A custom collab between Taaja Tucker and Hands Occupied, inspired by the knitting community.

As promised earlier this week, I’ve been busy updating a bunch of things behind the scenes, including the Hands Occupied Shop. Most importantly is my first foray into merch! I worked with an illustrator friend to develop two adorable enamel pin designs inspired by the knitting community. Both of these are perfect for gifting to your knit night bestie or treating yourself!

About the pins

Fiber Friends

This adorable pin measures approximately 1.25 inches by 1.25 inches. The original design by Taaja Tucker features five of the most-loved fiber producing animals (sheep, rabbit, goat, alpaca, & yak) hanging out together behind a red banner reading “fiber friends.”

A custom collab between Taaja Tucker and Hands Occupied, inspired by the knitting community.

Rip It!

Also clocking in at 1.25 inches by 1.25 inches, this funny pin again features original artwork by Taaja Tucker. This pin depicts a frog smiling and tearing out its red knitting. The words “rip it!” are in the foreground because in the knit and crochet community, frogging is the term we use for tearing back out work to fix a mistake, often very far back. Frogs ribbit, so… RIP IT! 

A custom collab between Taaja Tucker and Hands Occupied, inspired by the knitting community.

Working with Taaja Tucker

Taaja Tucker is the name of the biologist and artist I collaborated with on these first 2 enamel pin designs. Personally, I’m a crafter and a fiber artist – not an illustrator. Enter Taaja, who I’ve known since college & who also designed my old band’s merchandise (pictured below!). 15 years after college, we collaborated again on merch for an indie project. I feel like working with a friend is the kind of good vibes I needed for adding physical objects to the Hands Occupied Shop, you know?

Taaja’s website / @tinywaterbear on Instagram


Fun fact: these have literally been years in the making!

These pins were actually designed in early 2018. I wasn’t sure pins would be the right move for Hands Occupied at the time, but Taaja had already finished the Fiber Friends & Rip It designs. Luckily I was in love with the designs, so I kept them in my back pocket just in case! When Wizard Pins reached out about working together on a pins project, I was ready to go! Getting the project rolling was so simple. Shout out to Wizard Pins for making my enamel pin dreams come true!

A custom collab between Taaja Tucker and Hands Occupied, inspired by the knitting community.

New in the Shop: Exclusive Enamel Pins!

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