Tatting... counting... cutting... tatting

Tatting with beads can be very rewarding. And frustrating at the same time. Have you ever tried to add beads to an existing simple pattern? The pictots are nice to you, they behave. The beads on join picots and the ones on the core thread are nasty. Because they just replace a double stich somethimes and one has to take this in consideration.
I knew it, I got burned several times. Guess it will still happen.
The edging no 8902 from the Paragon tatting book no. 1 is one of the edgings I just love to do. I made a bracelet with this pattern:

Not a bad one. I do not like the fact that the trefoil does not lie really flat. 

So for the next attempts I changed the ds amount. And the threads. And added I pearl. Lesson no. n: never change more than 1 variable at the same time. 

Pattern itself is still wonderful: worked everything with a base of 8 and multiple of 8. But the fact that I worked it with 2 different threads (Penny 30 white and Range 40, silver) does not help. The pearl added 3,5mm in between. One  element only is beautiful. After the second  you can see: it refuses to go straight and when I managed it, then the silver part ruffles. Sue gave me some hints (Thank you!). Tried some, still have to work on. 

Until I find a decent, working solution, I rewarded myself with some earrings. At least some thread did not end up in the trash can. This time same thread, 2 shuttles, 2 colours, some ds changed. My pearl where I wanted it to be. I gave up the little turqoise flower on top I have prepared. 

From left to the right:
Shuttle 1 R1: 14 - 8
Chain 16
Shuttle 1: R2: 8 + 6 pearl (secure with paper clip) - 8, turn
Shuttle 2: R3: 16 - 8, turn work,
Chain: 16, turn
Shuttle 1: R4: 8 + 8 - 8, do not turn
R5: 8 + 16 - 8, do not turn
R6: 8 + 8- 8, turn
The rest the the first half, mirrored.

I let the bracelet idea with 2 colours wait for a bit. It is a full nonsense that I cannot find the right proportions for the ds for such a simple pattern. After the second of the third element, the small glitches punish me.
And since I hate to fix tatted jewelry... Why? Would you punish your costumers with a nice letter "instructions of use" where you tell them how to wash, starch and pin the bracelet? I work my pieces so they do not need fixing, I make sure that they are clean and then I use a nano-liquid which repelles further oil, fat, liquid substances.
Relaxing time gave this small medallion:

Love this little one! Again, seems easy, but if you do not make the right joins at the right point, the result if not nice. Definitelly a motiv to push further. 

Happy tatting.