The Sendak Mini Artist Roll by Peg & Awl: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Sendak Mini Artist Roll is a pen/pencil/paintbrush/tool holder. It's the little brother of the Sendak Artist Roll, measuring 14.4 in. by 8 in. (365mm by 202mm) when fully open and 4.3 in. by 8 in. (110mm by 200mm) when folded.

The roll is hand made with waxed duck canvas.

It features a vegetable-tanned leather strap engraved with "The Sendak Mini Peg & Awl." The strap is attached with brass rivets and closed with an antique steel buckle.

Inside there's a small zippered pocket on the left.

In the middle are two large pockets and eight slots for various artist implements.

A flap provides protection for the instruments inside the roll.

Outside, the back part of the roll has two full length, large pockets.

Everything about this artist roll is well made. The canvas feels rugged and virtually indestructible. The leather strap is thick and sturdy. The zipper is made of brass.

The four large pockets can accommodate scissors, knives, skinny sketchbooks, a cell phone, and a host of other objects. The inside pockets are 3.3 in. (85mm) wide and 8 in. (202mm) tall. The outside pockets are 3.7 in. (95mm) wide and 8 in. (202mm) tall (you could fit longer objects in the outer pockets since there's no flap in the way).

The eight slots are not quite an inch wide. Regular pens and pencils and paintbrushes with slender handles fit easily into the slots.

Even though the Peg & Awl website says that the slots will accommodate fountain pens, that is true only for medium and small sizes. I tried a variety of fountain pens with the roll. Larger pens, such as the MB 149, the Opus 88, and even a Franklin Christoph Intrinsic will not fit.

The rugged design of the Mini Sendak means it's not meant for fancy fountain pens. Rather, this is a roll for EDC pens and artist's instruments. It's for stuffing in your backpack so you can whip out your sketchbook or journal in the middle of a meadow or at the top of a mountain. I would not take Walter (my MB 149) on hikes, thank you very much, but I would take mechanical pencils, my Spoke Pen, any of my Karas Kustoms pens or a Lamy Safari all nicely bound up in this roll.

The Mini Sendak Artist Roll is available in the following colors (mine is moss): Truffle, Almond, Coal, Moss, Slate, Spice, and All Black. It costs $120. You can add a tool protector for $8 or a monogram for $15.

Is this pricy for a pen roll? Yes. However, the products from Peg & Awl are not manufactured in bulk. They are hand made using antique materials, such as old, military-issue gun slings. The craftsmanship is exquisite, so if you appreciate handmade goods, you'll love the Sendak Mini Artist Roll.

(My sweet husband purchased the Sendak Mini Artist Roll for me for Christmas.)

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Kokuyo NeoCritz Flat Pencil Case Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her latest book, Out of Water, now available where books are sold!)

When you love bags and you love pens and pencils, pen cases tend to be an intersection of many joys. They are for me. And Kokuyo generally makes good ones, but I don’t love the NeoCritz Flat Pencil Case. I say this with full awareness that I'm a bit particular. But I feel like "flat" is not the best shape for storing three-dimensional objects, especially more than a few of them.

The adorable, limited-edition floral patterns are what first caught my eye on these--plus the Kokuyo brand, which is one that often delights me. The design also seemed innovative, and I have to try every new kind of pen case.

The concept here is that the case, which has two zippers, can unzip into a standing wedge shape and serve as a handy pen cup--then it can be zipped closed and taken on the go. When in cup form, the top can also fold down. It's a great idea in theory, but doesn't quite work for me in practice.

The biggest limitation to this case is its capacity. The slim design only holds a few pens, and the smaller front pocket--which is great and convenient when the case is in cup form--has to be essentially empty for the case to close at all. Anything larger than a slim eraser will block the zipper. And maximum zipped capacity is around ten skinny pens. When it's in cup form, though, it can hold at least twice that. I love this way more as a pen cup than as a case.

I think this could work well if you only need a few supplies, like a sketch set or a handful of paint brushes you want to take out on an adventure. But it doesn't work terribly well as storage, or if you, like me, want to bring All The Colors with you at all times.

I am happy to use it as a cheerful pen cup. The colors are wonderful, and the polyester fabric cleans up well. And the double zipper does make access easy, even when the case is nested in a crowded backpack. It does have a lot going for it, and I expect it would delight many users. As I said, I'm a bit picky. You could probably hand me a pen case the size of the Hindenburg and I'd say that I wish it held more pens. But I really do wish this one held more pens.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Lihit Lab Hinemo Stand Pen Pouch in Red: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Lihit Lab Hinemo Stand Pen Pouch is made from canvas (Fuji Kinbai) woven in Japan and sourced from various places around the world. The pouch itself is made in Myanmar.

The pouch is shaped like a lower-case "n" when closed and an "m" when open. It is 7.9 inches in length, 5.1 inches in width, and 1.4 inches in depth (unfilled)--it expands to accommodate lots of supplies (see third picture below).

The name "Hinemo" is stitched on the front of the case; otherwise there is no branding. The canvas is thick and well sewn, and the metal zipper is sturdy. I think the red and cream colors make for a striking contrast.

Inside are two large canvas pockets and three smaller webbed pockets bordered in elastic. The large pockets can accommodate bigger supplies, such as large pens/markers, scissors, small rulers, pads of paper, craft knives, etc. The smaller pockets are useful for erasers, smaller pens and pencils, painting tools, sticky notes, and other supplies.

The pouch is reversible, so you can open it up, fold back the sides and zip it with the pockets facing outwards. This allows you to stand the case on your desk with easy access to your tools. You can also stand the case up like an open book, if you prefer.

The Hinemo Pouch is well made with quality stitching on the outside and inside. The pockets are capable of holding lots of writing instruments or other craft tools and the case closes easily when full.

I would not use this pouch with expensive fountain pens because there are no individual pen slots. Your pens will knock against one another resulting in scratches and dings. For EDC pens, plastic writing instruments, and other supplies, the Hinemo pouch will be perfect. You can slide it easily into a backpack or large purse.

You can purchase the Lihit Lab Hinemo Stand Pen Pouch in red from JetPens for $17.50. The pouch also comes in black, yellow, navy, and beige.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!