Raewyn's Handquilted Sheep Washing Basket

🐑 Hand-Quilted In An Old Woolshed In Central Otago — One Stitch At A Time By Raewyn Thorburn — 68, Tussock Hill, Maniototo. 49 years at a 1962 Singer. Twelve years of quilted sheep baskets, close to 5,000 of them, made quietly alongside the totes. Around 800 left. The woolshed closes on 30 November — after that, only while stocks last. “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 shut that door — and they should go somewhere.” — Raewyn Thorburn, Tussock Hill, Maniototo, Central Otago What Comes In The Parcel 🧺 1 Quilted Sheep Basket 41 × 56 cm (approx. 16″ × 22″), hand-quilted, self-standing, your design 🐑 Care Card Raewyn’s instructions for keeping the fleece soft for years ✉️ A Note From Raewyn A personal note in every parcel — from the woman who made it 📦 Free Returns 30 days. No forms, no questions. Just an email to the shop Six Things You Won’t Find On A Factory-Made Washing Basket 🧵 Real Wave-Stitch Quilting Cotton-poly face, wadded interior, Raewyn’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 panel. 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 wadded quilted walls hold the shape. Set it in the corner and it stays there. ✋ Reinforced Canvas Handles Two doubled-canvas handles, bar-tacked at the attachment points — the same technique Raewyn has used on her totes since 1977. Holds a full week of washing 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 wadding exposed. Built for daily use — washing, wool, blankets, whatever the basket is asked to hold. 🎨 Six Designs From The Final Collection Cosy Meadow, Pastoral Flock, Green Pastures, Starry Night, Colourful Flock and Pink Flock — each with a distinct mood. One basket. Six ways to bring a little mob into your home. “ The difference between a hand-quilted basket and a mass-produced washing basket comes down to three things: the wadding, the stitching density and the handle attachment. A properly wadded, wave-stitched panel spreads the load evenly and resists deformation — which is what lets a basket stand upright on its own, empty or full, for years instead of months. Bar-tacked handles at reinforced stress points are the single most reliable indicator of long-term durability in a fabric basket. Moulded plastic and frame-and-sleeve baskets skip all three. 🎓 Based on standard quilting-guild construction guidelines Why hand-quilted baskets outlast the rest “Dear Mrs Thorburn — I’ve had your sheep basket in the corner of my bedroom for eight years. It started as a washing basket. Now it holds my knitting, my good blankets, and whatever my grandchildren bring when they visit. It’s 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 Raewyn has kept in her biscuit tin since she started making baskets twelve years ago Choose Your Design Cosy Meadow Pastoral Flock Green Pastures Starry Night Colourful Flock Pink Flock Perfect For 🧺 The Laundry🛏️ Bedroom Corner🧶 Knitting & Wool Storage🎁 Mother’s Day Present🏡 Housewarming Present☀️ Farmhouse, Cottage & Bach Décor🎄 Christmas Present For Sheep Lovers🛋️ Extra Blanket Storage Six Things You Get With Every Sheep Basket ✓ Hand-Quilted In Central Otago. Each basket is made by Raewyn, start to finish, on her 1962 Singer at Tussock Hill — about twelve hours of handwork each. Quilted, appliquéd and checked by one pair of hands before it’s posted. ✓ Six Designs To Choose From. Cosy Meadow, Pastoral Flock, Green Pastures, Starry Night, Colourful Flock and Pink 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 panel 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 (approx. 16″ × 22″). Deep enough for a full week of washing, a wool stash, or a stack of good blankets. Stands on its own whether empty or full. No frame, no collapsing. ✓ Free Shipping + 30-Day Returns. Free shipping on every order, NZ-wide. If it doesn’t feel right when it arrives, send it back within 30 days for a full refund. No questions, no forms. ✓ Truly Limited. Around 800 baskets left from Raewyn’s final run. The woolshed closes on 30 November — after that nothing more is made, and the rest goes while stocks last. No restock, ever. 🛡️ 30-Day Money-Back Guarantee Put it in your laundry. Use it for your wool. 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. Raewyn’s words: “These baskets should only go home with people who’ll actually love having them there.” A Note From The Woolshed Raewyn hand-quilts every basket and places every sheep appliqué herself, one piece at a time, on her Singer at Tussock Hill. Because each basket is made by hand, small variations in colour, 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 fleece soft and the quilting in good shape for years: hand wash in 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. Product Details Dimensions 41 cm diameter × 56 cm height (approx. 16″ × 22″) Material Cotton-blend face fabric, quilted over a wadded interior Sheep appliqués Individually cut, layered and stitched — raised wool fleece, not printed Quilting pattern Wave-stitch all-over quilting, wraps the full exterior Handles Two doubled-canvas handles, bar-tacked at the stress points Interior lining Smooth easy-care fabric — wipes clean Structure Self-standing — no frame required. Holds its shape empty or full Designs available Six: Cosy Meadow, Pastoral Flock, Green Pastures, Starry Night, Colourful Flock, Pink Flock Care Hand wash in lukewarm water. Do not tumble dry. Air dry flat or hanging Note on variations As each basket is handmade, slight differences in colour, stitching and sheep placement are natural. Not a defect — the character of handcraft Time per basket About 12 hours of handwork Made in Hand-quilted at Tussock Hill, Maniototo, Central Otago — final collection Maker Raewyn Thorburn, quilting since 1977 Shipping Free shipping on every order, NZ-wide. Dispatched in 2–3 working days Returns 30-day full refund. No questions asked Availability ~800 remaining · Final run · Woolshed closes 30 November · then while stocks last