Little Swift

[peregrina]

I love my new little swift!!









Will post a list of what was inside soon but the picture is very self-explanatory. I understand it's the same volume as the medium cafe bag but I can fit a lot more in it than in my cafe bag...

[maverick]

thank you for sharing the awesome pictures, peregrina!

[moriond]

Thanks for posting the pictures, peregrina -- I'd ordered the Little Swift in hemp, too, and had been wondering whether I should have chosen cork instead. However, I'm still waiting for shipment notification, which is doubtless due to the wait for other items in my order. It's always nice to anticipate what's coming by referring to great pictures. Did you order a wallet in any of the new fabrics?

moriond

[peregrina]

Hi moriond,

I haven't ordered the new wallets, no, but they seem really nice. I really like the hemp though. I've been using the little swift as my main purse for a week now, carrying it in a basket on my bike and having it on my shoulder when I walk around. I find it great. The length is perfect to allow for easy reaching inside the purse without taking it off. I'm going to try to get a few more pictures in different situations...

[indigo]

Hi Peregrina,

In the photo of the Little Swift sitting on the floor, it looks like there may be some pilling or fraying of the hemp layer of the fabric. Is that an illusion or animal fur? Or have you noticed any wear in the fabric so far?

[Darcy]

Hi Peregrina,

In the photo of the Little Swift sitting on the floor, it looks like there may be some pilling or fraying of the hemp layer of the fabric. Is that an illusion or animal fur? Or have you noticed any wear in the fabric so far?

That's a natural feature of the fabric - the hemp overlay has a frayed look. I've used a Vulcana Hemp/Recycled Rubber Little Swift for several months now and it's still as frayed as when I began using it. Maybe a little strand or two more. It's a very durable material.

[peregrina]

Indeed, it is as Darcy said. It came that way and I have been watching to see if it would get more frayed. So far so good but I don't have the months of wear that Darcy has, of course.

[peregrina]

ps: I'll try to get a macro of the bag to show how it looks. Looking at the image a little closer it seems that it is almost a bit "puffy", which is not really the case. It reminds me of burlap - any relation Darcy?

[Darcy]

It reminds me of burlap - any relation Darcy?

Yes! The weave is similar, though most burlap is made out of jute as opposed the hemp that is used for the Vulcana Recycled Rubber/Hemp fabric. The natural variation in such a weave is one of the attributes of this fabric.

[Shiva]

Hey: these are great pictures. A quick question: if you put in file folders, do they stand up ok? and how much do they stick out?

[peregrina]

Shiva - the picture of the bag standing on the ground has files in it and I carry it around like that all the time. The files are in a plastic sleeve rather than a folder, mind you. I'll try folders and put another picture up.

[Moose]

Hi everyone,
After flying into New York yesterday I was waiting for my next flight and I spotted a lady with an olive and (I think) cocoa Swift. I was going to talk to her but figured she might think me a bit whacky. Is there some understanding among TB owners that we can just walk up and talk to each other if spotted? I was never attracted to the Swift but after seeing one in person I might just change my mind. It really is a lovely bag.

So, if you were flying through LGA yesterday mid day you should know you were the subject of bag envy.

Peregrina, thank you so much for the photos. They really do give a real world point of view. I always find the photos really useful.

Safe travels,
Moose

[gmanedit]

I accosted a man wearing a Smart Alec on the Lexington Avenue bus here in New York. He wasn't registered in the Forums, so I don't know who he was. Sadly, TB sightings are rare in New York.

[maverick]

Hi everyone,
After flying into New York yesterday I was waiting for my next flight and I spotted a lady with an olive and (I think) cocoa Swift. I was going to talk to her but figured she might think me a bit whacky. Is there some understanding among TB owners that we can just walk up and talk to each other if spotted? I was never attracted to the Swift but after seeing one in person I might just change my mind. It really is a lovely bag.

So, if you were flying through LGA yesterday mid day you should know you were the subject of bag envy.

Peregrina, thank you so much for the photos. They really do give a real world point of view. I always find the photos really useful.

Safe travels,
Moose

hi moose!

i would be thrilled to run into another traveler carrying a tom bihn bag!

i was traveling through JFK in march, and both my friend and i were carrying some tom bihn bags. someone stopped me and complimented my bag. i thanked them and gave a quick introduction of the bags. i had to resist the urge to sit down and demonstrate how the bags are designed, what you can pack in them, and how comfortable they are to carry. :)

another time, i was flying out of SFO, and i spotted an id messenger bag. i approached the girl who was carrying it - she must have been in high school, saying "hey, that's an id messenger bag!" i think she thought i was crazy. i think she said it was her dad's, and that he was over that way.

so, by all means, say hello to others carrying tom bihn bags. perhaps, curb your enthusiasm when you first approach them to see how they respond. :)

[ncb4]

I'd be happy to have a fellow TB'er approach me, so we could have a little Bihn-fest right there in the airport or wherever. ;-)

Meanwhile, I'm counting down the days until my Kiwi Little Swift arrives (due Thursday!). Based on peregrina's wonderful photos of her Hemp one, and indigoswift's review that is linked on the Bihn blog, I'm already thinking of ordering a second LS in a darker color to use in the fall and winter. I'm trying to decide between Cork and the cocoa Ultrasuede, which looks lovely. But I'm wondering about the Ultrasuede's heft, for lack of a better word. How strong a fabric is it?

I'm also wondering how difficult it is to keep clean. Can you spot clean it? I have a boisterous 20-month-old Newfoundland puppy (Newfies are giants who act puppy-ish a long time), and that means I'll be contending not only with long black dog hair, but also with slobber. Darcy, perhaps you could speak to whether the Ultrasuede is washable or not. And I'd love to hear from anyone who has ordered an Ultrasuede LS, or who owns any other items in Ultrasuede, to share their experiences with the fabric.

Thanks so much!