The List is born...

The List was born from a conversation between Kat and me about knitting socks. Kat never had and I just finished my first pair. I had two false starts on the socks, especially with the whole double pointed needle thing and never mind the Magic Loop...I was inspired to pick up the needles again after reading how the YarnHarlot knits socks only with double pointed needles... because that's the way women have done it for thousands of years. I loved that idea so much; that there's a connection between me, this ancient craft, and the women who knit socks for their families, that I finished the socks in record time...on double point needles.

The conversation escalated...we began to think of all the things we love to do around the home; sewing, cooking, gardening, and how we could do it in a traditional way, but still be a modern women...sort of like Sex and the City meets Little House on the Prairie...

The afternoon spent in Starbucks resulted in the following list, which is continually being added to. Some items may take a life time to accomplish, others… a mere weekend. It’s no matter; it’s all part of the experience of life and a way for two friends, a country apart, to stay in touch.

1. Make an ethnic meal from scratch, all courses.
2. Make socks on double pointed needles.
3. Piece a quilt, any size, by hand.
4. Make bread from scratch.
5. Make homemade sourdough starter.
6. Make an alcoholic beverage such as beer, wine, kahlua.
7. Hand bind a book.
8. Write a book or a story.
9. Make homemade pasta.
10. Make jam.
11. Can veggies you grew yourself.
12. Hammer a piece of metal jewelry.
13. Pickle veggies you grew yourself.
14. Make homemade ice cream with a hand crank machine.
15. Sew a piece of clothing that you wear proudly.
16. Make greeting cards.
17. Make paper.
18. Make a bag.
19. Blow glass.
20. Throw a bowl by hand.
21. Make a seasonal soufflé – all four seasons of the year.
22. Make butter.
23. Make beads and a piece of jewelry from them.
24. Spin yarn.
25. Sheer a sheep, dye the wool, spin the wool, knit an item of clothing. (technically we should make the dye too)
26. Make a pumpkin pie with a homegrown pumpkin.
27. Weld a table.
28. Whittle.
29. Make chocolate.
30. Needlepoint or embroider a pillow.
31. Make raisins from grapes you grew.
32. Make an herbal tea from scratch – rose hip or chamomile.
33. Press your own apple cider.
34. Knit lace.
35. Learn how to crochet.
36. Mull wine without prepackages spices.
37. Make Crème Brule.
38. Make an entire meal from each of the following iconic chefs:
a. Julia Child
b. James Beard
c. Madhur Jaffery
39. Make an ottoman – the form and upholster it yourself.
40. Dye or print your own fabric.
41. Make an entire food item from scratch – grow the wheat for flour, raise the chickens for eggs…
42. Make cheese.
43. Design and craft a stained glass hanging.
44. Make hard candy.
45. Make candles.
46. Make soap.
47. Make yogurt from scratch without a yogurt maker.
48. Create organic compost for your homegrown veggies.
49. Make jam without pectin.
50. Needle point or embroider a traditional sampler.