Category Archives: Knitting

Ep. 067 Six Dimensions of Wellness; Lace Knitting Secrets; Buggy Mitts; and Sequoia Park.

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Welcome to Episode 67:  Bill Hetler’s Six Dimensions of Wellness

BrainyThing:   15:40          Behind the Redwood Curtain:  31:50

What We’re Learning from our Knitting:

With her first shetland lace shawl, Catherine learns that the secret to lace knitting for her is to count stitches after completing each row in the Fatima shawl http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fatima-3  with Sincere Sheep’s  Hester colored (peachy) silk/linen blend.  It also includes  beads and nupps.
Margaret starts Christmas gifts with the Buggy Mitts.http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/buggy-mitts with Morehouse Farms wool.  (It was a Morehouse Farms Kit when she bought it years ago.

BrainyThing:

Dr. Bill Hettler  proposes Six Dimensions of Wellness      http://www.nationalwellness.org/?page=Six_Dimensions  which offers a concept beyond physical health.

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Margaret talks about Sequoia Park in Eureka. http://www.sequoiaparkzoo.net/visit/sequoia-park/
Book Give-Away continues

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.

Ep. 066 How the Brain Hampers Clear Political discussions; Finale of Bunnymuff’s Absolutely Essential Shawl; Inversibles with Afterthought Heel; Roosevelt Elk; Book Giveaway

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Welcome to Episode 66:  Clearing Channels for Political Talk (No Political Talk Included.)

Brainy Thing:   14:45       Behind the Redwood Curtain:  31:50

What We’ve Learning From Our Knitting:

Catherine’s grand finale of Bunnymuff’s  Absolutely essential shawl.  She bound off with  Jenny’s stretchy bindoff.  
Margaret finished her Inversible Socks, yarn by Fibernymph.   She used an afterthought heel with a gusset in the corners.

Brainy Thing:  Amygdala

Why is it the political discussion is so toxic these days?  Catherine discovers answers hidden in the Amygdala.
The Oatmeal:;  You Are Not Going to Believe What I’m About to Tell you    http://theoatmeal.com/comics/believe
USC Brain and Creativity Institutem article:  Lead researcher Jonas Kaplan;  Sarah Kimball and Sam Harris  Scientific Report 6 Article 39589

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Catherine Tells us all about the  Roosevelt Elk which love hanging around Prairie Creek Park.

Book Giveaway

Margaret is offering Stephanie Pearl-McPhee’s book Knitting Rules to the first person who asks for it on the Episode 66 Thread on Ravelry.

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.
This episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit reveals a surprising discovery of why we can’t talk across the political divide (but don’t worry we’re not going to talk about politics itself.  It’s about the brain, of course and how to counter its sometimes bad habits                                                                   )  Catherine recounts the finale to Bunnymuff’s Absolutely Essential Shawl;  Margaret presents Fibernymph’s Inversible Yarn in an afterthought heel sock;  Catherine introduces the stately Roosevelt Elk;  and Margaret gives away a copy of Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

Ep. 065 Betsan Corkhill; Kristy Glass Podcasts; Garter Kitchener; Fatima; Betty Chinn Center

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Welcome to Episode 65:

Brainy thing:   19:29             Behind the Redwood Curtain 30:45

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting

Nothing could be easier than Kirsten Hipsky’s   #576  Knit Lace Jar Cover http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/knit-lace-jar-covers so of course Margaret had to complicate it by learning a new technique:  this time a garter stitch kitchener which turned out less complicated than the standard stockinette kitchener.

Okay, it’s not very impressive but I learned something: the Garter kitchener stitch

Catherine  is starting a new Bunny Muff project that includes beads and nupps.   http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fatima-3 and she continues to work on the Charity Socks project sponsored by the Northcoast Knittery:  https://northcoastknittery.com/blogs/shop-tidbits/socks-for-the-homeless

Brainy Thing:  Kristy Glass Podcast Interviews Betsan Corkhill:

Kristy Glass is a prolific video podcast and recently designated May Mental Health Month.   She interviewed Betsan Corkhill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujY79nFUDVY who recently published   Knitting for Health and Wellness  https://www.amazon.com/Knit-Health-Wellness-knit-flexible-ebook/dp/B00KVL5OQ8.  (She also interviewed us in May  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vPppbZTkF0)

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Catherine shares what one woman can do to help the homeless:  Betty Chinn and the homeless http://bettychinn.org/

Giveaway:

Help Margaret De-stash:  this time it’s Japanese Inspired Knits by Marianne Isager.
Today on Teaching Your Brain to Knit we review an episode of the Kristy Glass Knits Podcast where she interviews Betsan Corkhill and discusses the topics of Betsan’s new book, Knitting for Health and Wellness.  Margaret tries out a garter stitch variation kitchener stitch;  Catherine starts a new Bunny Muff patter with beads and Nupps;  We celebrate Betty Chin in our community who has made great progress helping the homeless in ourarea;  and we give away another book.

Ep. 064 Silence and Noise Impact on the Brain; Foundation Crochet; Charity Socks; Alpaca Farming; History of Humboldt State; and Book Giveaway

Posted in Brain Function, Brainy Stuff, Crochet, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode 64

Brainy Thing:     13:44             Redwood Curtain:  19:26

What We’re Learning From Our Knitting;

Margaret continues her exploration of new techniques through the creation of jar covers (to use as vases, crochet hook holders, pencil holders, etc.).   This time she tries out foundation crochet with the pattern  Crochet Jar Cosy by Emma Escott  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jar-cover-5
Foundation Crochet :
photo tutorial:  .futuregirl.com/craft_blog/2009/3/tutorial-foundation-single-crochet.aspx    lots of markers and arrows
Catherine reports her progress on  worsted weight charity socks (designed by Harry Wells) sponsored by the NorthCoast Knittery—https://northcoastknittery.com/blogs/shop-tidbits/socks-for-the-homeless using Kramer Yarn in the Garnett color.  She also talks about what she learned at  Sunny Grove Alpacas, a local farm with goats and alpacas.  https://www.facebook.com/Yarnfun/photos/a.481307557385.270773.103158137385/10154066989897386/?type=3&theater

Brainy Thing

What can Silence do for the brain?   Good things, says Margaret.  Hear what she has to say about noise and silence.
Dr. Michael Wehr
Benefits of Silence:
Medical Daily 5 health benefits of silence

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Humboldt State University, locally called HSU, started out as a teacher’s college.   Catherine traces its history over a hundred years.  

Give away

Knit Baby Head and Toes by Gwen Steege will be given to the first person who asks on Episode 64 thread on Ravelry.

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.
On this episode of Teaching Your Brain to Knit, we look at what is the impact of noise and silence on the brain, what’s the benefit of the foundation crochet technique, following progress on charity socks and learning about raising alpacas, checking out the   over 100 years of history of Humboldt State University, and offering another book give away.

Ep. 063 Fiber Arts and STEM; Life Lines; Organic Cotton; Alexander von Humboldt; Book giveaway; 2017 Learn-along Winners

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Welcome to Episode 63:

Brainy Thing:    26:15   Behind the Redwood Curtain  42:55

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting:

Catherine learned an important lesson about life lines on her Absolutely Essential Shawl by Bunny Muff http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/absolutely-essential.  She also started a sock for a charity project sponsored by the Northcoast Knittery made of from Kramer Yarn.IMG_0724
IMG_2974Margaret finally used some organic cotton, naturally colored yarn she had had in her stash forever.  She doesn’t know if they are FireFox yarns, the organic cotton of different colors started by Sally Fox (the labels have disappeared)  but she likes the idea and the yarn.  http://www.foxfirefiber.com/yarn.html.  She made two jar covers by Sara Delaney #575 Crocheted Lace Jar Covers.  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/crochet-lace-jar-covers  Her Ravelry name is. Chickenbetty.   She used a cute little flower and leaves by Carolina Guzman  from the  One and Two Company with an excellent pattern.  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flower–leafs

Brainy Thing:

Studies show that the fiber arts (knitting, crochet, weaving, etc.) can help students, particularly women, become more comfortable with STEM subjects — science, technology, engineering and math.   Catherine tells us about it in this segment.

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Stieler,_Joseph_Karl_-_Alexander_von_Humboldt_-_1843Dozens of things from rivers to frogs were named after Alexander von Humboldt but why and who in the U.S. knows who he is?  Margaret reports on him.

Knitted Babes Give away

As part of her de-stash efforts, Margaret offers up the book Knitted Babes by Claire Garland book — free to the first person who asks for it on the Ravelry Thread

Winners of the Learn-along.

Listen to the episode for the winners of the 2017 Learn-along.  Prizes are Bamboo So Fine in peach and a cute notions case in a  guitar fabric.

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.
Today on Teaching Your Brain to Knit why educators are trying to  channel STEM students into the fiber arts; who was Alexander von Humboldt and why was he forgotten in the U.S.; What did Catherine learn about Life lines and Margaret about organic cotton; how to get a free book— from us — and who won the 2017 spring  Learn-along.