Teaching Your Brain to Knit (general)
Brainy thing:   16:26          Behind the Redwood Curtain:  28:03
 
What We’re Learning from Our Knitting
Catherine finishes her quadrant dishcloths (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quadrant-dishcloth)for her dishcloth exchange and even adds a fancy tag.  By Jenny Konopinski quadrant is  free at knitpicks
For little or no discernible  reason, except a whim, Margaret makes Nai Nai’s Favorite Dishcloth (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/nai-nais-favorite)  by Ali Crockett and discovers the bias or corner-to-corner structure for the first time — after all these years.   Both of these are on Becky Stewart’s lis of 12 dishcloth knitting patterns.   
Some crocheted diagonal washcloths
Bias Crochet Washcloth
Beth Major  knit picks diagnonal cloth good for beginners
 
Brainy Thing:   
When does Performance Art become a science experiment.  Performance artist  marina  Abramovic    (The Artist is Present)   teams up with neuroscientist Suzanne Dikker to create:  Measuring the Magic of the Mutual Gaze;  
Suzanne Dikker  neuroscientist
 
Behind the Redwood Curtain:
Margaret explores the mysteries of the Carson Mansion and Ingomar Club.  Photo tour  
photo tour
 
 
Art Meets Science with Marina Abramovic and Suzanne Dikker’s Brain Project:  Measuring the Magic of Mutual Gaze;  Examining the Pleasures of the Dishcloth;  The mysteries of The Carson Mansion and Ingomar Club.  
 
In this episode Of Teaching Your Brain to Knit, we examine the line between art and science in the brain;  We Discover the pleasures of the lowly dishcloth;  and we Explore  the mysteries of the Carson Mansion and the Ingomar Club.  
 
Marina Abramovic,  Suzanne Dikker, Becky Stewart,  Jenny Konopinski
 
Links:  
website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects, Behind the Redwood Curtain places and things and anything else we decide to post.
Instagram:   MargaretKelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine
 

Brainy thing:      13:56      Behind the Redwood Curtain:   21:00
 
 
What we’re learning from our knitting:
With no finished project, Margaret offers an update of her knitting:   Knit the sky Scarf  (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sky-scarf);  Bathroom jar covers;   Nair-Nai’s favorite wash cloth (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/nai-nais-favorite);   30 day knitting challenge  (https://knitom.com/30-day-challenge/)
 
Catherine falls in love with Patty Lyons Cable Cardigan in Vogue Knitting Fall 2018  and she is searching for non-wool yarn that will work for a sweater ;     https://www.ravelry.com/designers/patty-lyons
 
 
Brainy Thing:  
Yes, Sitting a lot — even with other exercise in the day is bad for your heart and your metabolism but new research shows that it may also be bad for your brain: 
sitting and thinning of the brain
poster of sitting postures    for pay    https://nutritiousmovement.com/tag/floor-sitting/
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The Conversation — academic rigour with a journalistic flair
One commenter, emmer, adds   “ . . .was surprised to learn that it [knitting while walking] dates at least to the time of elizabeth the first of England. It seems she was given a pair of silk stockings and declared them wonderful. Of course they became all the rage at court and the style trickled down to all who could afford them. Prior to this era, those who could afford it, wrapped their legs with a length of cloth, rather like wide ace bandages. Poor folks went bare-legged.
The fashion for stockings created a peasant cottage industry. to facilitate walking while knitting, belts with a small rigid horizontal leather strip were worn. The end of a knitting needle rested on the leather strip, helping to stabilize the work."
 
Behind the Redwood Curtain:   
Blackberry season:
 
Podcast Links:
 
website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects, Behind the Redwood Curtain places and things and anything else we decide to post.
Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine
 
 
In this episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit, we report that new research shows that being sedentary not only is bad for your overall health but also may thin the part of the brain responsible  for memory;  Margaret offers updates on her knitting projects and Catherine shares her early adventures in knitting a Vogue knitting sweater pattern by Patty Lyons;  and we celebrate Blackberry season on the North Coast.   We also have another giveaway.  
 
 

Brainy thing:   15:37               Behind the Redwood Curtain:  28:36
 
What we’re learning from our knitting:  
 
 
Brainy Thing:
Research suggests that taking notes by hand may be a better way to learn and retain information.   Catherine explains why.  http://www.indiana.edu/~canlab/assets/2017-kjames-imp.-of-hw-on-dev.-brain2.pdf
 
Behind the Redwood Curtain 
 
 
Giveaway
Don’t miss our yarn giveaway.
 
Links:
website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects, Behind the Redwood Curtain places and things and anything else we decide to post.
Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine
 
Today in Teaching your Brain to Knit, we discover that handwriting may beat the keyboard for learning;  Catherine tries a new pattern for her charity blanket;  Margaret battles pills and fades;  we explore the art and craft of Wiyot basket caps and we offer another giveaway. 
 
 

Brainy Thing:  15:35               Behind the Redwood Curtain:  26:30
 
What we’ve been learning from our knitting:
Margaret has been focusing on Process over Product on the Tree Afghan.   To find podcasts on the Tree Afghan Patterns check out Webs Yarn Store Shows 100, 101, 102, 103, 104.  (I had trouble linking to the patterns) 
Catherine is trying new blocks for her charity knitting blanket and reports on her Bias Square with a diagonal design.  
 
Brainy thing:15:35
For most of us, starting a meditation practice is challenging.   Margaret shares a number of ways to get started including classes and support groups.   And she reveals a meditation program designed for knitters: Knitting Om's 30 day Challenge created by Becky Stewart.    
 
Redwood Curtain:  26:30
The beach dunes are a delicate ecosystem and can get destroyed by having non-native plants brought in from other places.   Catherine talks about the annual Lupine Bash, a family friendly outdoor project to help eradicate non-native plants on the dunes.  
 
Links:
website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects, Behind the Redwood Curtain places and things and anything else we decide to post.
Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine
 
 
In this episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit we explore ways to find support for starting a new meditation program including Becky Stewart’s Knitting Om 30 Day Challenge;  Margaret focuses on Process over Product on the Tree Afghan;     We knit a bias square for a blanket;  and we spotlight a family friendly activity to help the dunes — the Lupine Bash.  
Direct download: Ep_91__working__30_day_challenge__tree_afghan_-_8_18_18_1.25_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:07pm PDT

Brainy thing:  20:25                   Behind the Redwood Curtain:  32:27
 
What We’re Learning from Our Knitting:
Margaret is exploring new approaches to knitted birds with Nicky Filakowska’s aptly named book Knitted Birds .  These birds  are knitted in pieces and then assembled and stuffed.
Catherine is realizing the importance of gauge with a seemingly simple dishcloth pattern —  the Quadrant dishcloth/washcloth by Jenny Konopinski
 
Brainy Thing:   The Matilda Effect
Women not only were prohibited from getting advanced education and entering fields like science and medicine; but also when they did, their work was often overlooked.   Catherine introduces the phenomenon named after Matilda Joslyn Gage this week
 
Behind the Redwood Curtain:  The Madaket
We talk about touring Eureka from the Bay:  Harbor Tours on the Madaket:  https://www.humboldtbaymaritimemuseum.com/madaketmainpage.html
 
Give Away:
Don’t miss out on the Book Give Away.  
 
Links: 
 
Today on Teaching Your Brain to Knit we introduce the Matilda Effect —Overlooking Accomplishments of Women Scientists;  Catherine searches for gauge on a simple but elegant dishcloth;  Margaret learns techniques and discovers biases that are for the birds;  She also    shares information and experiences on two Madaket Harbor Cruises and we have another book giveaway.  
 
 

Brainy Thing:    21:10               Behind the Redwood Curtain: 32:54
What We’re Learning from Our Knitting
Margaret caught the Virus fever when she needed a bright, sunny shawl before the sun came from its winter’s sleep in Humboldt.   It’s a four row repeat crochet triangle shawl -- Virus Shawl  No one know who the original designer is but you can find it at:
 
Catherine talks about starting new projects and finishing old ones.  And it’s time for the annual dishcloth swap again.  Annual Dishcloth swap:   https://www.ravelry.com/groups/annual-dishcloth-swap.  This year’s theme is beauty.  
Dishcloth swaps
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quadrant-dishcloth    Quadrant Dishcloth   Jenny Konopinski
 
 
Brainy Thing:
Why don’t we want to change our minds but how we overcome it — that’s what Margaret shares on the Brainy Segment.
 
Behind the Redwood Curtain:
We talk about how remote Humboldt is but how do you actually get there?  Catherine shares information and pitfalls about getting to Humboldt
 
Links
website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects, Behind the Redwood Curtain places and things and anything else we decide to post
 
Today in Teaching Your Brain to Knit we explore how we change our minds and why we don’t want to, Margaret beats the winter blues with a yellow shawl;  Catherine shares her finishing old projects and beginning new ones;  and she also shares how to get to the isolated Humboldt county. 

Brainy Thing:   19:24             Behind the Redwood Curtain: 36:24 
 
What We’re Learning from Our Knitting:
 
Catherine is almost finished the heavenly Heaven Scent by                  aand is switching to blocks for her charity blanket.  Margaret switches from birds to eggs with a decorative knitted egg, again from Arne and Carlos.   She offers a giveaway on the book.
 
Brainy Thing:
Catherine finishes off her three part series on the controversy— Can there be positive addictions.  She focuses this time on William Glasser who literally wrote the book on Positive Addictions.  https://wglasser.com/;   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPDRyjS53_A
 
Behind the Redwood Curtain:
OLLI, the Osher Life Long Learning Institute offers summertime classes on Destination Humboldt, highlighting a diverse range of Humboldt features — from Nature to Industry.  https://extended.humboldt.edu/olli/destination-humboldt
 
Podcast
website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects, Behind the Redwood Curtain places and things and anything else we decide to post.
Instagram:   MargaretKelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine
 
Today on Teaching your Brain to Knit, Catherine finishes her three part series on the controversy of positive addictions;  Margaret tries out knitted eggs;  Catherine approaches the finish line for Heaven Scent;  and we talk about OLLI — classes with a theme of Destination Humboldt.
 
Direct download: Ep._088__Positive_addictions.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:03pm PDT

Brainy thing:   14:25            Behind the Redwood Curtain  25:16
 
What We’re Learning from our Knitting
Margaret is playing around with Embellishing Birds from Arne’s and Carlos’ book Field Guide to Knitted Birds.
Catherine is continuing her adventure with knitted beads and lace with Knitting Boo’s Heaven Scene shawl.  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heaven-scent
 
Brainy Thing:
Contrary to some beliefs, we have lot of evidence — hard evidence— that knitting and other handcrafts, particularly for charity — helps people’s health in many ways:  reduces stress, reduces blood pressures, reduces depression and many other issues.    
Behind the Redwood Curtain
Catherine appreciates the Egret rookery on Indian Island (Duluwat for the Wiyots)
 
 
Podcast
website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects, Behind the Redwood Curtain places and things and anything else we decide to post.
Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine
 
 
Today on Teaching Your Brain to Knit we outline the bounty of hard scientific evidence of the benefits of knitting listed in The Knit for Peace Report plus the added benefits of knitting for Charity;  Catherine continues her adventures in Lace and bead knitting;  Margaret plays with embellishing knitted birds;  and Catherine shares the story of the egret rookery on Indian Island or Duluwat Island in Eureka.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Brainy Thing:  23:05                 Behind the Redwood Curtain:  43:15
What we’re learning from our knitting:
Using Zauberball cotton Catherine continues her adventure with lace shawl Heaven Scene by Knitting Boo.  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heaven-scent.   Margaret makes Lara Neels Reclaiming Our Time https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/reclaiming-our-time and talks about some other sock patterns that allow you to easily reknit the sole and heel where holes and wear are most likely to appear.  
 
Brainy Thing:
Second in our series on creativity, Catherine examines her own creative process for theatre costumes and advises allowing ideas to “bake.”   
 
Behind the Redwood Curtain:
Catherine outlines some of the active community theatres behind the Redwood Curtain.
 
Links:   
website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects, Behind the Redwood Curtain places and things and anything else we decide to post.
Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine
 
 
Today on Teaching Your Brain to Knit we continue examining the creative process, this time focusing on CAtherine’s as a theatre costume designer;   Catherine continues her lace shawl adventure;  Margaret tries new sock architecture to make repair easier;  and we check out the local live community theatre scene.   
 
 

Brainy Thing:   24:21             Behind the Redwood Curtain:    32:25
What We’re Learning from our Knitting       
Catherine started a new project:   a lace shawl called Heaven Scent by Boo Knits. She is using a skein of zauberball cotton  https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/schoppel-wolle-zauberball-cotton in “Rosey Times” colorway.  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heaven-scent
Margaret searches  for sock longevity and discovers a trove of information in The Knitters Book of Socks by Clara Parkes.  She finds fibers, twists, and stitches that help socks last longer.  
 
Brainy Thing:
Catherine continues our exploration of the possibility of positive addiction.  From an online sources, Changing Minds  https://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/schoppel-wolle-zauberball-cotton, she presents differences in addiction, habits and compulsions.
  
Behind the Redwood Curtain:
Making hats and dresses was one of the few occupations women could choose from 1860 to the 1930’s in Humboldt County.  She shares the stories of a couple of women who succeeded here with excellent needle skills. https://www.facebook.com/Vintage-Avenger-163731777018458/ 
 
Give Away:
We have a sock book give-away this week.  Be the first person to ask for it on the Episode 85 thread to win.   
 
Links:   
website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects, Behind the Redwood Curtain places and things and anything else we decide to post.
Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine
 
 
In this episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit, We continue our exploration of positive addictions, do they exist and are they different from habits and compulsions;  Catherine starts a new lace shawl l— Heaven Scent;  Margaret searches for sock longevity;  and we trace the history of women and hats in Humboldt County.  We also have a new book give away.   
 
While editing this podcast, I searched for a link to Humboldt Millinery and I discovered a “permanently closed” notice online.    There are, however, stores in Ferndale that carry vintage clothes and hats and even a dedicated vintage dress shop in arcata called Vintage Avenger on H Street.