Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Pen Kimonos

As anyone who has followed my blog or visited my website can attest, I am a penman.

Don't get me wrong. I love working with pencils too, and I wouldn't start an adventure without one (or more) of my pochade boxes. But I'm certainly fascinated (my wife would sometimes say, "obsessed") with fountain pens; I like their history, their technology, their feel and appearance, and most of all I like drawing and writing with them.

the current selection of pen kimonos -- all one-of-a-kind!
Top Row: 1.Teapots, 2.Tropical, 3.Cowboy Boots, 4.Artic Wildlife
Bottom Row: 1.Sunflowers, 2.Fishing Lures, 3.Boots Too, 4.Teacups

Some folks (especially those with large collections) may opt to keep their fountain pens in display cases, where they are safe from dust and grime. But I like to have at least two in my day bag whenever I venture out of the house. Unfortunately, that raises the possibility of damage from the aforementioned dust, grime, and even dings, dents and (every penman's nightmare) drops.

my 24-year-old "daily carry"

Fortunately for me, my wife is creative in a wider range of media than I and came up with a lovely (and equally functional) solution several years ago -- the pen kimono! Using attractive fabric patterns for the pouch exterior, the "kimono" has quilting (to protect against shock or damage due to accidental drops) and two compartments (to prevent abrasions that would otherwise be caused by rubbing up against one another.

I've been carrying the original for over 24 years with no sign of wear or tare to pens or kimono!

applying bias-tape to one of the kimonos

Now my daughter (whose is quickly assimilating the artistic interests of both of her parents) has partnered with my wife to produce a new line of handmade one-of-a-kind kimonos for other fountain pen fans (a bargain at just $12 each!) If you count yourself among this group and see something you like, PM us. Please specify the kimono you're interested in (for example:.e member that these are one-of-a-kind. So, it's first-come-first-served. We invite queries regarding designs that have already sold, and will be happy to let you know if a specific fabric is available for special order.)

freshly ironed and ready to go! The difference between this one (which 
my daughter made for herself) and the two "Cowboy Boot" kimonos shown 
in the top photo demonstrate the one-of-a-kind nature of these pen carries.

Shipping within the U.S. is a flat rate of $6. If you live outside the U.S. PM us with your city and country for a shipping quote. All shipping comes with a tracking number. Please note that, in order to protect your financial security, all billing is done through PayPal. (No PayPal account? Not a problem. PayPal is happy to accept all major credit cards.)

Cheers!

3 comments:

  1. Those certainly are beautiful, it must by you......What no leaks in 24 years

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    1. Thank you, Jimu. Each pen (the kimono holds two) sits in its own snug compartment. Since they are held firmly (but gently) it is not possible for the cap to rotate. So... no leaks in 24 years! :-)

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