Ep. 010 Reviewing your Knitting

Posted in Knitting, Learning by teachingyourbraintoknit

Welcome to Episode 10: Why is it worthwhile to review and categorize your knitting learning?

Brainy Stuff starts at: 25:40

Redwood Curtain starts at: 37:40

What we’re learning from our knitting:

Catherine learned a lot (and had fun) knitting Josh Ryks’ Scarfy Shenanigans. She got more of a sense of the sculptural understanding of knitting. She used two colors of Sanguine Gryphon (one was Cotton Stainer colorway) and some Becoming Art in the Twilight colorway

She also knocked out a pair of Magic 28 socks by Norma that she made for charity. She used scraps.

And she completed a second knitalong — Laura Aylor’s mystery knitalong that is now name Outlier . She used Noro yarn.

Margaret made a black and white striped hat for her grandson to coordinate with the pair of zebra socks she made for him earlier. She attached fringe along the back with a crochet hook and then un-plyed the fringe to make it more fluffy. She used Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick.

She also made him a pair of Morehouse Farms owl mittens.

And she made an irregular ribbed scarf out of Lion Brand cashmere. She learned that at least in cashmere, the trick of picking up and weaving up a dropped stitch has its limits. The pattern was inspired by the Professor’s Scarf by Gina Waters but don’t blame her for the results. Margaret was riding an exercise bike while knitting and early on lost track of the pattern.

Brainy Stuff:

We talked about the Review and Categorization aspects of learning and how that applies to knitting. We re-categorized and reviewed the Brainy segments in our past episodes.

Behind the Redwood Curtain:Arcata Waste Management and Wildlife Sanctuary

Photo from Wikipedia

People from all over the world come to see and study the Arcata Waste Management Plant and Wildlife Sanctuary. It is a great place to walk, bike ride or bird. (P.S. it’s healthy and doesn’t smell bad.)

Photo from Friends of Arcata Marsh website

Also check out the Friends of the Arcata Marsh, a local group who are very involved in the marsh. The site has lots of beautiful photos.

Knitting Tip:

You can get your paperback books spiral bound at Kinko’s (now FedEx Office) — Particularly useful for technique heavy books like Lara Neel‘s wonderful Sock Architecture.

8Dec2014

Episode 6 Staying Awake

Posted in Brain Function, Knitting by teachingyourbraintoknit

Welcome to Episode 6: Staying Awake

Brainy Stuff Starts at 15:00

What we’re learning from our knitting:

Catherine:

Catherine learns about the need for sharp tipped needles for the braid (the horizontal line of stitches above the brown pleats) on Laura Aylor’s Faberge’ using Classic Elite’s Mountain Top Vail.

Margaret:

Margaret learned that a SKP (slip the first stitch, knit the next stitch, pass the first stitch over the just knit stitch) is difficult for her to unknit. She didn’t do the pattern as written (only did the first row of the two row lace pattern) Mel Ski’s hat Drizzle but plans to do it as written the next time.

Drizzle by Mel Ski. Her webpage is here.

Elsebeth Lavold designs Silky Wool 03 Grey color

Brainy Stuff: Staying Awake

Dr. Perri Klass, M.D.: her page on knitting with links to articles. This pediatrician writes about her 2008 article in Knitter’s Magazine “Knitting is my internal symbol. It represents me.” One of her books is Two Sweaters for my Father. Catherine describes Klass’ writing on how knitting helps her stay focused.

Heather Ordover who has the Craftlit Podcast is writing a book on Cognitive Anchoring which explores the same phenomenon.

Behind the Redwood Curtain: 29:20

Blooming mushrooms on the bluff over the Mad River.

Knitting Tip:

If you’re out shopping without a specific pattern and want to know the approximate amount of yarn you need for a project, these should help.

The Knitter’s Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd

The Knitter’s Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements by Ann Budd

Knit Handy app

Stashbot: A comprehensive guide to building a useful stash by Hannah Fettig

Stashbot app by Hannah Fettig

3Dec2014

Episode 5: Layers of Visual Learning

Posted in Knitting, Learning by teachingyourbraintoknit

Welcome to Episode 5

What We’re Learning from Our Knitting:

Margaret:

Citron by Hilary Smith Callis the enormously popular (12,024 posted projects on Ravelry as of December 3, 2014) half circle shawlette, free on Knitty. She learned you probably won’t notice that the increases don’t line up (not the pattern’s fault — she stopped counting.) Can you see them?

She used

Noro Taiyo Sock colorway 30 and

Wild Orchids Fiber Arts Amore, colorway Lavendar

Catherine:

Catherine continues learning from

Faberge’ by Laura Aylor

She’s using

Classic Elite Yarns Mountain Top Vail yarn in two colors.

Brainy Stuff: Layers of Visual Learning

According to some theories, people who identify as visual learners, usually find it easier to take in information visually, but they use auditory or kinesthetic means to process and integrate that information. Therefore, probably the best learning occurs when all three modes are used. More about this in upcoming episodes. This link has other links including one for a self-assessment.

Laura Nelkin’s Craftsy class: Mastering Lace Shawls gives step-by-step and frame-by-frame instructions for making two shawls: Skywalker and Clarus.

Duolingo is a free app that teaches Spanish, French, German and other languages. It uses visual, auditory and kinesthetic approaches.

Behind the Redwood Curtain:

One of the Northwest’s most famous denizen is the legendary Bigfoot.