Tag Archives: knitting

Ep. 054: Neurosociety: Interactive Theatre Teaches Us About Our Brain

Posted in Brain anatomy & physiology, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode 54: David Byrne’s  NeuroScience:  Interactive Theatre That Teaches Us About Our Brains

Brainy Thing:   15:59             Behind the Redwood Curtain:  23:56

What We Learned from Our Knitting:

Margaret finished Laura’s Lamers’ Silken Straw Kerchief (unpublished) which was a long term but pleasant pattern. The yarn is challenging but so worth the extra attention it needs.   The pattern includes beads and silk — what more could you want?laura-kerchief-close laura-kerchief
Catherine finished her  Age of Brass and Steam shawlette by Orange Flower http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-age-of-brass-and-steam-kerchiefwith a self striping skein from Canon dye works.brass-and-steam-full

Brainy Thing:

Margaret reports on “Neurosociety,” the immersion/interactive theatre experience currently in Menlo Park, California that explores how our brains influence our perceptions and how our perceptions impact what we believe.  It was created by David Byrne and Mala Gaonkar.  http://www.pacegallery.com/exhibitions/12834/the-institute-presents-neurosociety and runs through March.1

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Catherine talks about how Arcata’s Big Scoop ice cream shop is an excellent example of a locavore business and one that reflects the owners’ values.flavors-posted-arcata

Knitting Tip:

Margaret got feedback from listeners about more information on Color Dominance.  Here is some  particularly helpful information she found:

2017 Learn-along:

The 2017 Learn-along runs from January 1 to May 1.   There are two threads on the Teaching Your Brain to Knit page of Ravelry:  one for the finished projects and one for chatter — to admire, offer advice and muse.bamboo-yarn

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, an interactive theatrical event that teaches you about your brain; a new strategy for dealing with challenging yarn, having fun with self-striping yarn, how an Arcata ice cream shop supports the locavore movement, More on color dominance and a reminder about the 2017 Learn-along.

Ep. 050 What You Can Learn from Slicing Your Brain into Top and Bottom

Posted in Brain anatomy & physiology, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode 50:  What Do You Learn When You Slice Your Brain into Top Brain Bottom Brain?

Brainy thing:  12:46              Behind the Redwood Curtain: 26:38
3rd-beanie-close

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting:

Twice Margaret made the ribbed 3rd-beaniebrim of the Top Down lace beanie from lion brand http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lace-beanie-70177 too tight.  She tells how Lori’s Twisty bind off https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWS77BKk5NQ saved the day.  She used Plymouth Kudo yarn in cotton and silk.  And Catherine enjoys the pile of washcloths that she received from her Ravelry washcloth exchange — all in cotton yarn she’s never used before.
dishcloths-received

Brainy Thing:

We’ve probably all  heard of the left brain/right brain concept. What about the top brain/bottom brain paradigm?  Take the quiz here:  http://www.gwaynemiller.com/test.html#.WC4GXls5yPU.  Look into the theory at:  http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304410204579139423079198270

Behind the Redwood Curtain:  Clams

Catherine shares how Humboldt Bay clams not only star in the 7th best Food Festival in the country but also help clean up the bay.  ln_photo

Knitting Tip:

Catherine finds an answer to an annoying (for her) Knit Three Together stitch from Barbara Walker and speculates that just about any problem you’re having with your knitting, someone else has too and has found a solution and shared it.

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.
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. 47 Does Knitting Impact Your Brain like Breathing and Meditation ?

Posted in Brain Function, Knitting, Learning, Meditation by

Welcome to Episode 47 of Teaching Your Brain to Knit

Brainy thing:      11:29   Behind the Redwood Curtain 21:56

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting

Margaret has been looking for modifications of the Afterthought Heel to prevent (or reduce) those strained stitches in the corner.   She found Afterthought Heels Revisited (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/afterthought-heels-revisited) by Laura Linneman of the Knitgirllls (yes, three “l”s) Podcast fame and the Knit Better Socks blog by RMD (http://knitbettersocks.blogspot.com/2011/12/improving-afterthought-or-forethought.html).  She used Vesper yarn  in a color way she calls “Neopolitan ice cream with blueberries”— pink, blue white and blue.
neopolitans
Catherine finished up her Double Lattice Dishcloths by SmarieK (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/double-lattice-cloth).  She used various leftovers from Knit Picks and Peaches and Cream.  dish-cloth-swap

The Brainy Thing: Breathing and the Brain

Margaret was inspired by this topic by Memletics writer Sean Whitely which unfortunately had no references.  So she looked for some research the (self evident) idea that breathing would help your brain function.   She started with Breathing and the Brain (http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2013/05/14/breathing-and-your-brain-five-reasons-to-grab-the-controls/#2e5150ae52aa) then found a MIT study from 2005 headed by Sara W. Lazar, et al (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1361002/)  (she also has a Ted Talk at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8rRzTtP7Tc.

Behind the Redwood Curtain:  Trees of Mystery

home-02Catherine focuses on the giant interactive Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox of Trees of Mystery in Klamath, CA.  https://www.treesofmystery.net/ Hear the radio show This American Life report on the Trees of Mystery:  http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/506/secret-identity

Knitting Tip: decreases on the edges of garments

Catherine shares a tip for making neater knitting decreases along the edges of garment.

Links:

website https://teachingyourbraintoknit.com/ for show notes, photos of our knitting and crochet projects,  and indexes for Behind the Redwood Curtain places and Brainy things and anything else we decide to post.

Ep. 040 Is the Negativity Bias Affecting Your Knitting? Ideas to Help.

Posted in Brain anatomy & physiology, Knitting by

Welcome to Episode 40   Is the Negativity Bias Affecting Your Knitting?   There are ways to counter the negative

Brainy Thing:   20:35                Behind the Redwood Curtain  32:40

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting

Margaret  was inspired by Catherine’s project to try Sasha Ball Rives’ wonderful pattern Among the Wildflowers  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/among-the-wildflowers  with her own “learning opportunities”, of course.
mtk wildflower

For a Ravelry swap, Catherine completed the Crochet Flower Potholders pattern by Jennifer Martin  Blue J  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flower-potholders using scraps of cotton she had leftover in her stash!

potholder 2 potholder

Brainy Thing:  Negativity Bias:

Studies have shown that are brains are hardwired toward the negative which is a great advantage on the Savannah but probably not now.  Check out:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200306/our-brains-negative-bias  and
For ways to counter that bias, try  Marelisa Fabrega  http://daringtolivefully.com/overcoming-negativity-bias.

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

Catherine tells us about the historical Phillips house in Arcata built in 1853/4 in the  Greek Revival style which is open Sundays 2 to 4  http://www.arcatahistory.org/phillips_house_museum_arcata .
 hc-arcata-phillipshse-calendar phillips_house_arcata_california_thumb

phillips spinning phillips 3 phillips 2 phillips quilt

Knitting Tip

One of our Ravelry Members, puffygriffinclaw, offers some tips on Felting.

A Little Podcast Business

Listen for the winners of the membership incentive and the tips contest next episode.  In the meanwhile, become a member of our Ravelry Group  http://www.ravelry.com/groups/teaching-your-brain-to-knit,  and check out our 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.   Also, join our Facebook Group  https://www.facebook.com/Teachingyourbraintoknitpodcast/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel

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