machine/quilting issues

Major issues with my machine (yes, it did need some cleaning/maintenance, and that helped) and with quilting this Parisville quilt. The two things are very much inter-related. I quilted down a row of the big blocks and then realized my tension was all wonky and I had knots and skips on the back. Then my thread kept snapping or tangling- it was bad news.
Cue the realization that I needed to clean the lint from under my bobbin tray (yuck! especially when inhaled) and then do some maintenance. This helped my thread issues, but somehow did not keep me from making silly mistakes like keeping my backing from folding up on the edges and getting quilted on to the top (really???)
Apologies for all the parentheses. So I am using this time to vent. I also wanted to give a thanks to The Intrepid Thread and Diane from Random thoughts do or "di" for the Little Apples giveaway. Yay for Cali shops and blogs- I had my jelly roll the day after Diane emailed me to tell me I won! I am very excited. In fact, it is taking all I have not to just start a project with that instead and leave my Parisville to be quilted another day. This line is really soft and cuter in person than online- the colors are excellent. But readers will know that I do have a thing for grey lately.

In addition, the other nice news is my Parisville top was featured for Tula Pink week at Craizee Corners. Sharon is doing a giveaway for some Tula Pink fabric and patterns- I don't know if the Modern Alphabet pattern will be one of them, but I am hoping! I have never worked from a pattern before, and this one seems sufficiently over my head to be a good start!

Ooh, and I just thought of another fabulous thing to distract from the bad stuff- I also won a giveaway from Harmony at Harmony Art for some Amy Butler patterns. The patterns are fun- 4 bags and a neat apron- but then Harmony turned out to be a wonderfully gracious and friendly person, as well as a fabric designer. She creates a lovely array of organic fabrics and when I mentioned that I would have to pick some up she gifted me a few pieces. She's also in Cali, right near me. Small world. Thank you Harmony, you are wonderful! Here are the beauties I will be using to whip up an Amy Butler pattern or two (the top is called Evelyn and the bottom Let it Grow):

This is very therapeutic. Now that I have stated all these good things that have happened this week it does not seem so bad that I am having some sewing room issues. Thanks for listening!