Edda's Heart One Last Time - and UP and DOWN Joins

As I'd said in the previous post, I needed to adjust - just a tiny bit! - the top part of Edda's heart for it to work with the way I tat. Adding just one stitch in those top chains did the trick for me. Otherwise it wasn't lying flat.

Tatted FS/BS, using up joins

I said in the previous post that I like the simplicity of this heart and I find it perfect in its shape... the funny thing is though that I seem to make a mistake (or more than one) every time I make it! The stitch count is 4 nearly everywhere but two of the top rings on each side have an extra stitch and I really often forget to make those!

Here's the previous version where I forgot to add that one extra stitch on the rings on the right top curve and everything is all bunched up! I finished it anyway but it's for the bin!

Tatted FS/BS, using down joins.

This heart still remains one of my favourites, particularly if you want a quick project for a card, it's a fast make.

I tatted both these hearts FS\BS but for the dark one I used down joins (pulling the thread down through the picot) whereas in the paler version, I used up joins (pulling the thread up through the picot). If you have a moment to examine the two hearts, can you tell me if you think it makes enough of a difference to warrant the extra effort (granted it's not a very big extra effort!). I do find up joins are easier and quicker to make so tend to always (nearly always) use them. What do you think? Do you change your joins depending on which side of your tatting you are working on?

Also I still hope I have the correct definition for the joins... 

Up Join: you go down through the picot with your hook and pull the thread UP through it

Down Join: you go up through the picot from behind and pull the thread DOWN through it

I think it's confusing because it depends if you're thinking about your hook going through the picot or the thread!

Anyway, that's how I've used the definition and how I've described it in this video so I hope you agree but if not, please tell me!

Best wishes,

Frivole