Following is how I make holders, there are other ways and some of you may read this tutorial and snort to yourselves and mutter under your breath “THAT’s not how you make tissue holders”….well it’s how I make them :) so far no complaints.
My technique is the “Lazy Ass Bastard” method, or LAB™ for short.
First up, I’m all about templates for patterns, especially small crafty projects that I’ll make more than once. I love adhering patterns to strawboard, makes it so much easier to place your pattern onto the fabric, trace with your chalk and then cut out.
So, for my version of the tissue holder, I’ve cut a template that’s 6 inches x 7 inches. Why inches you Aussies ask? My cutting matt and quilt ruler work inches so it’s just easier to go with inches.
Pick your outer fabric, trace and cut out slightly larger than the template. I also like to use a midweight fabric, just a personal preference. I also like to make more than one at a time, it’s quicker.
Next up, I usually line my holders with a 100% linen in a cream colour. Don’t cut your lining just yet, grab yourself some double-sided fusible interfacing, place your outer fabric pieces onto this and iron them in place. Let the fabric cool and then place these outer pieces onto your inner lining fabric. Iron away. Make sure you iron the edges well.
Now, grab your template, pinking shears or your rotary blade and cut out the 6″ x 7″.
Next up, add some trim to the 6″ long edges. Be creative. Or don’t add any trim at all, up to you. You can at this point place your trim so it hides the pinking shear edge, if you have pinking sheared. You don’t necessarily have to use pinking shears as the fabric is fused it shouldn’t fray too much, maybe a little at the beginning.
Find the centre point on the 7inch edge and mark on the inside with chalk. Then fold in your 6inch edges to meet this point and pin in place.
Sew across the short edges. I like to oversew the opening to strengthen the stitching.
Trim any excess fabric from the seams and cut your corners at diagonals.
Turn out the tissue holder and push out the corners.
Voila. Completed holder. Easy peasy. Photos tagged “tissue holder” at flickr.
{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
pretty darn good I reckon!
LAB… I like it! Great tut!
i’m very impressed with the LAB method :) thank you for sharing this tutorial!
Ah, the old fusible webbing trick.
(Read this in your best “Get Smart” voice.)
Very nice tutorial. I think you did a great job explaining it.
I just found this site yesterday and plan to look at it on a regular bases
thanks
Sunshine
http://sunshinescreations.blogspot.com/
this is so nice.
i see the size on the kleenex, it says 4 ply, 9, 21 x 21 cm.
the one i have is 2 ply, 15, 21.8 x 21.
i wonder if it would fit?
can’t they just make one size.
Ahhh… I was just thinking about these last night. The first sewing project that I made in Home Ec was a tissue holder– every time I use seam binding I flash back to it. I have to say that yours is a lot snazzier than the ones that we made. Great use of scraps.
I will be trying this out for sure! Thanks for sharing this! :)
That’s wonderful and just what I was looking for. It’s wonderful to have something pretty for those nasty littly packets that always seem to fall apart before they are empty. thanks
Metricians versus imperialists :-) ! Love it.
thanks so much! i want to run out right now to get some tissues so i can try this! it seems like a great way to use up some fabric scraps too! i sense some holiday projects coming on…
Excellent tutorial. Good idea. I gotta make me one for my handbag this winter, seems one always gets a runny nose.
any advice?? this is my first try at double sided fusible interfacing, and it’s not going so well. I cannot get the paper backing to peel away once i’ve fused it to the first fabric. it either–1-pulls off in tiny chunks or 2-pulls off the interfacing as well. i’ve tried it on many fabric scraps here, with different settings on my iron, and it’s all the same!!!! i would appreciate any help!
Oh yes! I’ve seen them at Flickr. They are wonderful.
thank you for the pattern. loved making it.
I made 5! I don’t need 5 tissue holders. LOL! Great instant gratification project, thanks so much. :)
Lindsey: A couple things to try..
wait until one side completely cools before removing the second paper or maybe try taking both sides of the paper off before ironing? I don’t know which product you’re using but if you have Stitch Witchery available in your area it’s easy to use. There’s no paper to pull, just lay between the 2 fabrics and iron.
This looks like total fun, and as I read above, like it will provide immediate gratification. I have some lovely chinese silk pieces that will work beautifully, I’m confident!
Thanks for the tutorial.
to peel paper backing off fusible after you have ironed the first side: take a sharp pin and drag it across the paper, leaving a scored mark. Then fold backwards along this scoring and the paper will present itself to be peeled off. Love the tutorial, every bag I own seems to have a half empty pack of tissues in it, they’ll soon be much tidier.
Whoo! I just made one, that was a really great and useful project. I’m going to make some more, but I’m going to cut the pieces out at 6in. square because the 7in. edge seems to make it a bit too loose.
Just was I was looking for, and very clear. Thank you so much!!
Have you ever have made a bathroom tissue holder out of fabric and lace? The kind in which you can place either 3 or 4 rolls of tissue and you can hang behind the bathroon door. I would love to have a handmade one. I saw one at party and since I did not know the house guest that well, didn’t ask.
I posted mine at flickr and here: http://whitneyandryan.blogspot.com/2007/05/scraphappy.html
loved the very easy directions. made one up super fast. my kleenex is also too small as mentioned above. it is a 21.8 x21. back to the drawing board, need to modify.
Hi Judy, Great tutorial, I actually might make some of those, they look great!
Deb :)
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