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Hands Occupied

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

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knit design

inside out nordic star sweater: Isabel Marant Fall 2018 Ready-to-Wear Fashion Show Collection

2022 Mood Board / What is a mood board in knitting?

February 23, 2022 5 Comments

One of the coolest things about being a pattern designer is gathering inspiration. Take a look at what’s got my wheels turning this year.

Heidi (Hands Occupied) reacts in horror to the time.

It’s 2022 already?

February 9, 2022 1 Comment

An update about what’s next from Hands Occupied!

Next steps with knitCompanion: Learn how to knit more and frog less with one of the best apps out there for crafters.

Next Steps with knitCompanion

December 2, 2019 Leave a Comment

Next steps with knitCompanion: Learn how to knit more and frog less with one of the best apps out there for crafters.

Get to know knitCompanion, the app that lets you knit more & frog less!

An intro to knitCompanion, a knitter’s best friend!

May 23, 2019 3 Comments

Get to know knitCompanion, the app that lets you knit more & frog less!

Faded Flare Wrap by Heidi Gustad, Part of Zen Yarn Garden's Impressionist Collection (2019), Photo Credit: Heidi Gustad for Hands Occupied

Faded Flare Wrap in Zen Yarn Garden’s New Impressionist Collection

May 9, 2019 4 Comments

Check out the new Faded Flare Wrap, Part of Zen Yarn Garden’s Impressionist Collection (2019). Read about the artistic inspiration behind the design and learn where to find the knitting pattern, and enter to win a Faded Flare kit!

Take a look inside the process of designing a large scale, colorwork afghan pattern. Designer Heidi Gustad walks you through how she designed the Intarsia Mountain throw from start to finish.

A Look at the Intarsia Mountain Design Process

October 29, 2018 3 Comments

Take a look inside the process of designing a large scale, colorwork afghan pattern! In this post, I’ll walk you though how I designed the Intarsia Mountain throw from start to finish, including swatching, sketching, knitting, and one particularly leaky barn.

Ansonia Shawl pattern by Tian Connaughton from Vacation Knits Vol. 2

Your Stories: Tian Connaughton

April 25, 2018 Leave a Comment

Get to know Tian Connaughton, a Knit and Crochet Designer, Technical Editor of patterns, Blogger at KnitDesigns by Tian, and an all around yarn craft entrepreneur.

Get your hands on the Rhombuster Scarf pattern, a colorful new design from Heidi Gustad. Don't think scarf patterns can surprise you? Give the Rhombuster a shot to try something new!

Allow me to reintroduce myself.

September 25, 2017 7 Comments

One of my goals for Hands Occupied this year is being less buttoned up. Today I want to share more about what my first year as a full time knit & crochet designer looked like. Brace yourselves – it was a doozie!

Get your hands on the new Mod Maze Pillow design exclusively in the August issue of I Like Knitting magazine!

Mod Maze Pillow in the new issue of I Like Knitting!

July 5, 2017 Leave a Comment

The Mod Maze Pillow features flat, center-out construction, which is a great way to learn techniques to help you level up your knitting skills.

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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

Yarn craft designer & author. Into intarsia knits, latch hook, color & vintage-modern style.
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👇🏻 Book, Patterns, Tutorials

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
This yoke deserved a mid-blocking closeup, don’t This yoke deserved a mid-blocking closeup, don’t you think? ❤️💛💙
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Pattern: modified #soldotnacrop sweater / yarn: various from my stash
If you look closely, you’ll see I’m casually k If you look closely, you’ll see I’m casually knitting from one sweater into another here, no big deal. (What can I say, I lost a game of yarn chicken. 😂) I almost didn’t post this because I was worried someone might have some nonsense to say about my ability to knit. Then I remembered I can’t care about that. Silly me, I almost forgot myself! 
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Speaking of which, dang it’s good to have my mental health back consistently after the past couple of years. The anxious parts of my personality are just chilling, rather than constantly screaming that my work isn’t good enough to share. The confident parts of me that matter have me creating (and starting to share my creations & process with strangers and friends) again! 
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Anybody else feel like they are beginning to return to themselves, so to speak, this spring?
I’m feeling better, & all my [big, bad bug] proj I’m feeling better, & all my [big, bad bug] project needs is a couple of short sleeves! I’ll be finishing this sweater *just* before it gets too warm to wear, but isn’t that always how it goes? 🫠🧶 
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#knittersofinstagram #soldotnacrop #handsoccupied #knitincolor #springknitting
Just divided the sleeves on this quick sweater, wh Just divided the sleeves on this quick sweater, which has unsurprisingly turned into a love letter to primary colors. ❤️💛💙 The heart stripe is a wee tweak I incorporated, and I don’t regret it! 
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 #handsoccupied #soldotnacrop #strandedcolorwork #knitting #yokesweater
I am unfortunately home bound for the near future I am unfortunately home bound for the near future thanks to the big, bad bug. So far I’ve knit half a sweater, consumed about a gallon of ginger tea, & plowed through 3 seasons of Pit Bulls and Parolees. 
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June doesn’t understand why I’m suddenly so boring, but she seems to like watching animal planet. 🤷🏼‍♀️
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