'I used to work in marketing - now I make dresses out of tea towels for a living'

Have you ever looked at an old tea towel and imagined what it would look like as a dress? What about a pair of curtains from the 70s?

Well there’s one Manchester woman who can turn those fashion dreams into a reality - by transforming pre-loved charity shop items into bespoke garments and accessories.

Nicole Broad, of Ancoats, can turn any unwanted piece of fabric into a stunning dress, blouse or hat – and it all started with a sewing machine.

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The 30-year-old had always been interested in sewing but was unable to find time for the hobby as she grew older. But when a worldwide pandemic threw the country into lockdown in 2020, she saw an opportunity to rekindle her interest.

“It was a classic lockdown story,” she told the Manchester Evening News. “I needed a bit of a creative outlet and bought a sewing machine. I started drafting my own patterns instead of using other people’s because I knew that would put me off.

“I was draping [the designs] over mannequins and making my own accessories. I’ve always been obsessed with pussy bows so I made detachable ones so you can wear them over any t shirt as an alternative to scarfs.

“Once I felt confident enough, I started making my own clothes. I put them on Instagram and people were asking me when I could start making dresses to sell.”

Alongside her marketing job, Nicole named her side hustle The Fruit Moth, selling clothes made from a charity shop fabric stash she already had in her home.

But as the orders kept flooding in, she was eventually able to quit her job in December 2021 and create clothes full time – even going on to open her own shop in the