This video tutorial shows how to sew a small wash bag with a zipper to hold reusable makeup remover wipes, lingerie, underwear, and socks in the laundry.
Hey y’all, today I’m sharing how to make DIY reusable makeup remover pads and how to make a wash bag to clean them in. This is a rather practical gift for anyone you know that wears makeup. The reusable makeup wipes replace the need for cotton rounds or cotton balls to remove makeup. This project is also environmentally friendly since you can use an old towel for the wipes instead of throwing it away. I store these in my bathroom and also use them for toner.
When you add a wash bag for the diy makeup remover wipes, this makes a good gift. I store these in my bathroom and use grape seed oil on them to get my makeup off at night. In the morning, I use witch hazel on them as a cleanser and toner. When you add a wash bag for the diy makeup remover wipes, this makes a thoughtful gift. Plus, the wash bag can also be used as a lingerie bag to protect your bras, underwear, and other intimates and delicates in the washing machine. It’s a good size for one bra on the smaller end, or you can adjust the dimensions given and make your bag larger to hold more.
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Materials Needed
Want to make your own eusable cotton rounds and make a wash bag to gift them in? Since there are two parts to this project, the makeup rounds and the wash bag, here are all the fabrics and supplies you’ll need.
- Old towel or terry cloth fabric for the makeup rounds. Alternatively, if you prefer a softer fabric, you could use flannel.
- Sewing machine that can do a zig zag stitch or a serger, needles, thread, scissors, etc.
- Mesh fabric or mosquito netting, 2 pieces cut to 9 inches wide by 6 1/2 inches tall
- Quilting cotton fabric scraps:
- 4 pieces measuring 2 inches tall by 9 inches wide.
- One 2 inch tall by 4 inch wide strip to cover the zipper pull. One long edge of the 4 inch piece should be folded to the wrong side 1/2 inch and pressed.
- A 9 inch zipper
- Sewing clips (affiliate link) – these work better on mesh than pins do.
The finished diy wash bag is 8 inches wide by 7 inches tall. If you need to change the size of your bag (like for a larger lingerie bag pattern), adjust your height and width of the netting, then adjust the width (but not the height) of the quilting cotton pieces and zipper length to match the new width of your mesh.
How to Make DIY Reusable Makeup Remover Pads
To make the reusable makeup rounds, you simply start with two 3 inch by 3 inch squares of towel. Place them together, then either round them off with scissors and zig zag stitch around the edges. One side of the stitches should just miss the edge of the fabric, the other should land on the fabric. For the other method, use the serger to round the corners off and stitch them together at the same time. Both methods are demonstrated in the video below and on YouTube here.
How to Sew a Mesh Wash Bag for the Laundry
To make the bag to wash these in, follow the video tutorial below or on YouTube here. There’s a summary of written instructions below the video as well, but some of them won’t make sense until you watch the video. The burrito method used is simple once you’ve done it, but confusing to try to explain or understand in writing.
Instructions to Sew a Lingerie Wash Bag
Time needed: 1 hour.
DIY Lingerie Laundry Bag
- Make a zipper sandwich.
Start with the zipper, two of the 9 inch fabric strips, and the 4 inch strip. Place one of the 2 inch by 9 inch pieces of fabric right side up. Place the zipper right side up on top of it. Place the 4 inch fabric piece on top, right side up, at the zipper tab end. The folded edge should face toward the bottom of the zipper. Unzip the zipper partially so that you can sew near the teeth without the pull tab getting in the way. Finally, place another 9 inch piece of quilting cotton wrong side up on top. Pin all layers together.
- Sew the zipper.
Align raw edges of all layers and stitch with a zipper foot in a straight line to sandwich the zipper in the middle. Stop after a couple inches and close the zipper so you can sew the rest of the seam. Flip the longer pieces of fabric wrong sides together and press flat. Repeat the sandwich on the other side of the zipper, so that both sides of the zipper are enclosed.
- Sew the mesh to the zipper.
Lay the zipper assembly so the right side of the zipper is face up. Place one piece of mesh right sides together with one side of the quilting cotton, aligning raw edges of the fabric. Roll the mesh up, and then roll wrong side quilting cotton piece from the same side of the zipper around so that it is right sides together with the first piece of quilting cotton. The mesh should be sandwiched in the middle of the burrito. Pin and then sew this seam with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Turn right side out. Repeat this process with the other piece of mesh on the other side of the zipper.
- Sew the side seams.
Partially unzip the zipper, then fold the bag right sides together. Using a zig zag stitch, sew the side seams and the bottom of the bag. Turn the bag right side out, zip it up and you’re done!
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