Brainy Thing:   11:58               Behind the Redwood Curtain  22:08

 

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting (and Crochet):

Catherine tackles a new dog sweater for her son’s dog.  Knit Dog Coat (by Bernat):  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dog-coat-11.   Margaret adds beads to the sweater for her crocheted sheep by Lucy of Attic24:  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/woolly-sheep-2 .   She used scraps of fingering weight yarn although the pattern called for DK.    

 

Brainy Thing:  Housing and Happiness

Catherine finds research that shows the location of housing can change reports of happiness level even if nothing else changes.   http://science.sciencemag.org/content/337/6101/1505

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:   Salmon is Everything

For local tribes, especially those along the Klamath river, Salmon is essential spiritual and physical food.  Margaret reports on this:  http://discovertheredwoods.com/salmon-fishing-humboldt-county

 

 

 

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

 

 

In this episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit we present research about Housing and Happiness;  Catherine tackles a dog sweater;  Margaret’s Sheep Gets a Beaded Sweater;  and why for the Klamath Tribe, Salmon is Everything

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brainy thing:  13:40      Behind the Redwood Curtain:   19:10

 

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting:

Margaret wonders if her yarn can hold negative energy on her Dragon’s Egg Socks by Anne Podlesak https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dragons-egg-socks  from The Unofficial Harry Potter Knits.   Catherine faces harsh realities with the man’s pullover pattern, Andoa, https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/andoa-pullover ( free on Ravelry, from Nora Gaughan and done for Berroco).

 

Brainy Thing: 

For decades the cerebellum has been overlooked but now it’s getting more attention into its role with higher order thinking:  

 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-athletes-way/201810/cerebellum-studies-challenge-ancient-notions-how-we-think

 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181025142018.htm   Science Daily

 

npr  https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2018/10/25/660504533/the-underestimated-cerebellum-gains-new-respect-from-brain-scientists

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Catherine shares with us the secrets of Albino Redwoods and Chimera trees.   

 

 

Today on Teaching Your Brain to Knit we report on  how the mighty "little brain", the cerebellum, has invaded our thinking processes, Margaret explores the question can bad energy permeate sock yarn, Catherine faces harsh reality with the Andoa pullover sweater and she shares the secrets of the rare Albino Redwoods.  

 

 

 

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:  12:49       Behind the Redwood Curtain:  21:21

 

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting:

Catherine reaps the rewards of the Dishcloth Swap https://www.ravelry.com/groups/annual-dishcloth-swap.

Margaret finds comfort from yarn crafts after the Tree of Life mass shooting with the Jewish Hearts for Pittsburgh group.  In Ravelry:  https://www.ravelry.com/groups/jewish-hearts-for-pittsburgh    Also on Facebook.

 

Brainy Thing:  Good Brain Chemicals from Group Singing

Let’s raise our voices for the good brain chemicals we get from singing — especially in groups.   

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Margaret shares a little research on the redwood trees canopy, that ecosystem high in the air.  

 

Podcast Links: 

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

 

Today in Teaching Your Brain to Knit Catherine reaps the rewards of her Dishcloth Swap and shares them with us, Margaret Finds comfort in a crochet version of Jewish Hearts for Pittsburgh, Catherine reports on research that confirms    that singing helps us feel better, especially when we’re in a group, and Margaret reveals research on the surprising ecosystem hundreds of feet above the ground in the Redwood canopy.   

 

 

 

Brainy Thing: 13:22                  Behind the Redwood Curtain: 21:37

 

What We’re Learning from our Knitting (and Crochet)

Margaret finished the crocheted blocks (from The Big Book of Granny Squares by Tracey Lord) for a lap blanket.  She finished #33, #133, #66 and #178 and two others she didn’t write down.  Now she plans to piece together the blocks with a stitch of some sort but she’s not sure what yet.  Finally she wants to felt it.  She hopes the finished results will be a nice felted blanket that she’ll donate to charity.  The yarns are  Valley Yarns  100 % Wool  Northampton Bulky Light Grey and Araucania Yarns Nature Wool  Chunky  Deep red/black  or black/red.  Her hook size was K.

 

Catherine is working on her template sweater or test sweater out of an inexpensive acrylic (Caron) for her son-in-law.   The name of the yarn is Yarnspirations by Caron Big Cakes in the Summer Berry Tart Colorway (gradient) out of 100% acrylic.   She’ll check against this sweater to be able to get accurate measurements and then make a new one out of a pricier yarn.  The one she’s doing now can also go to him as a house sweater or to charity.  The pattern, Andoa, https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/andoa-pullover is free on Ravelry, from Nora Gaughan for Berroco.

 

Brainy Thing

Today Margaret discusses a mix of fun facts about the brain from https://www.livescience.com/12916-10-facts-human-brain.html with an update about a challenge to the myth of multi-tasking :   (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/creativity-without-borders/201405/the-myth-multitasking)

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Catherine reports on an easy trail in Trinidad CA called Elk Head https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/7029875/elk-head-trail with an option for the adventurous:   a terrifying spur call Megwil Point with an incredible up-high view of the beach and ocean.   

 

A Little Podcast Business

We have another give-away — a book of knitted baby hats and a commentary on Slow Podcasting which details our future plans for the podcast.  

 

In this Episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit we share some fun facts about the brain from its texture (like tofu) to the question of multitasking;  Margaret wonders how she’ll piece together her crocheted granny squares and Catherine reports her progress on her template sweater.  She also reveals a little known outcropping from the Elk Head Trail in Trinidadcalled Megwil Point.   We have another giveaway and we talk a little bit about Slow Podcasting and the future of our podcast.  

 

Links:

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

 

 

 

 

 

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

Judith Prindle Crocheted Diagonally  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dishcloth-crocheted-diagonally

Bias Crochet Washcloth

Beth Major  knit picks diagnonal cloth good for beginners

Lauri Bolland  corner to corner or c2c Dishcloth https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/corner-to-corner-c2c-corner-start-tutorial

 

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut9oPo8sLJw

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Margaret explores the mysteries of the Carson Mansion and Ingomar Club.  Photo tour  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Elizabeth Bagwell Love Knitting   https://blog.loveknitting.com/how-to-knit-while-walking/

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:

 

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:  

Catherine picks another pattern from Barbara Walker’s A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns (https://www.amazon.com/Second-Treasury-Knitting-Patterns/dp/0942018176/ref=pd_cp_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0942018176&pd_rd_r=2a3d2895-acb1-11e8-8e51-357518f34f72&pd_rd_w=XOqrD&pd_rd_wg=BKXpo&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=fcaa6d12-8b2b-4ad7-b277-864b2da79f6e&pf_rd_r=VQJFH22H6YV78WKN6KQT&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=VQJFH22H6YV78WKN6KQT&dpID=515Z57E66YL&preST=_SX218_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=detail) Fractured Lattice, (https://www.bromefields.com/day-12-fractured-lattice-knit-stitch-100daysofknitstitches/) and learns to better read her knitting.  

 

Margaret battles another problem, beyond holes, that she has with socks:  pills and fades.   For pills, she recommends The Gleener   (https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/931B9447-8431-4880-B169-766490511074?store_ref=HSA_AC3KAGGW5J1ECVV&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=54dc821a-0937-4e6f-9da9-f8dd5443145d&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pf_rd_i=gleener&hsa_cr_id=9949073490601&lp_slot=auto-sparkle-hsa-tetris&lp_asins=B01N0QVOYG,B0763S5B7Q,B078J3HZQ3&lp_mat_key=gleener&lp_query=gleener&sb-ci-n=headline&sb-ci-v=Gentle%20on%20Fabrics%2C%20Tough%20on%20Fuzz.%20Shop%20Gleener.) and to help prevent fading and bleeding dyes she suggests Jasmine's from the Knitmore Girls Citric Acid ( http://www.betterthanyarn.com/2014/10/problems-and-solutions.html#dyefix).  

 

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 

  https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24035

 

 

Giveaway

Don’t miss our yarn giveaway.

 

Links:

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:

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.  

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

Women’s work, the first 20,000 years  www.amazon.com/Womens-Work-First-Years-Society/dp/0393313484/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1533162658&sr=1-1&keywords=women%27s+work+the+first+20+000+years

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 

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.

arne and carlos  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scnTbAFiwtc\

embellish   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zcc5JhkT5Q

Judy’s magic cast on  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhBIS0AhhQY

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

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:   

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

 

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:   

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brainy Part:   22:40              Behind the Redwood Curtain: 31:20

 

What We’re Learning From Our Knitting

Catherine continues her exploration of knitting textures in blocks she’s planning to turn into a charity blanket. This time the patterns are from: http://www.knittingstitchpatterns.com/  She will send her blanket to:  Hats and More from War Torn Syria https://www.ravelry.com/groups/hats-and-more-for-war-torn-syria Margaret’s knitting turns toward the birds from Arne and Carlos’ “Field Guide to Knitted Birds” and learns all sorts of things.  https://www.amazon.com/Carlos-Field-Guide-Knitted-Birds/dp/1570768234/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1525027997&sr=1-2&keywords=arne+and+carlos+knitting+books;   https://arnecarlos.com/

 

Brainy Thing:

Catherine questions if there is such a thing as “positive addictions.”  

ttps://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/philosophy-stirred-not-shaken/201411/are-there-positive-addictions

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Humboldt enjoys the longest running collegiate baseball team in the country:  Humboldt Crabs Baseball  http://humboldtcrabs.com/

 

 

Links

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

 

 

In this episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit, we ask the question “Is there such as thing as positive addiction,” ;  Catherine continues her exploration of texture stitches, learning about gauge in the process;  Margaret takes flight on the subject of knitted birds, from Arne and Carlos;  and we celebrate the Humboldt Crabs Baseball Team— the longest operating collegiate semi-pro baseball team in America

 

Brainy Thing:    26:17   Behind the Redwood Curtain:  37:36

 

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting:

Margaret explores the seed stitch and its alternatives:   https://www.amazon.com/Treasury-Knitting-Patterns-Barbara-Walker/dp/0942018168   One “Crochet Seed Stitch”  Marly Bird  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aeGlbpmYx8

Another Crochet Seed Stitch:  Dora Orhenstein The Crocheters workshop

 

Brainy Thing:  Creativity I

Who’s creative and how you can be (already are) too.:   Make it mighty Ugly — Kim Werker  https://www.amazon.com/Make-Mighty-Ugly-Exercises-Creative/dp/157061914X

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Arcata addresses universal human needs:  Portland Loo  http://theloo.biz/

 

Links:  

Ravelry Group  http://www.ravelry.com/groups/teaching-your-brain-to-knit

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

 

Brainy Thing:  19:55              Behind the Redwood Curtain:  29:10

 

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting

Margaret calls for emergency help from Catherine to help her figure out a supposedly invisible repair (Knit Freedom https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXD3TdbpDbM;  Kate Atherly in Knitty 2006 http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATrepairs101.html;  Rina Crochet’s book Flawless Knit Repair  19 pages of gold, I’m guessing, used  for $99 )  of her Multnomah Shawl by Shawl repair

The shawl design is Multnomah by Kate Ray.  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/multnomah

Recommended by Chrissy the Great https://www.ravelry.com/people/chrissythegreat  formerly of the Manic Purl audio Podcast and currently (well, currently in a break from ) Snappy Stitches video podcast.  

Purl soho has picture tutorial of  duplicate stitches initials on a cap using the “A”s and not the “V”s of the knit stitch.  

 

Brainy Thing

Margaret explores a comprehensive approach to learning and teaching in the Universal Design for Learning method.  http://www.udlcenter.org/aboutudl/whatisudl/3principles

 

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Want a dog park, spectacular views of the Pacific. an eco preserve of a coastal forest, paths in the woods where you won’t get lost?  Try Hiller Park in McKinleyville.   http://mckinleyvillecsd.com/hiller-park

 

Links:

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

 

 

In today’s episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit, we explore Universal Design for Learning to help us learn and teach from a more comprehensive approach,  we put our brains together to mend a shawl using what we’re calling the duplicate stitch/weave method, and Catherine reports how Hiller Park in McKinleyville serves many needs from dog park to eco preserve of a coastal forest.

 

Brainy Thing:  24:21            Behind the Redwood Curtain 35:41

 

What We’re Learning from our Knitting

Margaret’s further exploration of Fair Isle veers into Crochet Fair Isle under the instruction of Karen Whooley.  (https://www.ravelry.com/designers/karen-whooley)  Other Fair Isle references in the report.  

 

http://kelbournewoolens.com/blog/2017/5/stranded-colorwork-vs-fair-isle-knitting Fai

 

Catherine finds an “Interim Project” until she’s ready for a full commitment.

 

Brainy Thing:

Can training to be ambidextrous improve your brain?  Maybe but one expert says maybe not.  

Differential

Using Your

   https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/can-training-to-become-ambidextrous-improve-brain-function/

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain   Morris Graves Museum  How  an artist escapes “the noise of machine age America.”   Morris Graves

 

http://humboldtarts.org/visit 

Links: 

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

 

Today on Teaching Your Brain to Knit we ask “Can learning to be ambidextrous help improve your brain?” also Margaret further explores Fair Isle;  Catherine finds  an “interim” project and we learn how one artist found an escape from the “the noise of machine age America."

 

Brainy Thing:    12:30                     Behind the Redwood Curtain:  24:42

 

What we’re learning from our knitting:

 

Catherine likes her Coffee Shop Wrap by Alexandra Tavel https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/coffee-shop-wrap    (free through Lion Brand Yarns,) but has been yearning for lace knitting.    Margaret tries creating a design for an elongated fair isle ornament.   The project fails but she learns a lot.  https://www.craftsy.com/knitting/classes/fair-isle-holiday-ornaments/497492.  It’s Margaret’s design but Sunne Meyer’s ornament pattern.  

 

Brainy Thing:

 

Catherine reviews the indie documentary “Beyond Food” http://beyondfoodthemovie.com/.   Among other topics the film highlights parkour sports:  https://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/07/19/beginners-guide-to-parkour/

A beginner's guide in case anyone wants to take it up! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NX7QNWEGcNI

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Enjoy the history and the continuing beauty of the city of Eureka with the Eureka Walking Tour  https://eurekaparksandrec.wordpress.com/2016/06/29/old-town-walking-tours/.   If you want to see photos of the work that was put into the Carson Block:   (https://www.northcoastjournal.com/humboldt/witness-marks/Content?oid=3635632 )

 

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

Brainy Thing:  12:50      Behind the Redwood Curtain:   22:40

 

What We’re Learning from our Knitting:

 

Margaret learns to love Luxury with Lhasa yarn:   50% yak, 50% cashmere.  She used the Lhasa  Snuggle Mitts pattern by Laura Lamers.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/snuggle-mitts 

Catherine found a crochet pattern for her annual scrubbies exchange : the  zinnia dishcloth  pattern from  Lily/Sugar’n Cream.  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/zinnia-dishcloth   https://www.ravelry.com/groups/annual-dishcloth-swap. 

 

Brainy Thing: 

If you can’t reproduce the results of a scientific experiment, can you rely on it?  Margaret talks about the Replication Crisis in Science.  

 www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-39054778

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Catherine explores a landmark and historic hotel, the Eureka In —where else— Eureka.

 

Links:

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

 

In Episode 79 of Teaching Your Brain to Knit we uncover the Replication Crisis in scientific research;  Margaret learns to love luxury making Mitts with Yak and Cashmere yarn;   Catherine switches to crochet for her scrubbies swap;  and we chronicle the rise and fall and rise again of the historic Eureka Inn.

Brainy Thing:  16:44              Behind the Redwood Curtain:   30:32

 

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting:

Catherine is surprised when she learns (again) that colors online don’t always match colors in yarn when she buys a Lion Brand Yarn pattern  Coffee Shop Wrap kit by Alexandra Tavel   https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/coffee-shop-wrap only to discover that a color that she thought was a mild creaming yellow turned out to be a zangy mustard.

 

Margaret   patched two more socks, including removing and replacing an afterthought heel and it turned out beautifully, just like it was planned to be.   One sock was out Austermann Step yarn in a   Blueberry Waffle  pattern https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/blueberry-waffle-socks and the other was out of 

Fish Knits Yarn  warm heart     She also added to her crocheted bathroom accessories collection using adventuresome techniques from Crocheter’s Skill Building Workshop by Dora Ohrenstein.  The pattern is two color diamond stitch from the book.   

She compares this book to two others to two others:  

Ultimate Crochet Bible:   A Complete Reference with Step-by-Step Techniques https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Crochet-Bible-Step-Step/dp/1910231797/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517428360&sr=1-2&keywords=crochet+bible by Jane Crowfoot and Crochet 101:  Master Basic Skills and Techniques Easily   https://www.amazon.com/Crochet-101-Step-Step-Instruction/dp/1589236394/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1517428471&sr=1-1&keywords=crochet+101 by Deborah Burger.

 

Brainy Thing:

Not exactly brainy but thinking along the line of how colors impact our lives, Catherine talks about the Pantone color of the Year for 2018 which is ultra violet.   Associated with mysticism and vision, expect to see the color around for awhile.  

  https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year-2018

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain

One of the high points of North Coast Living is the Dungeness crabs

https://www.google.com/search?q=dunegeness+crab&oq=dunegeness+crab&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.6582j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8  from December through Spring.

 

Links:

Instagram:   Margaret Kelso for Margaret and MagicWombat1 for Catherine

 

 

In this episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit we ask will the Pantone Color of the Year lead us to a higher spiritual level?, Also Catherine is surprised by a color she receives in a shawl knitting kit;  Margaret offer guides for choosing books that have the best pace for you, and the North Coast celebrates Dungenes crab season.

 

Brainy Thing:    15:40       Behind the Redwood Curtain:  26:20

 

What we’re learning from our knitting:

Margaret learns about knitting different specialty textured yarns for her textured amigurumi The Three Little Kittens by Sara Scales https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/three-little-kittens-4.  Catherine ventures into sweater knitting for a dog using The Darling Darby Sweater:   https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/darling-darby-sweater.  

 

Brainy Thing:

Sensory Stimulation Helps People with Dementia

General on Alzheimers:  https://yourbrainmatters.org.au/about-dementia/what-is-dementia

Snoezelen:  https://www.snoezelen.info/history/

Paul Shepard quote:    http://dreamingup.blogspot.com/2018/01/shepard-for-day5.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CaptainFuturesDreamingUpDaily+%28Captain+Future%27s+Dreaming+Up+Daily%29

Herdlevar’s research:  https://www.ntnu.no/documents/10401/1264433962/AshildArtikkel.pdf/8f8ba50d-7425-43c7-9e5f-bfef4380e206

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:  

Humboldt Handweaver’s and Spinners Guild:  http://www.hhsguild.org/

 

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 investigate using Sensory Stimulation to Ease the symptoms of Alzheimer’s and Dementia;  We tackle using different types of specialty yarns for texture and try a strangely shaped design for a dog sweater;  And w e give a shout out to the Humboldt Handweaver’s and Spinners Guild.  

Brainy Thing:  15:52      Behind the Redwood Curtain:  25:25

 

What We Learned from Our Knitting

Catherine finishes a lace shawl (with beads, of course) called Ocean Kelp and designed by Harry Wells  whose Rav name is knitting ninja  and his design studio is  Good for a Boy Designs.  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ocean-kelp   Catherine got more practice with  charts, not her favorite way to follow a pattern.

Margaret knits a family of Creature Mittens from Morehouse Farms kits for her family and learns a bit about Mitten thumbs from Anna Zilboorg in Magnificent Mittens and Socks .   She also corrects the mistake she made between Churchmouse Yarns on Bainbridge Island, Washington and Morehouse Farms that raises Merino Sheep in Upstate New York.   

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/owl-mittens-2   https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/penguin-mitts   https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/buggy-mitts

 

Brainy Thing

Catherine explores Gamma Waves, “Ah Ha” moments and lucid dreaming

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Discovering local politics behind the redwood Curtain and in your neighborhood too.

 

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.

 

In this episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit, Catherine explores the link between Gamma Brain Waves, “Ah Hah” moments and Lucid Dreaming;  She practices her not so favorite way of following a pattern —that is,  charts;  Margaret learns about different types of mitten thumbs with help from Anna Zilboorg;  We delve into local politics and how you can do the same in your local community; plus we announce updates to indices or indexes for our brain, redwood and knitting topics.