Category Archives: Brainy Stuff

Ep. 030 What is the Distributive Spacing Effect and How does it help us to learn fiber arts?

Posted in Knitting, Learning by

Brainy Thing:   15:47           Behind the Redwood Curtain:  25:35

Welcome to Episode:  How the Distributive Practice Effect or Spacing Effect can help you learn skills in the fiber Arts.

What we’re learning from our Knitting
Catherine got a lot of satisfaction by completing Laura Nelkin’s Butin Collar.

Catherine's butin collar

Margaret created felted bangles from Mags Kandis’ Bevy of Bangles pattern, from the book Gifted, Lovely little things to knit and crochet by Mags Kandis or get them for free from the Interweave website.

Brainy Thing:  The Distributive Practice Effect
Catherine talks about the Distributive Practice Effect, first described by Hermann Ebbinghaus.   In psychology,it is talked about as the Spacing Effect.   Essentially, practicing something a little bit every day is more effective in learning than practicing for a long time for one day a week.

Behind the Redwood Curtain:   Ferndale, CA, the Victorian Village

Catherine introduces us to Ferndale, CA which has a large number of well preserved Victorian buildings.   It is very well decorated around Christmas time.

07-ferndale-main-street

Knitting Tip:
Margaret shares a tip from No Sheep for You by Amy Singer:   When knitting socks in Cotton or a yarn with little memory, use ribbing to help the sock

Podcast Business

The incentive prize for signing up for the Teaching Your Brain to Knit Ravelry Group:

opulent

 

Ep. 026. Is There a Connection Between Happiness-Producing Gamma Brain Waves and Knitting

Posted in Brain anatomy & physiology, Crochet, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode 26:  Gamma Brain Waves and Knitting and Crochet

Brainy Part: 18:02

Behind the Redwood Curtain: 28:53

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting and Crochet

Procion dyes

Catherine took a class from Patti Subik, dyer extraordinaire and owner of Great Adirondack Yarn.   On Ravelry here.  She experienced one of those great insights that opened up her world using procion dyes.

She also made a cute pair of Baby Uggs designed by Autumn Street (Baby Lee) whose websit is Thingsforboys.com Catherine used the leftovers from her Fantasy Red Cardi project. (see Episode 26)

Baby uggs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Margaret sings the praises for Kira K Designs who is Kira Dulaney who designed the Belle Epoque crocheted shawl.   Good for a new-ish crocheters, the design is extremely well laid out on the page and therefore easy to follow. Margaret used Lotus Yarn designed by crocheters Designing Vashti, Vashti Braha and Doris Chan that is half cotton, half rayon and features a Z twist.

 

Brainy Thing:  Gamma Brain Waves

Catherine tells us about Gamma Waves which are associated with learning, memory, linguistic processes and other cognitive ability.   Maybe even consciousness itself.  But the research she find suggests that it also accounts for increased happiness.   She makes her own hypothesis (and I love it) that if meditation increases Gamma Waves (and it does) and knitting has meditative qualities (which is does) that knitting might increase Gamma Waves too   — therefore increasing happiness.   We’re just waiting for some brain scientists to wire up our brains while we knit.  Check out this site  for an infographic on gamma brain waves.

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:  Samoa Dunes

Margaret talks about the Samoa dunes .  It’s a narrow strip of land that forms the north spit of Humboldt Bay.   Among the curiosities are the dolos, that look like giant jacks that help prevent erosion.   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolos

528PPdolos-650

Dolos, designed to prevent erosion

IMG_1933 IMG_1935

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IMG_1936IMG_1934IMG_1937

Knitting Tip

Catherine talks more about Life Lines.

A Little Podcast Business

Winners were announced for the Berroco Origami yarn try out and for the membership incentive for members 301 to 400.

Fiesta Rayon boucle Catalina colorway

Fiesta Rayon boucle Catalina colorway

origami

 

Ep. 025 Emotions, Environment and the Colors We See in Our Knitting

Posted in Brain Function, Brainy Stuff, Knitting by

 Welcome to Episode 25

Brainy Thing: 18:37

Behind the Redwood Curtain:27:53

What We’re Learning from our knitting:

Catherine is finishing up her second Fantasy Red Cardi (that’s the name but this one is a green and blue variegated with trim in a robin egg’s blue) by Kathryn Foster. Catherine  has bought the yarn Wolle’s Yarn Creations Color changing cotton tape yarn by Elizabeth Drum to do the Vanessa Ives Mystery Knit along by Mona8pi (Bunnymuff). She bought two colors but hasn’t decided which one she’ll use yet.

IMG_blue cardi

 

 

IMG_blue cardi close

 

Margaret knit about 10 inches of  the maracajau cowl in Borroco Origami in a black/grey/brown color and decided she didn’t like the yarn for around her neck.   She has four skeins of it, 98 yards per skein.   It is 58% acrylic, 16% linen, 15& nylon and 11% cotton and has a lot of high ratings in Ravelry. Borroco has discontinued the yarn.   She’s offering it to a member of the Ravelry group for free:   Just post in the thread.   If more than one person wants it by October 13, we’ll select someone by random number generator.

origami2 origami

 

 

 

 

 

Both Margaret and Catherine learned to create fabric cords with the simple cordage method at the Natural Fiber Fair in Arcata.. The demonstration was taught by the Julie Mueller-Brown from Cinnabar and Indigo, a vendor at the fair that sells handmade glass beads and other beautiful items.

 

Brainy Thing: Do colors change when we’re depressed or are we depressed by dull colors in our environment?

Catherine will explore this topic and the controversy around it in this segment.  Here is some of the research. Christopher Thorstenson believes that a depressed mood colors our perception of the world, specifically, the colors we see.    Report on the study here.

 

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Margaret talks about the mystery of the little town or Orick, CA and why it hasn’t prospered.   Check out Jensen Rufe’s and Steve Love’s Film, Orick, California, USA .

IMG_1662 orick sunset IMG_1642 IMG_1641

Fiesta Rayon boucle Catalina colorway

Fiesta Rayon boucle Catalina colorway

Knitting Tip:

Consider cutting your knitting to make repairs. She makes plans to cut her Hermione’s Everyday Socks by Erica Lueder in half to attempt to re-heel it.

A Little Podcast Business

Don’t forget the ongoing incentive for joining the Ravelry Group.  Currently it’s Fiesta Yarn.

 

Ep. 024 Muscle Memory and Knitting

Posted in Brain anatomy & physiology, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode 24:  Let Muscle Memory make your Knitting and Crochet easier.

Brainy Stuff:  17:17

Behind the Redwood Curtain:  27:10

What We’re Learning from our Knitting

Margaret took a class from JC Briar on Multi-Directional Knitting and made these two wristers.  (Although she couldn’t find a pattern by JC on Ravelry)   She really enjoyed this technique and plans to do more.    Inspired by the Beaded Waves Scarf, Margaret also made the Mudra Cuff  by Laura Nelkin.

wristlets

Sample wristlets from JC Briar’s Multi-directional Knitting Class.

wrister

Mudra Cuff by Laura Nelkin

Catherine continues to work on her second Fantasy Red Cardi  by  Kathryn Foster using a skein of Goth Socks from  Rainy Day and Wooly Dogs yarn company.    She can’t carry along with her either Meadowlark Shibori Jacket  by  Gina Wilde  or   Among the Wildflowers  by  Sasha Ball Rives.

Baby cardigan

Fantasy Red Cardi blocking

Brainy thing:   Muscle Memory and Knitting

Margaret talks about Muscle and how we can apply the ideas worked up by coaches of athletes and musicians to Knitting.  Take a look at these.

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Catherine describes an iconic figure of the Northcoast:  The Humboldt Honey  The poster, immortalizing the Humboldt Honey was designed by Ingrid Hart (Ingrid DaSilva at the time) who was a journalism major at Humboldt State University.  You can Link to article and image.  You can still buy the poster at Picky Picky Picky  in Eureka, CA.

Hippie girl

Are You a Humboldt Hippie poster by Ingrid Hart photography by Patrick Cudahy

Knitting Tip

Margaret suggests that to help anchor your knitting and build muscle memory of the new technique you can make small projects:   wristlets, coaster or coffee mug cozy might be some possibilities.   Then you would have reinforced your learning and have something to show for it!

A Little Podcast Business

The incentive prize for a randomly selected winner of the next 100 people who join our ravelry group is ongoing.

Fiesta Rayon boucle Catalina colorway

Fiesta Rayon boucle Catalina colorway

Ep. 023 How We See Color in Our Knitting and Crochet (1st in a series)

Posted in Brain Function, Crochet, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode 23:   How we see color in our Knitting and Crochet (the first in a series)

Brainy Part:  20:18

Behind the Redwood Curtain  39:38

What we’re learning from our Knitting and Crochet:

Catherine is learning she doesn’t enjoy finishing (she already kinda knew that) but she did it anyway for the Failynn Fox Cowl by Velvet Acorn out of Lion Brand fox cowl side fox cowl Thick and Quick Pumpkin.

 

She also did some improvisation with the Chain Mail Slippers that she was doing for a Arcata Plays  in the Park production locally.   She used the Simple Man Slipper by Melissa Mall in Wool-like Chunky by Loops and Threads.

chain mail slippers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Margaret learned how to work an applied edge in crochet (adding the edging perpendicularly to the bottom of the shawl. — oops, she added it to the wrong edge.   The pattern was Terra Cotta Shawl from More Love of Crochet in Summer of 2014 and now called Thorns by Rebecca Velasquez. It is now sold on Rebecca’s website.  Margaret also used lace weight yarn for an entire project for the first time — a lovely silk/linen blend by Sincere Sheep.

Terra folded Terra piece

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brainy Thing:  Seeing Color

Catherine talks about seeing color — in knitting and crochet.   Among other things, she mentions the Concetta Antico who is documented as seeing colors differently.

Here are some links to her research.

Concetta Antico, tetrachromatic artist:  http://concettaantico.com/

For more on this subject, check out Ewe University Episode 39 Effects of Color on Behavior, Emotions and the Brain

Behind the Redwood Curtain:  The Giant Coastal Salamander

Catherine thinks these guys are cute although they’ll probably bite you.

Giant Coastal Salamander

Giant Coastal Salamander

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knitting Tip:

For a real cushy sock, try the princess (as in the princess and the pea) sole.  Melissa Mall included them in her pattern above.  Knitty’s Cinderella sock pattern by Kathryn Beckerdite also includes instructions for the princess sole.

Podcast Business:

We’re still offering the incentive prize for the next group of 100 members in our Teaching Your Brain to Knit Ravelry Group.

Fiesta Rayon boucle Catalina colorway

Fiesta Rayon boucle Catalina colorway

 

 

 

ETA

ETA 9/28/15