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Hands Occupied

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

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worker bee bag

Crochet the Worker Bee Bag & Worker Bee Clutch! This adorable bag uses filet crochet, baubles, and elongated stitches to create a fun, textural piece perfect for spring!

Weaving in the ends on our first RALCAL

May 1, 2018 4 Comments

See all the fun we had during the first Read Along Crochet Along, both online and in person.

A closer look at the Read Along Crochet Along prize pack on Hands Occupied, featuring a Darn Good Yarn yarn bowl, bag handles from Jul Designs, a Love & Leche lotion bar, and yarn from Why Knot Fibers.

A closer look at the RALCAL Prizes!

April 23, 2018 Leave a Comment

A closer look at the Read Along Crochet Along prize pack on Hands Occupied, featuring a Darn Good Yarn yarn bowl, bag handles from Jul Designs, a Love & Leche lotion bar, and yarn from Why Knot Fibers.

The Bobble Stitch is great for adding texture and dimension to your crochet! Learn how to work double crochet bobbles and triple crochet bobbles.

How to Crochet Bobbles

April 9, 2018 Leave a Comment

Bobble stitches can be found in all kinds of crochet, adding texture and dimension to an otherwise-flat piece of fabric. The good news, especially if you’re a newer crocheter, is that if you can manage a double crochet stitch, you can manage a double crochet bobble. And the same goes for triple crochet bobbles!

Learn how to start a crochet project with an oval, great for starting baby booties, totes, and more!

How to Crochet an Oval

April 4, 2018 1 Comment

Learn how to start a crochet project with an oval, great for starting baby booties, totes, and more!

Crochet the Worker Bee Bag & Worker Bee Clutch during the Read Along Crochet Along, April 1-30! This adorable bag uses filet crochet, baubles, and elongated stitches to create a fun, textural piece perfect for spring!

The Read Along Crochet Along is here!

April 2, 2018 3 Comments

Throughout the month of April, everyone is welcome to crochet the Worker Bee Bag and read & discuss The Beekeeper’s Apprentice by Laurie R. King. The pattern was inspired by the book we’re reading too – it’s really fun!

Crochet the Worker Bee Bag & Worker Bee Clutch! This adorable bag uses filet crochet, baubles, and elongated stitches to create a fun, textural piece perfect for spring!

Coming this spring: The first Read Along CROCHET Along!

March 8, 2018 8 Comments

Crochet the Worker Bee Bag & Worker Bee Clutch during the Read Along Crochet Along, April 1-30! This adorable bag uses filet crochet, baubles, and elongated stitches to create a fun, textural piece perfect for spring! Preorder between now and April 1 to save on the pattern.

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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

Helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010
🧶 Really into intarsia
Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop the latest patterns ⤵️

Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts
This audio was me last summer while secretly desig This audio was me last summer while secretly designing the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern behind the scenes. 😆 I very often design with primary colors, so trying to explain suddenly working with black, white and grey was awkward/kinda funny. 🩶
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In case you missed it, this is my design from the new book ‘Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town,’ available now from @insighteditions & @tanisknits. We’re doing a knit along starting very soon, and we’ll be knitting this pattern! I’ve got weekly video tutorials planned for this educationally-focused knit along. This KAL is especially for you if you’re eager to work on your intarsia. 🧶
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Full KAL details, yarn quantities & pattern information are available on my bl0g, the 🔗 is where you’d think. 
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Yarn: @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted
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#nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook #handsoccupied #spiralhillsweatervest #knitting #halloweenknitting #knitalong #kal #knitting_inspiration #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #learntoknit
Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the S Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. Thank you. 🙏🏻❤️ If you love this pattern & didn’t know already, we are going to be doing a knit along (KAL) from October 1-29 featuring this spooky sweater vest & lots of tutorials, especially for the intarsia part. 
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Later today my newsletter will be coming out with additional Knit Along details, so if you’re not already signed up, now is a great time - the 🔗 is in my b1o. 
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Pictured: My Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern from the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book by @tanisknits. Model is wearing size 1 with 2” of positive ease, knit in @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted. Vest images via @insighteditions 
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#spiralhillsweatervest #handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook
At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest, my contribution to the new book Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town, out now! 🎃💀 
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I’m hosting a knit along (KAL) October 1-29 for anyone who’d like to knit this vest along with a group & learn a little about intarsia while we’re at it. I’ve got weekly tutorials planned to help you knit this worsted weight sweater vest, and there’s a prize package giveaway at the end for KAL participants too. Details are on my site - you know where to find the 🔗 I think. 😉
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Book by @tanisknits 
Publisher @insighteditions 
Yarn @brooklyntweed Imbue 
Find it wherever fine books are sold. 
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#handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmas #intarsia #sweatervest #knittingpattern #knittingbook #spiralhill #knitting_inspiration #knitting
Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs closet after this weekend’s quick tutorial, here are few. ✂️ The tutorial is one post back in my feed as a video.
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As you can see, I didn’t worry about the wire hangers all being perfectly uniform, but it doesn’t matter to me. Also, this closet holds a lot! Despite that, it is already at capacity. Since the hanging bags don’t appear to be recyclable, I want to reuse them as long as possible. Who knows, maybe this will be a way to limit my WIPs? 😅
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P.s. In the third photo you can see how I use this system to store the original swatches, scraps, yarn ball bands, & notes from a design project all together. 
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#handsoccupied #wips #craftstorage #yarnstorage #yarncrafts #knitting_inspiration #craftstudio #craftroom #craftcloset
How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with jus How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with just a few supplies ✂️
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When I was a librarian, we would use these hanging bags to circulate books with audiobook CDs. They came to mind when I wanted to develop a filing cabinet-like system for my differently-sized WIPs. To fit in my studio closet, a standard bedroom closet, they just needed custom hangers. 🤙🏻 
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HOW TO MAKE THE HANGERS
1. Carefully cut approx. a 9” (23 cm) length of flexible 3 mm aluminum wire.
2. Near the end of a large knitting needle or dowel, wrap the wire around it as you would a twist tie. 
3. Bend the other end into a hook shape, perpendicular to the circle shape you just created. 
4. Hang like a hanger in a closet, as shown. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadelife #knitting_inspiration #craftcloset #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #craftroomdecor #crocheter #latchhook #knittersofinstagram #wip #wips #hangingstorage
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