ELSPETH KEELING

Corkique
​I learned to sew at school over 40 years ago but never made anything else until the pandemic when I started sewing face masks. Having then failed to make baby clothes for my grandson, I decided to try making bags and quickly became hooked!  
I particularly like using cork fabric as an excellent alternative to leather or vinyl.  Cork is completely sustainable, stain proof, water resistant, easy to wipe clean, and beautiful!
I’m also lucky enough to be able to rummage through the scrap bins at Charbel Blinds (Gloucester Road, Ross) and find offcuts of beautiful materials that were destined for landfill. I experiment with making bags from this rescued fabric, sometimes combining it with other technical fabrics appropriate for the intended use of the bag, such as waterproof linings, waxed canvas and oilcloth.