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Raewyn's Handquilted Sheep Tote Bag
Raewyn's Handquilted Sheep Tote Bag
Dispatched within 2–3 days
30-day returns policy
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Raewyn's Handquilted Sheep Tote Bag
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. More than 17,000 Sheep Totes quilted by hand. 400 left. The woolshed closes on 30 November — after that, only while stocks last.
“I’ve been making bags for other people’s days out for forty-nine years. I’m not going to leave four hundred of them sitting on a shelf in a woolshed. Take one. Put the shopping in it. That’s the whole idea of them.”
What Comes In The Parcel
Why This Tote Is Different
Cotton-poly face, wadded interior, wave-stitch quilting throughout. The body comes from the quilting and the wadding, not from a stiffener — which is why it holds its shape fully loaded instead of folding in on itself like a cheap printed tote.
Every sheep is hand-cut from offcuts, layered and stitched onto the panel individually. Nothing is printed, so nothing peels, cracks or washes off. No two flocks sit exactly the same way.
Spring Paddock, Merino Mob, Clover Paddock, Patchwork Mob, Tussock Brown and Southern Alps — each one cut from a different bolt on the timber shelves of Raewyn’s woolshed. The colour is layered cloth, not ink on a panel.
Wide reinforced handles, bar-tacked at the stress points and cut long enough for shoulder carry. That join is exactly where a cheap handle starts cutting in on the walk back to the car.
40.5 cm × 33 cm (16″ × 13″). Fits a laptop, library books, a water bottle and a Saturday market haul with room to spare — and the lining wipes clean when the punnet of strawberries doesn’t make it home intact.
Her initials and the year, sewn into the inner seam of every bag since 1977. On this run it is the last year she will ever stitch in — and the one thing the marketplace copies cannot fake.
The difference between a hand-quilted tote and a mass-produced one 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 — it holds its shape 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 bag. Most fast-fashion totes skip all three.
Choose Your Design
Perfect For
What You’re Actually Getting
30-Day Money-Back Guarantee
Carry it to the market. Take it to work. Hang it off the back of a chair in the library. If you don’t love it — for any reason — send it back within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked. Raewyn’s words: “These bags should only go home with people who’ll actually love carrying them.”
A Note On Handmade Variation
Every tote is cut, quilted and appliquéd by hand from start to finish. Small variations in stitch density, quilting pattern, colour tone and sheep placement are natural — that’s not a fault, that’s what real handwork looks like. No two are identical. Care: machine wash gentle, air dry.
Product Details
| Material | Cotton-poly blend, wadded interior |
| Construction | Wave-stitch quilted, hand-appliquéd sheep motif |
| Dimensions | 40.5 cm × 33 cm (16″ × 13″) |
| Handles | Reinforced, bar-tacked — shoulder carry |
| Interior | Smooth lining, wipes clean |
| Care | Machine wash gentle, air dry |
| Maker’s tag | Raewyn’s initials & year, sewn inside the seam |
| Designs | Spring Paddock, Merino Mob, Clover Paddock, Patchwork Mob, Tussock Brown, Southern Alps |
| Time per bag | About 6 hours of handwork |
| Made in | Hand-quilted at Tussock Hill, Maniototo, Central Otago |
| Availability | ~400 remaining · Final run · Woolshed closes 30 November · then while stocks last |
The Final Sale
The Final Sale
Message from the Artist:
After years of making things by hand, our workshop is closing. These are the last pieces we'll ever ship. Every item on this page was made slowly, carefully, and with more love than any factory could replicate. Nothing rushed. Nothing outsourced. Just real craft from real hands.
We're proud of every single one. We hope they find good homes.
When they're gone, they're gone — and so are we.
Shipping with NZ Post
Shipping with NZ Post
Free shipping NZ-wide
- Delivery time: 7–14 working days
- Insured: Every parcel is fully insured
🌳 Carbon-neutral shipping with NZ Post
800+ Happy Customers
Excellent 4.9
What Raewyn's customers are saying
Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here's how to reach us.
Got a question? Here's how to reach us.
My granddaughter Brooke and I personally reply to every single email — as quickly as we possibly can. Whether you have a question about your order or just want to talk craft, we're here.
You can reach us:
- Mon – Fri: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (NZ time)
- Saturday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM (NZ time)
Email: info@craft-folk.com
Can I return my order if I don't like it?
Can I return my order if I don't like it?
Of course. We stand behind everything on CraftFolk 100%. If you're not happy, neither are we. Just shoot us an email within 30 days and we'll make it right — no hassle, no headaches.
How are your products made?
How are your products made?
Every single product on CraftFolk is 100% handmade — crafted by hand, using only premium quality materials. We're proud to carry on a tradition of craftsmanship that has been passed down through generations.