"Sloths are Trending"

I mentioned that I was working on a new pattern for a slightly more unusual Christmas decoration. As is usual I didn't get it made in time. There were prototypes which weren't quite right (I will show these below), and reknitting to check the instructions made sense. 

Now the pattern is complete, but the question was do I publish now, or wait until next Christmas. But "sloths are trending" said my daughter. And she is right, I see them everywhere - sloths on cards, chocolate sloths, a sloth on a hot water bottle cover .... Have you noticed how there are definite trends in animals? Llamas and alpacas are also everywhere, the unicorn trend has been going for a while. Do you remember when flamingoes were all over the place? Actually it is not just animals - cacti were big last year, and before that there was a time when there seemed to be a lot of moustaches about.

I wonder how this happens. Is it marketing companies, or perhaps since we are all online so much it is powered by the people? I would like to think that "sloths are trending" because I heard David Attenborough say in an interview that the animal he would most like to be is a sloth. I wonder what the next fashionable animals or motif might be?

So because "sloths are trending" I am releasing the pattern now, and may do something to promote it again before next Christmas. He doesn't have to be a seasonal decoration, and I can imagine them pinned on a pencil cases or rucksacks, or keyrings.

As with most of my patterns you could make it from oddments, and it will not take you long. There are a few fiddly bits, with casting on and off, shortrows, a chart for the face, and I grafted the top of the head, but it is fine if you want to just cast off and sew a seam. But on the positive side there are just 3 pieces to knit (the body and arms, the head, and the stomach). So if you are not used to some of the techniques I have mentioned, don't let that put you off. A small project like this is quite a good way to learn something you have not done before. The pattern is available in ravelry, LoveKnitting and Etsy.

My sample sloths are going to my Etsy shop, and if you would like one in a different colour just message me. With the first two I was going for realistic, but then could not resist making one in pink. 

I would love to hear you predictions of the next animal or object to be trending ... Perhaps I can try to get ahead of the game next time.

And finally just to show you the evolution of the sloth. Husband calls the first two attempts "evolutionary deadends".

Just a reminder that there is still a little bit of time left to join in my Ginx Woolly Linx party for January. Click on the photo above or at the top of the page to find the party. I would love to see what you have been working on this month.