Featured XMTS Sponsor for July

[Jerry]

Congratulations to Matt and The Tartans Museum. As one who has made the pilgrimage, I can say, "it is well worth the trip

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Thanks, Mods, for choosing the museum as this month's featured vendor. Jamie has posted an excellent little history telling what we are all about.

Currently we are busy in expanding mode! Those of you who were here for Kilt Kamp or the Taste of Scotland know that the shop who had the space next door to us has closed down, and we have acquired that space. Right now we are busy rennovating it, diving it up to use for additional office/storage space and also additional gift shop space. I'll post some photos in a bit of some of the construction.

What we hope to accomplish with the extra gift shop space is to add some new lines to our offerings, and also expand some of what we already offer.

For example, one thing that you won't find right now in our gift shop is a lot of inexpensive nick-nacks for children. As a parent of four small kids myself, I know that when I take them to places like museums they always like browsing in the gift shop, but I don't want to spend more than a buck or two on something -- after all, it gets expensive with a lot of kids. We've found a supplier that makes inexpensive items geared towards children of a Scottish nature (little Robert the Bruce figurines, Mary Queen of Scots plastic rings for the girls, stuff like that), and will be adding those to our offerings.

Of more interest to most of you X Markers will be an expanded range of clothing. We will now have the space to keep more sporrans and jackets in stock, as opposed to a few show peices with most purchases being ordered in. Also, we are currently expanding our range of hose, including yellow Lewis hose and garter ties (just got an email that those are on the way), diced hose (have red/black on the way in, and will be ordering red/white soon), Argyle-top hose (like McMurdo has made famous on this forum), etc.

We are working with some local knitters and will soon also be offering the Lewis hose with custom hand-knit tops. Those of you familiar with the Balmoral hose we used to offer will see some similarity, only you will be able to choose from four different top designs.

We are also still working with Empire Canvas Works on a line of shooting jackets and Inverness capes made from Harris Tweed, that will be available exclusively through the Scottish Tartans Museum. I just got in my own tweed shooting jacket (pics to come soon, I promise) and I love it! I know it will be a staple come this winter. And from what Kevin tells me, the first Inverness/Storm cape in in the works, as well.

So all of this is going on and keeping us quite busy. I'll post updates on everything as it becomes available, of course, but I just wanted to give the rabble here a heads up on what to expect.

You guys have all been major supporters of our museum and we appreciate everything that X Marks does for us (both the mods and the members!).

Aye,
Matt

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Just for fun, here's a few pics of the work currently being done in our soon-to-be additional gift shop space. Those of you who were there for Kilt Kamp will notice a wall that wasn't there before...

[ardchoille]

I currently have STM on my wish list for a number of items. I'd also like to say that my knowledge of Scottish dress and history has been enriched because of Matt's posts here and at http://albanach.org/ . Someday I hope to be able to visit the museum