What Would You Look For In A Pen Roll?

[Shimmershadow]

...aside from pens, of course?

 

While I'm in school, I'll be relying on my trusty sewing machine and my serger to help supplement the household income (and provide funding for pen-related goodies), and one of the things I was thinking of adding to my list of stock items was a pen roll. I could make them custom-sized to fit a person's collection and particular pens, not to mention color preferences, but I was wondering what sorts of special things would people like to see in a roll? Would you want pockets in the roll, or just loops of elastic to hold the pens? Would you like to see little extra pocket or pouch attached for maybe extra nibs or ink sample bottles? How about a pocket for a...pocket-sized notebook? Would you prefer a loop-and-button style closure, or a wrapping cord? Some of the details I've already decided on are: lining the roll and the pockets with polarfleece for safety and cushioning, and adding a covering flap to the top inside (and one on the bottom as well for elastic looped rolls) to help keep things in the roll.

 

Please post here or via PM with your ideas and suggestions, and thank you in advance!

[Cerbervs]

I saw a really cool roll design that inculded a on pocket on the outside, so that if it all wrapped up you still can acesses one pen but less protection.

Edited May 11, 2014 by Cerbervs

[Ghost Plane]

I prefer something in a cotton blend for touch ability, pockets for my pens rather than elastic, and make them wide/long enough to hold my high-end large pens. A 149 or Churchill. No more than 5 pens per roll or it's too bulky.

[senzen]

I like the idea behind the PlePle choco wrap, although I've never had one; yours don't have to be the same but it might give you a few ideas:

 

- Canvas, not leather. Moleskine?

- Coated, like waxed canvas to give it a Barbour look.

- The inside made of a different material, soft to protect the pens.

- The color could be a classic, sober, combination, not too girly for us guys. Or very sober on the outside, paisley on the inside (suit + tie look)

- It might work for a couple of pens instead of 6.

- It could also work as a notebook sleeve + pen wrap?

- Lens case + pen sleeve combo? Or a matching lens case?

- Any way of making it easy not to lose? I live in constant terror of losing everything.

 

Let us know how your designs come along!

[dragondazd]

I'd like something quick and easy to furl/unfurl. I don't want to mess with the bindings getting at my pens.

[xwingrox]

a sewn pouch/pocket to hold ink cartridges?

[Uncial]

It's a negative, but may be helpful. One of my pet hates about pen wraps is when they come with large insert pouches. I have one that will house three pens and was designed to do so, but you could fit four pens into one of the pouches. I don't house four pens in one pouch section though, because I don't like the idea of them knocking off each other or rubbing off each other. It just seems to me like a bit of a design flaw and it's much more appealing to me to have the pens fit snugly.

[Shimmershadow]

Thank you for the ideas, everyone! I think I am going to make the rolls as custom-to-order as I can, and just have stock fabric for the covers (unless someone has a special request for color or pattern.) Thank goodness for Spoonflower, which has some amazing prints that are available on both plain-weave cotton, linen, and canvas! Not sure where I would be able to get waxed or coated canvas, but I'll be on the hunt for it. There will definitely be a wiiiiide range of colors and prints to choose from, no matter what, so dapper gents, fear not. Pseudo88, you gave me a brilliant idea especially--I'm going to make a few rolls with suiting fabric and in gentlemanly color combos and call it "The JT Series".

 

There is an overwhelming response in favor of pockets as opposed to bands, and for single-pen-sized pockets, so that's what will be happening there! Next step is to determine if polarfleece for lining makes it too bulky. I would think that it would be a lovely soft cushion for pens, and help to keep them polished and pretty, but it's going to add thickness to the roll as well.

 

Also, folks seem to really like the notion of a cartridge pocket, so I'm working on figuring out the best way to make that happen. Easy enough to sew in a bit of plastic to line it, but there seems to be just no real good way to make it perfectly leakproof.

 

As for keeping the rolls from getting lost, every roll I make will have a loop that one can attach to one's belt or purse, so if it falls out of one's pocket or what have you, it has much less chance of getting lost. (It can also be tucked inside the roll if you decide not to use it.)

 

Wheeew, good ideas!! Thank you!!!

[Sadieprater]

How about a built in "Return if found" or ID tag area. Too many stories on here of lost cases with no name attached.

[Shimmershadow]

How about a built in "Return if found" or ID tag area. Too many stories on here of lost cases with no name attached.

 

Excellent idea!! Would an iron-on print of a "return if found" info section be sufficient? One could use a fabric marker or a Sharpie to fill it in. I could also sew on a plastic tag if all the necessary info is provided beforehand with the pertinents permanently marked on there...yay Shrinky Dink plastic!

[Ghost Plane]

Maybe felt for padding if polar fleece doesn't work?

[FayeV]

I stumbled upon the Kokuyo Neo Critz case which unzips and stands upright forming its own pen cup. I really like the idea of something that stands up and doesn't take up as much space. But I don't want my pens to mingle in the center of the cup where they can get scratched. It would be nice if there was something that stands up like the Neo Critz, but maybe have pen slots (like in a pen roll) along the edge of the "cup" so the pens can't mingle?

 

http://www.jetpens.com/Kokuyo-Neo-Critz-Transformer-Pencil-Case-Dark-Blue-Blue/pd/2213

[AAAndrew]

Not polar fleece, it's too bulky, and the artificial material can actually be micro-scratchy to plastics if it's the cheap stuff. I'd go with a well-washed, cotton flannel. Think of your favorite, old flannel shirt.

 

Also, I like black as a color because it shows no ink stains. Just a thought. Your pens also look really nice against the black background.

 

Really, I see two pen roll needs:

1. Pen rolls for carrying your few pens in use in your brief case, satchel or purse

2. Pen rolls for your collection to keep them safe for storage.

 

I use two old pen rolls I have for usage 2, but not 1.

 

for usage 1, that's where some cool colors or fabrics can be used. For 2, a simple flannel would be best.

 

For usage 2, have a pocket on the outside of the roll where you can put a slip of paper, or a paper tag where you can write down which pens are in that roll. That way you can avoid unwrapping the roll to look for a specific pen.

 

For usage 1, that's where a separate pocket for ink cartridges, wipes, blotting paper or some such would be useful. Not so much for usage 2.

 

For myself, my ideal roll for storage would be:

a simple roll of soft and dark brown or burgundy or black flannel or felt, with a long enough ribbon, individual pockets for pens, slightly short to be able to see the tops of the pens, but with a flap to cover the tops (My two rolls are too deep, so even when I unroll I have to push the pens out to see what's there), some way of noting on the outside which pens are inside, and no more than 10-12 pens per roll.

 

If I carried my pens with me (usage 1), I would imagine my ideal would be

Something that looked professional or fun, thinner material that would still be soft enough to not scratch but stiff enough to add some rigidity for protection (cotton twill? denim?), single pen pockets, a small extra pocket on the end for sundries, and a label on the outside to put return information in case I get (horrors!) separated from my pens. Also, like the storage roll, have the pockets short enough to see the tops of the pens, with a flap to cover the tops before you roll.

 

For both, the tie that ties up the roll, it would be great to have a fast and easy way to wrap and snap, or wrap and tuck, or something. For economy sake, especially for the storage roll, a simple ribbon or shoelace type material is fine, for the carrying roll, something that looks nicer, and is quick and easy to access would be better. I wonder how a very stretchy elastic cord that you double over until it's snug enough, like putting a rubber band around a roll of paper, would work? You wouldn't want it too tight, but a really stretchy cord could give you the option to double it over just one more time to make it nice and tight, or leave it slightly looser. And it would be fast to undo.

 

I'm too suspicious of leather. They use all kinds of funky stuff to tan leather, and many of us old tool guys have long since given up on leather for tool rolls. Unless you know it won't react with the metal, you just can't be sure that when you open the roll, your tools won't all be corroded. Of course, we're working with high carbon steel, for the most part. In that world, most good rolls are a stiff canvas.

 

And for marketing, using a Sushi roll theme might be cute. (The California Roll, the Firecracker Roll, etc...) Just a thought.

 

Too bad I can't sew.

[Ghost Plane]

Love the flannel idea. There are some pretty ones for those of us drawn to bright colors.

[Shimmershadow]

Flannel is a terrific idea, and usually cheaper than even cheapie p-fleece. And it comes in tons of colors--should not have a problem there!

 

FayeV, I like the concept of the NeoCritz cases, but I can't quite figure out how to combine the ideas for the flat roll with their stand-up style. It's hovering right on the edge of my thoughts, and I'll have to tinker with some design ideas, but that particular design is going to be a long way down the road if it happens at all.

 

Trying to make everything machine washable, and all fabrics will be washed, pre-shrunk, and flannel will be brushed to make it softer. Edges will be wrapped in custom made bias tape. There will be either a solid sewn-in tag with the owner's return info on it, or a card pocket with a fill-in paper card, as per preference. Also as per preference, a small sewn-on pocket with a snap closure for a few cartridges, number and size of individual pen slots, available notebook pocket (like, I'm talking Apica CD-7 size, nothing crazy, and maybe including a free Apica CD-7 notebook..?), choice of cotton blend, cotton, linen (these will be have some stabilizer sandwiched in) or canvas for the cover in a variety of prints and colors (subject of course to what I can actually get at any given time), an outside quick-draw pen pocket (pun only slightly intended), and the option of an outside tiny sundries pocket. A snap loop will be included on all pouches to stick on your belt, and you'd have the choice of button-and-loop closure or a wrap tie. I'm still working on elastic ideas and ways to note what's in the roll, but I'm pretty confident in my ability to make all the rest a reality. Also, I seriously, seriously hate sewing buttonholes. Please don't ask me to sew buttonholes, because I'll cry.

 

Now, if each piece is made to order, depending on my class schedule, materials accessibility (ie if I have to order in a particular fabric), and the complexity of a given piece (basic, no frills 5-slot roll vs. a full bells-and-whistles 20-pocket roll), it should take between 1-6 weeks to make each one, and I'm thinking a price range from $15-50 plus shipping. As soon as my schedule settles down a bit, I will be posting for some volunteers to test these out.