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Flock to Sock

Glenesk Folk Museum worked with a local sheep farmer to transform unused wool into traditional kilt hose which they could then sell in their shop and online, creating a new income stream for the museum.

A pair of blue wool socks displayed on a red and green tartan blanket.

The project

Flock to Sock was originally inspired by a historical case study from the 1840s famine in Gairloch, where Lady MacKenzie taught approximately 100 people to knit in order to generate income. The museum’s project began in 2023 and focused on utilising locally sourced wool to produce traditional kilt hose which could then be sold in their shop and online, generating a new income stream for the museum.

The project successfully attracted international customers, expanded community connections in the wool craft industry, and inspired future workshops and product development, enhancing both financial support and awareness for the museum.

The project has brought in an additional stream of income that otherwise wouldn't have been there. It's also developed our community contacts within the wool craft area and encouraged us to work with other people with products for our shop.

Julie Cave, Museum Development Officer at Glenesk Folk Museum

Watch the video

Digital Marketing Assistant, Robyn Evans and Digital Manager, Kelly Forbes visited Glenesk Folk Museum in October 2024 to hear more about the Flock to Sock project. Please note, you need to adjust and accept third party cookies to view video content.

Download the video transcript
Flock to Sock video transcript
(DOCX, 36 KB)
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Further reading