PPC20: Another Serving of Cork, Please!

So…

you might recall that recently I tried my hand at using cork as the exterior material for one of our designs for the very 1st time! And here’s the deal, I enjoyed using cork SO MUCH that I couldn’t wait to try my hand with this amazing material again!

For one thing, I very much wanted to have a Gateway sample in cork present in my booth at Quilt market to gauge what might be the approximate customer interest in this unique material!

This time I decided to opt for a more colorful cork palette. This combination of reds and aquas really appealed to me.

But this time I opted for using a cotton blend for the side areas of this Gateway instead of yet another cork. I just didnt care for the way the light-brownish cork from this company “played” with this unique exterior, so I chose this striped linen instead.

I waffled a bit on the zipper selection for this bag which is unusual for me. I couldnt decide whether to go with the “ultimate blender”, the black & white ministriped zipper? Or should I go with the edgier and less utilized tan & white ministriped zipper with gold findings?

In the end I chose the tan & white ministriped zips as you can see, but I’m not entirely happy with the final look. It’s OK… but I’m just not thrilled with it. Would it have been snappier if I had gone with the black & white mini-striped zip? I don’t know…

What do YOU think?

So please feel free to let me know what YOU think or what YOU would’ve done in the space provided below.

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Kat

20 Comments

  1. Karen Brannam on December 15, 2019 at 9:30 am

    Not sure the black and white would work as well.



    • Kat on December 15, 2019 at 11:30 am

      maybe not, but i’m not crazy about the tan & white either. 🙁



      • Julie on March 8, 2020 at 7:22 pm

        I really Like the tan stripe. Love the cork!



    • Sue Ward on April 11, 2020 at 10:04 am

      I like the bag but I would’ve picked either a red or the turquoise/aqua for the zipper nut that’s just me. I have made 4 bags using cork and I love it. I made 3 of the bags from the same pattern but used different colors of cork & fabric and each bag becomes unique. I’m looking at this new pattern & I think I will buy it & try the pattern.



      • Kat on April 12, 2020 at 8:45 am

        Sounds great to me! 🙂



  2. Debbie Mullinnix on December 15, 2019 at 10:16 am

    Love the tan & white with the cork. Looks so cute!!



  3. Dawne Brooks on December 15, 2019 at 10:30 am

    How does cork wear? Does it scuff?



    • Kat on December 15, 2019 at 11:31 am

      so far no scuffing, and I’m pretty hard on a handbag. I’m going to carry this one for a while to see if the corners start showing wear. So far so good. 🙂



      • Paula McCormick Faes on December 15, 2019 at 1:59 pm

        I have a cork wallet that I made and have been using for nearly a year. It is beginning to show some scuff on the corners.



  4. Barbara Ballard on December 15, 2019 at 11:30 am

    I love the tan & white. I don’t think the black & white would work–no black in the print. Maybe it the zipper tape had more beige to it than white, but this works.



  5. Donna on December 15, 2019 at 12:03 pm

    I would have tried the black and white. Maybe you are not satisfied with the stark interruption if the tan. The black and white may add an artsy panache you are looking for. The bag is beautiful and love the print.



    • Kat on December 15, 2019 at 6:26 pm

      thanks Donna! Its growing on me! 🙂



  6. Mary Nett on December 15, 2019 at 1:08 pm

    I love the cork print. The white/beige zipper looks fine, but I wonder what the gold on gold zipper would have looked like with this print.



    • Kat on December 15, 2019 at 6:27 pm

      well I auditioned that but I didnt like that look at all. 🙁



  7. Paula McCormick Faes on December 15, 2019 at 2:02 pm

    I love the way the tand and white zipper looks. If I was making it in this cork, I probably whould have tried to find an orange or blue zipper.



  8. Sue H on December 16, 2019 at 7:00 am

    I think the black and white zipper would have stuck out like a sore thumb since those colors are not in the print. I think the way you have it is beautiful!



  9. Paula Nierengarten on December 16, 2019 at 8:59 am

    I think it looks great. I have been intrigued by the cork fabric, but not sure how it would hold up in daily use. Maybe for a purse not used very often?

    As ways you inspire and we aren’t always happy with the results of our own creativity but we all are our own worse critics❤

    Nicely done!



    • Kat on December 16, 2019 at 10:14 am

      Thanks Paula! 🙂



  10. Beth on December 20, 2019 at 10:55 pm

    I thought the zipper looked fine until I read the part where you said you were not really happy with it. I looked more closely and decided that the zipper tape is probably too light and therefore is more contrast with the fabric than you care for. My next thought was to wonder if you could paint the tape with a fabric paint! I really think this zipper is better than the black and white one though, and I absolutely love the cork fabric with the striped linen.



    • Kat on December 22, 2019 at 2:19 pm

      Thanks Beth!
      🙂