--- title: "VersaCraft Soramame: Fingertip Ink Pads in 9 Sets" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/versacraft-soramame-ink-pad/" description: "Tsukineko VersaCraft Soramame explained: four 14 mm fingertip pads of fabric-safe pigment ink, nine traditional Japanese color sets, heat setting and prices." category: "Stamps" type: "Ink pad" published: 2026-10-29 updated: 2026-10-29 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 2 products: - name: "Tsukineko VersaCraft Soramame four-color ink pad set (VKB-401 to VKB-409)" brand: "VersaCraft" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Not stated" material: "Water-based pigment ink, acid-free (Tsukineko)" price_band: "$$ ($5–20 per stamp or ink pad, typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Tsukineko Co., Ltd. (Japan); sold in the US under its Imagine name" model: "VKB-409" gtin: "4992475574093" url: "https://www.tsukineko.co.jp/products/versa-craft-soramame/" --- # VersaCraft Soramame: Fingertip Ink Pads in 9 Sets > VersaCraft Soramame is a set of four tiny ink pads from Tsukineko that you wear on a fingertip to dab color onto a stamp, so one stamp can print in several colors or a gradient. Eraser-stamp artist Tomoko Tsukui produced it. The ink is VersaCraft, a water-based pigment ink that can be heat-set on fabric. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/versacraft-soramame-ink-pad/ - Category: Stamps - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-10-29 - Updated: 2026-10-29 ![VersaCraft Soramame Retro set drawn to scale: a 90 × 35 mm case with four 14 mm pads, and an inset of a fingertip tapping a pad onto a stamp](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/versacraft-soramame-ink-pad-illustration-16x9.png?v=65129619) *The case and pads at 1 mm = 4 px (Tsukineko Japan); ink tints are representative.* Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times. Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Tsukineko VersaCraft Soramame four-color ink pad set (VKB-401 to VKB-409) | VersaCraft (by Tsukineko Co., Ltd. (Japan); sold in the US under its Imagine name) | Japan | Not stated | Water-based pigment ink, acid-free (Tsukineko) | – | $$: $5–20 per stamp or ink pad | - Made in (Tsukineko VersaCraft Soramame four-color ink pad set (VKB-401 to VKB-409)): Not stated. Tsukineko's Japanese product page and Yoseka's listing don't name a country of manufacture. One marketplace listing we found says Japan, but it is supplier-entered data, so we don't rely on it. ## Key takeaways - Tsukineko lists each case at 90 × 35 × 23 mm (3.5 × 1.4 × 0.9 in) with four pads 14 mm (0.55 in) across. - There are nine four-color sets, VKB-401 to VKB-409, each at ¥990 (about US$6.30) with tax in Japan. - Tsukineko rates the ink best on cotton and linen, says it won't survive washing on polyester, and sells no re-inker for the Soramame. - Tsukineko says to heat-set fabric with an iron at the cotton setting for 15 seconds or more; Yoseka says the lowest setting for no more than 15 seconds at a time. - Yoseka listed each set at US$10 on October 29, 2026, in our $$ band ($5–20). ## What is VersaCraft Soramame? **It's a strip of four tiny ink pads that you wear on a fingertip to color a stamp by hand.** Tsukineko's Japanese page says you just slip it on a finger and tap, so overlapping colors and gradients are easy, on eraser stamps as well as stencils and decorations. Tomoko Tsukui, a well-known Japanese eraser-stamp artist, produced the line, Tsukineko says. "Soramame" means broad bean, a fair description of the pads. ## What are the specs? **A 90 mm case holding four 14 mm pads of fabric-safe pigment ink.** All figures are from Tsukineko's Japanese page. | Spec | Value | |---|---| | Case | 90 × 35 × 23 mm (3.5 × 1.4 × 0.9 in) | | Pads | 4, each 14 mm (0.55 in) across | | Ink | VersaCraft: water-based pigment, acid-free | | Drying | Air-dry; heat-set on fabric | | Surfaces | Fabric, unfinished wood, paper, washi, vegetable-tanned leather, terracotta | | Re-inker | None for the Soramame | | Price (Japan) | ¥990 (about US$6.30) with tax | Yoseka gives the pad as 0.5 in (13 mm), a touch smaller than Tsukineko's figure. ## How do you print one stamp in several colors? **Ink each part of the stamp with a different pad, then print once.** Yoseka explains that you put your index finger into the small inverted cup on a pad and dab, which is more precise than pressing a stamp onto a big pad. Tsukineko adds that tapping colors so they overlap gives gradients. Yoseka says each set comes with color label stickers and double-sided tape, so you can join several cases into one strip. ## Which color sets are there? **Nine, each four traditional Japanese colors that Tsukineko picked to go well together.** It says the colors are the kind seen in kimono, grouped for people who find matching colors hard. ![The nine VersaCraft Soramame sets VKB-401 to 409: Goldfish Bowl, Yoyo, Umbrella, Butterfly, Kiriko, Camellia, Modern, High Collar and Retro, four color dots each](https://stationerytimes.com/images/versacraft-soramame-ink-pad-sets.svg?v=6aacb506) *The nine sets in Tsukineko's order; dots are representative tints. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.* | Set (code) | Tsukineko's four colors, translated | |---|---| | Goldfish Bowl (VKB-401) | Vermilion, siskin green, hydrangea, yellowish brown | | Yoyo (402) | Rose, pale ink gray, lemon, jade | | Umbrella (403) | Plum purple, pine green, turmeric, eggplant navy | | Butterfly (404) | Dawn pink, peacock, mustard, sooty bamboo | | Kiriko (405) | Iris, ivory, light indigo, warbler green | | Camellia (406) | Deep scarlet, leaf-back green, daffodil, brushwood | | Modern (407) | Crimson, Shinbashi blue, canary, ink black | | High Collar (408) | Lotus, sprout green, yellow ochre, indigo | | Retro (409) | Sappanwood red, pale blue, bitter orange, pine needle | ## How do you set the ink on fabric? **Iron it, through a cloth, once the ink is dry.** Tsukineko says to use the cotton setting, generally 180–200 °C (356–392 °F) but follow the fabric's care label, for 15 seconds or more; lower heat weakens wash resistance. Yoseka's page gives different advice: the lowest setting, no more than 15 seconds at a time. We'd follow the maker on cotton and test first on delicate fabric. On wood and terracotta, Tsukineko says a hairdryer improves water resistance; Yoseka suggests about 10 minutes. Leather should air-dry or get a hairdryer, not an iron. ## Which fabrics does it work on? **Cotton and linen best, polyester worst.** Tsukineko rates each fabric for printing, water resistance and washing. | Fabric | Printing | Water resistance | Washing | |---|---|---|---| | Cotton | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | | Linen | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | | Silk | Excellent | Excellent | Good | | Rayon | Good | Excellent | Fair | | Polyester | Good | Excellent | Poor | ## How is it different from other Tsukineko pads? **It's a multi-color tool for small stamps, not a full-size pad.** Tsukineko's [Brilliance](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tsukineko-brilliance-ink-pad/) and [VersaMagic](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/versamagic-chalk-ink-pad/) pads are 99 × 68 mm and made for paper, with re-inkers. For permanent ink on glass or metal, Tsukineko's [StazOn](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/stazon-ink-pad/) is the solvent option. If you carve your own stamps, our [Speedball Speedy-Carve block](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/speedball-speedy-carve-block/) guide covers a material many beginners start with. ## Where is it made, and what does it cost in the US? **Neither Tsukineko nor Yoseka names the country.** Tsukineko is a Japanese company. Yoseka listed each set at US$10 on October 29, 2026, in our $$ band. In Japan they cost ¥990 (about US$6.30) with tax. For the larger fabric pads, see [VersaCraft S and L](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/tsukineko-versacraft-fabric-ink-pad/). ## Frequently asked questions ### How do you use a Soramame ink pad? Slip a fingertip into the little cup on the back of a pad and tap it onto the stamp. Tsukineko says this makes overlapping colors and gradients easy, on stamps, stencils or decorations. ### Can you refill VersaCraft Soramame pads? No. Tsukineko says there is no re-inker for the Soramame. Its full-size VersaCraft pads are a separate line. ### Is VersaCraft Soramame ink permanent on fabric? On cotton and linen, once heat-set. Tsukineko rates both top for washing after ironing; silk is a step down, rayon weak, and polyester won't hold up to washing. ### Can you heat emboss with VersaCraft Soramame? On paper, yes, according to Tsukineko's specification. ### What does soramame mean? Broad bean. The name fits the small, bean-like pads; Tsukineko writes it in Japanese and Yoseka keeps the romanized name. ### Who designed the Soramame sets? Tomoko Tsukui, a Japanese eraser-stamp artist. Tsukineko says she produced the line, and Yoseka notes she began carving eraser stamps at 15 and now teaches workshops. ### Is VersaCraft Soramame made in the USA? Not as far as we can tell, but neither Tsukineko nor Yoseka states the country. Tsukineko is a Japanese company. ## Sources - [Tsukineko Japan (Japanese): VersaCraft Soramame (Tomoko Tsukui; uses; heat setting at cotton temperature 15 seconds or more; fabric ratings; nine sets VKB-401 to 409 with color names and JANs; ¥900 plus tax, about US$5.70; 90 × 35 × 23 mm case; 14 mm pads; no re-inker; read October 29, 2026)](https://www.tsukineko.co.jp/products/versa-craft-soramame/) - [Yoseka Stationery: Tsukineko VersaCraft Soramame Ink Pad, Set of 4 Color (nine sets, surfaces, ironing and hairdryer notes, about the creator, US$10; read October 29, 2026)](https://yosekastationery.com/products/tsukineko-versacraft-soramame-ink-pad-set-of-4-color)