What better way to celebrate July if you’re a quilter than to sew a patriotic quilt for a veteran? Sewing, quilting and honoring our veterans with a Quilt of Valor® has always been important to me. I designed United, a free quilt pattern to give you the opportunity to honor a veteran. I have linked the Quilts of Valor Foundation website HERE. Please take the time to scroll through their website and learn how the foundation began and where it is now with over 300,000 quilts awarded. You can find a local group in your area HERE to donate your finished quilt to or you can contact a state coordinator HERE if there are no local groups near you. They would be honored to award your quilt to a wonderful veteran and register it with the foundation. If you are a QOVF member and choose to award your finished and labeled Quilt of Valor to a special veteran, you will report the award HERE. Please read on the foundation website the criteria for a veteran to receive a Quilt of Valor. If you would like to support the Quilts of Valor Foundation with membership, you can do that HERE.
The United Quilt was designed for beginner/intermediate quilters. Please email us if you have any questions about the pattern directions.
We would love to see pictures of the quilt you make by tagging us on your instagram post @catalinahomegrown or using the hashtag #CHGUnitedQuilt
My family on both my parents sides immigrated to the United States long before it was know as the United States. We will never know the circumstances of their immigration in the 1600’s but they made a life for themselves and their future generations. We are blessed to live in the United States and are honored to support our veterans through the Quilts of Valor Foundation.
It’s May already?!? Not sure how that is possible? If ya’ll are like us you’ve been soaking up the afternoon sun, dreaming of warmer nights and getting the garden prepared and planted for another growing season.
Since summer is right around the corner we wanted to share a fun free pattern with ya’ll that is perfect for summertime dinners out on the porch! Its a great beginner pattern and a perfect scrap buster!
Grab your FREE copy of the CHG Lemon Placemat Pattern DIRECTIONS below:
Happy February! With Valentine’s Day right around the corner I wanted to share a few simple ways that I like to decorate this time of year. I’ve never been a big Valentine’s Day decorator but with now having 2 little boys, I do enjoy putting out a few things here and there since they do get a kick out of it. So here’s how I keep it simple yet fun enough to make it special!
A Festive Quilt!
A few years back I participated in a sew along hosted by Sharron Holland and Maureen Cracknell using the Heartsy Heart block pattern from Allison Harris. I loved how simple the pattern was and I had the perfect Art Gallery fabric bundle just laying around waiting to be sewn up. By no means do you NEED to go sew a special Valentine quilt right now… however I love how a festive quilt instantly brightens up a room and is a practical item to have on hand for snuggles or fort building. IF you are looking for ANOTHER project to add to that WIP list then this is a great one! I loved how easy the pattern was to sew up and it’s a perfect quilt for a confident beginner.
I had a little Sparkler Fusion fabric left over from my quilt so I made one extra block in hopes of making a cute little pillow to go with it at some point…. well 2 years later I finally got to it and it turned out better then I had hoped! I had an idea in my head and I am the type of person to just start going even if I am unsure about some things along the way… I tend to figure it out as I go. Anyways somehow with very little seam ripping (thank goodness) it turned out.
So heres what I did…
Made the initial heart block following the same pattern as the quilt. I then added a 4.5 inch border around the whole block, which allowed it to fit my pillow nice and snug. My pillow size was 18 x18 in. You can easily adjust your border size depending on your pillow size either making it larger or smaller just be sure to take into account the seam allowance.
Next, I cut a piece of batting slightly larger then my block along with cutting a larger white piece of fabric. I sandwiched them together (batting between the block and the white fabric) and spray basted them together using this to hold it all together.
I then marked 1 inch lines with a Frixion Pen in a cross hatch design across the white background.
I used a pale pink thread to sew around the outside of the heart and then sewed over the Frixion Pen marks. Once finished I ironed it and the pen lines disappeared!
Once my quilting was completed I cut chenille-it strips the vertical width of my heart. I cut 12 strips and evenly spaces them over the heart part of the block. I then sewed down the middle and used a toothbrush to fray it. You can also throw it in the wash and it will self fray (However I was impatient)
I then decided to sew up a scrappy pipping for the edge of the pillow. Here is a great tutorial by Hey There Home on how to create a pillow with pipping and good tutorial from The Sewing Loft on how to make a scrap binding.
Finally, I cut a backing piece the same size as my front, installed a zipper and boom I had a pillow. Here is a great tutorial from Suzy Quilts on making a quilted pillow with a zipper you can check out.
Fun Garland
Using scraps from my Ballerina Fusion fabric that I had left over from my quilt I decided to sew up some fun heart garland. It was super easy to make and a great scrap buster project.
Heres how I did it in 6 easy pictures to follow…
Coordinating Slouchy Fabric Baskets
I love switching out our fabric slouchy baskets seasonally throughout my house. It’s such an easy switch that has a big impact. The large size works great for faux plants and the small size is perfect for things like pens and pencils or in this case I added one to my kids play kitchen to hold their utensils. They don’t take up a lot of extra storage so I don’t mind having a handful to switch between through out the year for things.
I don’t always have the time to make thoughtful handmade items for my own home (my valentines decor has been in the making for a few years now) but I do love the feel of a home with those special handmade touches and they are always the items I am excited to pull out year after year! My hope is that you will be inspired to create something special for your own home that will be made with love.
Happy New Year!! Wow, its been awhile! Not sure where the time has gone? We’ve been over here working hard to get back into the groove after our extended time off which was much needed. We had a new baby join the family and even though going from 1 to 2 is easier in many ways it’s also a lot more time consuming… which is well probably a given right!? Needless to say here we are trying to get back into it.
We’ve been doing a lot of talking, planning and looking to the future these days trying to figure out what 2022 and beyond holds for Catalina HomeGrown. We’ve had a lot of ideas and well some have worked out this past year and others had to be put on hold because timing was off. We are hoping to make a few of our big goals finally happen this year!
Here are a few of the things in the works you can look forward to this coming year (maybe if we write them down here then you will help keep us accountable)
First, you can expect a new way to shop with us within the next few months. We will be launching our own website to shop from and we are so excited about it!!! You will still be able to shop on Etsy if you choose, but we will be directing most sales toward our new website. We’ve been wanting to do this for a while now for many reasons, two of which are more control and less fees. For a small business when every little bit counts, Etsy’s steep fees really take a lot out of our profit at the end of the day. If you aren’t already following us on Instagram or subscribed here to our blog make sure to do so since we will be announcing this change on both platforms when it happens.
Next on the list, which we cannot wait for is we plan to release 2 Catalina HomeGrown patterns this year!!! Again, another thing that we have been wanting to jump into but timing has been off. We won’t share yet what the 2 patterns will be but we will say we think you will love them as much as we do!!! Keep your eye out for little snippets over the coming months. The first release will be in August and then just in time for the holidays our second pattern will release in October! Both will be geared toward the beginner sewist and will be a nice option for those that love to get their hands in the making process working with their own fabrics.
Finally, our last big announcement is that we will attending The Pinners Conference this year in Scottsdale November 11-12th. This will be our biggest venue to date and we have so many fun things planned for the weekend already! If you are local to the Phoenix, Arizona area and love a good DIY, grab your tickets and we hope to see you there!
We hope you will stick around and join us by sharing in all the excitement of fun things we have planned this year.
If you’ve made it this far, here’s hoping your 2022 is filled with new adventures, a whole lot of joy along the way and that you reach those big goals!
It’s our PARTY DAY for the Mister DomesticPlayroom Project Party! Yay!!! If you haven’t had a chance to check out Mathews new line of fabric for Art Gallery Fabrics you really have to make the time because it is so so cute! Inspired by his daughter Helena’s playroom Mathew has created a pallet of playful soft colors in the cutest prints that include florals, geometrics, handprints, art supplies, and graphic lettering!
As soon as I saw Mathews new line the “retired” art teacher in me was definitely geeking out a little 🙂 So I was super duper excited to get started sewing up matching outfits for myself and my little guy! One of my favorite things to sew are garments which lets face it there isn’t always time to sew just for fun so a project party was the perfect excuse to make that happen!!
For my little guys outfit I used the Brindle and Twigharem coverall pattern. I LOVE this pattern and so does this little stinker. It’s a one piece jumpsuit that is so comfy it feels like pjs (I mean who wouldn’t want to wear their jammies all day right?!?) It’s a simple quick sew and definitely a great pattern for a beginner sewist looking to try their hand with knits. Did I mention Art Gallery Fabric knits are seriously the BEST!!!! Thick but not too thick and so so soft that they are a dream to sew with.
5 tips for sewing for kiddos:
Choose high quality fabrics so they can take the wear & tear of busy kiddos some of my favorite places to pick up knits other then our local fabric stores are Hawthorne Supply Co. and Blackbird Fabrics
Reinforce your seams! I always sew my seam then serge the edges just to make sure they hold up to all the jumping, running, squatting, rolling, playing that happens on the daily.
Scrap bust your garment scraps make great little pieces for toddler neck lines, ankle cuffs and short sleeves, etc.
Assembly line sew! Sew multiple sizes at once and store the larger sizes for them to grow into. Kids clothes sew up fast so you can definitely sew a few at once.
Involve them! Let your kiddos help pick out their own fabrics or choose designs that you know they will love (my son loves puppies so anything with a dog on it he is all about!) or evenhave them “sew” along side you. They will be invested and chances are more excited to wear their handmade attire!
For my matching top I used the same print Bella Aquarelle just in a cotton! I knew I wanted to make a button up something that I had never done before but I was definitely psyching myself up a little about the buttons, the crisp precise lines of a button up… about it all if we are being real here. I ended up going with the Natalie 3081 by Seamwork. I loved Mathews print with this specific pattern and I think it suited it well. I feel like it gives off an artsy vibe 🙂 Now that I have made it I definitely know that next time I need to make some specific alterations in order to get a better fit in the shoulders but overall for my first button up it turned out pretty great… and the buttons were so so easy to sew… go figure! TAKE THAT DOUBT!!!
I know so many people who always comment with how they want to sew their own clothes but are afraid too, or I have friends comment how hard it looks to do. If I listened to myself every time I had one of those thoughts and never took a chance at a new pattern I honestly would still be sitting at an empty machine. I am for sure a newbie here and have never claimed to be otherwise, but what I love is figuring out the process and learning though it! Every time I sew something whether I love it or hate it I learn something new which pushes me to be better! So next time you are feeling doubtful jump in with both feet and go for it! Chances are you will be pleasantly surprised at the outcome!
…And a gigantic shoutout to Mister Domestic for taking his own chance with us and welcoming us into his Master Makers group! This guy is one of the most supportive, encouraging, positive people you will ever meet ya’ll! So so happy we get to party with him again!
…And another huge shout out to Nicole Bridges for taking our photos on a whim with her already busy schedule. You are amazing Nicole Bridges Photography!! Thank you!
Be sure to follow along with all the other super talented makers that are part of Mister Domestics Project Playroom Party for the next 5 weeks! You can get all the details here on Mathews blog!
It’s the week of Christmas which means Christmas cookie baking time!! We spent the afternoon baking up a batch of my Nana’s butter cookies. These cookies melt in your mouth and are our families FAVORITE. They are easy to make, not to fussy and the littles ones can easily help decorate!
**NOTE** You will need a cookie press we have an electric one and love it! We couldn’t find the exact one we have but here is a similar model.
Nana’s Butter Cookie Recipe
♥ 1lb butter, softened
♥ 1 cup sugar
♥ 2 eggs
♥ 4 cups flour
♥ 2 teas. vanilla
Directions:
1. Mix in order given 2. Put in press a little at a time 3. Press onto non stick cookie sheet 4. Decorate with Sprinkles before baking 5. Bake 400 degrees for approximately 5-10 mins 6. Let cool and enjoy!
I’ve had the Elliot Sweater by Helen’s Closet on my make list for the last year but it just seemed like I could never find time to check projects off my list that were for me. Can anyone else relate?
I finally had a free weekend to sew just in time for fall to arrive! I was so excited to able to be able to sew this up in under 2 hours! I love patterns like this especially now when my free time is so sparse with a little running around fighting for my constant attention!
Said little one above loving the pumpkin patch as my hubby plays photographer (I told him not to quit his day job… I take what I can get though)
The Elliot Sweater is a great beginner pattern! It was clearly written and easy to follow.
Skills you will learn or practice:
♥Sewing a split hem
♥Sewing a turtle neck
♥Sewing with knit fabric
♥Sewing a raglan sleeve style top
I had found this quilty army green fabric at Hobby Lobby last year. At the time I didn’t have a plan for it but I decided this was the perfect project to finally put it to use. (I did notice Hobby Lobby has the same fabric this year as well if you end up trying to find it. They must bring it back seasonaly)
In the end I didn’t make any alterations however, I did notice the shoulders run narrow (I am also broad shouldered so if you aren’t you might not notice any problems). I do plan to let out the shoulder area a smidge next time to see if I can get it to be a little more relaxed or maybe size up one. I will have to play around with it otherwise, it was a great pattern to work with and even if I didn’t make a shoulder adjustment it is such a comfy sweater and the oversized turtle neck has been amazing since the weather has started to get chilly!
Most families enjoy soups, stews and chilis in the winter months, but chili is one of our families’ favorite “winter” meal that is served all year long. As a matter of fact, I make large batches of chili at least once a month and divide it up and freeze to eat all month long.
Using the freshest ingredients as possible, organic, always washing the vegetables thoroughly before chopping and cooking lends to amazing flavors. Many times, I may use ingredients from my garden that I had frozen previously as a time saver.
Spicy Chili (large batch)
Ingredients:
♥ 3 lbs cooked and drained Ground Beef
♥ 2 med. sweet onions, chopped
♥ 3-4 stalks celery, chopped
♥ ½ – ¾ cup chopped roasted green chili (Anaheim)
♥ 4-5 larger Roma tomato, chopped with juices
♥ 2 garlic cloves, minced
♥ 45 (approximately) ounces of Pinto beans (canned with juice)
♥ 45 (approximately) ounces of Kidney beans (canned with juice)
♥ 45 (approximately) ounces of plain canned tomato sauce
♥ 1-2 Bell Pepper, small – medium size, chopped (Green, Red, Yellow, Orange or a mixture of all 3)
♥ 3 teaspoons Cumin
♥ 3 TAB Chili Powder
♥ 2 teaspoons black pepper
♥ 2 ½ teaspoons salt
♥ 3 cups water
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a large stock pot, stirring well.
Bring to a boil uncovered, then lower heat to simmer.
Simmer on low heat stirring frequently for a good 3-4 hours.
Taste test to see if beans, celery and onion are cooked through. Simmer longer if needed.
Serve HOT with shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions and a dab of sour cream for garnish (optional)
If you do not enjoy hot and spicy chili, just cut back on the cumin, roasted Anaheim chili, black pepper and chili powder in the recipe.
It’s finally beginning to feel like fall at least in the mornings here… just barely but its right around the corner and these mid 80º days will be long gone soon enough! Which means it’s the perfect time to bust out a few fall inspired sewing projects before it sneaks up on us right?!?
I love using table runners in my house and I am always switching mine out to change the look of my table setting. I had this idea to sew up an organic shaped leaf runner that looked almost as if the leaves had just fallen on the table. So I set out to make it happen! I feel like it looks like it should be a lot harder then it actually was to make. I was surprised how quickly I moved thought the project considering I was problem solving and designing as I went. Once I finished, I fell in LOVE with how it turned out and the neutral white is the perfect choice for our home. It says fall without screaming it.
You do not need to use white if that look won’t match your home. You could easily decide to use a mixture of fall solids or printed fabrics, you could use scraps up, or even try a ombre palette instead and it would be equally pretty! (Ugh! Now I am wanting to make another geez…)
1yd White Linen Look Alike Fabric (JoAnn Fabrics) Brown Thread Frixion Pen Fabric Scissors Fabric Glue (I used Elmers white glue since thats what I had on hand) Pins Iron Scissors
♥ First, cut out your leaf pattern pieces (You can use all 4 shapes or just 1 or 2 whatever you decide. I ended up using them all).
♥Next, trace the leaves onto your folded fabric using your Frixion pen
♥Once you have traced the leaves cut them apart into smaller more manageable pieces to cut (each leaf has 2 pieces of fabric) This will make cutting the actual leaf shape easier
♥Next, pin the 2 pieces of fabric together for each leaf and cut along the Frixion pen lines.
♥Then, using the brown thread “draw” an outline of the leaf about a 1/4in. in from the edge using your sewing machine Pro Tip: Its ok if this is not perfect! I repeat it’s ok if it’s not perfect! I actually purposely tried to make mine a little “messy” after a few leaves you’ll get into a rhythm and it’s relatively simple.
♥Next, using brown thread still, sew the veins of the leaves by just loosely mapping out what you feel looks like leaf veins. Think “Y” and “V” shapes.
♥Once your leaves are all sewn press them with your iron to remove any leftover Frixion pen lines
♥Then, used your fingernail to scrap at the edges of the leaves to fray them. This takes a little bit of time and yes was messy because of my fabric choice. Pro Tip: Turn on last weeks episode of Bachelor in Paradise to review all the drama as you work. The time will fly by 😉
♥Once all of your leaves are sewn and frayed clear a flat surface and arrange them how you want them to lay on your table. Making sure to overlap them a little.
♥Next, take your fabric glue or Elmers glue and tack down the over lapping pieces. As you do this put a pin in those places so you don’t forget where you need to sew. It also gives extra stability since you will have to pick this up and move it to your machine.
♥Once you let the glue sit for a few minutes, go ahead and carefully transfer the runner to your sewing machine to piece together.
♥In order to attach the leaves sew directly onto the brown lines you had already made anywhere there is a pin. Pro Tip: Try to tack down as much of the leaves as possible in these areas. This might mean you have to lift up the leaves to see where there are more brown lines to stitch over.
♥Once you have sewn down all your leaves. Trim any extra threads and give it good press.
♥Yay!!! Great work! Now go style your new runner in your home and snap a pic to share so we can see!!! Tag us @catalinahomegrown so we don’t miss it. We love a little home decor inspo too 🙂
September has arrived which means I am baking my very favorite pumpkin muffins complete with a streusel topping!!! Seriously y’all these are to die for and I’ve tried a whole lot of gf/df baked goods over the years.
My mom found Silvana Nardone’s recipe back in 2010 when her first cookbook came out called Cooking for Isaiah. I had recently been diagnosed with a gluten and dairy allergy and I think everyone was questioning what I would be eating that year during the holidays. Pumpkin pie is my absolute fav so imagine my sadness when that was now a big N-O! Thank goodness for these pumpkin muffins, because I still felt like I could indulge with everyone else that holiday season. I am so thankful this cookbook came along because no joke it is still my go to when cooking. Not only are these muffins divine but so is everything else in her book! If you have restrictions with gluten and dairy you must pick up her book(s) thats right plural she has 2!! You can grab them here.
Ok lets get down to what you’ve been wanting to know… how to make these yummy muffins!
I am going to link Silvana’s recipe directions and measurements of everything here so you can pop on over to her blog and get all the specifics on how to whip up this tasty treat from her. They are an easy make and in the end look so fancy with the streusel topping 😉
*One thing I have learned is that if you don’t have time or have all the ingredients to make her specific flour blend then you can use the Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Mixture. It’s not quite the same however it is comparable if you are in a pinch or don’t cook gf ALL the time. Keep in mind all gf flours are not the same, trust me on that one. Silvana’s is defiantly my fav though! She has the recipe to make her blend in both her books and she also now has pre-made flour mixtures you can buy!!! YAY!!!
Catalina Home·Grown 