Deceptive patterns

Belinda Spence put up a challenge in the facebook group Tatting the Australian Way. https://www.facebook.com/groups/847655165276159/

It was a free pattern and anyone could participate.




Well....it LOOKED easy enough. But it actually has a more than usual level of concentration required, as we pretty much all found out!

First attempt and I made the rookie mistake of thinking it was a rock along easy pattern so I used Alenalea Rako HDT...... and suffered the consequences.





After attempt number 1.... after cutting out a repeat of the pattern because I joined in the wrong place (twice),I ended up untatting 9 rings in an attempt to not run out of thread. THIS is what I had left!







This was the result of the first attempt. Really love Lea's HDT. Withstands unpicking beautifully and always feels great to tat with.




So I decided to try it again.....
This time with Altin Basak 50 in red and Butterfly gold thread




Version 3 was a breeze. A couple of small unpicks and swearing at the fraying Lizbeth thread but otherwise ok.