Silk Fusion Tissue Boxes

How nice it was to have the energy and desire to spend yesterday in my sewing room! I did some quilt piecing in the morning and will write about that later. Yesterday evening I went back to Silk Fusion class to work on my 3rd lesson - making a box. Since I spent the week hugging tissue boxes I decided that I wanted my tissue boxes prettier - so my boxes are tissue boxes! I made two - one for my car and one for the large tissue boxes that I use in the house. Let' start with the car box...

Directions follow..

I keep my tissue box in the back seat but wanted a way to have it sit on the hump so I could easily reach them from the front seats. I had envisioned this design using tabs on each side with the hook strip of hook and loop tape (Velcro) sewn to the underside of the tab.

Measure the box and make a pattern increasing each measurement by 1/8" - not each SIDE, just each measurement - if the box top measures 4" x 4", I made the pattern 4 1/8" x 4 1/8" - got it? I added 1" to the length on two sides for the flaps that hold the tissue box in place on the car hump. In my next version, I will make these flaps about 1 1/2" long. Add 1/4" seam allowances on the side seams.

Cut two pieces of fusible interfacing with pattern. Fuse one interfacing piece to the back of the Silk Fusion sheet and one to a cotton that I selected for the lining.

My silk fusion sheet was not quite wide enough for the full length of the pattern so I cut some flame shapes out of the fusion leftovers and stitched them to each of the 4 ends - it added a bit of decoration too. This is the point where you want to add any decorations to the outside of the box.

Stack the lining and fusion sheets right side together and, using the top of a tissue box, trace the oval opening and stitch in the traced line. Trim the inside of the oval out to 1/4" from the stitching line and clip the seal allowance perpendicular to the stitching and to within a thread or two of the stitching line. This is a relatively tight curve so the clips need to be done very close - about every 1/4".  Turn the lining through the opening and align the twp pieces wrong side together. Press the oval. Then add two strips of the "hook" half of hook and loop tape. Sew these to the bottom of the longer sides. These will hold the box in place on the carpet in the car.

Sew the sides of the boxes together separately (cover and lining).

Flip the outer cover over the lining. Line up all of the edges and stitch it all together with a wide decorative zig-zag stitch. On the next one I may make the cover 1/4" longer than the lining so that I can wrap the cover around the lining and top-stitch the edge as a finish.

Next I made the big tissue box. With this one I constructed it using something closer to Sue Bleiweiss' Padfolio technique. It uses the Silk Fusion layer, Timtex and a lining.

Measure each side of the box and top and make patterns (3, a top and 2 sides) that are 1/8" larger on each measurement (if he box measures 3" x 3" then the pattern will be 3 1/8" x 3 1/8"). Cut  apiece of lining, a piece of Timtex and a piece of Fusion larger than needed for all of your pieces. Fuse the three layers together (lining, wrong side up, Timtex and then Fusion, right side up). Cut out the 5 pieces for the tissue box and lay them out with the top in the middle. I actually colored the exposed edge of the Timtex with a Sharpie pen so that the bright white would not show. Sew the 5 pieces together with a very wide zig-zag stitch - I used 6mm. Then stitch around the other edges with a narrower (4.5 width).

Oh, stitch around the hole too! Here's a close up.

Bend the sides in place and whip stitch - yes, BY HAND! - the sides. This only took me about 15 minutes.

And, here it is done. I really like it! Now I need one for the kitchen and one for my office.

Comments

[Sue B]

Brilliant! Love them!

[Debra Spincic]

Too Clever! I am still hitting myself up the side of my head for spending $30 on lotion last week.

[Elaine]

Great Boxes Vicki! I really like your addition of flames when you were short on silk.

[Lynda]

Love them Vicky. You clever thing you. And thanks for sharing how to make them.

[Diane Carey]

I think the boxes are NEAT! I, too, have many boxes around and just might have to make a few "decorator" boxes with some of my silk fusion pieces. Thanks for a great idea!!
Diane

[Terri]

These are great! Now you've got me thinking.

[Judy]

Great job and wonderful directions! You are my hero!!

xo

[Sarah]

Both fantastic pieces! Glad you're feeling better too!

[Dianne]

What a great idea!! Love both boxes - the flames look really good!!