How to Sew an Arashi Silk Cosmetic Bag

Materials and Tools:

silks: raw, charmeuse
fabric scissors
serger
sewing machine
pins
thread
iron
metal zipper

Steps:

1. Cut out one piece of silk charmeuse and two equal rectangles of raw silk to desired bag size.

2. To make Mexican pleats, accordion fold the silk charmeuse and pin into place onto one square of the raw silk lining. This will become the front of the bag.

3. Use the serger to run a finishing stitch along one length of the front of the bag.

4. Make the Mexican pleats using a sewing machine to sew over the "peaks and valleys", pulling each pleat up in the opposite direction as you sew.

5. Sew zipper onto the top of each side of the silk.

6. Use a serger to join the two raw silk pieces together. This will close up the cosmetic bag.

7. Flip the bag inside out.

Chrissy Wai Ching Leung, Seattle
Website: www.wai-ching.com