How to Sew a Decorative Kleenex Cover Mini Couch

Cut two rectangles of fabric 14 inches wide by 18 inches long.

Place the two rectangles together with the right sides facing each other. Pin the layers together. Measure along both short edges and mark their centers with tailor's chalk. Lay a ruler across the pinned rectangles, matching the marked centers. Using the tailor's chalk, draw a line along the ruler from one mark to the other mark.

Measure along the chalk line and mark the center. Measure 2 1/2 inches from each side of the center and mark each measurement. The space between these last two marks is 5 inches.

Sew the two rectangles together along the center chalk line. Skip over the marked 5-inch space. This will provide the opening for pulling the Kleenex out of the box. Remove the pins.

Lay the stitched rectangles on your ironing surface. Fold over a long edge on the top rectangle and match it to its remaining long edge. Press the fold. Flip over the stitched fabric with the remaining rectangle facing up. Fold over a long edge and match it to its remaining long edge. Press the fold. The fold is at the center stitch line and the opening in the rectangle. Both sides of the ironed fabric now have right sides facing out.

Lay the ironed rectangle on your work surface with either side facing up. Center the Kleenex box on the rectangle. Fold each edge of the rectangle up and over the top edge of the Kleenex box. Tape the centers of each edge with masking tape. This will prevent the box from shifting. Each corner will have a fabric triangle sticking out.

Pin through the layers of the triangles as close to the corners of the box as possible. Remove the tape and slip the box out of the fabric. Sew along each pinned corner. Cut off the triangles 1/4 inch from the stitching line. You now have a box-shaped cover.

Fold over 1/4 inch of the raw edges on the cover and press with an iron. Fold over another 1/4 inch, press and pin. Sew the pinned edge to finish the hem.

Cut a 6-inch wide by 19-inch long strip of fabric for the couch back and arms.

Fold the strip in half with the right sides together and the long edges matching. Pin the edges together. Sew along both short ends and the long edge using a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Leave a 3-inch opening in the center of the long edge.

Turn the tube right side out. Fill the tube with stuffing and hand stitch the opening closed.

Turn the box cover with the exposed corner seams inside. Insert the Kleenex box in the cover. Stand the covered box on your work surface with the top side facing up. Apply a line of hot glue on the top of one long edge. Center the tube of the couch back on the glue with an even amount of the tube extending from each end. Allow the glue to cool.

Apply a line of hot glue on the top of both short ends. Fold the ends of the couch back and place them in the glue. These are the side arms of the couch. Hold the arms a few minutes until the glue has cooled.