Problem Resolved

On Oct 30, I blogged about a problem.  More accurately - I blogged that I HAD a problem but not what it was.  I'm ready now to talk about it ... now that it's done and over with - fixed even if I never did figure out the WHY.

It started out easily - an idea and a bin of green fabric scraps.

I started cutting 5" squares.  When it wasn't big enough for that, I cut 2 1/2" squares.  If I had a lot (some? Enough?), I left it as a 2 1/2" strip.  If it was less than that, it went into the "string" pile. My green bin has lots more space in it now!

I also did the same thing with a bunch of light (neutral) scraps.

Then I started sewing - 1/2 square triangles with the 5" blocks - squared up to 4 1/2" blocks and 4-patches with the smaller squares.  Everything was paired scrappy - lights and greens.

Soon I had enough to start making blocks - I choose "Jacob's Ladder."

And it grew from there.

A couple of borders and ... HURRAY!!  It's a quilt top.

The problem happened when I was quilting it.  For reasons I have yet to figure - seams started to open up.  I was quilting merrily along and suddenly there's a gap... and another ... and another.  I checked and tugged on the border seams - they were completely secure.  The problem was random and only on some of the pieced blocks.

I did change bobbins throughout the piecing process but the top thread stayed the same.  I can't swear to the origin of the bobbin threads - I wind a lot at once so it might have been the same as the top thread, but it might not have been the same.

14 seams had to be hand stitched (repaired) AFTER the quilting was completed.  Did the thread burn while I was pressing the top? Did the machine not stitch properly? Were the quilting elves at play?  Because the top was already loaded and partially quilted, I couldn't really get in close and examine the stitches from the back.  Sew ... I'm stumped but the quilt is done.

And that's always a good thing.