About
About us
Wonky Woolies is a family run business based in Kelso, Scottish Borders. Established in 2012 by Alison and her mum Carol, the company has grown from their love of making garments on their domestic knitting machines, to operating a small batch manufacturing workshop. Joined by husband and designer Graham in 2017 and Heriot Watt textile graduate Helena in 2022, Team Wonky blend their combined knowledge of knitwear and technology to create the highest quality of products in a sustainably conscious manner.
Ruaridh Dog is the real boss!
Wonky Woolies Stockists
Support your local high street and try before you buy at one of our stockists listed here. Click on the highlighted ones to read our blog and find out a bit more about them.
- Iona Craft Shop, Isle of Iona
- The Coo’s Tail Gallery , 33 Traill Street, Thurso, Caithness
- 239 The High Street , Portobello, Edinburgh
- The Hirsel Homestead, Coldstream
- Hammerton Store, 336 Great Western Road, Aberdeen
- Paxton House, Berwick-upon-Tweed
- Easy Riders, Poole, Dorset
If you are interested in becoming a stockist of our knitted accessories, please click this link to get in touch for more information and trade prices.
Our story
From the initial concept to the present day, follow the timeline of our family business.
2010
Alison (Chief Wonky) attempted to hand knit a scarf,
it turned out pretty Wonky and was christened her Wonky Woolie.
2011
Guided by her mum Carol (Maw Wonky),
the knitting got better, the name stuck.
2012
Wonky Woolies became a business, launching with a small
collection of hats at Scotland’s Autumn trade fair in Glasgow.
2013
The business moved into its first workshop in Central Chambers on
Hope Street, Glasgow, where more knitters joined to form #teamwonky
2014
Wonky Woolies won the RBS award ‘most enterprising business
of the year’ for their bespoke design and knitting service.
2015
Chosen to design a collection for the National Trust of Scotland,
focused on nature, wildlife, and Scotland’s built heritage.
2016
A mentorship with the iconic knitwear brand Johnsons of Elgin introduced
Chief Wonky to modern knitting machine wizardry, a seed was planted.
2017
Invested in machinery and premises for a small batch production facility in the picturesque town of Kelso, Alison’s home region of the Scottish Borders.
2018
Wonky Woolies featured in The Times, The Herald and The Scotsman
which highlighted their job creation and investment in the sustainability of UK manufacturing.
2019
Shortlisted for ‘manufacturer of the year’ at the Scottish Borders
business excellence awards held at Cardrona.
2020
Restructured the workshop and manufacturing methods enabling
Team Wonky to remain safe and work from home during the pandemic.
2021
Developed a collection of knitted wool hats and headbands,
using supersoft new wool and merino wool, as well as phasing out
all plastic packaging.
2022
Graduate designer Helena Coman from Heriot-Watt University joins the team via the Graduate Career Advantage Scotland (GCAS) programme.
2023
Louise Balaguer from Aberdeen University, MA (hons) English – Film & Visual Culture, joins us via GCAS programme as content creator & knitwear production assistant.
2024
Coming Soon
