Dancing All Hallows’ Eve animals canvas tote

A beautifully sturdy heavyweight 270gsm cotton canvas tote, chosen for its premium, substantial feel. Much thicker and more structured than a standard lightweight tote, it’s designed to be used again and again while still feeling special enough to gift.

Measuring approximately 39 × 42 × 13 cm, with gusseted sides, a generous 20-litre capacity and 58 cm handles, there’s plenty of room for books, shopping, market finds and everyday treasures.

Each bag is made to order in my little village studio, helping me avoid unnecessary stock and reduce waste. Because every one is individually made, there may be slight variations in placement and finish- part of the charm of something created on a small scale rather than mass produced.

The design features my hand-drawn woodland animals joining hands for an All Hallows’ Eve dance: a vampire fox, pumpkin-clad badger, ghostly rabbit, mummy deer, little witch hedgehog and masked squirrel, all gathered together as if the woodland has its own secret celebration once the sun goes down.

The illustration is inspired by the old folklore of All Hallows’ Eve, a night traditionally associated with wandering spirits, divination, disguises and the strange things believed to happen when the boundary between the everyday world and the supernatural felt particularly thin. Dressing in disguise also has deep roots in seasonal traditions such as guising, when people went from house to house in costume, sometimes performing in return for food or treats.

Each animal brings a little folklore of its own too: Brock is an old country name for the badger, the fox has long appeared as the cunning trickster of folk tales, white rabbits became associated with good luck, and the humble hedgehog was once the subject of some wonderfully odd old beliefs, including accusations of stealing milk from cows.

Together, they make a slightly strange, very cheerful little All Hallows’ Eve gathering- more woodland revelry than fright night.

A thick, roomy and reusable canvas bag for folklore lovers, autumn wanderers and anyone who suspects the woodland gets up to considerably more after dark than it lets on.

Care instructions:

Wash at 30-40 degrees

Iron inside out

Don’t tumble dry