Motif 3

I have finished motif #3!!!!! It turned out much bigger than I expected but it was well worth the work. This Hens & Chick Cross pattern is designed by Barbara Tozzano. It is really beautiful with it's classic hens and chicks. A nice all ring pattern, wind a shuttle, toss it in your purse, and anytime you need tatting therapy, there it is, simple to carry, simple to remember without the pattern. The pattern can be found www.fortunecity.com/victorian/vangogh/235/crosses/eliz2cross.html
I didn't follow the pattern exactly, almost but not exact, my lower secton of the cross is one pattern longer and the center has a slight change.
Following a pattern exactly is something I rarely do, must be weird, just seem to see things in a different way, it needs more or less stitches to lay better, or my errors become new versions. I guess this is the way the designing process comes to life for me. Not a rip off of someones pattern, but an inspiration to do something else with their thoughts as a start, an elaboration on a theme, or maybe a final product that doen't even resemble the starting point. Look at the center of the cross, would that not be a wonderful way to start an doily, different from the usual center ring with little rings around it. I'm facinated by the radiating lines created by the negative space, could it be done with 6 or 8 lines? It just wants, needs to be played with.