I love using my “new” (vintage) typewriter for cards; no matter how hard I try, my handwriting is very difficult to read… Plus, people seem to really enjoy receiving typewritten postcards!
However, the postcards I ordered online recently, with Dutch motives like windmills and bicycles (I live in the Netherlands), turned out to be very thick and sturdy.
Which is lovely - but they are impossible to get into the typewriter!
Of course, there are solutions like typing on a piece of paper or a large sticker, and glueing those to the postcard… But it’s not ideal.
I have several postcards in my old stash that are just a bit thin and more flexible than ‘regular’ ones; those are perfect for my typewriter, but they rarely match what I’d like to send, image-wise.
Because of the lockdown, I need to purchase online for the foreseeable future, so I can’t go into a store and check cards for flexibility.
Does anyone know of a particular brand or store that has nice images, on cardstock that is a bit on the thin & supple side?
Except when you have light coloured paper and cut into a nice shape - then the background is a nice decoration The Dutch cards I have are rather sturdy, too.
Typewriter written messages are always charming and I like writing postcards with a typewriter from time to time too. What typewriter do you use @Ettoliram? Is it a portable one? Portable typewriter cylinders have lower diameters. That makes writing postcards so difficult. If you have a bigger office typewriter with a standard (bigger) cylinder, writing postcards is much easier. But even with an office typewriter it’s nealry unimpossible to write close to the postcards’ edges.
I would like to second this idea. Maybe you can get your hands on some Harenberg postcard calendars. They have many different themes, 52 cards to a calendar and they are on the thinner side.
Recently I ordered postcards at https://mymagicard.com/ - when they arrived I was a bit disappointed because the paper wasn’t as sturdy as with other shops, but for your purpose it might be right? The design and the print quality are great though.
And sometimes I use postcard stickers from Papersisters to make cards from food packages without having to glue paper - the stickers make it look very neat. I’m sure they’d fit into the typewriter.
Thank you everyone for your replies, some great ideas!
Yes, I have been using (2 different) portable typewriters; I have considered getting a desktop model, but I am not sure I have the room for it - and transporting one without a car is dificult.
But perhaps there are some options when the second hand stores open again…
Meanwhile, lots of things to try out & look up this weekend!
I am a new post crosser but am typing my postcards on vintage typewriters. I can do it by lightly rolling the card up slightly before inserting it and works best by typing inserted vertical instead of horizontal. It seems to work if you don’t mind the direction of type on the card side ways.
I switch between handwriting and typing out my postcards! My Olivetti Lettera 22 cannot handle any postcard, not even the thinnest. What I have done with it before is type my message out on a shipping label and stick the message onto a good card, I don’t see a huge issue with that way especially with other decorations and accents on the back. On the other hand, my Royal Standard 10 is a beast and has taken in every card I’ve fed. Curious to hear more about the experience of typewritten cards for other folks!
I was curious after discovering this thread. So I decided to test my typewriters.
Could not get it through my Empire Aristocrat but somehow managed to do so with my Olympia SM3 with a bit of pull and tuck. I will definitely experiment with the others this week.
Anyone interested to receive this typewritten postcard from Singapore?
Yes, a typewriter tag would be fun
Although, I noticed that the only 2 typewriters threads (including this one) I changed upon are all rather inactive.
I can type most postcards on my hermès and olympia SM8 but not my Olivetti at all. Some cards feed better if you turn them and feed them the long edge thru.
The Dutch cards I have are rather sturdy, too.
The design and the print quality are great though.
