Sarah DeLong

A few months before our 2018 Easter gift basket outreach, Sarah Delong volunteered to work on a pen-making project for the Little Brothers recipients and their caregivers in NYC. We are grateful for her labor of love! To make 100 wooden pens by hand is no small feat. On this page, we would like on to future generations. Please read more about Sarah and the process of making the pens below.to honor Sarah for such generosity and her special gift that pays tribute to the “writing generation” of our grandparents and great-grandparents. During that project the Little Brothers has been inspired to begin our Easter Legacy Project where the wooden pens will be used to write and collect the life stories of our elderly friends, ensuring their memories are kept and passed on for generations to come. Please read more about Sarah and the process of making the pens below.

My name is Sarah DeLong. I’m a born again believer in Jesus Christ, lover of the outdoors, adventure, and woodworking. Being self-taught since 2003, much of my love for woodworking developed in a small town of western NY where I am originally from. Starting out with building small furniture pieces to learning how to turn – making bowls, wine stoppers, and pens; my passion allowed me to explore the craft and tune my skills. My interest is in making functional pieces that people can use and enjoy.

Living in the city has its challenges when it comes to woodworking, however for the last couple of years I have been able to share a studio workspace, which has allowed me to continue creating new projects. That said, this year is going to be a bit different. I will be working towards other life goals and focus more on repairing older and broken furniture (chair seats), as well as other small projects during my free time.

About the Pens (Easter 2018):

Making pens is one of my favorite projects. To be able to create a beautiful, functional tool for everyday use from a block of wood is what makes the transformation fun to watch. In the age of text messaging and emailing, I still love when I get a hand written letter or card from someone. Writing cards and letters to friends and family is still a tradition, relating to all generations. It is a reminder that the person has taken the time to connect in a more meaningful way. Each pen is handmade

Sanding Pen Pieces on the lathe

Applying Wax Polish on the Wood

The woods used include butternut, cherry, walnut and cocobolo. The components of the pens are gold plated pieces. Each pen takes approximately 45 minutes to make from start to finish. The first step is to cut the wood down to the correct size, then drill a hole in the middle of the blank and glue the brass tube in. Later pieces are sanded and a wax polish applied to seal the wood.

Gluing Process

Would you like to write a letter to Sarah? Please kindly mail it to:

Sarah DeLong
54 Sterling Street, Apt 1
Brooklyn NY 11225