You can tell that it’s officially summertime in the northern hemisphere this week – so many bright and colorful patterns came out of the blog woodwork! There were some really awesome home accessories, summery apparel, adorable amigurumi just for fun, travel accessories and more. Whoever said knitting and crochet were a wintertime activity? Give me my needles, yarn, hooks and the beach any day!
Why I Learned to Knit Left-Handed
A weird thing happened out of nowhere last fall. Weird, but super exciting! I got three emails in a span of two weeks from magazines wanting to work with Hands Occupied in 2014. Finally last weekend, months after those initial emails, I opened my mailbox to find a surprise. A hard copy of my first magazine feature in “the UK’s bestselling knit mag,” Let’s Knit! Visit the full post for a piece I wrote for them on the time I thought I’d never knit again.
Cross Body Phone Case Pattern
This design was inspired by summer days at the beach, by vacations spent riding bikes in flip flops. Those amazing days when all you need is a little pouch for your phone, money and keys that wears close to the body to stay out of the way. I made this pouch with one t-shirt’s worth of DIY yarn, and it came together in no time.
Weekly Reader
The weekend’s coming early to Hands Occupied this week – I’ve gotta get to the church on time. Literally! I’m off to be a bridesmaid in my sister-in-law’s wedding. My outfit is ready and my bags are packed, so now it’s time to take a break and enjoy some knitting inspiration before my plane takes off for wedding land.
Worldwide Knit in Public Week
Happy Worldwide Knit in Public Week! Did you even know that was a thing? It’s been around since 2005 and takes place the second Saturday in June. It originated as a single day to bring knitters together, raise awareness for how awesome knitting is as a community building activity, and how widely it’s been adopted by crafters of all ages.
How to Make T-shirt Yarn
Is it just me, or is jersey (t-shirt) yarn all over the place this summer? Don’t worry, I’m totally into it! Jersey yarn is perfect for summer, and can work up into fast, fun, chunky projects. Jersey yarn is also super affordable, especially if you make it yourself. Here’s how!
Weekly Reader
There were a lot of great new knitting and crochet projects posted this week! Home decor, summer patterns for keeping just the right amount of warm (or cool), fun toys and more were all well-represented. I want to sip a homemade iced tea in a crochet cozy while wearing that striped sweater every afternoon for the next three months. And don’t you just love the crocheted balls with subtle striping?
We Are Knitters – Win a Kit!
Yesterday I turned the big 2-7. To spread out the lovely birthday karma, I’ve teamed up with We Are Knitters for a giveaway that’s perfect for beginning knitters and knitting lovers alike. In case you’ve not heard of it, We Are Knitters is a company that sells yarn and ready-to-go knitting kits that come in a lovely brown sack, filled with all the goodness you need to knit up a whole project from start to finish. That includes the pattern, needles, yarn, and necessary notions.
Inspire
It’s my birthday! That seems like a great occasion to share what’s inspiring me this month, making me smile, things I find exciting. I’ve got everything from baby programming to weddings to Orange is the New Black this go around. For real, check all of these out. It’s my birthday, and they make me happy. :)
