I’m going to go over what to look for in your yarn labels, whether you’re looking at big box craft store yarns or indie handspun & dyed yarns.

How to do a knit stitch - knitting 101 tutorial with video

Knewbies | How to knit

February 11, 2015 8 Comments

Also known as the first day of your knitting life, the day you learn how to do a knit stitch is an important one. Just like anything else, it takes a bit of practice to get it down, but once your muscles memorize the rhythm of the knit stitch, basic knitting will become the knitting-is-the-new-yoga type of relaxing that you hear people talk about.

What do you buy when you're learning to knit from scratch? Check out this list of beginner supplies!

Knewbies | Supply List & Basic Cast On

February 4, 2015 3 Comments

The first Knewbies post is finally here! For those of you have never visited the blog before, welcome! And for anyone who is brand new to knitting, I’m hoping you’re as excited to learn to knit as I am about writing these tutorials. :)

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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 🧶✂️
Weekend knitting design aftermath. Remember kids, Weekend knitting design aftermath. Remember kids, it’s always good to stop, swatch and block it. 🧶
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#stopswatchandblockit #handsoccupied
Learn how to do the magic loop method for knitting Learn how to do the magic loop method for knitting in the round in 90 seconds. / Using the magic loop allows knitters to work in the round with a single, long circular needle at a range of circumferences. 
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For a longer, full-width & more detailed overview of magic loop knitting, check out my u2be & b1og, the 🔗🔗 are where you’d think. 🧶
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#handsoccupied #magicloop #knitting #howtoknit #learntoknit #knitter #knittinginspiration #knittinginstagram #knittingintheround
Since it won’t be clean for long, swipe to see w Since it won’t be clean for long, swipe to see what my home studio looks like these days. Nothing will ever quite be like the old Hands Occupied Studio, but I’m pretty pleased with how I shoehorned everything in this space. Function over form + a layer of yarn cuteness-meets-chaos is how I’d describe my creative space needs. 😆 When I was still renting the studio, those needs included “doesn’t rain suspicious brown water from a crack in the ceiling for a year,” so this is an improvement! 😆
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For a time lapse of the studio organizing and tszuj-ing process, scroll down a couple posts on my feed. (There’s also a video or two featuring the old studio if you’re curious.) Happy June, friends! 
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#handsoccupied #handsoccupiedstudio #knitdesigner #craftdesign #yarncrafts #latchhook #makerlife #heidigustad #chicagocrafter
Who doesn’t love magic loop knitting? Who doesn’t know what it is? How about when circular needles were invented?
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In todays new bl0g post + video tutorial, you’ll learn about the magic loop method for knitting in the round, how to do it and why to use it, and when it came to be. The 🔗 is in my b1o. 🧶 
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#handsoccupied #magicloop #knitting #howtoknit #knittinginspiration #knittingintheround
Finally organizing & putting the finishing touches Finally organizing & putting the finishing touches on my home studio. After losing my studio space last fall, it’s feels really great to *occupy* this new space all the way. 😉
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I started by removing general clutter & returning straggler supplies from various WIPs, videos & design deadlines to their homes. Next, I hung a third peg board in the space - this one is mostly for display and less for organizing tools or projects. For the first time ever, I’m displaying projects from my book, plus a couple other faves. (The best thing about designing more yarn crafts besides knit & crochet is that I have some really fun -and delightfully pettable 😆- samples around.) I finished by adding a square dowel to my small supply storage tower to keep it from tipping over, plus re-arranging and de-cluttering the closet. 
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This cleaner space already has me feeling so much more creative and less overwhelmed. Now to find a safe spot in the basement for the tower of project samples in Rubbermaid tubs I liberated from my WIPs closet. Also why are there five?! 
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Here’s to keeping it clean for a few weeks! 🧶 
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#handsocupied #handsoccupiedstudio #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #yarncraft #knitter #crocheter #latchhook #latchhookbook
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