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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 May 3, 2019 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

May 3, 2019 Leave a Comment

These late spring project ideas are a breath of fresh air, aren’t they? Warm colors, soft neutrals, and garments great for layering are just the ticket for whipping up in early May.

Picks of the Week for April 27, 2018 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

April 27, 2018 1 Comment

Spring is about more than just seeing brighter colors in yarn crafts – it’s about getting creative when we’re past simply looking for stuff to keep us warm. Embrace the opportunity to try something different with one of these springy ideas

Picks of the Week for December 22, 2017 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

December 22, 2017 Leave a Comment

In addition to being the year of pom poms, 2017 has been, trend-wise, one of the most colorful holiday seasons we’ve seen in years.

Picks of the Week for December 15, 2017 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

December 15, 2017 Leave a Comment

Neutrals are certainly trending in home decor these days, and I must admit that they look pretty cozy. Who would want to enter a bedroom with a giant (giant!) tassel on the door knob, a huge roving wreath on the wall, and a chunky cushion to read with? Very hygge indeed! 

Picks of the Week for September 222, 2017 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

September 22, 2017 Leave a Comment

Newsflash, fall doesn’t have to mean a slew of neutral colors with a dash of dark orange thrown in!

Picks of the Week for August 11, 2017 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

August 11, 2017 Leave a Comment

This week’s picks ended up being such an elegant combination of subtle rainbow (yes! It’s a thing!) and neutral tones layered with relaxing pastels. Such a lovely collection to admire, not to mention draw inspiration from!

Picks of the Week for June 16, 2017 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

June 16, 2017 2 Comments

It’s looking like yellow, green & pink are big colors for summer. An avid supporter of primary-adjacent color combos, I am really, really excited about the direction crafts are headed this season. Who wouldn’t be excited about tricolor pompoms, meditative afghans, and cute accessories?

Picks of the Week for June 2, 2017 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

June 2, 2017 2 Comments

This week’s picks really show a nice cross section of the kinds of projects you can make relatively quickly with crochet! Everything from a super adorable teddy bear pencil holder to a festival-ready bag to an elegant as heck reticule purse is represented here, and I think that’s great!

Picks of the Week for May 19, 2017 | Hands Occupied

Picks of the Week

May 19, 2017 Leave a Comment

Is it 5 o’clock yet? These amazing ideas are going to have you itching to cast on a new project this weekend!

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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 🧶✂️
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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