Brainy Thing:  16:15    Behind the Redwood Curtain:  27:41

Margaret finished the Laura Nelkin Kairos wristlet https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kairos-2.   She particularly liked the randomness of the bead placement.  This was a kit and Laura offers 5 different colorways on her etsy store.

Catherine hasn’t done much knitting but she’s working on a pair of Baby Socks https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-socks-23  and has reaped the rewards of her dishcloth exchange.    https://www.ravelry.com/groups/annual-dishcloth-swap: Some of the patterns she received are Blossom (crochet),   The Almost Lost Washcloth https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-almost-lost-washcloth;   in swimming pool colorway, The Sail Away Dishcloth—  (joann’s )  and  Poppy.

Why does it feel so good to pet your animal (or even watch colorful fish?)   There’s a whole world of research out there and recent studies show chemical and structural changes in both animal and human brains when they interact.  And those changes make both of us feel good.

Book mentioned :  How Dogs Love Us:  A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain   by Gregory Berns     Other research links:

http://sciencenetlinks.com/science-news/science-updates/robotic-dog/y.

Eat like loggers ate — family style with one menu option a day — check it out ahead of time.  There’s also a logger museum to check out.

samoa cookhouse winter hours  https://www.samoacookhouse.net/menu

Welcome to episode 108 of Teaching Your Brain to Knit, a bit delayed because of power outages and other events.   Today, we will explore how the brain changes in animal and human interactions;  we’ll talk about a cute little beaded wristlet;  report on the Annual Washcloth exchange,  and discuss a Northcoast landmark — the Samoa Cookhouse.

Thank you for listening to our podcast.  You can subscribe to us on most podcasting platforms including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.  Shownotes are on Ravelry and on many podcast platforms, embedded in the show.  We’re behind posting on our Webpage but we’ll catch up someday.

Brainy:    13:05           Behind the Redwood Curtain 27:30

It’s socks, socks, socks in our knitting this episode.  Catherine shares the sad tale of her puppy getting to a washcloths she had finished for her Washcloth exchange.   Now she gets to keep the slightly chewed Vortex 5 by Rebecca Hudson  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/vortex-5-dishcloth but needs to make another one.  She decided on the perfect traveling project:  Baby socks.   Some patterns she likes are  ribbed far away baby socks   originally from Afghan for afghans made in worsted weight https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/ribbed-far-away-baby-socks.  She also like another free baby socks pattern:  jelly bean baby sock spud and chloe  Susan B Anderson  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jelly-bean-baby-socks

Margaret also is working on socks — this time the nugget peds by Laura Nelkin  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#sort=best&inline=&query=Nugget%20peds.  She also

 offers some of her favorite sock tips:

kate Atherly heel trick  http://kateatherley.blogspot.com/2014/04/more-questions-on-sock-fit.html

lucy neatby heel The slippurl and alternative heel stitch  https://www.lucyneatby.com/extras/newsletters/SY19.html

Finchley graft video by Roxanne Richardson:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3sD_RU720c  (watch out! The opening ad is loud)

Lorilee Beltman how to  remember the kitchner stitch:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkW3kP7RZdk

Analysis Paralysis

overanalysis squelches creativity 1959 Barry Swartz  The paradox of choice

The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin

Podcast recommended:   Happier (also by Gretchen Rubin)

Ambition and balance  blog by Doist

Links:

Guides for Exploring the Redwoods: 

More basic website:  Humboldt california redwood coast https://www.visitredwoods.com/

Today on Episode 107 of Teaching Your Brain to Knit we discuss a beaded cuff sock, Nugget Peds by laura Nelkin plus a few sock tips and tricks to spice it up;   We find baby socks the perfect travel knitting and offer some patterns.  Analysis Paralysis is a real thing and we not share the brain science behind it but offer some tips to kicking it; and we present an overview of tourism on the Northcoast from attractions to wholistic groceries.

Today we have another give away — this time a book from my library — a gently owned book named “Slow Knitting a journey from sheep to skein to stitch”   by Hannah Thiessen.  It chronicles her journey from the “getting it done quickly” attitude with her knitting to slowing down and deep her understanding of all the processes of her practice.  The book is a mixture of patterns, essays from a variety of professionals in the industry and beautiful photographs.  Companies include Green Mountain Spinner and O-Wool.  The patterns include lots of sweaters but also shawls and cowls and hats and mittens.  Hannah divides her book with the themes of “source carefully”  produce thoughtfully   think environmenta  lly experiment fearlessly and explore Openly.  This is a book you slow down with and come back too.