PATTERPILLARS™
Patterpillars come to life
at your touch
No batteries
No strings
No tricks
Don't believe it? Watch this video!
You may have had a toy like this as a kid.
If you are a kid, you'll soon want one!
Patterpillars are fuzzy worm-like creatures about 15cm (6") long that arch and curl when you pat them, as though they're really alive.
Scroll down to learn more about where patterpillars come from.
PS - If you want to direct other people to this page, you can use the URL www.patterpillarshop.com.
There's also a Facebook page.
Ready to adopt?
Patterpillars are all AU $5 ea. The photos below show some of the different breeds I may have available. Click on the small images to see a larger one. |
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The Story of Patterpillars
Patterpillars come from a not-too-distant planet, where they are the pets of the local people, the Sklooble-Wa. Sklooble-Wa look more like walruses than humans, but just like humans, they love to stroke soft furry things.
Unfortunately for patterpillars, Sklooble-Wa breed much more slowly than they do. There came a time on their homeworld where every person who wanted a patterpillar had one, and there were no homes for the left-over patterpillars.
Some didn’t care, and just carried on eating the pests of Sklooble-Wa farms and gardens as they had always done. Other patterpillars felt they were missing out on being patted and loved.
One day, the Sklooble-Wa announced a space mission to visit our planet, which was the nearest inhabited one to theirs. The patterpillars saw their chance. They had seen on the Sklooble-Wa news that humans also liked to keep furry pets. There was a whole world of people out there just waiting for patterpillars!
Some patterpillars managed to stow away in the spaceship and made it to Earth.
Humans now love them just as much as the Sklooble-Wa do and are breeding them in many different colours.
So, here they are. Patterpillars, looking for humans to adopt them. Have you got yours yet?
Made in Australia
While the materials patterpillars are made from are manufactured overseas, they are sourced and cut to shape by Australian businesses and assembled by yours truly. That makes them as homegrown as they can get (until I work out how to breed them in the backyard). Try finding another toy as affordable and entertaining as the patterpillar that was made with love by the artist who created it!
About the fur fabric - It may look and feel real, but this fur is made from acrylic with a polyester backing. The only thing that was harmed in its creation was plastic. And plastic likes being made into things, so not even that. I get a lot of my fur from Fred Bartfeld of Bartfeld Textiles in Melbourne. Fred designs his own fabrics and likes to get them as realistic-feeling as possible. Jim and Di of Beary Cheap on the Gold Coast have some very nice furs too!
Patterpillars' googly eyes are attached with PVA glue, which has a good strong grip (but, as noted below, not strong enough to be guaranteed safe for little ones).They also have smile drawn underneath.
Caring for patterpillars - Patterpillars are not intended for children under 3 years of age. While the eyes are firmly attached, there is a possibility they could come loose and present a choking hazard. Likewise, no guarantee can be given of their safety for animals. They are, however, recommended for human beings who are over the age of sticking things in their mouths. This includes kids, students, stressed-out businessmen with six-figure salaries: anyone who can be amused or soothed by stroking a small furry animal. They are popular with teachers and health-care workers, who often keep one as a reward for well-behaved children ("Well, done, Johnny, you can come and stroke the patterpillar!").
Spot cleaning with a damp cloth is recommended if your patterpillar gets dirty, although they can also be immersed in water. Beware of cleaning products that may damage either the glue attaching the eyes, or the fur fabric itself. Put them out in the sun, don't use a tumble dryer. The pile will need brushing after it dries.
Wholesale?
Running a market stall in your area and want some patterpillars to sell? Wholesale rate is AU$3.20 ea with a minimum order of 50 (ie. $160). Registered international airmail for a parcel of 50 is in the vicinity of AU$20. Email me: pantheoncomics[at]gmail.com.