How to make a tissue box cover

1. Materials & tools

Materials (standard size)

• Main fabric (linen, cotton or canvas) — about 60 cm × 50 cm
• Bias tape for the opening — about 50 cm
• Flat elastic (8 mm) — about 60 cm
• Lightweight fusible interfacing — enough for the top (if you want it crisp)

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Home” → “Tissue box cover” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the box width, depth, height, the width of the opening and the ease. Presets cover standard, slim and large boxes.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Measure the box
   Measure the width, depth and height of your tissue box. Heights vary a lot between brands, so measure the real thing.
2. Trace the pattern
   Trace three shapes: the top, the front/back sides and the left/right sides. All are rectangles.
3. Cut the pieces
   Cut 1 top, 2 front/back sides and 2 left/right sides — 5 pieces in all.
4. Finish the edges
   Zigzag the seam allowances.

4. Sewing

4-1. Make the opening

1. Draw the opening in the middle of the top piece, between the notches. Match the width to the opening on the box itself, and make it 2 to 2.5 cm high.
2. Cut along the line. Rounding the corners makes the binding much easier later.
3. Bind the cut edge with bias tape. Narrow bias tape follows a small opening better.
4. Do not make the opening too big or the tissues dry out. Room for two fingers is plenty.

4-2. Join the sides into a ring

1. Sew the four sides together right sides together in the order front → right → back → left, forming a ring.
2. The last seam is awkward because the fabric is now a loop. Slide it onto the free arm and go slowly.
3. Press the seam allowances open.

4-3. Attach the top

1. Place the top on the upper edge of the ring, right sides together.
2. Pin the four corners first, then pin evenly between them. The side seams must land on the four corners of the top.
3. Sew all the way round, pivoting at each corner with the needle down.
4. Trim the corner seam allowances diagonally.

4-4. Thread elastic through the hem

1. Double-fold the hem by 1 cm and then 1.5 cm and stitch, leaving a 3 cm gap for threading.
2. Thread the flat elastic — about 85% of the actual hem circumference. Overlap and stitch the ends, then close the gap.
3. Turn right side out, fit it over the box and check that the elastic catches under the base.

✏️ Do not make the opening too big. Cut it wider than the opening on the box itself and the tissues are exposed and dry out. Too large also weakens the top, so it distorts every time you pull a tissue. The same size as the box opening, or a little smaller, is right.

5. Tips & variations

• Hang it up instead: put the opening in the base rather than the top and add a strap, and it hangs on a wall or the back of a car seat.
• Elastic earns its keep: without it, the cover lifts every time you pull a tissue. Five minutes of work changes how it feels to use.
• For wet wipes too: change the dimensions and the same pattern covers a wet-wipe box.