Tag Archives: Kira K Designs

Ep. 045 Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing): An Ancient Healing Technique Supported by Modern Research

Posted in Brain Function, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode:   Shinrin Yoku (Forest Bathing):  An Ancient Healing Technique supported by Modern Breathing

Brainy Thing: 18:27     Redwood Curtain:  33:43

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

Ta Dah!  Catherine finished her Garden Arbor Shawl  by Kira K Designs, a  kit she got from The Natural Fiber Fair in 2015. The yarn is the Sky colorway in Bamboo from Be Sweet Yarns.
garden arbor close
garden arbor
Margaret made a lucet bracelet that was a modification of the pattern that Jennifer Hansen, from Stitch Diva offered as a bonus after completing her free 7-Day Llucet braceletucet Challenge.  https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/38006.  She used Magnetic clasps. She also tested out the KonMari method http://tidyingup.com/ of organizing all her knitting, crocheting and lucet supplies.

Brainy Thing:  Shinrin Yoku (Forest Breathing)

Catherine introduces us to Shinrin Yoku the Japanese codification of a worldwide ancient custom of Forest Breathing. 0315305F-155D-4519-3EB2071A3180CA23-smallThe phenomenon of the healing from forest is getting a lot of research interest and an American study shows that walks in nature can help children with ADD and ADHD.  Some resources:
The Little Handbook of shinrin yoku   http://www.shinrin-yoku.org/
The Association of Forest Therapy:   http://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/
On ADD and ADHD:   Andrea Faber Taylor and Frances E. Kuo  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1448497/

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

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Breaking news (at least relatively from us) — Redwood trees are  best at fixing oxygen– converting Carbon Dioxide into Oxygen in the process of photosynthesis therefore they can be helpful resources in battling Global Warming.
Teaching Your Brain to Knit Podcast:  https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/
Teaching Your Brain to Knit Podcast group on Ravelry:  http://www.ravelry.com/groups/teaching-your-brain-to-knit

Ep. 043 Feeding Your Brain

Posted in Brain health, Crochet, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode 43:  Feeding Your Brain

Brainy Thing:  18:45      Behind the Redwood Curtain:  33:15

What Our Knitting and Crochet is Teaching Us:

Margaret crocheted the Boteh Scarf   http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/boteh-scarfin by Kathy Merrick out of nearly three balls of Bella Lino  58% Linen, 26% viscose, and 16% cotton  http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/classic-elite-yarns-bella-lino .
It looks like since Bella Lino is not part of Classic elites yarns’ verde collection — like Sprout in chunky or Seedling in worsted/aran, it is not organic.  But it’s pretty anyway.
boteh scarf curledboteh scarf front yard
Catherine is working on the Garden Arbor shawl  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garden-arbor-shawl by Kira K Designs in the Be Sweet Bamboo http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/be-sweet-bamboo
Garden Arbor lace
garden arbor progress

Brainy Thing:  Feeding Your Brain

Margaret introduces the relationships between our diets, inflammation, and our brains.  Some of her sources include:
Also check out Lee Bernstein’s (a member of our Ravelry Group and with her own Ravelry Group)  http://knittingisglutenfree.com

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Catherine tells us all about the blues associated with the grey California Coastal Marine Layer
a8f8fcd792702457f1e54c61d5f7c3ce

Knitting Tip:

Knittybarb of the Two Knit Lit Chicks podcast http://www.ravelry.com/groups/2-knit-lit-chicks-podcast offers a tip about how to wrangle your beads when knitting (or crocheting) with beads.

A Little Podcast Business:

There is an ongoing incentive for joining our Ravelry Group and another one for posting a tip on our Knitting Tips thread.
ETA 8/3/16

Ep. 042 Brain Freeze Research Could Pave Way for Migraine Relief

Posted in Brain health, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode 42:  Brain Freeze Research May Pave Way for Migraine Relief

Brainy Thing:    22:56               Behind the Redwood Curtain:  32:23

What We’ve Learned from Our Knitting:

Catherine recently bought a skein of Be sweet yarn, African Bead Ball, to celebrate Knitting in Public Day.     http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/be-sweet-african-bead-ball.  She started knitting Kira K Designs’  Garden Arbor shawl (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garden-arbor-shawl) out of another  Be Sweet yarn, Bamboo.
beginning of Garden Arbor lucet challenge
Margaret learned a new skill through the 7 day lucet challenge.  Check out  Jennifer Hansen’s Stitch Diva  http://www.stitchdiva.com/blog/lucet-challenge/.

Brainy Thing

Scientists are researching the common Brain Freeze   https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/05/130522095335.htm  to see if it could reveal secrets that might help treat migraines.
ice-cream-cones-m-1

Behind the Redwood Curtain

Margaret shares some cool facts about the sand dollar.  The best source she found the best source on sand dollars was http://echinoblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/sand-dollars-are-sea-urchins-please.html
Sand dollars

Knitting Tips

Catherine tells us that part of creating gauge is where on the knitting needle you work your stitches.

Ep. 032 How Lily Chin is a Great Teacher

Posted in Teaching by

Welcome to Episode 32:   Lily Chin:  Teacher Extraordinaire

Brainy Thing:   13:45                             Behind the Redwood Curtain 23:10

What we’re learning from our Knitting

Margaret is knitting a cowl out of Katia Temis or Colibri —she’s lost the ball band   There’s no pattern:  She just casts on 25 or more stitches and knits in garter stitch on very large needles (size 13) until she runs out of yarn.   This is her exercise bike knitting.  She also reports on how much she likes the Designing Vashti Yarn:  Lotus Z-twisted sport weight fashion yarns:  52 cotton, 48 rayon.  She knit up Kira K’s Belle Epoque shawl (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/belle-epoque-shawl) with it and has had a chance to try it out and she loves the mix of cotton and rayon.  katia cowl
After many years, Catherine finished her first pair of socks.  She’s knit many since this first pair that she never quite finished.  She used a generic cuff down sock recipe that she got from the sock knitting class she took and used a Brown Sheep Fleece cotton and wool yarn.first socks first socks close

Brainy Thing:  Lily Chin:  Teacher Extraordinaire

Margaret analyzes why she thinks Lily Chin is an excellent teacher. Margaret recently finished viewing the Crocheter’s Toolbox video and also took a class in person with Lily on knitted closures. crocheterstoolbox_180

Behind the Redwood Curtain:  ACV

The Arcata/Eureka or the Eureka/Arcata airport (which actually is in McKinleyville) according to some people is the foggiest airport in the U.S.   Whether that is true or not, it has a fascinating history.
KACV

Knitting Tip:  SSK

Catherine tells us about a neater, more “perfect” left leaning decrease.

 

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

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Dolos, designed to prevent erosion

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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