Tissue Box Cover with Pockets - Instructions
 

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These instructions work for any size square tissue box.
Supplies Needed:
14″ of 54″ home dec fabric - you could also use a quilting cotton but I would interface all structure pieces.
Thread to match your fabric
Pins
Scissors
Ruler
Tape measure
Pen
Sewing machine
Iron and ironing board
1. Press your fabric.
2. Measure your tissue box. Add 1″ to the width and height for the top. Add 1″ to the width & height for the sides. Mine was 4-1/2″ x 4-1/2″ for the top. 4-1/2″ x 5-1/2 for the sides. I cut 2 pieces 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ for the top. I cut 4 pieces 5-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ for the sides. For the pockets, use your side dimensions minus 1-1/2″ from the height and cut 4 pieces. My side dimensions with the 1″ added was 5-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ so I cut 5-1/2″ x 5″. Got it? So I have now have:
2 pieces 5-1/2″ x 5-1/2″ for top
4 pieces 5-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ for sides
4 pieces 5-1/2″ x 5″ for pockets
3. To make the top of your box. Take one of the top pieces and take to the ironing board. Press perfectly in half to crease. Open up and press perfectly in half the other way to make another crease.
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With a marking pen, draw a 2″ x 3″ rectangle. Because the piece is creased, I know my center point and my rectangle will be perfectly placed. Use that center point as your guide.
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Place the other matching piece, right sides together. Sew along the line you have just drawn.
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Cut in the center of the rectangle and cut to the points as shown.
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Cut out the rest of the rectangle.
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Push one side through the hole to the other side so that wrong sides are together. Press.
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Top stitch close to the edge of the hole as shown. I serged all the raw edges of the top together only because this was going into a basket that was being raffled at a nursing home. You do not have to do this. Chances are this won’t ever be washed and simply cutting the edges with pinking shears would be more than enough. Unless you serge the edges together, you need to baste all the raw edges of the top together. Baste very close to the outer edge.
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For the pocket (which are my 5-1/2″ x 5″ pieces), again I serged the top raw edge but you do not need to do that unless you have a serger and want to serge it. You could just as easily press down about 1/8″, press again about 1/4″ and top stitch.
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Tip: When I am top stitching the edge of something and part of my machine foot is off the fabric, my machine has a tendency to suck the fabric down in the machine. To stop this from happening I take a scrap piece of paper and start sewing the paper. I then put my fabric on the paper and continue sewing. The paper easily tears away from the stitching when I’m done sewing.
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See how smoothly it stitches my edge. http://www.wowilikethat.com/wp-inclu...icon_smile.gif
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For the sides, lay your side piece (mine was 5-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ face down. Place the top stitched pocket piece (mine was 5-1/2″ x 5″ ) right side down as shown. Stitch along the bottom. Again, you may serge or stitch using your sewing machine using a 1/2″ seam allowance. Do this for all 4 sides.
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Flip pocket around to front and press.
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Because this is for a raffle I serged the 3 raw edges of the side pieces. If you are not serging, baste the pockets down.
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To sew the sides together, mark each side piece at the 1/2″ from the top as shown. That is your starting point to stitch. Stitch using a 1/2″ seam allowance and stitch to bottom taking care to match the tops of the pockets together. I put a pin at the top of the pockets to keep them in place.
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Keep sewing the 4 pieces right sides together until you have a box shape as shown.
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On your top piece, mark 1/2″ in from both the top and the side on all 4 corners. The center of the x is your pivoting point.
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Starting with one side, pin the right side of the side to the right side of the top (that would be the side without the markings) together. Drop your needle in the center of the x and continue sewing till you reach the center of the other x. Drop your needle in the x, lift your machine foot and rotate your fabric to sew down another side. Before continuing to sew, place another pin at the new second x spot. Continue doing this until the top is sewn on. Turn right side out. Press if needed.
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That is it. You are done. Quick, simple and oh so easy. If you have any questions, let me know.

My sample isn't quilted but it could be quilted or appliqued. I'll make a quilted sample this week so everyone can use up some scraps. I'm a scrappy happy kind of girl anyway. The pockets would be beautiful pieced or with an applique. The sides and top would be great with cotton and batting with a tight stipple. This is just your base and the end result would be the result of your quilting imagination.

This is a really great tutorial. Thanks for sharing your process with us. I certainly am going to use it to make some of these for Christmas!

Wow that was super generous of you to share your ideas and time making this great tutorial. Thank you a bunch
:)

Judy in Phx, AZ

Super. Thanks a lot. BrendaK

thanks for the great tut.

Thanks so much, I love this and plan on making a few. I am going to do some machine embroidery on the pocket's I think. Beautiful, thanks again for sharing

Thank you so much for a good tute.
Marilyn

Thanks for the tute! Love the pocket idea!

Great tutorial! Thanks!

OH!! This is PERFECT for my grandmother-in-law!! She's bedridden and she has a side table with all sorts of little things on it that could use some organization. She puts big rubber bands around her kleenex box to tuck things into, so this really could not be more perfect. I can make it something cheery and bright...

I'm making one of these for her right away, I'm not even going to wait to make it a Christmas gift. Thank you for posting! What a simple yet brilliant idea. :)

I love this! Thank you so much. Your instructions and photos are fabulous. :)

Wonderful! Thank you so much! I've been looking for something to make for men in a nursing home. My goal is to have enough gifts to give everyone in a nursing home a gift for Christmas. Men are harder to make things for! So far I've made small tissue covers, some lap quilts, walker bags to hold things. These will be a great addition to helping me accomplish my goal!

Thanks for the tutorial. I will definitely have to make one.

I love it, thank you!

Definitely on my bucket list. Thanks for the tute.

Thanks for the tute! I can always use more pockets on my end table and there's always a box of tissue there. :thumbup:

Thank you so much for the great tutorial....i've been planning to make some of these for Christmas - and now i don't have to figure it out for myself....and i never would have thought of the pockets - which are a great addition for on an office desk!!
THANK YOU - from a Texas transplant from the Burgh !! Go Stillers !!!!

Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!!!

Thank you for taking the time to post this. Can't wait to make one.

Thank you! This is great tutorial!

Thank you so much. I will make one today.

Thank you for the clear pics and written instructions. I am a visual learner and really appreciate both.

Great tute! Thanks for sharing. Definitely making some soon.

Thanks so much for the tutorial ... Will have to give it a try. I just think the pockets are great!

This is a great tutorial. Thanks

Thanks for doing the tutorial !

Thank you so much for sharing & taking the time to do a tutorial. I have an elderly friend who just downsized from an apartment to a room in a home. Space is at a premium, and this will add cheer and organization to her table.

Some people are just naturally generous and you are one of them. To share your pattern, and time to do a tutorial emphasizes this quality. Thank you for being that person. Your work is fantastic.

Wow... That was quick. Thanks!

Thank you!! Thank you!!!!

This is absolutely great!

Guess I just found out what my co workers are getting this year for Christmas. Thanks so much.

Thank you! I think I have just found the right thing to make for my Quilt Show Committee Members next spring!!

I think this also makes a great addition to my sewing table for a notebook, pencil, whatever with the bonus of having a tissue handy. Thanks, I will show the tutorial to my teacher.

A teacher gift is a great idea. I just saw some incredibly cute pencil fabric somewhere. That would be so adorable. I have made them for lots of things but didn't think that. I'm doing a quilted one too but I just haven't finished it yet. They are even cuter quilted. Maybe tomorrow I'll get it done. I just had a busy work week. Thanks for all the nice comments, they are cute and easy to make.

Great gift idea for office co-workers, thanks. I made her tutorial into a PDF file so though I'd share with the rest of you.

This will make wonderful little gifts for our Thanksgiving hostess and her daughters! I think it's just what is needed for the nightstand--I think of something before I fall asleep, and am afraid I'll forget by morning. With this, I can jot down a note right next to me!
Thanks for the wonderful tutorial.:)