Make & Create: Ziggy Stardust Tie Upcycling

Kasha Dressler is leading a tie upcycling workshop at The Social, Aviva Studios on Tuesday 29 December, part of Factory International's Make & Create series. The session is built around David Bowie's Ziggy Stardust era, and the whole point is to take second-hand neckties and turn them into wearable statement pieces. If you've got a few old ties lying around, or just fancy making something from scratch, it's a good way to spend a few hours between Christmas and New Year.

Dressler is a Manchester-based artist and creative facilitator who works with sustainable textiles and naturally derived colour, so the sustainability side isn't just a tag on the front. The session starts with a Bowie-inspired mood board of custom fabric patches and 1970s symbols—lightning bolts and cosmic stars—which you'll use to guide your own piece. From there, you'll move into layering, basic sewing, and tactile embellishments. You don't need to be a pro with a needle to get stuck in; it's open to all skill levels, and all the tools, materials, and pre-loved ties are provided, so you can just turn up.

It's part of the Make & Create series, which is a run of evening workshops led by industry pros where crafts meet cocktails. This one is a sustainable fashion session, and the Bowie theme gives it a clear starting point rather than just staring at a blank piece of fabric. The whole thing runs for two hours and fifteen minutes, starting at 11.15am on 29 December at The Social, Aviva Studios, St John's, Manchester, M3 4JQ. Tickets are £10, and it's for 18s and over only.