Earth Kind Originals: Ethical Cornish Fashion Review, Q&A & Discount

Organic Fashion from Cornwall

In my research into ethical clothing companies, I was thrilled to discover EKO, or Earth Kind Originals, hailing from beautiful St. Just in Cornwall. 

Being slightly cynical, I did wonder whether this company's head office was based here and manufacture took place in a developing country, but I need not have worried, as for once EKO mean exactly what they say by 'Made in Cornwall': a good selection of their pieces are made right here, from organic cotton that has been knitted in Nottingham. 

Image: EKO

I chat to EKO Founder, Helen:

I was lucky enough to be able to put some questions to Helen, and I think you'll agree the answers are inspiring:

Tell me a little about your journey into Earth Kind Originals!

In a nutshell I woke up one day and decided I needed to escape London and move back to the Cornish coast. I think your past shapes who you are and what you feel passionately about, and having seen my dad run his own business and growing up in Cornwall, have all had an impact. Leaving my job as a commercial fashion design in London and setting up my own eco friendly clothing label seemed like a natural progression. Combining my passion for good design and natural fibers, while working somewhere so inspiring has been a real driver.

You're clearly passionate about EKO, and about Cornwall, what motivates you to work so hard?

I love living in Cornwall, designing and creating feel good ideas, so being able to combine all of these things to create a brand is very exciting. Most days consist of number crunching, juggling cashflow and making tough decisions, but there are also times when the music goes up a notch, designs are created and ideas are hatched, and these days make it all worthwhile. Motivation comes from the journey of all these things, the curiosity of learning, making mistakes and feeling like I am building something truly unique, one brick at a time.

Imaget: EKO

What is the most satisfying thing about your job?

I can wake up every morning take my dog (Buster the crazy but lovely working cocker spaniel) out along the Cornish ciffs, then settle down in the office with a cuppa and work my way through the morning to do list. I try and appreciate this everyday. Although, what brings a real satisfying smile to my face is the lovely comments and cards we get from happy customers, who love the range as much as we do. Happy customers are why we do what we do, and make is possible for us grow and move the brand forwards.

What is your favourite item that you sell?

It has to be the Emily Jane Dress, which we have sold from day one, and we are super proud to be now making this style in Cornwall. It has our signature sculptural shape, timeless style and practical slouch pockets, made from super soft organic cotton jersey sourced from a mill in Nottingham.

Who is your heroine?

It has to be Anita Roddick, as I feel she was a true inspiration and pioneer of how business can be a change for good. I read her book while at uni studying fashion called ‘Business as Unusual’, and its always stuck with me. She is best known as the founder of The Body Shop and combined her brand with relentless charity work, campaigning for fair trade practice, and raising awareness on environmental issues. 

How would you like to be remembered?

For being nice and doing good things, like putting a smile on your face after a tough day.

Product Review:

happily earth-kind packaging 

Being completely in love with both ethical fashion and my local area, I was thrilled to receive this package- and especially to see that it arrived in a beautiful (and biodegradable) brown paper package. 

I know you're as excited as I was to know what's inside: I received the famous Emily Jane dress, and also a pair of Relax leggings.

Image: EKO

Image: EKO

My first impressions as these exciting pieces tumbled out of the pack were of the quality of the fabric: the 95% organic cotton jersey feels really substantial: these are no throw-away pieces. The 5% elastane gives them enough stretch to keep their shape, and they are both lovely and opaque. 

new favourite outfit?

Style: 

I don't often wear black, but when I do I want it to be classic, elegant and terrific quality. So, the Emily Jane dress fits the bill perfectly! The sculptural cut has a flattering empire-line waist with smooth pleats below, giving you shape in all the right places. The tulip-shaped skirt is the perfect length, and it has pockets! You know how much I love pockets!

the Emily Jane: shapely black organic cotton jersey...

The leggings in shade 'charcoal' are actually a flattering buff colour, which will work well with black of course, but will also tone nicely with the other colours in my wardrobe. 

The Fit: 

I opted for a Small in both pieces, and they fit my 8-10 size really well. The size charts on the EKO website are easy to locate and easy to interpret, which is definitely a plus. 

...with perfect pockets!

The leggings were also the perfect length, and fitted well around the hips and waist. I loved the turn-over waist band, as it seems to allow for maximum comfort and a soft silhouette. 

super-comfortable organic cotton leggings

Quality: 

As well as being made from beautiful fabric, the quality of the manufacture is also really high: the overlocking on both of these pieces lays really flat (no puckers to be seen), and it is stitched really securely (no stray threads or wobbly bits either).

paired together for a beautiful outfit...

The Outfit: 

Teamed together, these pieces make a winning outfit that could take you anywhere and to any occasion. But they are also great wardrobe staples which can be layered up or down. I can see the Emily Jane being my dress of choice for an upcoming trip as it's just so comfortable. 

I can see why these are both best sellers! 

...and a flattering silhouette

Discount Code: 

Not only has it been a real pleasure to work with EKO, but I'm thrilled to tell you that my lovely readers have been offered a discount: just enter the code 'happiness' at the checkout for a generous 15% off until the end of August! Thank you so much, EKO!

organic cotton leggings

Would I buy again? 

 

I would definitely shop further with EKO. I'd be tempted by the Day Dreamer Dress, which is similar to this one but with an exciting textured bodice, and sleeves: a great variation for colder months, or if you don't like to show your arms. 

I love their take on the stripey top, and the long vest not only looks super comfortable, but is made from eucalyptus no less! That's definitely on my shopping list. I can see a lot of the collection making their way into my yoga wardrobe too.

feel good about what you wear!

I thoroughly recommend Earth Kind Originals: I not only support their aims and ethics, but the products stand up for themselves, especially in what can sometimes feel like a limited ethical fashion market. 

We need to support brands like this who are working so hard with talent and vigour to stand up for what they believe in. It's by supporting companies like this with our shopping habits that we can show the garment industry how we want the future to look. 

Grateful thanks to EKO for providing an outfit to review. 

Barrel Bag Sew Along Instruction: Week 4

Sew Along: Week 4

Welcome back! This week is an exciting one- your bag will really begin to take shape! 

barrel bag sew along

You will need to have your D rings handy.

Let's go!

Cut a 20cm piece of your webbing. Fold it in half down the length of it and topstitch the long edges neatly together (from the right sides). Now cut this into two, so that you have two pieces measuring 10cm each. 

Fold one piece in half, place the D ring into the fold and stay stitch the ends together, so that your D ring is secured into a loop of webbing. Repeat this step for the other D ring and piece of webbing. 

Merchant & Mills Hardware 

Bag Ends: 

Now, take both of your round bag ends, and mark the quarters around them that you notched into your pattern way back at the beginning. I don't like to mark these points too soon because when you are using chalk they often rub off anyway. 

Also on the body of your bag mark the point on the fabric which is directly opposite the zip seam, and also the points which are exactly half way between the top and bottom of the bag.

notches are important

...marked with chalk

Now, attach your one-sided foot to the machine and locate your piping cord.

Lining up all of the raw edges, place your piping cord onto the round bag end and sew thus: you should have a 1cm seam allowance. It is important that the start and end of your cord should overlap as shown in the pictures so that there will be no gaps in the cord, so make sure you have a little spare at the beginning and end. When you come to the end of the circle, sew actually through the cord to secure it into this overlapped position. 

Piping attached to one bag end

piping must overlap at the beginning and end

Re-mark your quarter points if necessary. 

Pin your loops with their D rings so that they will sit at the top of the bag. Be sure that the rings point towards the centre of the circle, so that they will be on the outside of the bag when it is turned through. 

Now, lining up all of your guide points carefully, pin the body of your bag onto the bag ends (RS together), and still with your one-sided foot sew around the circle in exactly the same way as before. Take a 1cm seam allowance- the aim is to sew in exactly the same place when you attached the piping.

Ensure that your zip is open (crucial but easy to overlook!), before repeating these steps for the opposite end of the bag. 

piping is a beautiful visual detail on the bag

Join me next week for the final instalment of instructions, with details of how to finish your bag to a beautiful standard. 

Once again, thank you for tagging me on twitter or instagram. Please keep doing this- it's great seeing how you are getting on, and don't forget you can always use the contact form if you need clarification. 

Thank you for taking part!

Tilda Fabric Fat Quarter Blog Hop: Fat Quarter Dress

I'm delighted to have been invited to take part in the Tilda Candy Bloom blog hop, organised by Stitch Craft Create. 

I was set the challenge of what to do with nine fat quarters... and this is what I came up with: 

Tilda fat quarter dress

I love Tilda fabric, but I am used to the more subtle designs they have come up with in the past, so when this delightful bunch from the Candy Bloom collection exploded out of the envelope it put me in the mood for some fun!

fat quarter beach dress 

Part beach cover-up, part everyday overdress, my design used all nine fat quarters, with minimal wastage. 

fun to make and fun to wear

Stitching Pixie dress

wear as an overdress...

If there is demand I will consider writing a tutorial, so don't forget to let me know if you'd like to see this by leaving me a comment below. 

And if you share a link and tag me on instagram or twitter I'll know you're really keen to have a go at recreating my dress!

...or as a beach cover-up

Do you want a tutorial? Leave me a comment!

You can win your own bundle of Tilda fat quarters here. 

Don't forget to check out the other talented bloggers, as this blog hop is running all week (click the link above). 

And, if you're not a lucky winner this time, click the banner below to go straight to the Stitch Craft Create:

Barrel Bag Sew Along Instructions: Week 3

Sew Along: Week 3

Barrel Bag 

This week your bag will really begin to take shape! We will be inserting the zip. 

I would first just like to point out that, shockingly, I forgot to do what I am about to instruct you to do! Apologies in advance for this, I just got too excited! 

Next Step:

It is necessary to finish the raw edges where the zip will be inserted. These are the edges of your main fabric which measure 52cm. 

By 'finish' I simply mean that we cannot leave the fabric with the raw edges it has at the moment because it will fray. You can either

- overlock these edges,

- run a zig zag stitch along them,

-or, bind them with bias binding.

You have a 1.5cm seam allowance here, so make sure whatever finish you use stays within this distance of the edge of the fabric. 

The Zip:

Don't be afraid of the zip! We are going to topstitch it in place. Your zip should be about 45cm/18".

Place your now-finished edges together and line them up as if you are going to sew down them, joining them, with the RS's of your bag together. Be sure to keep the handles out of the way. 

Taking a 1.5cm seam allowance, sew about 5cm down the edges, then stop, backpacking securely. Turn the bag around and do the same at the other end. 

tack in a contrasting colour

Use chalk or a fabric marker to draw a line 1.5cm from the edges running along the rest off this edge we are working on. 

Then, preferable in a contrasting colour, make a neat line or tacking stitches along the line you have drawn. Make these stitches as straight as possible. 

seam pressed open

Press this seam open, along the whole length of the machine stitches and tacking stitches. A long thin sleeve board is useful here if you have one. 

Next, pin and tack your zip into place, so that the teeth are carefully positioned where the bag will open (under your contrasting tacking stitches).

For sewing in the zip, you can use your one-sided foot. However, when I have bulky fabric I often like to use my walking foot for sewing in zips. This helps to prevent the puckering that sometimes happens.

walking foot

Making sure your needle will not hit the zipper teeth (this will most likely break it), and starting with the zip closed, sew in a neat box down one side of the zip, across the end if you can, and up the other side and the opposite end. You will need to move the zip handle a little as you get to the end of your box- leave the needle down through the fabric so as not to interrupt your line of stitching. 

Remove the rest of your contrasting tacking (you will most likely have had to remove a little already in order to sew the box all around your zip). This is where the contrasting colour is really useful: you know easily that these stitches can be removed. 

Also remove the tacking that held your zip in place as this is no longer needed. 

Open your zip- both to check that it all works, and in preparation for the next step!

Well done! 

barrel bag with zip

Thank you if you have tagged me on social media (here or here) to let me know how you're getting on. I love seeing all of your fabric choices. And don't forget, if you need any clarification just use the contact form to the right and I will try to explain anything that might seem confusing. 

Barrel Bag Sew Along Instructions: Week 2

How to make a Barrel Bag

Step 3:

Welcome back to the sew-along! 

Our next task is to make the pocket. You will remember that we have cut out two matching squares for this, one from the main fabric and one from the contrast fabric, so you'll need these. You will also need a piece of your piped cord: cut a length of about 20cm.

Decide which is to be the top edge of the pocket. If you have plain fabric this won't really matter and any edge will be just fine. 

Place your pocket squares so that they are RS facing (meaning that the fronts, or Right Sides of the fabrics are facing each other, and you can only see the backs whichever way you look). 

Some fabrics are very different on the front and back,
 like the Quink linen I used from Merchant & Mills

Line the edges up carefully, then place your piece of piped cord so that the raw edges of the bias binding run along the raw edges of the fabric, as pictured below. 

Using your one-sided foot again, sew all of these layers together keeping your stitches close to the piping cord (just as you did before when sewing the cord into the binding). You will be taking roughly 1cm seam allowance. 

Piping & Pocket Pieces

Replace your normal sewing machine foot, and taking a 1cm seam allowance again, sew along the bottom edges of your pocket pieces, so that your pocket piece is a bit like a tunnel. 

Turn the pocket through, so that it is the correct way out, and press both seams so that the pocket lays nice and flat (never skimp on the pressing, it makes all the difference!)

Completed Pocket

The pocket should now look like this one below. Trim off the extra piping cord which hangs out of the sides. 

Pocket Ready to Attach

Bag Handles: 

Cut a piece of your webbing: it needs to be 230cm in length. 

Ensuring that it is not twisted, sew the ends together (RS together if there is a front and back) taking an allowance of 1cm, and press well so that the seam lays flat. 

Marking Out:

This next step is really important. You will need your straight edges, measuring tools and fabric markers/tailors chalk. 

Mark out your fabric (the large piece that you cut out as directed in the previous instructions) as shown in the diagram below. The drawing is not to scale. All angles are right angles, and the diagram is symmetrical. 

The long rectangles running up and down the diagram represent where you attach your webbing, and the smaller square which connects them is where you will put the pocket. The long rectangles are the same distance from both the top and the bottom of the fabric.

Markings for Main Pattern Piece

Assembly:

Once you have made all of the markings, put your pocket piece into the correct place. Topstitch closely and carefully along the bottom edge of your pocket only. 

fabric marked with tailors chalk

Now, take the loop of webbing that you have joined, and place it onto the bag outer as shown. Make sure that the webbing seam is in the centre of your main fabric so that it will be on the bottom of the bag. 

Your handles will be the loops of fabric which hang over the body of the bag. You will only be stitching them within the long rectangular markings- not all the way to the edge of the fabric- so if you can no longer see where the stitching should end, be sure to extend your markings (take a look at the picture above to see where I've done this). 

It is critical to make sure that both of your handles are the same length: roughly 50cm. Check this now, then pin the webbing on. When the webbing is on top of the pocket piece, pin through all layers and make sure the pocket will be securely held in place. 

Webbing Ready to Sew

Top-stitch the webbing onto the bag fabric by sewing the two long rectangles that you marked. Sew close to the edge of the webbing for a really neat finish.

Barrel Bag Handles Pinned On

Lesson Complete!

And that's the end of this lesson- good luck and don't forget to tag me on social media with your makes, here or here. 

Please use the contact form if you have any queries, and enjoy! 

Haberdashery & Tools

Barrel Bag Sew- Along Instructions: Week 1

Are you sitting comfortably? 

Then let's begin our sew-along!

How To Make a Barrel Bag 

Step 1 was to prepare your fabrics, which is why today we are starting with:

Step 2:

Cut Out Your Pattern:

Do you remember that I mentioned a 26cm diameter plate? Well, I'm sure you will have guessed that this is for making the ends of your bag! 

Draw around your plate (or use a compass to draw a circle this size), and cut a paper pattern (no need to add any extra seam allowance, this is already included).

26cm Circle

Fold the circle in half both horizontally and vertically, and mark quarters around the edge (e.g. 12 o'clock, 3, 6, and 9). You can use a notcher here if you have one. 

Paper Pattern with Notches

Other Pattern Pieces: 

Cut a paper square with sides measuring 19cm for the pocket pattern, and cut a paper pattern for the main body of the bag measuring 76.5cm x 52cm.

It pays to be as accurate as you can be at this stage, so it is a good idea to check that your corners are right-angles and your sides the correct length. Again there is no need to add any extra seam allowance as it is already included. 

Cut Your Fabric:

Pin the pattern pieces carefully onto your fabric and cut as follows:

• cut two circles from main fabric,
• cut one piece for the body of the bag from the main fabric (line up one of the edges with the straight of grain),
• cut one pocket square from main fabric and one pocket square from contrasting fabric (again, cut along the grain line). 

Making Bias Binding:

Taking your contrasting fabric (my Marble Indigo cotton) we are going to make some bias strips, which we will use for binding and for piping. 

This is where your graders square (if you have one) will come into its own: line up one of the shorter sides of the triangle with the selvedge and mark down the long edge of the tool- this will be at 45˚ to the straight of grain, or the bias. Take care not to drag on the fabric as you go. 

Using Graders Square

You can then use the markings on the plastic (seen here in the bottom of the picture) to help you draw a series of lines running parallel to the first one, and draw a number of strips which run along the bias. 

If you don't have a tool like this, use a small set square to find the bias, then use it in conjunction with a long ruler to mark your strips. 

You will need roughly 2m of 4cm-wide binding, and 2m of 3cm-wide binding. Do all of your drawing before you begin to cut. 

Rolls of Bias Binding Ready to Use
notice the different widths

Cut along your lines to make strips, and join them together to make long rolls of bias binding as follows: to determine whether the ends of your strips can be joined, lay them with right sides (RS) up, and if the angles run parallel you will be able to join them.

Edges Run Parallel

Take one strip and turn it over, laying it on top of the other- now RS's face each other. 

Joining Bias Strips

The stitch line will be 1cm from the raw edges, so make sure this is where the edges intersect, and that this is the point at which the right angles appear along the edges- stitch line drawn below. 

Stitch Line

Cover Your Piping Cord:

You will need to attach your one-sided foot to your sewing machine. If you're not sure what this looks like, take a look at the image below: I always think it looks like a ski. 

It will not sit in the middle of the ankle, you will have to attach it to one side- attach it so the foot it positioned to the right of the needle. 

In some machines, the position of the foot is adjusted by loosening the screw, sliding the foot to the desired position and tightening it back up. You can do this with the needle down to get a really close hold on the fabric. 

Making Piping Cord

Take your 3cm binding, and roll it around your piping cord. Take care that the raw edges of the bias binding are level with each other and that the cord runs down the centre of the bias strip. 

Using your one-sided foot as shown in the photo, sew a line of stitching running along the cord- don't stitch through the cord itself but try to keep the stitches close to it to hold it in place. 

Lesson One Done!

That is as far as we are going to go this week, I hope you enjoy it and I look forward to you sharing your progress with me on twitter and instagram. 

If you need anything to be clarified please go ahead and ask, and if you really don't do the metric system I may be persuaded to offer imperial conversions... 

#MMMay:

Are you following #mmmay on social media? Me-made May is the perfect opportunity to show off your skills, so don't forget to add this tag too to your barrel bag pictures.

Following the Instructions:

I will be putting up other blog posts between the sew-along, so don't forget that you can click on the words 'sew-along' in the word cloud to the right to see everything in this sequence.