The one where I failed a challenge

I have been a virtual friend of a lovely lady called Kathy for many years.  She blogs at Running with Rocket. She isn't a patchworker, but makes all sorts of lovely fabric things (many of which I am the proud owner of following some swaps.  See here and here and here and here and here!)

Recently she has been making washing line bowls, and inspired me to visit the local hardware store to get some washing line and have another go.  She issued a red, white and blue challenge.  For her it was a step out of her comfort zone as she was adding colour by wrapping fabric scraps wrapped around the cord, where as for me adding colour by using coloured thread was enough out of my comfort zone!

Kathy's turned out beautifully:

Mine was a bit less successful!!!  From a distance it's *OK*

But the closer you look, the worse it is!

It broke several 11/80 needles, but Kathy suggested I try a 14/90 and that helps with that problem . . . .but I think maybe the machine needs a service