Maria Barton, Star Rugs, was my teacher, and I recently finished one of her designs. This is a new Halloween design.Toppling Pumpkins by Maria Barton ~ hooked by Cotton Eyed Jo  The rug contains several special hooked areas. The eyes in the top pumpkin are quilled. That means that two colors of wool strips were rolled together. A few stitches to hold them together, and then they were stitched down to the background.

The pumpkin on the bottom has a smile made by doing "herringbone" stitch. It can be done with two strips or three. I used 3 different wools to help myself remember which came next. Basically, you build a braid of loops on top of the surface. Working with only one loop and stand at a time, you pull a loop through of another wool. Alternating the 3 strips, just as you would a braid.

Three other simple techniques, beading, knots, and "chicken eye are shown on the two middle pumpkins.

Rug Camp was very enlightening, rather expensive for me, but worth every penny! If you haven't had lessons very often, I'd encourage you to look for opportunities near where you live. Maria and I color planned this rug together, and she was a great teacher.