Dragonfly on the Lakes Rug Camp ~

Dragonfly on the Lakes is perhaps the longest running hooking camp in the US.  I believe it has been going on for nearly 60 years.  It is held at the Cedar Lakes Conference Center in Ripley, West Virginia.

My teacher for this camp was Jyl Robbins.  She gifted each student with these sweet aprons, complete with our name and a little dragonfly.  It was great because everyone's name was very visible.

Jyl is not a primitive teacher, though like many teachers, can teach primitive.  Along with another northern Ohio hooker, Arlene, she and I were like fish out of the water in the class.  We were hooking with mainly 8 1/2 cuts (8.5/32nd of an inch).  Everyone else was hooking with a 3, 4 or 5 (3/32, 4/32, 5/32 of an inch).

Arlene's rug.  It is a biggie at 30" x 40".

My rug is titled Shady Spot.  It was inspired by a mid-18th century needlework wallet.  I knew it looked familiar but didn't know why until Marly enlightened me.  She charted it out and stitched it.  You can see it here.

And here is a needlepoint version you can see on this post.

What I have done after 4 days of hooking.  Would I have liked to have more done?  Of course, but overall I am happy with what I have hooked.  Some of the blue flowers seem a bit bright.  Not sure if they will be toned down.

For once I took lots of pictures so have much more to share . . . if I can get my computer to play nice.  Tonight it is not.

Off tomorrow to vend at a hook in and then can breathe easy (yeah, right!) for a few weeks.  That is if the yard boy and the cleaning lady show up 😁

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Disorganized Hooking ~

Normally I have one, maybe two (as Saundra would say, a "plus one") hooking projects going on at the same time.  Somehow I managed to have five 😛

1.  Raffle rug.  As posted previously, my hooking part of the rug is done and passed on to the next hooker.

2.  Askew.  I started this in early March, planned to have it done before vacation, then before rug camp.  Ha ha!  Haven't pulled a loop in weeks.

3.  Mr. Jingles.  So close.  He hasn't seen the light of day in a long time.  I think I am going to need to outline the holly leaves and change the color of the berries.  In person, the leaves blend in to the background 😡

4.  Scaredy Cat.  Hooking is done and I am working on the binding using wool strips.  The cat is much more subtle in person.

5.  Hand torn pumpkin.  Hooked and binding half done.

Numbers 3, 4 & 5 are all small projects that will be given away to guilds.  I will be happy to have all the "give aways" finally done.

Today is crunch day getting ready to head to rug camp tomorrow in Ripley, West Virginia.  The pattern and wools are all ready to go.  Gotta deal with the important stuff first.

Not sure what to pack clothes-wise, but since I am driving will definitely overpack.  Temps in the low 70's a couple days.  Is that summer clothes weather?  Will the classroom be cold or hot?  Decisions, decisions.

I really must mow today but it is RAINING.  We need the rain, but not today.  Plus I want to head to an outdoor craft show after the rains.  Oh, I am my own worst enemy!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

More Charleston & Car Hooking ~

After our carriage ride, we took a half hour boat ride out to Ft. Sumter, which is where the first shots of the Civil War were fired on April 12, 1861.

Note the unusual configuration of the American flag.  You can read more about it here.

After our return to land, we headed to Patriots Point to see the USS Yorktown, an aircraft carrier built during WW II.  

We then toured the USS Laffey, a destroyer also built during WW II.

Sadly it was time to take the two hour drive north to our hotel without seeing all we had hoped to.  Upon arriving at the hotel, we needed to pack our bags in order to leave bright and early the next morning.

I got a lot of hooking done in the SUV heading south and then back home.  Had I cut enough wool, I would have gotten the raffle rug background done.  As they say, close but no cigar.  The background is actually a very dark blue, not black.  The rug has since been delivered to the hooker who will hook the leaves.

I then started on Scaredy Cat, another small mat that will be given away.  If this looks familiar, it is because I have hooked it several times.

Both of these have been finished since my return home, but nary a loop pulled on Askew 😢

I leave for rug camp Sunday and have been trying to get yard work done.  Too bad it never stays done . . . sigh.  Thankfully I know what rug I will be hooking and have most of the wool pulled that I plan to take.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊

Lauren

CHARLESTON ~

 My first sight in Charleston . . . 

I thoroughly enjoyed the carriage ride around the city with our guide Trey and our four legged guide, Ron.   

A few images from around town.

Too bad the wires are in the picture ;-(

Now I am going to climb on to my soapbox!!!  The Amish have the reputation of being a "kind and gentle" people, but if you would ever do an internet search, you will find they are notorious for horrible puppy mills and the mistreatment of their farm animals.  The draft horses used by the carriage company (the company we used - not sure about other companies) are bought at Amish auctions in both Ohio and Pennsylvania.  When they get to Charleston and begin to pull the carriages, there are strict rules that the stable owners must follow.  I'm sure the horses think they have won the draft horse lottery!  I hope you can enlarge and read this.

My computer is not playing nice today.  This post has taken far too long, so I will finish up our Charleston adventures in the next one.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Myrtle Beach ~

Our whirlwind trip to Myrtle Beach is now just a pleasant memory.  We had a great time 💖.  I knew Myrtle Beach was a tourist destination, but didn't imagine how tourist-y it would be.  We were fortunate to have an oceanfront room.  That was one of the best parts of the trip ~ looking out, seeing and hearing the ocean.  Falling asleep to the sound of the waves.  We had great weather, sunny and mid to high 70's.

A beautiful sunrise ~

I thoroughly enjoyed my morning walks on the beach.  I did find some shells, but nothing out of the ordinary.  I was surprised to see all the jellyfish that had washed ashore overnight.  They were simply beautiful but sad to see.

The sandpipers were a hoot to watch running around, pecking in the sand.

We stopped at Warbird Park.

A piece of the World Trade Center from 9-11.

The highlight of my time in Myrtle Beach was the Segway tour we took.  They are just so much fun!!!

More to share next time.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren