Why Camp Rugs are so Special & Hints for Newbies

I love all the rugs I've hook but often said camp rugs hold a special meaning in my heart.  Since I'm presently hooking Oh Glorious Day will share some of the reasons why this one is special.   

On the last day of camp, which is always a bitter sweet day, Lois Filingeri spoke to those of us still packing up in the hooking room.  She said Deb Burcin had given her a piece of wool to put in her rug so it had a fond memory from someone else in the room.  Lois put the idea in the room to the rest of us.  I happened to be working with a piece of green wool which I offered her and it was also a green strip she offered in return ~ great!  

If you look on the picture below you will see Lois' wool hooked into my rug.  There is an arrow showing the one.  Thank you Lois, you were such a great addition to the room and lots of fun.  Hope to be in a class with you again when we will share stories and lots of laughs again.  

As I was pondering what color to hook the windows on the house I had a light bulb moment.....literally.  Decided that room was my  hooking room  ~ therefore a light would be on!  It's subtle but will make me think of my happy hooking place.

Okay, newbie hints.... the yellow and grey tones are the same value so while there is no contrast there is still that hint of light in the room.

Also, Kris says when she hooks leaves she uses 3 values of green.  This is a primitive rug vs. realistic, but that makes sense since the top leaves would be closer to the sun and newer growth.  The leaves would be older and get darker near the root.  So I used 3 different values of green.  Great lesson Kris.

She also shared the information about how "color gets all the credit while value does all the work".  It was a reminder of what my third ever teacher Bev Conway said in her color lesson.  Am hoping to get Bev next year at Cape May, it's been a long time since I've had a class with her and miss her contagious laugh.

Below you will see close values in the bulbs growing in the grass below the chicken.  But I didn't want bright colors distracting from the other wonderful colors going on in the rug.  Purple is what was needed as there is purple elsewhere in the rug.  There was a dark grey purple and an over-dyed texture alternating, which I like.  

But what adds to the memories of camp are incidents which happen and which one remembers when they look at the rug once it is done.  

You see those two slightly darker value dots below the chicken?  Hmm, while I was away from my frame someone pulled a prank on me.  Am not quite sure who did it but loved it so much decided to keep it in the rug.  Each time I look at the rug it will make me smile and remind me of a delightful camp.   Kris, you wouldn't happen to know who did that.... would you?

Newbie hookers, just remember I was a newbie too.  Heck ALL of us were, none of us were born hookers.  So save your pennies and plan to attend a rug camp or find a quilting shop who also offers rug hooking nights or a guild near you.

Oh, and while I'm not a newbie I'm still learning things from all my teachers.  The green wool leaf was a lesson from Kris I'll remember along with all the other things she has taught.... uh, and done, 😂😂

Saundra