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Brigid Bergin: It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. I'm Brigid Bergin filling in for Brian today. Let's end the show on a lighter note. If dare I say a cozier one. With the icy temps making it challenging, and even dangerous to be outside, what have you found to do indoors? Have you taken up, or resumed what could be called a cozy hobby, something like knitting, which offers the added benefit of creating something to keep you warm, or baking, which results in tasty treats and a warm kitchen?
Tell us about your cozy hobby. The number is 212-433-WNYC. That's 212-433-9692. I heard reports of crowds at local yarn stores last Saturday in preparation for being snowed in with some time on your hands. Was that you? Did you start a sweater? Finish a scarf, take up needlepoint? Now that the gift giving holidays have passed, are you able to make maybe something for yourself? What's on your needles? Call or text us at 212-433-WNYC, 212-433-9692.
What about Jigsaw puzzles or board games? Are you finding ways to pass the time indoors that doesn't involve screens? You can call, or text us about that. With last week's run on groceries, did you see those pictures of empty shelves at Trader Joe's? Did that prompt you to maybe start up that sourdough? I've been really thinking about how to make sourdough starter. I keep watching videos, and I'm just about to attempt it.
Maybe you've been making other comfort food. Maybe you are more of a soup person, or a pancake person for that snowy Sunday. We want to hear about it. Tell us about your cozy hobby. Whether it's scrapbooking, taking pictures of your cat, darning sucks. What helps you stay warm, body and soul in these freezing temperatures? The number one more time, 212-433-WNYC. That's 212-433-9692. You can call or text us, and we'll take your calls just after this.
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It's The Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC. I'm Brigid Bergin filling in for Brian today. Happy Friday. We're taking your calls about your cozy hobbies during this very cold spell at 212-433-WNYC. That's 212-433-9692, and to kick things off, we're joined by Trudi Roach from Brooklyn General Store on Union street in that spot between Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and Red Hook, where they cater to all sorts of cozy hobbies involving needlework. Hey, Trudi, thanks for joining me this morning.
Trudi Roach: Hi, it's a pleasure to be with you.
Brigid Bergin: Trudi, just briefly, what kinds of supplies and classes do you offer at the Brooklyn General Store?
Trudi Roach: There's a wide range from knitting to crochet, embroidery, sewing, as well as mending, which has been really trending in the last few years.
Brigid Bergin: Were you one of the places that experienced that rush before last weekend's storm? Were people stocking up, because they knew they were going to be stuck inside?
Trudi Roach: Yes, absolutely. December and January are historically some of the busiest months for crafting, as you can imagine, with the weather, but in the last few weekends, as we've really had a really cold snap, we've seen people come in, and really gather up multiple crafts and multiple projects, either for themselves, or their households in anticipation of hunkering down.
Brigid Bergin: Trudi, I suspect you have more than one project going at a time, but what is on your needles at the moment?
Trudi Roach: Currently, I'm obsessed with knitting shawls, so it's a nice break from knitting a big project. They're really easy and they go fast, so very gratifying, specifically when you're home alone in the cold weather, so that's a lot of fun. I finished one, and I'm starting a second one.
Brigid Bergin: What is your textile of choice? Are these wool, color scheme?
Trudi Roach: Currently, I'm really liking adding mohair, which is a light and fluffy yarn, and very fine weight, and adding that to other yarns, so playing with textures as well.
Brigid Bergin: I'm so glad to hear how ambitious your hobbies are, because I need a little inspiration, and we have a whole board of callers of people who have been getting their cozy hobbies going in these cold days, who sound like folks who might show up in your shop. Let's start with Lexi in Manhattan. Lexi, you're on WNYC.
Lexi: Hi.
Brigid Bergin: Tell us about your cozy hobby.
Lexi: Yes, so this winter I've been focusing on doing a lot of crochet. It's been fun to making bonnets. I've made some for me, my husband. I'm working on some for my cats now. It's just something to keep cozy while you're to beat this winter storm.
Brigid Bergin: Lexi, thank you so much for that call. Trudi, I do feel like the crocheted bonnet look is something that I've seen a lot of. If somebody is new to these kinds of-- These hobbies, what's a good place to start?
Trudi Roach: A great place to start is to either visit your local yarn store to ask about simple yarns and patterns. We can recommend certain needle sizes, and also yarns that aren't too thin, so it's great. They're great for beginners to get started. We can match needles and yarn together. Then, there's also a website called Ravelry where it's a great resource for patterns and inspiration as well.
Brigid Bergin: Trudi Roach, thank you so much. I want to let you get back to your customers at Brooklyn General Store there on Union street near Carroll Gardens, but it's been some great inspiration. I want to bring in more of our callers with some of their other hobbies. One listener texted, "Paint by Numbers is great for someone like me that lacks artistic ability. I also started a sourdough starter." That sounds like a hobby suggested for me. Let's go next to Amy in Brooklyn. Amy, what's your cozy hobby?
Amy: Hi. My cozy hobby is baking babkas. They're very delicious. They take a lot. They take a bit of time, a bit of skill, but they're beautiful. They're delicious, at least how I make them. They're satisfying, they're nice to look at. It's great, because it's a way to entice people to come over and get into the cold, because, who doesn't want a homemade babka? It actually forces me to go to the gym across the street too, so that's really good. That's my hobby.
Brigid Bergin: [chuckles] Cinnamon or chocolate, Amy?
Amy: Oh, that's just the beginning. Coffee cake, chocolate tahini. There's a whole world of babkas out there.
Brigid Bergin: Wow, that sounds amazing, Amy. Thank you for that call. Let's go to Katie in Beacon, New York. Katie, you're on WNYC.
Katie: Hi.
Brigid Bergin: Tell us about your cozy hobby.
Katie: I do pretty much all of the cozy hobbies, but today I've got a twofer, maybe a threefer going on. I'm currently baking some cookies and brownies, which I'm going to take into my store, which is called Beetle and Fred, and we are doing a community day today. We weren't able to close for the strike, but we thought let's open up the place, have people come in, get help on their-- Melt the ICE hats, if that's what they're doing, or just sit and knit and talk, or sew on the machines. We do fabric and sewing as well.
Brigid Bergin: Katie, That's Interesting. We have other listeners who've texted in saying that they are knitting a Melt the ICE hat in solidarity with protesters in Minneapolis. Can you tell us what is that exactly?
Katie: It's a hat pattern that's out right now. You can find it on Ravelry. It was put out there by a store in Minneapolis, and it builds on the tradition of World War II in Norway. People were wearing these pointed red hats to symbolize their resistance, and in fact, then in 1942, the hats were banned. Nobody could wear a red hat there.
Brigid Bergin: Interesting.
Katie: There's a crochet version as well, so we're not leaving the crocheters out. All of the proceeds from the pattern are going to fund various organizations on the ground who are organizing [unintelligible 00:08:56]
Brigid Bergin: Katie, thank you so much for that. Trudi, before I let you go, we've had-- Is that something that you've had customers come in to buy supplies for this Melt the ICE hat?
Trudi Roach: We absolutely have. They're looking for specific colors, and also they're expressing that they understand it's a safe space in the store, in this crafting community to have those conversations, which is really gratifying as well, so we're happy to support all the makers out there in any of their political positions that they-- Yes, just creating a safe space, and a creative space for everybody.
Brigid Bergin: Trudi, thank you so much for joining me this morning.
Trudi Roach: Thank you.
Brigid Bergin: Let's go to Charles in Merrick, New York. Charles, you're in WNYC.
Charles: Oh, hi. Thank you. Love the show. My response to what do we do when it's 8 degrees outside? What do fishermen do, sport fishermen, when it's 8 degrees outside? We read about fishing.
Brigid Bergin: [chuckles] You're not an ice fisherman then?
Charles: No, not an ice fisherman. A little too cold, maybe. When I was a little bit younger. Yes, but in my 60s, so it's a bit cold out there. Also, fly fishing, a lot of guys turn to tying flies, which are fishing lures, basically, over the winter months to be ready for spring and summer. If I might give a shout out to two organizations, one local and one national?
Brigid Bergin: Real quick.
Charles: Yes. Trout Unlimited is a national organization that promotes clean waters, and then here, local to where I live is the Long Island Flyrodders, and they're a great organization and teach young and old alike.
Brigid Bergin: Charles, thanks so much for that, some inspiration for those of us looking to get out their anglers in the spring. Really quickly, Kurt in Astoria. You've got about 15 seconds. What are you doing while you are staying warm?
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Kurt: Thanksgiving ends and it is the beginning of soup season, so soups and stews, I just love to make them. Last week it was beef stew. The week before was Japanese beef noodle soup, and this week it's clam chowder.
Brigid Bergin: That's delicious. We're going to have to leave it for there for today. Thank you for your calls. Stay warm, everybody. I'm Brigid Bergen. That's it for The Brian Lehrer Show today. Stay tuned for All Of It.
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