A week of finishes - Day 5 :: Siblings Together Quilt

Siblings Together Quilt Group is a group that was formed to help the Siblings Together charity achieve their aim of providing every child who attends one of their summer camps with a quilt.  These siblings have been separated through the care system but are able to come together at these summer camps.

Nicky, from Mrs Sew and Sow, asked for people to take part in Mini Bees so 4 of us got together and made blocks for each other.  I asked for simple colour block 16 patches sashed with white or cream on two sides.  Not only did my 3 bees members make me them for me but some other people jumped on the bandwagon aswell - hooray.  I had enough to do 4 across by 6 down which gave a lovely size quilt.

I put it on the frame on Saturday night to join in with the #saturdaynightcraftalong on IG run by Lucy from Charm About You (@charmaboutyou).  I decided to do some organic straight line quilt with the occasional heart here and there.  Some hearts were perfect ..... and some were not!

But more frustrating was that the thread kept shredding.  3 times in 20 minutes and I called it a night and resolved to go back the following morning and figure out why it was happening.

Sometimes stepping away from something works, as if by magic, but not this time. I battled with this quilt.  I rethreaded, changed the bobbin, cleaned and oiled the bobbin area, changed the needle, played with the tension and all to no avail.  I finished it, accompanied by a lot of choice words, but could not figure out what was happening.  I loosened off the frame and walked away .... in disgust with the quilt!!  I was using variegated thread but I had used it on my Polaroid Quilt with no problem so what was going on?  After lunch I decided to load up another quilt straight away and see if I could work it out.  It was just as I was walking to the frame that it came to me .... I think you need to go up a needle size with variegated thread.  I took the thread cone off the machine and sure enough right inside the needle recommendation is #18 and I had been using #16.  Thank goodness I figured that out - for next time!

This quilt came together so well that at various stages of its construction every member of my family asked if we could keep this quilt!  Note to self:  this would be a great Bee block for next year.

This is my 5th finish from my 2016 Finish Along Quarter 3 list (Number 14 on the list).  I am linking up today with Lorna over at Sew Fresh Quilts for her Let's Bee Social. 

The Bloggers' Quilt Festival is up and running this week.  Entries were made last week and the voting has now commenced.  I have entered for the first time this year and have entered this Rainbow Mini in the Mini Quilt Category:

and Should I Stay or Should I Go in the Original Design Category.

If you like either of these, and if you have a minute, I would really appreciate a vote from you .... there's some lovely prizes to won!!  Just click on the Category links above, find the mini pic of my quilt and click on the heart in the corner - it turns red when you have cast your vote.  Voting closes on Friday 30 September.  Even if you don't want to vote just head over because there are some amazing quilts on show ...... my to do list is growing longer by the day!