Octo 2

Last night, I finished tatting Octopus#2!

This is more like the octopus I had pictured in my head...a little more substantial, more dimensional- at least the arms look a wee bit more realistic to  me. I think the shape of the head is better, too.








Here's the pattern:

R= ring    OR= onion ring   Ch= chain    ds= double stitch    
d= 1st half of ds    s= 2nd half of ds   +=j= join    clr= close ring    fp= false picot

R1= 1ds, (2d,2s)6- (2d,2s)6, 1ds  cl r
OR2= 1ds,(2d,2s)6- (2d,2s)6+ [ j to picot R1] (2d,2s)6- (2d,2s)6  clr
OR3= 1ds, (2d,2s)9+ [j to 1st picot OR2] (2d,2s)9- (2d,2s)9+ [j to 2nd picot OR2] (2d,2s)9, 1ds  clr
OR4= fp,1ds, (2d,2s)12- (2d,2s)12+ [j to picot OR3] (2d,2s)12- (2d,2s)12, 1ds  j to fp to close
OR5= 1ds, (-2d-2s)2, (2d,2s)15+ [j to 1st picot OR4] (2d,2s)40 +[j to 2nd picot OR4] (2d,2s)15, (-2d-2s)2, 1ds  clr
take the thread through the nearest picot of OR5 and knot. Then begin the arms.

Arm
Ch1= (2d,2s)- (2d,2s)25- (2d,2s)25- (2d,2s)5
Ch2 = (2d,2s)5+ (2d,2s)25+ (2d,2s)25+ (2d,2s) +
Ch2 travels back up Ch1, joining to each corresponding picot of Ch1, then joining into the same picot of OR5. Once knotted, the thread is then taken through the next closest picot of OR5  and knotted before beginning  the next arm. Repeat for all 8 arms.

Hints
Once OR2 was completed, I found it simpler to create the following ORs as though they were chains, rather than rings, as it made it much easier to fit the subsequent rings properly into the picots. I would make the chains up to each join, and, once joined, continue the chain until completed, and then tighten, joining to the base of OR1, or to the false picot created in OR4.
I created Ch2 in stages, pulling the chain section through the needle and joining into the appropriate picot, then continuing along the chain, tightening slightly as I went.
Knotting at the beginning of each arm helps to prevent stretching of the picots on OR5.

Please let me know if you have any questions regarding my pattern, or if you should find any errors. Thanks.
I am having problems with my connection due to the heavy rains, so I shall close, and share some garden pictures next time.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz