Interview and Giveaway with Patty of Happy Patty Crochet

Meet Patty

Patty of Happy Patty Crochet designs amazingly realistic crochet flowers. Above, you can see pictures of her Moth Orchids, Ranunculi, African Violets, and Magnolia Grandifloras. In all, Patty has almost 50 different flower designs.

I love how strikingly accurate Patty’s work is. She masterfully reproduces not just the shape of each leaf and petal, but their relative positions in the finished bloom. Patty also does a wonderful job capturing the delicacy of the flowers.

You can find all of Patty’s designs on her website, her Ravelry designer page, and her Etsy store. Also make sure to check out her blog here, where she shares updates about her patterns as well as tips for executing them.

The Interview

Q. Describe your designing workspace. Do you work inside or outside? Are you surrounded by fresh flowers, or do you work from photographs?

A. My studio consists of a large round table that stands in the middle of the room, and around it cabinets filled with yarn, more yarn, and more yarn and lots and lots of crocheted flowers – roses, ranunculi, orchids, daisies, magnolias, lilacs, finished flowers and failed attempts of finished flowers. 🙂

I work mostly inside. I work outside or in a coffee shop if I find that I need a change of scenery, some inspiration or when my two normally little lazy cats decide that its time to chew and destroy everything I’m working on. 🙂

If I can find the flower I’m working on, I get it from the local flower market or from just outside my house. If I cannot find the flowers, I work with photos.

Q. In what ways have you used your crochet bouquets?

A. Mostly as gifts – most of my designs either end up as decoration in my home, or in the homes of my family and friends.

Q. What advice would you give someone trying one of your designs for the first time?

A. Just enjoy it! crochet is all about fun and relaxation. Take your time, and just enjoy it! Oh, and pay attention to shaping. 🙂

Bonus Question! I read on your blog that you have a passion for fruit carving. How did you get started with that?

A. I was first introduced to fruit carving when I was around 9 years old – in school we had art classes, and occasionally, classes that focus on Thai Art. In one of those classes, we learned fruit carving, it was very basic, and we had to bring our fruits from home – I, as per usual in those days :), forgot to bring mine, and had to share a small papaya with a friend, on which we unleashed our small not-fit-for-carving knives. 🙂

As time passed, I fell in love more and more with Lai Thai (Thai Art), with its beautiful smooth and curved lines, and stunning shapes, and I got closer to fruit carving. I kept attempting and practicing at home, using mostly papayas, and I slowly got better. My teacher noticed that I had a passion (and maybe talent) for this art, and I started participating in competitions – where my responsibility was carving flowers out of pumpkins 🙂 We won some and lost some, but it was great fun and an amazing experience that changed the way I look and approach flowers even today.

Giveaway

For those of you who would like to attempt a Happy Patty Crochet design, she is sponsoring a giveaway of one of her patterns! To enter, comment below and tell Patty which of her designs is your favorite. Then, click here to submit your entry. The giveaway will end on September 23 at 23:59 PST.

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