How do you sew with cork?
Working with cork is TOO much fun!
Hello, Makers!
You may have heard my squeals of excitement from here in Vancouver when we (finally!!) decided to take the plunge and carry cork!! Cork is a really cool fabric. It’s durable, pliable, and doesn’t fray. It’s sturdy and not too thick or thin, so your sewing machine should sew it with no trouble.
The stuff we have sourced is from Portugal and is sustainably harvested. The bark is peeled from the tree so it doesn’t need to be cut down, and the bark just grows back!
“Cork is sustainably harvested. The bark just grows back... ”
I know it’s a new textile for many, so here’s some great tips for sewing with this amazing textile.
1) It’s not sticky like vinyl, leather, or faux leather. So you can use your regular foot! If you do have any trouble, you can put some frosted tape on the bottom of your foot, but it’s never been a problem for my machine.
2) Use the synthetic setting on your iron, and iron the back only. You can fuse using a pressing cloth if you like. I try to just finger press whenever possible. Top stitching is often necessary, and shows off really well.
3) Wonder Clips and magnets are your friends! Using pins will leave perforations in the cork that will not come out.
4) The edges don’t fray, so when making straps or handles there’s no need to turn your fabric under unless you like the look.
5) Trim the bulk from your corners, since cork is thicker than most sewing materials. This will make it easier when turning.
“Alicia is proud of her new cork backpack... ”
I really, really hope you love making things with cork as much as I do. Tag us on instagram with your makes, so we can see all the fab cork stuff you come up with!