If you have ever wanted to be more creative with your fountain pens and inks, then this episode is for you. Carola Sallis, aka FromCarola, helped me get over my own art anxiety, and can help you too. Plus, are those new Pilot Hi-Tec-C pens I see?
This episode of The Pen Addict is sponsored by:
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(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)
The Midori Knitted Book Band takes the concept of a notebook cozy to the next level. The books have never been cozier! It looks cute and serves several functions, an achievement I can only aspire to on my best days.
The stretchy sleeve is made from a soft knitted elastic fabric that slides over your notebook like a leg warmer. Both the top and bottom edge are cuffed, creating a capped pocket where you can stash pens, stickers, or even more notebooks. Because the sleeve spans the width of the notebook, and because the fabric is so stretchy, you can fit all kinds of tools in the pocket. On one side, a pen sleeve pocket is stitched into the fabric. Which did not stop me from putting more pens into the rest of the space as well.
The sleeve also serves to hold the notebook shut with the contents safely inside. It's a beefed-up version of the elastic closure bands so many notebooks use, but with much added security. It would be perfect for keeping a writing kit assembled for travel, where the notebook and its pens and accessories are all secure in its cute little sleeping bag.
On the downside, it's secure enough that it's not very convenient to get into the notebook quickly. I wouldn't recommend it for a planner or commonplace book, where you might want to quickly look something up or jot something down. It's much better suited to a project notebook where you'd settle in, unpack your cute little bundle, and work for a while before packing it all back up again. I can see it working well for a reading or gardening journal, or something similar. For me, I've found that adding barriers to using my notebooks often results in me not using the notebook, so it may not be the right tool for me.
The stretchy band is designed to fit A6 to B6 notebooks. I was able to get mine onto an A5 notebook, too, though this would likely permanently stretch out the fabric and it does limit the amount of items that can fit into the pocket when it's at its maximum expansion.
The Midori Knitted Book Band comes in a variety of colors, each with a different ribbed pattern to the fabric, and costs $36.50. I do think that's a little expensive for what you get. It's a very simple design made with fairly basic materials. But it is very cute, and it carries the hallowed Midori brand name, which explains some of the extra cost. In any case, it's still an accessible price and a versatile product.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
The legal pad is one of the most iconic stationery items that comes to my mind. Even though I don't use them very often, I always have some around for when I need large sheets of paper to sketch or write out ideas. Whether you prefer white paper or the classic yellow paper, I'm sure everyone has seen or used a legal pad at least once in their lifetime. One common thing about the economical legal pads that you can pick up in bulk at the big box stores is that they don't use great paper. They work best with ballpoints and gel pens, but you can try your luck with fountain pens or rollerball inks with some brands. What about a legal pad with good paper that works well with all types of pen and ink? Well, the options aren't plentiful, but they do exist. One such option is from Blackwing, and I've really enjoyed using it.
The Blackwing Illegal Pad is a simple, no-frills pad of paper that comes in either blank, lined, or dot grid variants. The 50 sheets of 8.5 x 11 inch (21.6 x 28 cm) 80gsm ivory paper work well with all types of writing instruments, and it also manages to have a more premium feel than the standard cheap-o legal pad from the big box retailers.
The pad consists of only the 50 sheets, which are perforated for easy removal, the top binding, and the back cover. The back cover is a stiffer chipboard material, but I wouldn't say it's sturdy enough to provide a stable writing surface if you're holding the pad on your leg. It works, but there's a bit too much flex to write without making lots of mistakes. This is definitely meant to be used on top of another hard surface for support.
In typical Blackwing notebook style, the back cover and binding are matte black. The front side of the binding features a debossed Blackwing logo that looks great without attracting attention. The back cover — both interior and exterior — are completely blank. There's zero marketing or printing on the pad except for the debossed logo on the front. To me, this is a great aesthetic that nods to the strictly utilitarian origins of the humble legal pad.
Writing on the paper is a great experience. There's a slight amount of feedback when moving across the page, but it still feels really smooth and it's easy to control your writing instrument. In my testing, the paper does really well with all types of inks. I can't see any bleeding or feathering, and there's minimal show-through on the back of the page. I'd argue that with a legal pad, you typically aren't using the back of the page anyway. In most cases, a legal pad is used as scratch paper or drafting paper — not something you keep and store away. When you're done with a page, you either tear it out and do something with it, or you flip the page over the binding out of the way so you can continue writing on the next page. So simple!
While I love the utilitarian purpose of the legal pad, it only works if the pad is cheap enough to justify the ephemeral use. Once you cross a certain price threshold, it's harder to treat a notebook as something you use and quickly discard with each sheet. The Blackwing Illegal Pad comes in a set of 2 and costs $18 per set. That's $9 per notepad. You can easily find a 12-pack of legal pads from a big box retailer for about $30, or roughly $2.50 per pad. I think the threshold for determining if the Blackwing Legal Pad is a good value will be different for everyone. If you really enjoy the legal pad format and are looking for the same thing with better paper quality, the Blackwing option is superb and I think the price makes sense. If the price seems steep, then it's probably not the right pad for you. I think the target market for this notepad is people who already love and use legal pads, but who are looking for a more premium version and are willing to pay $9 per pad. If that's you, then you're going to love this pad. And, this product is really for those people who like legal pads and also want options outside of the normal lined paper. Dot grid or blank!
I've really enjoyed using the Blackwing Illegal Pad, and I think I'll be ordering more when I use these two up. The paper is a joy to use, and there's just something about the legal pad format that makes me happy and encourages me to keep using it. Some days, that's an invaluable quality for a notebook to have.
(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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