Keith Kilt and Textile Centre making face coverings for locals
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KEITH Kilt and Textile Centre may be shut to the public at the moment – but behind the scenes it is busier than ever for chairwoman Linda Gorn.
Mrs Gorn (72) has been working 15-hour days to keep on top of an increasing amount of orders the centre is receiving from members of the public looking for non-medical face coverings.
The 72-year-old former councillor has been helped out by Nora McPherson (86) and vice-chairwoman Agnes Peters, who have been cutting out and sewing elastic.
She said: "I'm working from 10am until after midnight making the masks.
"It takes us a while because there are three layers to our face coverings, with a nose bridge and elastic for the ears.
"When it's all over we are going to work out how many hours we have worked, how many metres of elastic we have used and let people know how many coverings we have made – just for fun!
"I have made about 90,000 steps between machines and cutting stations already this month. We have gone through 4000 metres of thread and I'm onto my fourth sewing machine.
"But it has kept us working and we are managing to keep up with orders."
Since the Scottish Government announced that face coverings will be mandatory in shops going forward, Mrs Gorn has received more than 100 requests.
The team make up to 15 masks a day, and have made more than 400 since starting shortly after lockdown was imposed.
Mrs Gorn added: "Orders have been trickling in – there are loads of people making face coverings.
"The ones we do are a bit more unique – they can be tartan, have dancing skeletons on them, they can either be plain or something in your face.
"The majority of our orders are coming in on Facebook and I have corresponding at midnight. It has been good because it has raised profile of centre."
Keith Kilt and Textile Centre will be remaining closed "for some time", but if you are interested in ordering a face covering, get in touch via Facebook or phone 01542 886846.
