Country Homes & Interiors – September 2019

M

akinga livingfromsewingher

ownsketcheswasjustoneof

theideasPenzance-based

designerPoppyTreffryhad

whenshefinishedcollege.Fortunately,

Poppy’searlyideas,basedonherdrawings

ofCornishscenery,natureandthecharmof

seasideliving,createda lotofinterest.Soon

shehada successfulhomeaccessorybrand

onherhandsandthebeliefshecould

establishherowncreativepathinlife.

‘Aftermydegreedoingtextilesanda

stinthelpingcreativecooperativecompanies

launchthemselvesabroad,I endedup

backathomeexploringcareeroptions,’

explainsPoppy.‘ItwasthenthatI developed

awaytomachine-stitch my sketches on to

homeaccessories.’

Witha portfolioofdrawingsshuffled

throughandselected,theprocessof

bringingtheimagestolifebegan.‘I started

offcuttingmaterialsona largewooden

boardonmybedandusinganoldsewing

machine,whichwouldshort-circuitmydad’s

house,’recallsPoppy.‘Butthemachine

embroidery brought lots of character to my

workandafterspendingtimecreatinga

collection,I wasabletoshowmyideas.’A

businessadvisersawtheseearlydesignsata

friend’sgalleryontheIslesofScilly.Spotting

agapinthemarketforsuchoriginalpieces,

sheofferedtohelpandbookedPoppy’sfirst

tradefairslotatTheBritishCraftTradeFairin

Harrogate.Withina weeka workshophad

beenfoundandlessthana yearlater,Poppy

wasabletogiveupa part-timejobanddevote

allhertimetomakingandsellingherproducts.

Havingonly£200tospendwhenshe

started,thebrand’searlydevelopmentrelied

onfindingvintageandupcycledresources,

soPoppyscouredcharityshops,remnant

boxesandsalesforfabricsandvintage

sewingmachines.Whileoriginallythis

approachwastosavemoney,theyhavenow

becomepartofthecharacterofthebrand.

‘Notlongin,I gota loanfromthePrince’s

Trustfor£1,000,whichwasa lifesaverand

fundamentallychangedmythinkingonhowI

ranthecompany,’saysPoppy.‘I hadtowritea

businessplan,I wasmentored,theygaveme

pricingadvice.Theyalsointroducedmeto

other makers, taught me how to market

❝I started with £200 and a

sewing machine that blew

all the fuses in the house❞

TEXTILE DESIGNER POPPY TREFFRY

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60 COUNTRY HOMES & INTERIORS