Teaching Your Brain to Knit

This podcast is about knitting (and crochet), learning and the brain. Margaret and Catherine share about what they are learning from their knitting, something about the brain (especially if it has to do with knitting), Behind the Redwood curtain, the area where they live along the Northcoast of California, and sometimes offer a giveaway.

Episodes

Ep. 145 Planning ahead for difficult times and creating a joyful amydala; Knitting shawls, trying mosaic crochet; finishing gnomes; and highlights of Redwood curtain segments

February 26, 2023 • 38 mins

Brainy: 20:20 Behind the Redwood Curtain. 31:09

What We're Learning from our Knitting:

Catherine is enjoying progress on her Stephen West's Twists and Turns shawl knitalong https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/twists--turns-westknits-mkal-2022 and is trying out some fun dyeing techniques for fabric. Margaret reports on mosaic crochet, gnome...

Mark as Played

Ep. 144 Solastalgia --seeking comfort--, knitting shawls, gnomes and a snitch; Teaching my bones to knit, removing dams on the Klamath, and an announcement

January 21, 2023 • 32 mins

Brainy: 1o:12 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 20:47

What We're Learning from our Knitting:

Catherine is continuing her knitting odyssey with Stephen West's Twists and Turns Shawl,

http://knittedtoybox.blogspot.com/

Brainy Thing:

New words that describe the comfort we lack and long for.

hy...

Mark as Played

Ep. 143 Joy Snacks, Insects, Shawl, Blocks, Historic Benbow Inn

December 28, 2022 • 39 mins

Joy snacks, Insects, Shawls and Knit Blocks, plus Benbow Inn.

Brainy Thing: 19:26 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 27:40

What We're learning from our knitting and crochet:

Margaret is working on some amigurumi Garden insects https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garden-insectsby Marica Coridon for a present for her grandson...

Mark as Played

Ep. 142 Light and the Brain; Dishcloths, Shawls, Sweater, Pumpkins and Leaves; Seventh Generation Fund for Indigenous Peoples

November 13, 2022 • 35 mins

Brainy: 16:30 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 27:11

What We're Learning from our Knitting

Catherine is deep into textures and colors with her Stephen West Knit-along Twists and Turns (https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/twists--turns-westknits-mkal-2022). She is eyeing a sweater by Andrea Mowry (https://www.ravelry.com/designers/andrea-mowry). ...

Mark as Played

Ep. 141. Book Review of Behave; Knitting Pumpkins, Dishcloths and Shawls; Redwoods Skywalk

October 10, 2022 • 34 mins

Brainy Thing: 15:45. Behind the Redwood Curtain. 25:45

What We're Learning from Our Knitting

Margaret fulfills her multi-year goal of knitting some decorative mini-pumpkins, using Susan B. Anderson's Fall Harvest Charm Set https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fall-harvest-charm-set. Catherine completed her dishcloths for her Dishcloth exchan...

Mark as Played

Ep. 140 Nature Deficit Disorder; Crochet Baby Blanket; Knit Snail and washcloth; The Eroding Cliffs of California

September 22, 2022 • 38 mins

Brainy: 17:34 Behind the Redwood Curtain. 29:52

What We're Learning from our Knitting and Crochet:

Catherine finished up her Melanie's Mandala Baby Blanket https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/melanies-mandala-baby-blanket. by Melanie Grobler at M and M Crochet Designs and she has started knitting up ballband washcloths for washcloth exchan...

Mark as Played

Ep. 139 Thinking Fast and Slow; Knitting and Crochet; Cars to Bikes

August 25, 2022 • 34 mins

Brainy thing: 15:26 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 24:14

What We're Learning from our Knitting and Crochet:

Margaret knitted a small amigurmi beet, part of Susan B. Anderson's Summer Veggie Charm set. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/summer-veggie-charm-set. This is her fourth charm but she always learns something new from Susan. This time ...

Mark as Played

Ep. 138 Volunteerism, Mandalas Moebius Cast On, Sneaker and Rogue Waves

July 27, 2022 • 37 mins

Brainy thing: 19:22 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 29:36

What We're Learning from our Knitting (and Crochet)

Catherine was struck with Mandala Madness and is now crocheting Melanie's Mandala https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/melanies-mandala-baby-blanket Melanie operates M and M Crochet Designs on Ravelry. Catherine is using Caron Yarnspira...

Mark as Played

Ep. 137 Highly Sensitive People; knitting blocks and socks and crocheting granny squares; Potawot Health Village

June 20, 2022 • 45 mins

Brainy thing:20:20 Behind the Redwood Curtain:32:18

What We're Learning from Our Knitting

Margaret makes new discoveries about the granny square and Catherine notes that there's a resurgence in popularity of granny squares. Giant Granny Square Afghan by Crochet Me Lovely https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/giant-granny-square-afghan Cather...

Mark as Played

Ep. 136. Impact of Shutdowns on Introverts and Extroverts; Knitting baby items and mixing and matching gnome parts; Xeriscaping for Droughts

May 21, 2022 • 35 mins

Brainy Thing: 17:34 Behind the Redwood Curtain 26:50

What we're learning from our knitting:

Catherine is delighting in quickly-knitted and fun baby items -- a hat and socks from various designers:

Kate Atherley https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-socks---worsted-dk-version; also https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby...

Mark as Played

Ep. 135. Hedonic Adaptation; Trying Freeform, Finding Comfort; & Knits in the World; Craftsman television series

April 20, 2022 • 31 mins

Episode 135 Hedonic Adaptation; freeform crochet and replacement knitting; The Craftsman TV series.

Brainy Thing: 18:10 Behind the Redwood Curtain 25:42

What we've learned from our Knitting and Crochet

Margaret flirted with freeform crochet in response to a prompt of "Deep Listening." She wasn't happy with the product...

Mark as Played

Ep. 134. Perfectionism; blankets, reports & tips; Cal Poly Humboldt

March 8, 2022 • 37 mins

Brainy Thing: 17:35 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 29:50

What We're Learning from our Knitting:

Catherine is continuing on with her mitered square blanket. Margaret hasn't completed anything but continue with a little stockinette knitting here and a little crochet there. She does have a report about Fast Fashion ripping off Crochet Designers https:...

Mark as Played

Ep. 133 Loving Kindness Meditation, Blankets, Hats and Socks, and Old Town Buggy Rides

February 21, 2022 • 35 mins

Brainy Thing: 18:28. Behind the Redwood Curtain: 27:52

What we've learned from our knitting:

Margaret finished a new project and resurrected an old one. As she was ripping out the yarn from

She used the Keanna Chunky Messy bun Hat pattern by Jocelyn Jones for the general measurements but knit the whole hat in two by two ribbing. h...

Mark as Played

Ep. 132 Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivation; New socks, old birds, and new stitches; La Niña & El Niño

January 22, 2022 • 42 mins

Brainy thing: 20:30 Behind the Redwood Curtain. 35:40 Harry Wells: 16:30

What We're Learning from our Knitting

Catherine discusses planning knitting while keeping in mind the things she loves to do. She's looking forward to picking up sock knitting again and is eyeing Sivia Hardings Victoriana which is a toe up sock with bobbles, beads and picot...

Mark as Played

Ep. 131 Gnomes, Finishing Plus, Truth Bias, Planned Housing

December 27, 2021 • 32 mins

Brainy Thing: 15.55 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 22:47

What we Learned from our Knitting

Welts and tiny mittens were the notable learning for Gnorwen the Gnome in Sarah Schira's All Work, Gnome Play Mystery Knit Along. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/all-work-gnome-play She added a red beard, eliminated the flower decorations and ...

Mark as Played

Ep. 130. Construal Level Theory of Finishing Projects; Sewing up sweaters; Crocheting Coasters; Humboldt Sea Level Rise

November 20, 2021 • 35 mins

Brainy Thing: 16:11 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 27:01

What We're Learning from Our Knitting

Catherine is in the "piecing together" part of her Agata Sweater by Leah Chapman. Sewing up is not her favorite part of project making. She's using https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/agata using Lion Brand Mandala in the Chimera Colorway. She als...

Mark as Played

Ep. 129 Wool and Sleep; Knitting Little Things and Sweaters; Renaming a State Park

October 28, 2021 • 37 mins

Brainy Thing: 19:25 Behind the Redwood Curtain. 27:60

What We're Learning from Our Knitting

Margaret reports on her learning from Little Things including creating a coaster from her Windmill Dishcloth pattern by Patricia Jared. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/windmill-dishcloth-2 She also finished an amigurumi corn on the cob from Susan...

Mark as Played

Ep. 128 Grounding, Cardi Knit-along, Knitting Failures, The Grange

September 30, 2021 • 39 mins

Brainy Thing: 16:51 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 32:11

What We're Learning from Our Knitting:

Catherine may have missed the deadline for the Imagined Landscape Cardi KAL but she's nearly finished her Agata https://www.ravelry.com/groups/imagined-landscapes?s=tab.

It's a Knitty's free pattern https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library...

Mark as Played

Ep. 127 Zoom Tips for Your Brain; Sampler Socks; Cardi Kal; The National Christmas Tree

August 28, 2021 • 34 mins

Brainy Thing: 16:41 Behind the Redwood Curtain: 27:41

What We're Learning from Our Knitting:

Margaret finished a Sampler Sock using both crochet and knitting and a number of sock making techniques she never tried before. The sock started with leg from Beaux Jestes by Tracy Pipinich a crochet pattern where one leg used small granny square and the...

Mark as Played

Ep. 126. Brains of Introverts and Extroverts; Knitting gnomes, shawls, sweaters, and dishcloths; Updates on Behind the Redwood Curtains

July 31, 2021 • 39 mins

Brainy Thing: 19:00 Behind the Redwood Curtain 28:00

What We're Learning from Our Knitting

Margaret got practice in cables on Sarah Schira's Gnot Just Another Gnome https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gnot-just-another-gnome. She used leftovers plus mini skeins in Leading Men Fiber Arts Showstopper in Envy and Christmas at Green Gables.

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!

Dateline NBC

Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

The Bobby Bones Show

Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.

Wisecrack

He left home as the chubby kid with a dream, a decade later, he's a touring comic with a killer set. Literally. In Wisecrack, stand-up comedian Edd Hedges returns to his hometown for a charity gig, only to find himself headlining the most terrifying night of his life. The warm welcome quickly unravels into a chilling true crime tale of a downward spiral and a town shaken by murder. When TV crime producer Jodi Tovay stumbled across Edd’s comedy set, it did more than get a few laughs, it opened the door to a years-long investigation she never saw coming. Part comedy special, part true crime thriller, Wisecrack blends punchlines with plot twists in a genre-defying ride where the laughs are real and the danger is no joke.

Advertise With Us