Brainy Part starts at: 14:05; Behind the Redwood Curtain starts at 28.20.

Catherine talks about her progress on the Meadowlark Shibori Jacket by Gina Wilde out of Alchemy yarn and her new project Clapo-Ktus by Loredana Gianferri in a beloved skein of Goth Sock.  Margaret kind of winged it with a long, narrow drop stitch scarf out of  Recycled Sari Silk.

Then in the Brainy segment, Catherine talks about how meditation can actually increase the grey matter in your brain and reduce the size and therefore the reactivity of the amygdala.   She also shares information on a program called Knitting Behind Bars.

Margaret describes the logging history of the redwoods and current efforts to be more sustainable.

Catherine's knitting tip is change up needle sizes when you're knitting -- have one project on larger needles and another on smaller.

The incentives to join the Ravelry group continue. 

Brainy part starts at 17:50 and Behind the Redwood Curtain begins at 32:20.

Margaret talks about her adaptation of the Sweet November crocheted scarf and Catherine gives updates on her Meadowlark Shibori jacket and Sock Yarn Blanket.

Margaret talks about the once popular Right- and Left-brain theory and how current brain scientists see those terms as metaphors.  She mentions that knitters sometimes identify as Right- or Left-brained.

Catherine talks about Blue Ox Millworks in Eureka, CA which uses old fashioned methods to make replicas of pieces for residents and business.  It has expanded to have a school and veterans' services.

Catherine also suggests knitters have a number of cast-ons and bind-offs to choose from when they knit.

Brainy Stuff starts at 21:47  and Behind the Redwood Curtain begins at 38.:36.

Catherine shares what she's learned from her knitting of the cowel she completed and her adventures with the Meadowlark Shibori Jacket.  Margaret talks about a Knit-a-long she began many years ago sponsored by Webs Yarn Company that featured tree motifs from Barbara Walker

Today's question is how does Knitting qualifies as an engaged mental activity.   The answer lies in the various brain lobes and brain waves and the location and the wave activity changes depending on what you do including knitting, watching TV, reading or listening to audio books. 

In Behind the Redwood Curtain, Catherine talks about the Arts Alive events in Arcata and Eureka, CA.

The knitting tip this episode is from Josh Bennet who says that if you want long lasting garments, that seaming the pieces is your best bet and that 1x1 ribbing is more durable than other kinds

Brainy stuff starts at 15:40 and Behind the Redwood Curtain begins at 26:55.

Catherine finds a patterns for her Great Adirondack yarn from 50 Fabulous Borders by Rita Weiss.  She also finished a jelly fish from Hansi Singh's Amigurumi Knits.

Margaret has been making washcloths from Stitch Diva's (Jennifer Hansen') pattern and loving the Lucci DK cotton tape yarn.

Catherine relates some research suggesting the knitting and other acitivities reduce the chances of dementia and age-related Alzheimer's.   The evidence is anecdotal and researchs say they need more research before they can find a causal link.

Margaret talks about the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge.  She also offers a tip to suggest you can sketch out a graph on a challenging knit or crochet pattern that doesn't have one. 

Brainy stuff starts at 22:40 and Behind the Redwood Curtain starts at 32:05.

Margaret shares what's she's learned from the Gallatin Scarf and the Silk Curved Scarf while Catherine talks about new (Meadowlark Shibori Jacket) and old (Sock Yarn Blanket) projects.

Margaret discusses the concept of metacognition and how it helps make knitting projects more successful.  She also talks about the First Street Gallery in Eureka and Catherine offers a knitting tip about soaking your project for 20 minutes before blocking. 

Brainy Stuff starts at 25:40.  Redwood Curtain starts at 37:40.

Catherine is learning more about the structural construction of knitting from Josh Ryks' Scarfy Shenanigans.  She also enjoyed the construction of Laura Aylor's Outlier.  And for charity, she knitted one of her standbys -- Magic 28.

Margaret knit a black and white striped hat and added fringe.  She learned that cashmere is lovely soft but shows her botched efforts to pick up a stitch.

Catherine discusses the Arcata Waste Management Plant and Wildlife Sanctuary and Margaret offered a tip about getting spiral binding on knitting techniques books.

Brainy stuff starts at 22:30  Behind the Redwood Curtain begins at 39:00

Catherine talks about mystery knitalongs, both Laura Aylor's mystery shawl and Josh Ryks' Scarfie Shenanigans.  Margaret describes her learning on three pairs of children's socks including two zebra socks and one generic toe up. 

In the Brainy section, Catherine explains some of the work of Betsan Corkhill at Stitchlinks about how knitting is therapuetic in a number of ways for a number of conditions.

In Behind the Redwood Curtain, Catherine shares information about how our climate is ideal for artisan goat cheese.

Margaret offers a knitting tip about how getting stitch markers to closely match the size of the needle will help to prevent those yarn overs from slipping under the markers.

Brainy stuff starts at 28.25 and Behind the Redwood Curtain begins at 44:50.  

Catherine talks about finishing her PANEM Katniss Cowl Wrap by Dahlia in Bloom and the Two-toned Tawashi by Maryann Walsh.  Margaret talked about knitted and crocheted jewelry:  Ribband by Laura Nelkin, Crocheted Wrap Around Bracelet by Yuli Nilssen, Kaitlyn Necklace Rose by Javori Designs, and the Gatsby Necklace by Shaina Bilow.

Catherine lays the foundation for understanding brain chemicals that make us happy and how knitting influences that.  She talks about Dr. Barry Jacoibs, EMDR, Betsman Corkhill and Stitchline.

In Behind the Redwood Curtain, Margaret talks about the Mad River (the California one.)

And in the knitting tip, Margaret talks about flipping a blocking board upright to save space.

Margaret talks about what she is learning from knitting and crocheting long beaded strands including Laura Nelkin's Ribband and Yuli Nilssen's Wrap Around Crochet bracelet.  Catherine talks about her work on the PANEM Katniss Cowl Wrap by Dalhia in Bloom using Lion Brand Wool-ease Thick and Quick.   Margaret and Catherine discuss rating patterns by levels of difficulty versus levels of concentration.   Margaret talks about visiting Table Bluff in Loleta, California and then discusses the benefits of using a kitchen scale to measure yarn.

Catherine talks about creating the braid in Laura Aylor's Faberge', Margaret talks about Mel Ski's hat Drizzle, Catherine introduces Dr. Perri Klass' work on how knitting can create focus and she also describes all the mushrooms she's been seeing this year.  (Photos are in the Shownotes on the blog.)  Finally, Margaret offers some tools-- paper and electronic -- on how to estimate the yardage for projects.