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Hands Occupied

Contemporary yarn crafts by Heidi Gustad. Knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame.

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The Bijou Basin Ranch yaks enjoy some hay! - Take a look inside the yaks' lives in this mini documentary.

A Visit to the Yak Ranch

September 8, 2015 4 Comments

When the opportunity presented itself for me to visit a working yak ranch that produces yak fibers that are used to make yarn, I realized I could make a mini documentary to share a fascinating glimpse into this unique corner of the world.

August Sponsor Spotlight at Hands Occupied

August Sponsor Spotlight

August 13, 2015 Leave a Comment

Meet two of the companies helping support Hands Occupied this month!

Yak Yarn! Bijou Basin Ranch Yarn Review

Yak Yarn!

May 6, 2015 2 Comments

I don’t know if you’ve ever tried yarn made with yak fibers before, but I highly recommend it. Yak yarn provides a smooth yarn that’s a nice alternative to wool. – Read on to learn how yak yarn can help support earthquake survivors in Nepal.

2015 Hands Occupied Reader Survey

Reader Survey 2K15!

January 28, 2015 5 Comments

It’s survey time, folks! That time of year when I ask you 10 quick questions about how Hands Occupied is doing, what you’d like to see on the blog, and what I can do better.

Vogue Knitting Live & A Giveaway at Hands Occupied

Vogue Knitting Live & A Giveaway!

September 30, 2014 6 Comments

Vogue Knitting Live is a huge knitting and crochet conference that happens in several cities throughout the United States, and later this month, it’s coming to my town, Chicago! What goes down at VKL? There is a big, booth-style marketplace where you can get your hands on some amazing yarn and knitting supplies. You can take skill-building workshops and hear lectures on knitting trends, designing better patterns, and more.

How to Knit an Afghan for Under $35 at handsoccupied.com

How to Knit an Afghan for Under $35

August 27, 2014 1 Comment

Craft supplies can add up when you’re as addicted as I am to DIY, particularly if you go through yarn like there’s no tomorrow. That’s why today I’m going to talk to you about Blitsy, a website that offers really great deals on craft supplies.

Chicago Yarn Crawl! at handsoccupied.com

Chicago Yarn Crawl!

August 7, 2014 Leave a Comment

It’s the Chicago Yarn Crawl this week, dudes! This year, I only had a chance to Crawl for one day, hitting up 5 of the many stores participating. But I made sure to snap a few pics of their yarn and supplies to make you all jealous of the amazing yarn stores we’ve got here in Chicagoland. ;) The Yarn Crawl is divided into regions, and I focused on Region 1, the yarn shops within Chicago’s city limits.

Crochet Trinket Basket - Hands Occupied

Crochet Trinket Basket

April 7, 2014 1 Comment

I originally made this little basket to test out a yarn that caught me by happy surprise and to try a cute new pattern at the same time. I wasn’t planning on blogging it, but I realized I used this little 4ish inch basket for a very important purpose: a catch-all for desk ephemera. For a crafter like me, it’s everything from a jump drive to miscellaneous craft supplies to a pack of cards.

These Colors Won't Run: How to set yarn color at Hands Occupied

These Colors Won’t Run

March 17, 2014 41 Comments

The basketweave baby blanket knitting pattern I shared recently was made with one of my favorite yarn colors ever. As much as I love the color, I noticed early on that it turned my fingers blue! Using a simple vinegar bath, I was able to keep my fingers dye-free and preserve the yarn color’s vibrance.

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi, an author, yarn craft designer and content creator specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. My work unapologetically features primary colors and vintage-meets-modern style. My first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is now available!

Professionally I’m most known for: advanced intarsia knitting design & modern latch hook design.

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Craft book author & content creator in love with primary colors & vintage vibes. / #latchhookbook out now!
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knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
A new YouTube tutorial is live today covering how A new YouTube tutorial is live today covering how to knit the Little Butterfly Stitch (aka Bowknot Stitch). It adds so much cute character to simple stockinette. Only a little funky to knit, and it packs a huge visual punch! 🦋 
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Find the video & written stitch pattern on the blog and YouTube, links are in bio. 
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#kpambassadorsfeb21 #sponsored
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Yarn: @kelbournewoolens Germantown in Baby Blue via @knit_picks. Needles: Prism Interchangeables, also from Knit Picks. 
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Pictured: a light blue swatch of Little Butterfly Stitch knitting on a pink background. A skein of yarn and a few stitches of knitting are nearby.
“You’re telling me words can be pronounced in “You’re telling me words can be pronounced in different ways and mean the same things?!” 👀 Posting this here, just to make it clear: when anyone says skayne, skeen, or skyne, it can be safely assumed we’re talking about a bundle o’ yarn,  a SKEIN. It’s not necessary to shame someone for using a word that is known to have MULTIPLE common pronunciations. 🧶
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Can you plz comment sharing how you say SKEIN and where you learned it? The OED happens to say SKAYNE, but it’s not a personal attack if someone says SKEEN and you say SKYNE or even Saskatoon. I’m legitimately curious. We don’t all knit or crochet the same way, and craft evolves a bit like language - it is passed on. There is so much value in having conversations about & embracing these variations! ✌🏻
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Pictured: A blond woman holds a skein of mustard yellow yarn up to her head like a phone, looking shocked. She’s wearing glasses & a knit sweater. 
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#handsoccupied #heidigustad #skein #yarn #yarncraft #knit #crochet #yarnaddict #knitincolor #soldotnacrop #language #englishisweird #oed #oxfordenglishdictionary
Sometimes my weekend projects involve hair rather Sometimes my weekend projects involve hair rather than yarn. Here’s the latest mediocre-but-improving result of my slow quest to learn to set vintage inspired curls. 💇🏼‍♀️ I’m hoping to be able to wash my hair less using a regular vintage set, but we’ll see if it ends up being practical. 😆 Hair frustrates me so much more than crafts! 
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Do you also style your hair using vintage methods? If you have any tips for vintage hair styling or good resources to share, please do!
I suppose this is one way to decide what yarn colo I suppose this is one way to decide what yarn color suits your pooch. 😆 Navy really might be Woodrow‘s color - what do you think? 
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Pictured: A medium sized, brown, senior dog asleep on a green bed. For some reason a donut ball of navy wool yarn sits on his head.
The first stitch tutorial of the new year is live The first stitch tutorial of the new year is live on YouTube! Diamond Brocade is a great knit+purl only stitch for beginners or anyone wanting a classic look for their knitting project. Find the video with a written stitch pattern on the blog or head directly to the video on YouTube. Both are linked in bio. ✌🏻 
#kpambassadorsfeb21 #sponsored
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