It’s been a minute since I’ve done an update about what’s going on in Hands Occupied land, and there’s enough news to share to fill up a whole blog post! I recently realized that taking on a larger, challenging project as well as a fun one might help me cope with the rest of this, uh, wild year.
First off, I’ve taken on a massive (and sadly secret for now!) intarsia knitting design project with an end-of-year deadline to give myself something difficult to focus my maker brain on, a.k.a. a great anxiety coping mechanism! Secondly, since I also like to give myself something fun to challenge myself with sometimes, I decided to dip my toe into the colorful world of TikTok for the first time. (Way to be on the cutting edge, Heidi! 
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As is often the case, the design deadline is secret, but there may be some behind-the-scenes glimpses here and there on Instagram as there are with all massive craft undertakings of mine. I wasn’t kidding when I said this project was a whopper… 
(@handsoccupied)
Toks and Apps and Reels, oh my!
If apps and tiktoks and such things make you dizzy, I don’t judge you at all. Feel free to scroll on by.
TikTok, on the other hand, I can tell you a little more about! (Disclosure: I am receiving funding from TikTok’s Creative Learning Fund to produce content for the platform. This blog post is NOT sponsored.) TikTok’s Creative Learning Fund program is designed to get more educational content on the app, so basically it means I get to create short yarn craft tutorials for beginners. I’m having fun learning to edit video in a new style, and it’s been a great way to meet new makers! If you don’t have a TikTok, don’t worry, I’m embedding a few videos below and you can visit the online version of my profile here. I’ve also been cross-posting some funner videos to my Instagram Reels since I know a lot of you are active there.
@handsoccupied Hi, I’m Heidi from Hands Occupied! Here’s what I’m about.
##tiktokpartner ##learnontiktok ##crafttok ##latchhook ##knitting
I’m focusing on my 4 favorite yarn crafts on TikTok: knitting, crochet, latch hook, and macramé, and it’s bringing me back to my days as a Teen Services Librarian. For my fellow educator types, you’ll understand the strange joy of making quick, easy-to-digest educational materials that can enable people to self-teach (is that way beyond nerdy to admit?). My plan is to keep sharing these 101-level videos on both TikTok and Instagram for the next few months, and who knows? Maybe we’ll have even more makers to bring into the fold at the end of it.
I haven’t forgotten about YouTube 🙂
Not to worry, I’ve got a much-requested video in my to-be-edited queue this week, so that should hit the Hands Occupied YouTube Channel by the weekend, and I’ll blog about it here next week. Because Thanksgiving.
To tide you over, here are a couple more TikTok videos from my growing library of mini-tutorials. 
@handsoccupied How to Ball Yarn
##tiktokpartner ##learnontiktok ##crafttok ##yarn ##craftingeek
@handsoccupied Because crafts shouldn’t be IYKYK. There are no dumb questions.
