Wearing a pen around my neck, and a smile on my face

[Linger]

The idea is not novel. And after contacting Michael late last year, he immediately related it to a project he did some years ago: a one-pen leather case but now with a lanyard attached. You can see this project in his dedicated thread - look for the first post on 31 January:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/255117-making-a-pen-case/page/77/

 

After some Brexit logistics hiccups, I received the package yesterday and it is gorgeous. Beautifully made and finished in the outer/inner leather color I chose from a large array of possibilities. A very nice addition to the pile of pen cases/sleeves I already own.

 

We made the measurements to fit a Namiki Urushi #20, so it also fits a Pelikan M1000, a Sailor KoP and other larger pens.

 

So, referring to the title of the post, my EDC has improved:

 

 

[carlos.q]

That is really nice! Do you find this practical for daily use? I've frequently wondered about a similar contraption from FC:

https://www.franklin-christoph.com/collections/pen-cases/products/neck-loop-pen-slot

[knarflj]

I wore out a similar (not leather) lanyard I bought a number of years ago from Anderson Pens, and replaced it with a few that I knitted--figuring out a pattern was one way to keep from going crazy during the 2020 lockdown.  I don't use the lanyards around the house much, but I use one constantly at work, where we move around just enough that it's handy to have the pen always on me and not need to remember where I put it down.  Unfortunately, given the paper we have to use and the fact that much of what I write needs to go inside a book, my lanyard mostly has a gel pen in it.  

[amberleadavis]

I was gifted the one from F-C and I wanted to love it, but I ended up never using it.  I think you have to train yourself.  We'd love to see your knitted ones.

[knarflj]

3 hours ago, amberleadavis said:

I was gifted the one from F-C and I wanted to love it, but I ended up never using it.  I think you have to train yourself.  We'd love to see your knitted ones.

 

Yes, I haven't trained myself to use them at home.  At work I don't have my own desk, but always need a pen, so it was very easy to become dependent on the lanyard!

 

[amberleadavis]

Very Cheerful and Useful!

[inkstainedruth]

5 hours ago, knarflj said:

 

Yes, I haven't trained myself to use them at home.  At work I don't have my own desk, but always need a pen, so it was very easy to become dependent on the lanyard!

 

These are awesome!  And looks like a great way to use up scrap yarn where there isn't enough of a skein left for a larger project.

Do you have a pattern/instructions that you could post?  Are they knitted top down or "toe up"? (I knit a lot of socks....)  Or could an adaptation be made from the fingers of a knitted glove?  Yarn weight/gauge?  Double points or on a small circular needle?  Fiber content? (I'm wondering if lace weight cotton yarn might be better than wool or a wool blend.)

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[AmandaW]

I want one.

[OCArt]

For those who neither knit nor have a work leather, Etsy has a few options if you search for 'lanyard pen holder." (no relation to any of the sellers)

[Linger]

Dunno if the pics Michael (aka My63) made of my lanyard pen holder were posted - gives a good impression:

 

 

[knarflj]

15 hours ago, inkstainedruth said:

These are awesome!  And looks like a great way to use up scrap yarn where there isn't enough of a skein left for a larger project.

Do you have a pattern/instructions that you could post?  Are they knitted top down or "toe up"? (I knit a lot of socks....)  Or could an adaptation be made from the fingers of a knitted glove?  Yarn weight/gauge?  Double points or on a small circular needle?  Fiber content? (I'm wondering if lace weight cotton yarn might be better than wool or a wool blend.)

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Ruth, yes they're great for using little bits of leftover yarn.  They do have one drawback not seen with my original lanyard, which is that after they've been in use for a bit, they become less snug; so if I bend over without being careful, the pen will sometimes fall out.  I have wondered whether switching from stockinette to 1-1 rib would fix that.

 

These are all "toe up".  I have been trying for a long time to figure out how to achieve the same result top-down, mostly because all the "fiddly" part of the thing is at the top, so working top-down gets that out of the way at the beginning!  I am definitely an eat-your-vegetables-first-and-save-dessert-for-last kind of person.  I think I came up with a workable idea this morning, but I haven't knit enough yet to be sure.  And I have probably spent more time on it already today than I should have!

 

Sock/fingering yarn or DK works; I have done one in light worsted (for a friend who supplied her own yarn), but it doesn't work quite as well.  I suppose you could adapt for lace weight if you really want to.   DPNs, plus a crochet hook for the cord.  I've used pretty much anything washable, but yes, cotton is nice.

 

I do have notes that I could send you, if you don't mind PMing me your email address.  If you want to wait a day or two, I'll have added notes on the top-down version to the document.

[inkstainedruth]

Sure thing, no problem.  I haven't been doing much knitting of late.  

Thinking that hooking the clip over the open end might help with the problem you had with the yarn stretching (lace weight might be better for that as well).  I don't really crochet, but know how to make braided cord on a lucet, and that's pretty stable if the knots are pulled tightly enough.

Now if I can just remember where my many zero size double point needles are....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[knarflj]

27 minutes ago, inkstainedruth said:

Sure thing, no problem.  I haven't been doing much knitting of late.  

Thinking that hooking the clip over the open end might help with the problem you had with the yarn stretching (lace weight might be better for that as well).  I don't really crochet, but know how to make braided cord on a lucet, and that's pretty stable if the knots are pulled tightly enough.

Now if I can just remember where my many zero size double point needles are....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

Ha!  I felt as though I spent half my morning looking for needles.

 

I think the clip might catch on the fabric, making it harder to slip in and out.  But lace weight might help with that, or a different edge.

 

Pretty much the only thing you need to do with the crochet hook is make a chain--super simple--and attach the chain at the sides--the finicky bit.  But if you can knit, you can do that.  Or you could maybe do i-cord; crocheted chain is a lot faster, though, and very easy.