A needle-sharp start-up seems to have success all sewn up after winning a small business competition.

Brighton-based Sewfie has been named the first winner of Intuit UK’s Small Business Local Buzz competition.

The craft business’s owner Sofie Kay has won £1,000 to set-up an online British yarn store.

Sewfie designs, makes and sells crochet kits and patterns and was founded by the young entrepreneur in 2012 while she was still at university and the business has since gone from strength to strength ever since.

The 23-year-old left the University of Sussex during the second year of her physics degree to pursue her dream of creating a crochet business full-time.

She said: “At the time, it didn’t feel like a big change but looking back it probably was.

“My parents run their own online business and they have been very supportive.

“Running a business feels much more me than being a physics student.”

She said the money will help her expand her business by allowing her to buy yarn to sell.

At present, she has to redirect customers who come back to her after selling crochet kits on to other suppliers.

Eventually she hopes to sell fabric, supply starter kits for other skills like jewellery making and become a hub for craft starters.

She impressed judges with the number of votes that came through in her Facebook page in just a few days.

When customers purchase a crochet kit, she makes herself available on social media and email to provide tips and support with the product.

She said: “I started off using Facebook, the first business move I made was to get a Facebook account.

“I think I will keep it online because it makes it accessible to a lot of people and I like the community feel online.”

Bjoern Uehss, social media manager at Intuit UK, said: “At the moment, Sewfie is a small business with real potential, making it the perfect recipient for this prize.

“Sofie has worked very hard to get her business off the ground and this prize is not only a reward for her commitment, but a cash injection that will allow her to take her business to the next level.

“We wish her every success.”

Intuit UK has teamed up with StartUp Britain to offer £20,000 of funding to British start-ups and business owners through ten cash awards of £1,000 and one £10,000 grand prize during the six-week campaign.

To take part visit www.supportsmallbusiness.co.uk.