Bonnie, it appears to me that you appliqued the pumpkin and stars thru your top fabric, batting and the backing. Applique is attached to the top only before making the sandwich of the three layers. Perhaps this could be the problem with your stitches. I can see on the back side that your stitches are evenly spaced and the same size. This is a good thing. What are your thoughts about the three layer thing? Suz