Un-Beadable? I Think Not.

#11 Motif Challenge

Mary Konior's Queen of Hearts

Lily wrote this in a comment about the Queen of Hearts pattern yesterday:

- I messed it up the first time (due to the chains as you mentioned).
- I got it right the second time.
- I messed it up the third time (due to joining the chains on the wrong side of the rings). By   this time I could see the repeat in the pattern (even though the joins are different throughout)
- Fourth time, I added a third picot in the first ring, same as you.
- Haven't attempted a fifth.

Well, like Lily, I messed up BIG TIME with this one, but I am so proud of the result. I do believe that after two and a half years of tatting this is my finest piece. I will explain.

 This is  is white, soft, Cébélia.  It is a small piece, consisting of only rings and chains.  Nothing fancy - albeit brilliantly designed by one of the greatest tatting designers of all time.

BUT, in this, the second attempt, I vowed to pay attention to EVERY stitch and to correct each mistake along the way.  I had to un-tat SIX of those TINY, ITSY-BITSY rings because of either an incorrect join placement or a chain with the wrong stitch count.

Also, I realize that though I have tatted this many times, I have always made mistakes in the picot count.  Till I read Lily's post, I did not realize that there were joins in different places along those picots.  Before, I  always placed the joins in the same place of each repeat!

So, I followed the directions  exactly; I made nothing up. I did add the three red beads, but I felt that I can  allow for my own signature of creativity. I fact, I hold that to be a plus.

I paid attention to each and every "little soldier",   (Thanks for THAT lesson CT - you know who you are!) I tried my best for consistent tension.

The whole experience felt new and exciting. I so hope this marks an overall improvement in my work, as I feel as if I have had some kind of tatting epiphany as I continue to strive for mastery of this wonderful art form.