A MUM has given up her day job to design and make baby clothes.

Zoe Louise Rawcliffe from Accrington started Zoe Heart-Blast Boutique five years ago, but during lockdown when other businesses have struggled, Mrs Rawcliffe’s handmade clothing has caught interest.

In the process of designing her own prints, Mrs Rawcliffe uses unique designs to sew eye-catching baby grows and dresses and has since started to make clothes for older children and even adults.

Mum to nine-year-old Scarlett and seven-year-old Dakota, the 27-year-old hopes more people will support independent and local businesses even as the lockdown starts to lift.

She said: “I started five years ago when I bought used material off Ebay and made a cushion before making my daughter a skirt she loved.

“Now, I make a lot of baby clothes but also adults too after friends and family asked me to do something for them.

“I worked in retail but quit my job at BP a few weeks ago as this work and been picking up and I want to focus on my clothing business.”

Her daughter had a temperature before the lockdown forcing the family into self-isolation.

She said: “My business has just boomed since then and I would not have been able to handle two jobs.

“I did not expect it at all, but everyone seems to be going online more.

“People are at home and since most clothing stores have been closed so people it’s a chance for independent retailers.

“Customers tell me they get a lot of compliments and I think it’s because people like something a little different.”

The mum of two wants to encourage people to continue shopping locally.

She said: “It would be nice if people shop more local from now on because it really helps us as well.

“I can work around my kids now and It’s good to support smaller retailers rather than the big ones who will not have a problem during the lockdown period.

“When I started I just had the urge to make my own clothes, it was in my mind.

“I do some floral prints for children too, but they don’t do as well as the unicorn and dinosaur prints, and nobody else is doing them.

“People love the different ones, but the floral ones can be found anywhere.”

Mrs Rawcliffe sees many orders come in from USA and Canada.

Take a look at her range at www.ZoeHeartblastBoutique.com