Martha's Handquilted Sheep Laundry Basket

Marty's Quilted Sheep Basket — CRAFTFOLK 🐑 Hand-Quilted in Sheep Hollow Cove, North Carolina Martha "Marty" Hensley, 66. Appalachian quilter. Has been making quilted sheep baskets in her sewing barn in the Blue Ridge Mountains for twelve years. The barn closed in June. This is her final collection. "I kept them to myself for a long time. The totes were what everyone asked about. The baskets were just mine. But I can't take them with me when I close up — and they should go somewhere." — Marty Hensley, Sheep Hollow Cove, NC What You Receive Everything That Ships With Your Sheep Basket 🐑 The Sheep Basket Hand-quilted, self-standing. 41 × 56 cm. Four designs available. ✦ Care Card Marty's instructions for keeping the sheep fluffy for years. ✉ A Note From Marty A personal note in every box — from the woman who made it. ◆ Free Returns 30 days. No forms, no questions. Just an email to the shop. Why This Basket Six Things You Won't Find on a Factory-Made Laundry Basket Every detail below comes out of twelve years of quilting at the same Bernina her mother gave her in 1978. Nothing here is an accident. ◎ Real Wave-Stitch Quilting Cotton-poly face, batted interior, Marty's wave-stitch quilt pattern running all the way around. You can feel the stitching with your hands — dense, even, built to hold its shape. Not a print. Not a flat fabric slipped over a frame. 🐑 Raised Sheep Appliqués — Real Wool The sheep on the outside aren't printed or ironed on. Each one is individually cut, layered, and stitched onto the quilted ground. The fleece is raised — soft to the touch, part of the fabric. They won't peel, crack, or wash off. ☐ Self-Standing Structure Stands upright on its own — empty or full. No wire frame, no internal ring. The batted quilted walls hold the shape. Set it in the corner and it stays there. ◆ Reinforced Canvas Handles Two doubled-canvas handles, bartacked at the attachment points — the same technique Marty has used on her totes since 1983. Holds a full week of laundry without sagging. Won't cut into your hands. ✦ Easy-Care Interior Lining The inside is lined with a smooth, easy-care fabric that wipes clean. No rough seams, no batting exposed. Built for daily use — laundry, yarn, blankets, whatever the basket is asked to hold. ◎ Four Designs From the Final Collection Cozy Meadow, Pastoral Flock, Starry Night, and Colorful Flock — each with a distinct mood. One basket. Four ways to bring a little flock into your home. — A Letter Marty Keeps in Her Cigar Box "Dear Mrs. Hensley — I have had your sheep basket in the corner of my bedroom for eight years. It started as a laundry basket. Now it holds my knitting, my good blankets, and whatever my grandchildren bring when they visit. It is the most-used thing in my house. Everyone who comes over asks about the little sheep. I wanted you to know." A longtime customer — one of hundreds of handwritten notes Marty has kept since she started making baskets twelve years ago. Where It Lives Perfect For 🐑Laundry Room ◎Bedroom Corner ✦Knitting & Yarn Storage ❤Mother's Day Gift ◆Housewarming Gift ☀Farmhouse & Cottage Décor ★Christmas Gift for Sheep Lovers ◎Extra Blanket Storage Quality Promise Five Things You Get With Every Sheep Basket ✓ Hand-Quilted in North Carolina Each basket is made by Marty, start to finish, on her 1978 Bernina in Sheep Hollow Cove. Quilted, appliquéd, and inspected by one pair of hands before it ships. ✓ Four Designs to Choose From Cozy Meadow, Pastoral Flock, Starry Night, and Colorful Flock. Each one is a distinct character — quiet or playful, classic or bold. ✓ Real Wool Sheep — Raised, Not Printed The appliqués are stitched into the quilted ground with real wool for the fleece. Soft to the touch. Won't peel or fade. Part of the fabric, not applied on top of it. ✓ Roomy and Self-Standing — 41 × 56 cm Deep enough for a full week of laundry, a yarn stash, or a stack of good blankets. Stands on its own whether empty or full. No frame, no collapses. ✓ Free Shipping + 30-Day Returns Free shipping on every order. If it doesn't feel right when it arrives, send it back within 30 days for a full refund. No questions, no forms. ✓ Marty's 30-Day Return Policy Put it in your laundry room. Use it for your yarn. Let it stand in the bedroom corner for a week. If it isn't what you imagined — send it back within 30 days for a full refund. No questions, no forms. Just an email to the shop. A Note From the Sewing Barn Marty hand-quilts every basket and places every sheep appliqué herself, one piece at a time, on her Bernina in Sheep Hollow Cove. Because each basket is made by hand, slight variations in color, stitching, and the position of the sheep are a natural part of how each one comes out. These are not flaws. This is what handmade looks like. To keep the sheep fluffy and the quilting in good shape for years: hand wash with lukewarm water, lay flat or hang to air dry. Do not tumble dry. The basket is made to last — treat it gently and it will. The Details Product Specifications Dimensions 41 cm diameter × 56 cm height (approx. 16" × 22") Material Cotton-blend face fabric, quilted with batted interior Sheep Appliqués Individually cut, layered, and stitched — raised wool fleece, not printed Quilting Pattern Wave-stitch all-over quilting, wraps full exterior Handles Two doubled-canvas handles, bartacked at stress points Interior Lining Smooth easy-care fabric — wipes clean Structure Self-standing — no frame required. Holds shape empty or full. Designs Available Four: Cozy Meadow, Pastoral Flock, Starry Night, Colorful Flock Care Instructions Hand wash with lukewarm water. Do not tumble dry. Air dry flat or hanging. Note on Variations As each basket is handmade, slight differences in color, stitching, and sheep placement are natural. Not a defect — the character of handcraft. Origin Hand-quilted in Sheep Hollow Cove, NC — final collection Maker Martha "Marty" Hensley, quilting since 1974 Shipping Free shipping on every order. Ships in 2–3 business days. Returns 30-day full refund. No questions asked.