Turns out…I like cork!  I like the feel of it, I like how easy it is to cut, I like how easy it is to sew.  I’m not crazy about the price of it but that’s a good thing because otherwise I’m afraid I might go into overload on making things from it at the rate I’ve gone the past few days.

It all started last week when I was at our machine quilting bee, which meets at a local quilt shop. We always wander the store before the meeting, trying to find things that we didn’t know we just had to have before we saw it. And there it was – a cork billfold.  As it turns out, I somehow misplaced where I put mine???  So I really did need one!

I asked the owner and she said that my friend, Lisa, had actually made that one. I texted Lisa and even better, it was a free pattern! The pattern is from Sallie Tomato before I forget, as is the next one. And I had the light tan cork at home already!  In literally less than an hour, I had cut out the pattern (I could’ve used my Scan ‘n Cut but just cut it with my rotary cutter) and completely sewn. I was so excited! I had been wanting (needing?) a cork purse so I made an excuse to head right back up to the LQS and bought more cork, this time in an army green/olive color. That was hard to choose from all the colors they have. I picked up the zippers and some hardware (I forgot the zipper pulls if that isn’t obvious – next trip!)

I got home and in no time at all, now I also had a purse. I was so excited! Except the billfold is a traditional size to fit 2 credit cards across and my crossbody bag was just a hair narrower than that.  Hmph. I knew what I had to do; I just needed to find the time to do it.  Last night I took the original Lucky Penny wallet pattern, folded it in half and manually added a small margin on the folded side. (I just realized I didn’t take a picture of it unfolded). This “mini penny” as I’m calling it is half the width but just as long unfolded so I can still fit my driver’s license, debit card, cash, etc.  The larger size also comfortably holds my cell phone and while this one doesn’t, the phone does fit perfectly in the purse.  I may have winged it on drawing and cutting the pattern but it came out just as expected and the bonus is this one also matches the purse.

What I learned was:

• my sewing machine likes the dual feed feet the best with cork, so I needed to help it along a little where I used the zipper foot
• draw the pattern on the back side of the cork
• I took out the slider buckle and instead just cut the shoulder strap to the size that I personally wanted since I was making it for myself
• I could’ve lined the wallets if I had wanted to before sewing the 2 sides together but I don’t think it needs it
• I probably won’t post any more of these because my family is going to start asking for them and I won’t be able to keep up!