Tatted Bag Trial and Error

In July I started a Round Robin Doily through Craftree.  I tatted several of the centers for my doily trying to come up with one I was happy with.  The last sample that I made before I did one 'for real' is almost the same as the final except it has several places where I changed stitch counts which I didn't go back and change.  It was a trial.  But it still looked pretty good.

So I thought I'd use it for another sample. I thought this center would look good as the bottom of a tatted bag.  At least as the bottom of a trial tatted bag.

Round Robin Doily center as the bottom of the bag.

The first few rounds went very close to my vision except for a few changes in stitch count.  As this is a trial and the stitch count change very minimal I didn't go back and change them, just left it as tatted.

Tatted bag sides

For whatever reason I made the split ring round a bit too big.  I had even started with smaller rings and changed my mind - I'm not sure what I was thinking.  I like the idea, but definitely need to change the counts there.

The bare thread sections at the top are a little too long, Well, they might not be when I finally get a material lining made.  That is material around a larger ball of thread inside the bag, filling it out so I can see what works and what doesn't.  If it was the actual lining I suppose the tatting would be stitched to it and it would work/look better. 

I had a lot of fun making this.  I'm not sure when I'll get back to it to finish all the details and make a lining for it as there are a lot of other things waiting to be done.  But when I do I will already know a few places I need to change.  It should go faster and easier then.

"Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely."

Henry Ford