Sarahlongworth’s Weblog

I took a few days off last week but am back in work-mode now and have some new bags finished and ready to share. I’m still without my digital camera since it was stolen a couple of weeks ago, so afraid I will be relying on scanned images and polaroids for the time being which isn’t ideal (or particularly cheap!) but they give you an idea of what I have been up to. (I’m also treating my polaroid film like gold-dust since I heard it was being discontinued aaah!)

Anyway, I started working on making a medium-sized leather cross body bag. I had the idea in mind for a while, since I’m going to the 2000 trees festival in a couple of weeks I wanted to make a bag I could take with me. I’m not a festival-going expert by any means, but I imagined that a bag that didn’t need to be held and was large enough to fit everything in but not too big to end up being my portable rubbish bin, would be perfect.

So I put some thoughts to paper and ended up with a basic shape constructed with front and back panels and a gusset.

Above is a page out of my sketch book, excuse the poor quality (scan and drawing)!

Next stage was to draw out a rough pattern and make it up as a fabric toile to see the proportions in 3D. I was pretty happy with the results in fabric so I cut out the first mock-up using this piece of brown leather I had left over from one of the Lily bags:

Here’s a shot below of the bag without the strap.

You don’t get to see all the detail as it’s a scanned image but you get the idea.

The idea behind folding the top of the bag over is to make a much safer way of closing up a bag, because I find with cross-body bags, as they swing behind you a lot of the time, its good to have a safe and secure top. Being in a city probably makes me more aware of that, but it’s a good feature to bear in mind.

Anyway, it was at this stage before I added on the handles that I realised the pattern could probably be adapted really well to make a good size clutch bag. So I tried it out using some lovely pink leather.

Again, above the scan is not great but better than no picture at all. The pink leather has a coating which gives the shimmer texture and also means the leather is a little heavier which works better for a clutch. I prefer clutches to have a bit more structure and bags with straps to be a bit more floppy.

So overall I am very pleased with the results and am working on adding the straps on to the brown leather bag. For the clutches I think they could work really well in some nice bright colours of leather perhaps. With a bit more work to the pattern I’m hoping to be able to add some more into the shop soon.

Thought I would share some photos I took of the Midland hotel in Morcambe. I visited it on Friday. (thanks to Dad for the loan of digital camera

I first went there a couple of years ago when it was looking faded and sad. It’s now been completely restored and the 1930’s style sits perfectly with the modern additions.

You can read more about the history here and more pictures are on my flickr

I’m taking you supply shopping with me today.

Sadly I am without my camera for a couple of weeks thanks to some light fingered people, so only have some phone camera shots. So that’s why some have funny lighting and are a little blurred.

Inside the leather shop.

The weekend staff here are way more helpful than the week-day staff. They really helped me try to find the right shade of brown for a bag I started yesterday.

Also picked up a metre of white cotton amongst the remnants which will be perfect for finishing a sundress I started making about 6 months ago and never finished.

Always end up leaving with things I didnt know I needed.

Next I need to buy some more of the wadding that gives my Lily bags their shape. I have searched high and low for an alternative - online - the wholesalers - but nowhere sells the exact same weight and thickness that is tried and tested and makes the bags so good…

So……I buy it in John Lewis. And I hate John Lewis.

But until I find an alternative…..

Also thought I should buy a zip to go on the sundress or there’ll be another excuse to leave it for 6 months.

Thinking Saturday was a bad day to choose.

Finish up having a quick cup of tea in a secret bar I know high up in the sky

Spend about 40 mins watching the planes fly along, the taxis drive by below and also see the maids in the hotel opposite changing the rooms.

My myspace site was starting to get a bit neglected over the past few months mainly because I got kidnapped by facebook along with everyone else.

However, I am back on myspace now with a vengeance and I’m loving it more than ever for the amount of talented and creative people you get to meet.

For example ‘Truth be told’ design’s page amazed me when I first came across it. I love her totally unique style of illustration and the individual personalities that her ladies all have.

So, as you can imagine, I am so so thrilled that she has produced a range of ‘bag lady’ illustrations, and look what they are holding….

….My Lily bags!

So, soon you will be able to see these ladies (and friends) on the tags that come along with my bags.

I think they may also pop in and make an appearance on my new website that’s coming soon.

Check out all of Truth Be Told’s fabby portfolio via her myspace page. She also has a really great blog here too!

xx

For some reason I thought I already posted these, but well..it seems not. Anyway, whilst I’m busy confusing myself, here are some photos I took at the Soho Review Bar a little while ago, of Nicole Atkins playing a very cool set.

Note the appearance of another disco ball! The quality is poor because I can never get my camera to behave very well at indoor gigs. Nonetheless, It was an amazing show. We saw Nicole play solo once before in Hammersmith about a year ago, just her and a her guitar, so it was extra cool to see her do a full set with her band.

Wierdly, in a few London reviews afterwards I saw they were comparing her to Amy Winehouse which I found really strange and frankly a little disturbing as I am no way a wino fan. Plus Nicole sounds nothing like her. But then I saw this not very good quality photo I took and thought….actually…..hang on a second…….

Very, very slightly….in a dark room….with one eye shut kind of similarity…..?!

But I still disagree with them. She’s way better than Amy Winehouse and the essential difference also is that my boyfriend quite fancies Nicole but in no way fancies Amy. Enough said.

 

My Sister’s band played a set at the Cavendish Arms Ballroom in Stockwell on Saturday. Those are some of my favourites amongst the mountain of photos I took. Hooray for the disco ball

This weekend I have been taking photographs like a woman possessed - thanks to our lovely friend Kristina who has lent me the most amazing camera - I have been taking photos of bags for my new website which should be up and running very soon.

That’s me being the reluctant model.

I have taken a TON more and am sifting through them as and when I get a free second. But the rest are being kept top secret for the website launch!

New bags made from genuine vintage fabric with real leather base and handle. Inside is fully lined with a soft cotton fabric, plus inside pocket. Close with a zipper. Soon to be added to the shop.

But first…. the view from my sewing desk was especially nice today….Sunshine and blue sky!

Or at least it was particularly nice until a huge swarm of bees arrived from absolutely nowhere and filled the sky for a while, which was actually quite freaky for a moment. But that aside, it was so nice I felt sad to be inside working for most of the day rather than lazing in the park reading and daydreaming.

I did have a quick trip into town though as I had to deliver some bags to a new stockist, a really cool shop called Mnini in Kingly Court, just off Carnaby Street. Here are the bags finished and ready to go:

I love Kingly Court. As I discovered along with my good friend Abs when we were there last, it’s heaven if you like making things, some great bead and wool shops.

Anyway, so the fabric print designed for me by Louise is now almost used up! The first batch I had printed, that is. And so, whilst I haven’t organised printing up any more just yet, that means these bags are even more ‘limited’ for the time being

So in the meantime I’ve been on the look out for more vintage fabrics and whilst I was in town today I found these really cool 70’s printed fabrics. I think they were once curtains which makes them the perfect weight/thickness for bags when added to my usual canvas backing.

I already started making up the orange one with some of the tan leather I have and it’s looking good so far. I’m wondering whether some black or dark brown leather might look good with the green daisy print….

They’re being made into the same style - a shoulder bag that can also go cross the body postman style. But I think these would also look pretty cool as smaller clutch type bags too.

Hopefully by tomorrow I will have some finished as I’m planning to take the photos for my new and much improved website that’s coming soon. Watch this space…!