Meet WoollyMeadowStudio, the Tuscan studio behind our favourite cow
In a converted stable outside Lucca, two friends crochet farm animals with more personality than most people. We talked to Chiara and Elena about highland cows, slow making and why no two fringes are ever the same.
This post contains Etsy links. If you buy through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more.
Maker profile
WoollyMeadowStudio
- Lucca, Tuscany, Italy
- On Etsy since 2019
- Farm animals & amigurumi
- 4.9 rating · 1,240 reviews
The story
Chiara and Elena met at a knitting circle in Lucca in 2017. Within a year they were selling crocheted farm animals at Christmas markets; by 2019 they had opened their Etsy shop, and today WoollyMeadowStudio ships hundreds of toys a month from a small studio in a converted stable.
Their highland cow — the one we reviewed as the coziest gift of 2026 — is their best-seller by a long way. Each cow takes around six hours, and the fringe alone is made from more than eighty individually knotted strands.
Read our full review of their best-selling piece.
In their own words
How did the highland cow happen?
Elena saw a photo of a calf with its fringe over its eyes and said "we have to make that". The first one took three days. We have made more than two thousand since.
What makes your toys different?
We use combed cotton for the body because it shows every stitch, and a brushed yarn for the fringe so it moves like real hair. And we never rush — every toy is finished by hand.
What is the hardest part of running a handmade shop?
Saying no. In December we could sell twice as many cows, but then the quality would drop. We would rather close orders early.
Any advice for new makers?
Make the thing you love, photograph it in daylight, and answer every message kindly. The rest follows.
"Every cow gets its own personality — no two fringes ever fall quite the same way."
— WoollyMeadowStudio
Our favourite pieces
Three pieces from WoollyMeadowStudio we would happily give as gifts:
Why we love them
- Exceptional, consistent stitch quality
- Cotton bodies that hold their shape for years
- Embroidered-eye versions for babies on request
- Fast, friendly replies to custom requests
Ordering tips
| Processing time | 3–5 working days (made to order) |
|---|---|
| Ships from | Italy — EU delivery 3–7 days |
| Custom orders | Colours and embroidered eyes on request |
| Gift wrap | Free tissue wrap and handwritten note |
Affiliate link · Independent maker
