Ep. 111 The Chocolate Episode: Good for Your brain, a Fun Visit to Dick Taylor's Chocolate Factory, plus Knitting Scarves, Gnomes and Trees

Brainy Thing:  23:31     Behind the Redwood Curtain:  34:16   What We Learned from Our Knitting Catherine has found the perfect combination of yarn, needles and pattern in the Baker’s Street Scarf https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baker-street-scarf  by Joan of Dark  and on Knitty http://knitty.com/ISSUEff15/index.php.   She used Brittany birchwood needles and Blue Moon Fiber Company’s yarn in the Evermore colorway.     Margaret is proclaiming Sarah Schira the Queen of the gnomes after  investigation into gnome-dom.    https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#query=sarah%20schira&sort;=best&view;=captioned_thumbs&page;=1  Margaret knit two of them for gifts and is joining Sarah’s newest mystery knit-a-long for Gnemo:  https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gnome-is-where-you-hang-your-hat.   There are scores, maybe hundred of other gnome options.  Margaret mentions the Jolly Wee Elf by Churchmouse Yarns and Teas https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/jolly-wee-elf    She also knit one of the five designs in Holiday Trees pattern by Yellow Cosmo. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/holiday-trees-2  She bought the kit on Bluprint and used its Cloudborn Superwash in dark green and white.    Brainy Thing: Chocolate just doesn’t taste good, it has a host of natural chemicals that are good for our bodies and minds and she’ll reveal the secret of why it is a particularly good choice for Valentine Days Gifts.     Behind the Redwood Curtain: We visit a boutique craft chocolate company in Humboldt, Dick Taylor,  that ships all over the world. (We got to sample all of their products.)    If you want to join Sara Schira’s gnome-a-long  that starts February 12, check this out:   https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/gnome-is-where-you-hang-your-hat.