2010 Homesteading Skill-A-Month Challenge

**madhen** · 12-31-2009, 08:57 PM

For all of us who said, in 2009, ooh, I want to learn how to do that, but never got around to it, here is the challenge for us!! For 2010, I am going to try to learn a new homesteading skill each month.

It can be a litte thing, such as learning how to make bath salts or bake a loaf of bread; a more complicated thing, like learning to knit or crochet; or a big thing, such as learning to make a straw bale house!

Any new homesteading skill counts!!

**piney** · 12-31-2009, 09:31 PM

I would like to learn to crochet but it would take me more than a month to learn

**madhen** · 12-31-2009, 09:33 PM

Piney, maybe you can break it down. It would not take you more than a month to learn a single crochet stitch or to use that stitch to make a potholder.

**hotprincesscm** · 12-31-2009, 09:37 PM

Yay! I'm in! Another Challenge to add to my growing list! I'm going to work on my knitting skills for January! I begin a class on the 8th or 9th, I already just learned on stitch....Hope to expand and improve upon my skills!!!

**dean** · 12-31-2009, 09:57 PM

My Jan. skill will be papermaking.
I've wanted to try it for a long time, and then use it to make hm greeting cards.

**mauimagic** · 12-31-2009, 10:37 PM

Mahalo for starting us up madhen!!

For January I want to learn how to use my breadmaker!! Nothing fancy - just use it!!

I know that I also want to use my Cricut machine - perhaps for February.

I'm going to put DH down for learning to use his new pressure cooker in January - not that he officially participates in FV - just think I'll find things for him to learn to do also!!

**Surilda** · 12-31-2009, 11:12 PM

I will make this official by posting on the *2010* thread.

For January, I want to try to sew a Dresden Plate quilt block.

**mauimagic** · 12-31-2009, 11:14 PM

Cannot wait to see your pattern and fabrics Surilda!!

**Debbie-cat** · 01-01-2010, 09:45 AM

Thanks for getting us going madhen! For the month of January, I want to make a stack of napkins. I want to start eliminating paper products from the home so these will help achieve that rather than using paper napkins or the usual paper towels.

**Peaches** · 01-01-2010, 09:51 AM

I want to learn to sew. I also want to hone my soapmaking skills and canning and preserving skills.

I want to improve my DIY skills so that I can do more improvements around the house and not have to ask/depend on DH so much.

I'd like to do papermaking. DD had a go a couple of years ago, but lost interest fast.

I'd also like to do beekeeping, but I don't think DH will let me have any bees.

**nuisance26** · 01-01-2010, 10:44 AM

~I'm in this year!
This month I'll be making a batch of homemade laundry soap. I bought the ingredients a couple months ago but I'm still using up my stash of detergents. I'm on the last bottle.

~

**shortstack** · 01-01-2010, 11:28 AM

For January I would like to learn how to use the embroidery function on the sewing machine I got for Christmas.

**wwe11** · 01-01-2010, 12:18 PM

I'm in this year. For the month of Jan. I want to learn to make homemade chocolate chip cookies.

**pollypurebred39** · 01-01-2010, 01:01 PM

Yes, this challenge is for me. I really need some skills and I'm determined to learn to do things I've never done before.

I don't know what skill for this month, I'll think about it and post soon.