Bags to the future with Daffy’s dreams

Last Updated : 13 Apr 2012 10:43:11 AM IST

Her dexterous fingers and creative zeal fashions everything, from colourful zipper purses for children, to elegant embroidered silk clutches from old sarees and smart wallets from old denims. Her blog, daffysdream.com, which sells all these and more, is testimony to her talent. Meet K Priya, also known as Daffy.

A homemaker, she made use of her passion for stitching to establish her own accessory business through her website. But long before she took to the needle and thread, she was a banker, crunching numbers at AmEx in London, where she had moved after her wedding. After her son was born, she returned to Chennai. Soon, she started making dolls and soft toys for her son. She says, “My mother used to stitch and I learnt from her. After I started making toys for my son, I gifted one of my handmade bags to a friend and she loved it.” That is when she decided sell her handmade goodies online. She says, “It was during August last year that I began. It’s a one-woman show. I do everything from cutting to making the finishing touches.”

“I make everything from scratch — customised bags or wallets — according to a customer’s needs,” she adds. She says her USP is, her products are handmade and eco-friendly. “Even a few years ago, such products were not that popular. But there is a big market now, as people have grown more eco-awareness,” she says.

She doesn’t take too many orders at a time because she likes to make each piece perfect, putting in a lot of effort into each. “I don’t have a huge customer base, but I am very happy with how things are going right now.” Customers who don’t have anything particular in mind can browse through her blog, mix and match cloths and patterns they like.

Daffy, who is married to her sweetheart from school, says her husband has been very supportive towards her venture. “He has given me the impetus to establish the blog and sell my products.”

The amazing needlewoman has a customer base not only in India, but also abroad. “My products are environment-friendly and there are many people abroad who like such knickknacks,” she says. Indian customers can buy her products on eBay, while those abroad can shop on Etsy.

About her future plans Daffy says, “I have already done a few exhibitions and plan to make my own website in a couple of months where people can buy my products directly.” Daffy has started taking stitching classes as well. “People have always asked me to teach them how to stitch, so I finally started classes a few days ago.”

A big thanks to Sunitha and Rohini from the Indian express.