Fabric Tissue Box Cover DIY

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You know how tissue boxes think they’re all cute and decorative but they really aren’t??

Well here’s a way to upscale any tissue box with just a little fabric and some sewing skills..

HOW TO MAKE A FABRIC TISSUE BOX COVER

1. MEASURE YOUR TISSUE BOX

Take measurements to determine the size of the piece of fabric you’ll need to cut

Measure around the box and add 1/2 inch for fit + 1 inch for seam allowance. This will be the length of fabric you’ll need to cut for the body of the cover.

Now measure from the top edge of the box to the bottom then multiply times 2 and add 1 inch for seam allowance. This is the width of the strip of fabric you’ll need to cut.

My box measured 18 1/2 around and 5 1/4 high so I needed a strip of fabric that was 20 long by 11 1/2 wide.

2. MAKE A PATTERN FOR THE TOP

Use a piece of paper or tracing paper and mark around the opening in the box. Then mark around the sides of the top all the way around to get your square top. Next you’ll need to draw your seam allowances. Draw a line 1/2 inch inside the opening all the way around on the pattern. This is where you’ll cut the opening The opening line is where you’ll sew the opening. Now add 1/2 inch seam allowance on each side of the box top pattern.

3. CUT YOUR FABRIC

I used a piece of leftover linen from the sheet I used to make my shower curtain. (See how I made the shower curtain HERE)

Cut your fabric strip for the body.

Cut 2 top pieces.

4. SEW THE TOP PIECES TOGETHER

Put the 2 top pieces right sides together and sew the opening 1/2 inch out from the edge of the cut opening.

Now snip all around the opening about every 1/2 inch or so. Be careful to just go almost up to the stitching but not into it.

Next turn it right side out by taking the outside edges of the top piece and putting them through the hole and bringing them to meet the edges on the other side. Press the opening flat with a hot iron.

5. ADD AN APPLIQUE

If you want an applique on your fabric tissue box cover, then you can add it to the front of the body piece before you sew it to the top piece.

Fold your 11 1/2 by 20 piece of fabric in half, wrong sides together, so it’s 5 3/4 by 20 and press the fold. Now find the placement you want for your applique and iron it onto the front of the fabric following the package instructions. I used an iron-on dragonfly applique I found on Etsy.

6. SEW THE BODY OF THE COVER TO THE TOP

Line the center of the body piece up to the center of the top front and pin in place.

When you get to a corner, snip the straight piece slightly so it will go around the corner and pin it.

Sew the body to the top with 1/2 inch seam allowance, pivoting at the corners making sure not to sew a pucker in the straight piece.

When you get to the back, stop about 1 1/2 inches from the middle on both sides to get ready to make the back seam.

You’re going to have 2 ends of the folded piece in the back. Take the left and the right piece of the body that is closest to the box top and pin it at the 1/2 inch seam allowance so that it’s the same length as the top piece. Now open up the rest of the folded pieces as best you can and pin the back seam all the way from the front down past the fold and back up the back. Now sew this seam making sure you don’t catch any other parts of the cover in your stitching.