Margaret Wylie: socking it to us for 25 years

Margaret Wylie: socking it to us for 25 years

When Margaret Wyllie started a course with the Scottish Churches Open College, she thought she was heading for a pulpit and a dog collar. Instead, she started designing socks.

‘One of the recommended books was Gerard W. Hughes’ God of Surprises,’ she told CRE News. ‘God has surprised me so many times in the past 25 years since we sold our first pair of Holy Socks. The whole idea was surprising to begin with Hand then came the further surprise of the original story leaflets that accompany them. I’m never quite sure how the stories are going to start or finish.’

Holy Socks, which illustrate biblical verses, characters and themes, have been to the top of Kilimanjaro, cycled in the Arctic Circle, walked in New Zealand, Australia and along the Great Wall of China – to name just a few.

‘Unless our customers tell us, we don’t know where or on whose feet, our socks end up. It’s quite intriguing really,’ said Margaret. ‘It’s been so interesting meeting people and hearing who they’ve bought the socks for and getting the reaction of folk who’ve been given them as a gift.’

Margaret, from Newton Stewart in Scotland, is currently awaiting delivery of a redesigned Pharaoh’s Cows sock.

‘This was our first “not a pair of socks” design – seven well-favoured cows on one and seven ill-favoured cows on the other,’ she said. ‘We’ve had many in that style since. Our sheep and goats design features sheep on one sock and goats on the other (pictured) – with advice as to which animal to wear on which foot, of course.’

To celebrate their 25th year, Margaret has plans for a really special new offering which will be available in time for CRE 25.

‘It was a real surprise to me and promises to have a really unexpected story,’ she said. ‘News of that later in the year.’

• Holy Socks are on stand H6 at CRE 25

CRE 2025

To book a stand at CRE 25, contact:
James Batterbee
T: 0161 240 4500
E: james@creonline.co.uk