(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!)
I know there are a lot of knitters in the pen world, and across the whole world knitters are turning their heads at the new bag released from Fringe Supply Co. It's called the Rambler, and it answers the call for a heavyweight canvas knitting bag with a shoulder strap. But the design takes things to the next level, and the bag will no doubt have appeal for pen addicts and bag addicts as well.
Minimalist canvas bags are everywhere at the moment, and Fringe was one of those that set the trend back in 2012 when they released their Field Bag. Knitters went crazy for them. Since then, Fringe Supply Co. has grown, diversified their offerings, and become one of those businesses that does good things for their community. So, when I saw the Rambler on Instagram, I got major heart eyes. And when I looked more closely at their promo pictures, I couldn't help but notice that Palomino Blackwing pencil poking out of one of the tool slots. Well. Here again we see the reach of our extended family of makers, creators--those who use tools and the cases they need to carry those tools.
The folks at Fringe were kind enough to send a bag for me to try, and it hasn't left my side in the two weeks since it arrived. If the bag looks a bit scruffy in my pictures, that's because I put it right to work, and it's not an easy life being my bag. I work six days a week, and three of those days are 12-hour days, across several towns. I'm hauling everything I need to get through those days, from books to tools, to meals, to extra clothes. I need a bag that can keep up.
The Rambler is meeting my demands in a way that few bags have. It fits all my stuff, it's comfortable to carry, and it's not perfect. As I've said before, in my search for the perfect bag, the worst thing that could ever happen is that I would find it, thus ending the search. Because the search is the fun part, and bags like this are what makes it fun.
One of the best things about it are its dimensions. It's 13.5" tall, 12" across, and 7" deep. I could fit 12+ hardback books in that kind of real estate, friends. Or, three books plus all the other stuff I need to get through the day. Because it's tall instead of wide, I don't find it hanging awkwardly in a way that shifts my balance and causes back and shoulder pain, like many messenger bags do. The adjustable strap lets me place it where it's most comfortable. It hasn't caused me any pain, even when I overburden it the way that I so often do.
Another dreamy feature of the bag is POCKETS. So many pockets. The front has a wide gusseted pouch with a snap closure, and inside that are one slotted pocket and three pen/tool slots. On the back of the bag is a large slot pocket with a snap closure. Inside there's one medium slot on one side, and one small slot and three pen/tool slots on the other side. Between those two, the spacious bucket of the bag body awaits your larger items. The main compartment snaps closed with a single snap, but I usually let it stay open. My only issue with the pockets is that the three tool slots inside the front pocket and the three tool slots inside the main compartment share a back wall--so if you put a larger tool or pen in one, you can't easily fit something in its counterpart slot on the other side. You couldn't put a regular-sized pen in each of those slots. So while it may at first look like it could carry six pens, it really only carries three. Of course, this wasn't made to be a pen bag. And you can easily carry three pens plus knitting needles and crochet hooks in some of those slots. So this isn't a design flaw so much as a use-case situation.
The adjustable shoulder strap goes from 30" to 54" to fit a variety of heights and preferences. It's a comfortable 1.5" wide, so it doesn't dig into your shoulder. It's made of soft but sturdy 100% cotton woven webbing and has the perfect balance of stiffness and flexibility. The same material lines the outside top rim of the bag, except for at the center of the front and back, where it separates to form two handles. I love this bit of design genius. These hidden handles are my favorite feature on the bag.
Everything is made of 100% cotton, all made in the USA. The hardware is antiqued brass. The color it comes in currently is called "toffee" and it's a beautiful honey color. If the past is any indication, other colors will likely follow down the line. The canvas does pick up dirt easily, and Fringe recommends spot cleaning it with their canvas cleaner and a toothbrush.
All these fabulous features aside, the bag is also cute. Which means in the two weeks I've carried it, I've had friends comment on it and ask me where I got it. And that's when I have to break the bad news to them--this bag costs $178. That is really a lot for a canvas bag, even a great canvas bag. Justifying a price like that takes a bit of work. If this were simply a cute, trendy bag being sold in an overpriced high street boutique, I'd laugh at that price. But that's not what this is. There's a bit more going on behind the scenes in the life of these bags. You can read more about Fringe Supply Co.'s ethical business practices on their about page, but the bottom line is that when you support their business, you're supporting fair wages for an ecosystem of workers. It's a story that resonates with a lot of other small businesses in the extended family of the pen and stationery world. I had to correct my first impression that this bag is overpriced. It's not--it's fairly priced. Cheaper bags are often cheaper because somewhere along the line, workers are being exploited.
Of course, that price tag is still an obstacle. It's inaccessible for many, and would have been for me, if they hadn't been so kind as to send me one. You can find a good canvas bag for a quarter of this price. But it likely won't be made by well-employed sewers in a comfortable facility for a fair wage by an employer who is environmentally and socially conscious. If you've got $175 to spend on a good bag, spend it on a good bag that does good in return, and I highly recommend this one.
(Fringe Supply Co. provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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