Tree Skirt

Last October's circular knitting experiment came in handy as a Christmas tree skirt this year.

Tree with knitted circular blanket as skirt

Wilderness calendar bits came in handy as gift tags and tree ornaments

Circular blanket knitted last Fall

Wilderness Art

In preparation for upcoming Activities volunteering at an Adult Day Service, I've been sifting through some high-quality calendars I found at SCRAP.

The beauty captured in these images moves me just as much as it did back in the '90's, when the calendars were published. How lovely that the people who had been saving them all these years thought to donate them to our neighborhood art-supply-thrift-shop!

Gift wrap

Christmas is ...

Making and sharing music

Being together, eating together, opening gifts together

And not to forget:  making a big deal of wrapping the presents (which, happily, requires visiting neighborhood fabric stores)

This year's gifts will be wrapped in fabric squares which could go on to have a second lives as table napkins...

"To and from" tags made from calendar photos

Tags are about 2" wide

Spark and Mindsight

Still exploring the reading list from my Mature Mind class given by PCC's Gerontology Department. The four shown below seem appropriate for anyone interested in matters psychological.

Theme: brain science authors of the last 15 years have taken a critical look at some outdated 20th century "change is not possible" myths. New possibilities abound!

It seems what's been missing is the adoption and practice of some quite accessible techniques. Somehow, all this talk of how brains work offers one confidence that the suggested methods for growth and change will merit the "elbow grease."

Chain Stitch

What to do with a boring expanse of fabric? Embellish it!

As one's stash of plain knitted blankets grows, drawing images in chain stitch becomes irresistible. To imagine the possibilities, one has only to look up "Nudie Cohn," the all-time master of embellished stage suits. Looking closely at Nudie's work, one sees that he drew almost exclusively in chain stitch (not counting the rhinestones).

Of course, when working in thick yarn, designs can't be nearly as lush as Cohn's beautiful suits. Nor are any stars likely to be commissioning embellished afghans! Still, this is going to be fun.

Keith Richards' Nudie suit

One of Porter Wagoner's Nudie suits

Intarsia circle with added chain stitching -- Nudie Cohn's suits had MUCH smaller stitches

Unfinished chain-stitch drawing on circular blanket

Rendering a Circle in Intarsia

Knitting graphical images has quite a learning curve! Especially when it comes to producing an even, attractive circle.

Recently completed experiments include an intarsia block and a simple spiral.

Clearly, the practicing has just begun...

Circle made by sewing a long, narrow strip into a spiral form

On the left, a first attempt at using intarsia knitting to make a circle -- central area needs decoration

Possible colors for decorating intarsia circle

More "Light" Reading

Here is one more group of books from my "Mature Mind" class reading list.

These cover mirror neurons, body maps, and "an irrationally positive outlook on life." How the mind works remains one of humankind's greatest mysteries, but fresh information is radically changing our understanding. I am grateful to the authors who make new discoveries in brain science accessible to curious readers.

Adaptable Brains

Here are more books from my "Mature Mind" class reading list.

Conventional wisdom once held that the hardware of the brain was fixed and immutable -- that we were stuck with what we were born with. With the rapid growth of brain science, it is turning out that few of the old, 20th-century assumptions about aging and the workings of one's brain are valid in the 21st century!

The brain is capable of altering its own structure and can generate new neurons, even into old age. Our potential to transform ourselves remains ours as long as we wish to claim it.

Creativity for Boomers

I wanted to get some more books from my "Mature Mind" class into the blog.

Apparently, after reaching 50, one's brain will have changed in such a way that creative expression has just begun to blossom.

From the dust jacket of Gene Cohen's The Creative Age:

"He offers compelling evidence that the unique combination of age, experience, and creativity can produce exciting inner growth and infinite potential for anyone."

Richard J. Davidson

One of the books on the reading list for my Gerontology class, "The Mature Mind," is neuroscientist Richard J. Davidson's book, The Emotional Life of Your Brain. (2012)

Based on neural activity recorded in (and between) specific brain circuits, the book outlines six "dimensions" of emotional style and suggests how each might be altered, were a person to practice thinking about her thoughts in fresh ways.

One of my favorite chapters describes findings of fMRI scans taken while Tibetan monks meditated.

Dr. Davidson's book made me look at the brain in a new, exciting way!

Pithy Circle, Take Four

Last month, Elizabeth Zimmerman's Pithy Circular Blanket began its journey through my project queue.

It might have been a jacket, but I found the circular design leaves one's neck and tummy chilly.

So, I kept knitting, thinking it could be a floor-length coat. Trying it on squelched that notion. (It felt like wearing a tablecloth.)

One could unravel the sleeves and declare it a blanket...

Or:  Keep knitting until one has a seven-foot blanket, with sleeves. Add embroidered turtles, trilobites, chrinoids, and ginkos. It will be a good "canvas" for trying out graphical techniques.

When one just keeps knitting to see what will happen, it is hard to predict the result!

Experimental "coat" with partially done sleeves

The imagined "coat" turned out a bit wacky -- fortunately, a circle-shaped blanket will be quite useful around the house

Neuroplasticity

This blog began as a record of spinning and weaving projects, but nine months later it appears it will be about brain science AND fiberarts.

I don't want posts to be too wordy, though. (That is for the authors of the brain science books!) In posting I hope to take a "zinger" or two, add a dash of homemade art, and show the author and title of my source.

Today's entry:  For centuries we believed the adult brain was fixed and unchanging. Through a revolutionary discovery called neuroplasticity, we now know that the brain can change its own structure and function, even into old age.

Time to start learning the parts of the brain, and what they do!

Top view of brain showing two halves -- the four lobes shown in color above come in two sets, a left and a right

Dr. Doidge's book on neuroplasticity is full of stories of the brain rebuilding parts of itself

Infirm Elephants and Halloween Coleus

This post was to be entitled: "My LYS is a Spindle," meaning that hand-spinning yarn gives more options than purchasing it ready-made. No need to run to the store when you run out of yarn. ("LYS" is knitters' talk for Local Yarn Store -- a wonderful resource and worthy of its own separate posts.)

If blogs are simply chronological logs of one's subject, I suppose redundant images of half-finished projects, raw sheep locks, and wooden spindles are permissible.

Today there are two fresh images:  Blankets for elephants and coleus plants raised from seed, now flowering in decidedly non-tropical conditions. (The "blankets" are the best use yet for the dozens of test swatches lying around the house.)

Our granddaughter's discovery that blankets will comfort sick critters has got to be a "keeper"

Ran out of Shetland yarn to finish round jacket -- locks, roving, and spindle to the rescue!

Drop spindle, bobbin, and Shetland roving

Coleus, Nasturtiums, and the round jacket stalled for lack of Shetland yarn

Coleus in flower at Halloween-time

Sleeves and Loopy Edge

The round blanket with loopy edge is done. At the 45" diameter mark, I ran out of orange yarn. (I think the standard diameter for these is about six feet.)

The round jacket begun last month has recognizable sleeves and a sketched-in decoration for the back. Don't want it to appear too much like a target, so will add some wavy rays later.

45" diameter circular blanket with loopy edge

Back view of jacket -- this pattern is really just a circular blanket with sleeves inserted

Halloween blanket with faded zinnias in background

Note loopy edge, to left of rear chair leg

Detail showing loopy I-cord edge of Halloween blanket