Easy DIY Tissue Box Cover (Reversible or Single Fabric)

A DIY tissue box cover is a great way to add a pop of color to your decor. It’s also a great way to hide the cardboard tissue boxes that usually don’t match your style or color palette!

A tissue box cover in blue fabric with a floral pattern neatly wraps a box of tissues, with one tissue partially pulled out.

Just like our easy fabric pocket tissue holder, this sewing project let’s you show off your style!

I will show you how to make a reversible tissue box cover. This sewing project can also be adapted to make a single layer tissue box cover that will not be turned inside out.

A floral-patterned tissue box cover with a tissue protruding from the top, placed on a gray surface.

Whether you have a rectangle box or a square cube shaped box of tissues, you can use one of my free pattern templates. The directions for both sizes and both styles are very similar and are explained below.

A tissue box cover made of blue fabric with yellow and pink flowers, featuring a partially pulled-out tissue.

How to Sew a Fabric Tissue Box Cover

Use a 1/4 inch seam allowance, unless otherwise noted.

Watch me make this DIY tissue box cover in my YouTube video below the instructions.

Supplies

Fabric (you can get two pattern pieces from a fat quarter; if making a reversible cover, use two fat quarters)
Matching or coordinating thread
Free pattern template
Sewing clips or pins

Directions

Cut two pieces of fabric using the pattern template and a rotary cutter or scissors. If you are making a reversible tissue box cover, cut two pieces out of each fabric, for a total of four pieces.

Two rectangular pieces of blue fabric with yellow, pink, and green floral prints, ideal for crafting a charming tissue box cover, are placed on a white background.

Match the fabric pieces and place the right sides together. Measure inwards from each side on the top and then make a mark or pin, according to the size you are making:

Rectangular Box: 3 inches (8 cm)
Square Box: 1 1/4 inches (3 cm)

Stitch from the outer edge to the marked measurement on either side, being sure to backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching.

Floral fabric piece with rectangular cutouts on each side, perfect for a tissue box cover; top edge marked with two arrows indicating 3-inch (8 cm) sections for rectangle box instructions.

Press open the seam with a hot iron.

A piece of light blue fabric with a floral pattern, featuring large yellow and pink flowers, is cut into a specific shape with notches on two sides—perfect for making a tissue box cover.

Now match the fabric pieces with right sides together again. Stitch the seams on the side pieces together on each side.

A piece of blue floral fabric with yellow and pink flowers, cut in a rectangular shape with corners removed and edges pinned, perfect for creating a charming tissue box cover.

Press open the seams with a hot iron.

A hand holds a piece of light blue floral fabric with a seam folded and pressed open along the edge, ready to be sewn into a charming tissue box cover.

Match the open seams on one side of the tissue box cover. Pin or clip the fabric together. Repeat on the other side.

A piece of floral fabric, intended for a tissue box cover, is held together with colorful sewing clips on a white surface, with one clip positioned separately in the background.

A floral fabric square with folded corners, resembling a tissue box cover, is held in place by four colored clips on a white background.

Stitch the fabric together, making sure to start at the outer edge of the fabric and continue to the other outer edge.

For REVERSIBLE TISSUE BOX COVERS: Repeat the process with your second fabric.

For Single Layer Tissue Box Cover:

Turn the fabric inside out. Push out the corners with your fingers.

Topstitch around the open gap where the tissues come out. Be sure the seam is laying flat underneath and stitch as close to the edge as possible. (You may need to hand crank your sewing needle when stitching the short sides just to get a few stitches.)

Insert the box into the fabric cover. Use a rolling hem to finish off the raw edges to be flush with the bottom of the tissue box. Do this by rolling over the fabric once, then roll over again. Pin or clip around the edges.

A box of Puffs Ultra Soft tissues sits in a floral tissue box cover, viewed from above on a white background.

As the final step, stitch around the bottom using a topstitch (about 1/8 inch).

For Reversible Tissue Box Cover:

Place the two covers inside each other with the right sides of the fabric together.

Open fabric bag, reminiscent of a tissue box cover, features a floral blue exterior and a red and white gingham check lining, photographed from above.

Match up the pressed open seams on either side and clip together. Then match up the unfinished edges around the entire cover, using pins of clips to secure.

A hand holds a partially sewn fabric pouch with floral and checkered patterns, secured with colorful clips along the top edge—a charming tissue box cover in the making.

Stitch together.

Turn the cover inside out by pulling the bottom layer up through the open gap in the middle.

A charming tissue box cover crafted as a fabric pouch, with one side in red gingham and the other adorned with a blue floral print.

Tuck the covers inside each other so that it looks like a box cover.

Pin or clip the edges of the open gap that the tissues will come out of on top of the tissue box, making sure that the seams are laying flat between the two layers of fabric.

Topstitch around the opening, stitching as close as you can to the edge. (You may need to hand crank your sewing needle when stitching the short sides just to get a few stitches.)

Now gently pull on the bottom seam and finger press so that the fabric lays flat on either side and is not bulky in any areas. Pin or clip as you go around the cover.