One of the reasons I started canning was that I wanted to make something. I wanted to find a way to make something in my own little kitchen that would last longer than the twenty minutes to eat a meal. I wanted to have something I could put on the shelf that was useful, delicious and that I could point to and say, “Look! I made that!”
Hey! That’s me!
It used to be that people made everything for themselves, from the tools that built houses, to butter they spread on their home baked bread, to the sweaters and coats that kept them warm. Knowing how to make, built, and craft was a matter of survival, artistry, and human expression.
I have no interest in going entire back to the days when every item in a home started from raw materials, but I do believe that we’ve gotten a little bit out of balance when it comes to the making of things. I think the current increased interest in knitting, sewing, quilting, crafting, baking from scratch, and canning is our culture’s response to this imbalance. We want to make things with our own hands.
There have been many books, magazines, blogs, and other forms of media that have appeared over the last few years that celebrate this resurfacing instinct to make. One of my favorites is By Hand (and this is not just because I’m a contributor. I’d have subscribed without ever writing a word for it). It was dreamed up by Susan Gibbs, the woman responsible for Juniper Moon Farm and the legions of adorable lamb photos that festoon the internet.
The magazine is simple and lovely. It is divided into five topic areas: Cook, Grow, Build, Stitch, and Craft. Each section features recipes, instructions, ideas, tips, and stories that will help you tackle a world of projects and dishes. The writing is clear, useful, and friendly and the photography is really beautifully done.
Oh this yeasted apple butter bread recipe. I’ve been meaning to make it for months now. I have several jars of apple butter, waiting to be pressed into service. I’m hoping to try it soon and if it’s as good as I think it will be, I’ll post the recipe as a “Preserves in Action” piece.
You can browse the Fall/Winter issue digitally by clicking here and if it seems like something you want to have in tangible format, their shop can be found here. The Spring edition will be out shortly and I’m very much looking forward to seeing it.
What’s more, I have a little giveaway today. Two lucky winners will each get a By Hand tote bag and a copy of the Fall/Winter issue of the magazine (they’re in the first picture at the top of this post). Here’s what you do to enter.
- Leave a comment on this post and share one thing you like to make by hand (it doesn’t have to be food related, either. Just something you make). If you’ve not taken the plunge yet, share something you’d like to learn to do.
- Comments will close at 11:59 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013. Winners will be chosen at random and will be posted to the blog over the weekend.
- Giveaway open to everyone.
- One comment per person, please. Entries must be left via the comment form on the blog at the bottom of this post.
Disclosure: The By Hand editorial staff gave me the tote bags and the copies of the magazine. They did not pay for inclusion on the blog and my opinions remain entirely my own.
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I am working on an efficient garden that provides me with fresh produce as well as enough to can to get us through the rest of the year. There are several other things that I am working on during the winter months which includes crocheting.
This would be a wonderful win for me. I am generally not able to afford things like this. What a blessing it would be.
I’ve never been able to get into knitting or crocheting. But someday, I’d like to make myself a blanket. As you say, just so every time I snuggle under it, I will think: “I made this.” Someday.
Cool giveaway! I would love to get back into knitting so that I can make more than a scarf…maybe a fun hat!
I like making ricotta cheese from scratch. It’s unbelievably easy, tastier than what’s available at the supermarket, and I can adjust the fat content to any level I please.
There are actually two things I love to make by hand the most: I love to make jams, and I love to knit sweaters. But in general, I try to make as many things myself as possible. I used to make my own clothing and fell out of the habit — I’d like to try that again at some point!
I like making bread and rolls from scratch, especially cinnamon rolls.
I love to make soaps, srubs, and oils to use in my massage therapy business. My husband and I also enjoy canning foods from our garden and working towards learning more and more about being self-sustainable. Please enter me in the great contest giveaway – thank you!!!
In February, my favorite thing to make is maple syrup. It’s such a wonder that these trees that just hang out in our yard with no work from us give us such a treat each year, in such abundance! Thanks for the chance!
I made some pear mincemeat this past fall from the Bartlett pear trees on our property.
It was awesome!
I like to make anything with string, knit, crochet, weave, spin, dye the yarn, etc. etc. I’m not a master of any of these but can make a hat, a sweater, or a rug without too much stress. The rugs could become a tent in a pinch. Ahhh, fiber in colors!
I have recently focusing on finding new uses for my sour dough starter. I have tryed the sweeter side of this w/ a coffee cake and a birthday cake.
Last September, I made pear mincemeat from the Bartlett pear trees on our property.
It is so tasty!
I would love to know how to sew better than I do, to make some great things for my kids.
I love to make bread – kneading is therapeutic!!!
I really enjoy quilting. Nothing better than snuggling under a blanket you made yourself!
I can’t wait to make a sweater by hand. I’ve knitted lots of other things, but it’s time for a real sweater. Hooray!
I love making jam. It is one of my gifts for family for Christmas, and friends know me for it. I love that I can make something that makes people happy.
I enjoy bread baking.
Baby quilt
It is so hard to pick only one thing that I love to make. I have made quilts since I made my first one in 1988. I have recently learned how to hand quilt and I find that to be very soothing and enjoyable.
My favorite thing in the world to make are many layered but simply decorated cakes. I want to get better at embroidery and other crafts that don’t involve food.
I love to make fruit pies. Store-bought? Yuck!
One day I will earn how to pickle cabbage leaves to make sarma!
I love to crochet with both regular yarn and plastic bag yarn.
This looks like a lovely magazine. I like to crochet all sorts of items. I’m also exploring more cooking from scratch.
Knitted socks. I’ve knit a lot of hats and scarves, now I want to learn how to knit a sock or two.
I make purses for my sister (but never yet for me! need to get on that), applesauce, and almost everything above cheese in the kitchen by hand. So I make bread, peanut butter jam, noodles, sauce and stock, but cheese, butter and yogurt are still projects I want to tackle. I’m motivated by the related plastic waste — and the idea of making my own! It is wonderful to know when I go out to a potluck party that not only is my contribution tasty and wholesome, but it is also made from scratch as much as it can be.
I also craft a lot, and garden and build, so I think this magazine sounds amazing. Thanks for spotlighting it!
Bread, bread, bread by hand. I suppose letting it sit around a la No Knead means I’m not doing much by hand, but I’d say that’s my favorite and with the best pay-off.
Katie
I am always looking for new sources of inspiration. By Hand magazine looks like a wellspring of ideas.
I made chicken stock yesterday for the first time–I will definitely be doing this from now on!! So easy and delicious.
I make all kinds of things. From most to least amount of time I spend on them: cook, knit, bake, jam, soap, sew, crochet. There’d be more, but I’ve got two little’s in school so I’m out of time!
I love cooking/baking just about anything from scratch. . . but my latest obsession is homemade dog biscuits for my two dogs! With all of the recent dog food recalls and warnings in the news, I’ve decided I much prefer to know exactly what I’m feeding my dogs. And my dogs LOVE the homemade treats
I love to knit, can, bake, garden, and sew. Nothing fits as well as handknit pair of socks! And no store-bought jam tastes as good as the one made from your own homegrown strawberries
I have been making all my bread from scratch since the beginning if this year. There is nothing better than the aroma of fresh baking bread.
I have been making all my bread from scratch since the beginning if this year. There is nothing better than the aroma of fresh baking bread.
For me, the winter is all about knitting and this year has been no exception.
I like to make jams, lotions, socks, blankets, hats, granola, breads. I like to keep my hands busy.
Oh, my god, how prefect is that magazine! Sooo intrigued!
I will be learning to spin my own yarn this year. A friend taught me how to shear sheep (the very nice way, with old-fashioned non-electric shears), and I will be going back again this April to have another lesson. She is a master spinner and knitter and I am so very grateful to have her as a mentor.
I make yarn…and stuff made from yarn. And I grow the animals that grow the wool and mohair to make the yarn
It’s a good thing you didn’t ask what my favorite thing to make by hand is. That would be a tough call.
. So I’ll say dinner, and be done. 
I’d really like to make a custom jewelry rack for all of my accessories. Hard to find something that accommodates necklaces, bracelets and earrings, but I’m going to come up with something and craft it from wood.
I love making caramels and tootsie rolls by hand. They are both easier to make than I expected, and so satisfying to eat!
I love making candied meyer lemon peel. Problem is not eatting it all before the others get some.
Cobbler. I LOVE making cobbler and pies.
I’m doing my best to slowly learn to make everything from scratch. My current passion is bread; I haven’t found the perfect recipe and technique yet, but my husband doesn’t mind eating my experiments!
This magazine sounds right up my ally! Of course you know I love to can, but I also love to quilt as well, and this year I was even thinking about starting up a small garden in hopes of defeating my black thumb.
I’m hoping to make a few home made chicken nipple waterers to replace the old bucket style ones the hens always manage to get dirt in.
Sewing toys for my daughter by hand is one of my favorite by-hand projects!
Pizza! I’d love to say I make code for my blog by hand, but it’s painfully clear to me after a morning trying to make a recipe index with thumbnails that, alas, blog code is NOT something I make by hand.
But I do make a pizza (or several) every Friday.
I’d like to make a sourdough starter. Never tried it myself!