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Tearjerker Tissue Cozy Tutorial

Some people cry more than others, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less strong. Honor them by making a teardrop-shaped tissue cozy so a tissue is never far away.  The sweet, tearful little face is engineered for maximum adorability to make you smile when you really need it.

Tearjerker Tissue Cozy

Materials

1/4 of a yard of fabric
1/4 yard of Fusible fleece
Tearjerker Tissue Cozy Pattern (free)
Embroidery thread
Embroidery needle
Thread that matches main fabric
Extra thick template plastic
Scissors

Dry those Tears Tearjerker Tissue Cozy

Cut all five pieces out of template plastic. Use cardboard if you don’t have template plastic but I really love how easy the plastic shapes make everything.  Transfer all lines and words as well.

Tearjerker Tissue Cozy Embroidery Detail

With chalk, trace around the front piece with chalk onto your main fabric with right side up. You will cut the shape out later, not right now.  Draw the face onto the teardrop and embroider! I like chain stitch with three strands of embroidery floss or one strand of perle cotton.  When your embroidery is done, trace around the front piece again with chalk, checking to see that placement of the face is satisfactory.  This step is extra easy with the translucent template plastic. Cut the shape out with scissors.

Trace and cut your pattern pieces as directed on each.

You now have six total pieces. The front in both fabric and fusible fleece use the same pattern. For the back pieces, the fusible layer is a little farther from the edge than the fabric.  Stack them with the rougher side of the fusible fleece (which has the glue) on the wrong side of the fabric.  Line them up like so:

Tearjerker Tissue Cozy pieces cut out

Iron the fleece to the fabric while only touching the iron to fabric and never to the fleece. It’ll melt! That would make you cry. Use another piece of fabric as a press cloth if necessary.  On both of the back pieces, fold the fabric over the fusible fleece to the other side so it covers the edge.

You now have three total pieces.  Let’s get sewing! I'm using a contrasting thread, but you should use something that matches your main fabric.

Top-stitch to secure the edges of the back pieces.  Use a 1/4” to 1/2” seam allowance – you’re really just looking to make sure the fleece is sandwiched between the fabric layers while not sewing too close to the edge.

Using the front as a guide, layer the two back pieces together to match the shape of the front. The piece on the right should be the first piece down, then the piece on the left. If you switch them, it’s not that big of a deal. I tried both and preferred it this way. Don’t stress about this – just get them to mirror the front shape when the right sides are all facing each other.

Put a pin right through the middle longways so the assembled back piece stays together while you sew it.  Look at the right side of the pin-assembled back piece.  With chalk or another marking tool, measure out a 3 1/2” gap in the middle and mark both ends.  

From the top, sew over the top stitching line down to the chalk mark and stop. With your needle down, pivot 180 degrees and sew back to where you started.  This will ensure the strength of the opening – I found back stitching alone to be untidy and insufficient.

Repeat on the other side.

You now have two pieces – the stitched front and the assembled back.

Put these two pieces together with right sides facing.  Sew around the whole shape with a 3/8” seam allowance, backstitching at the beginning and end.

You now have one piece and you are very close to finishing!

Before turning your piece inside out, trim the tip of the teardrop as pictured and notch around the curves, being careful not to cut into the stitching.

No need to go crazy notching.

One last step before the big reveal! Do one last check to make sure you haven’t cut through the stitching and that all layers are secured.

Turn it inside out! Using a blunt instrument like a knitting needle (#9 or higher please) on the inside, poke the tip of the teardrop out.  Be gentle with your new little friend.   Load up with tissues and enjoy!

Check out the Spotify playlist I made for you! I also recommend the album Kilimanjaro by The Teardrop Explodes, but I love New Wave music.

Tissues in Tearjerker Tissue Cozy

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