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Sometimes, people are subconsciously bound by their cultural habits and traditions, and fail to see beyond the appearance of things. To the Japanese, a bamboo makisu (sushi mat) is used to make sushi, but in the hands of someone outside of Japan, the traditional culinary item is transformed into something completely unrelated to food. If you’re looking to add some Japanese element into your daily life, read on for the simple DIY instructions to make your own sushi mat brush organizer!

Our Japanese correspondent Yoshio couldn’t help but exclaim “これはスゴイ！” (This is great!) when he saw this awesome DIY project that transformed a common sushi mat into a makeup brush organizer. What’s even more awesome is the fact that you’ll need only about three to four items to create your very own sushi mat brush organizer!

Items you’ll need:
– Sushi mat(s)
– Elastic band (Optional)
– Ribbon
– Sewing kit/Hot glue gun

Sushi mat brush organizer with elastic band by Irina’s Cute Box

Step 1: Wrap the elastic band around the first 2-3 sticks at one end of the mat.
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Step 2: Sew the end of the elastic band to the longer side to secure it in place.
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Step 3: Weave the elastic band around the sticks in intervals that fit your brushes.
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Step 4: When you’ve reached the other end of the sushi mat, leave an appropriate length of elastic band and cut it. Wrap the elastic band around the last few sticks and secure it in place as in Step 2.
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And you’re done! Load it up with your favorite makeup brushes, roll it up and tie it up with a piece of ribbon or simply hold everything together with an elastic hair tie.

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If you have many brushes to carry around and don’t have elastic band at home, or if sewing isn’t your thing, here’s another version that uses two sushi mats, ribbon and a hot glue gun.

Double sushi mat brush roll with ribbon by Lethelle

Step 1: Combine the two sushi mats into one by untying the knots on one end of a sushi mat and then tying it to the other. Trim away any untidy string ends if necessary.
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Step 2: Slide the ribbon around the first stick at one end of the mat. Apply glue to the ribbon and secure it in place.
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Step 3: Weave the ribbon around the sticks in intervals that fit your brushes. It is best to wrap the ribbon around the brushes to get the perfect fit as ribbons do not stretch as much as elastic bands.
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Step 4: When you’ve reached the other end of the sushi mat, leave an appropriate length of ribbon and cut it. Wrap the remaining ribbon around the last stick and secure it in place as in Step 2.
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Step 5: Flip the sushi mat to the other side. Prepare another piece of ribbon that is longer than the sushi mat. Attach it to the back of the sushi mat with hot glue.
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▼ Roll it in, tie it up and you’re ready to go!
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How’s that for a functional, quick DIY project? It’s affordable, customizable to fit different makeup tools (works great for manicure tools too!), and adds a subtle touch of Japanese beauty to your daily makeup sessions. The sushi mat is also rather sturdy so it’ll probably keep your brushes in better condition as compared to dumping all your brushes into one big soft makeup pouch.

Guys, don’t be disappointed if you don’t use makeup brushes, you can always customize the size and placement of the gaps to fit things such as stationery, or even tools such as screwdrivers! Don’t like ribbon? Replace them with string, or even leather for a more sophisticated look. Get creative!

Source: Zhaizhai News
Reference/Images: Irina’s Cute Box, Lethelle.com