Mason Jar Tissue Holders

Hello again,
Janet here using heat transfer to decorate fabric sleeves for mason jar tissue holders. I've seen ideas for decorating mason jars to hold tissues in their thousands on Pinterest, but most of them use distressing techniques to make shabby chic holders, and that's not really my style. I first spray painted the jars and decided I'd cover up the wording with a hessian sleeve and decorate it with heat transfer.

What You'll Need
Mason Jars with metal 2-part lids
Box of tissues
Spray paints
Hessian or open weave fabric
Double-sided fabric tape or glue gun
Silhouette Heat Transfer material (smooth, flock or metallic)
Iron or heat press


Step 1: Prepare the Jars

I first primed and then spray painted the jars in a cardboard box out of doors and used a pearlescent spay finish to tone down the colours. The inside of the lids proved useful to prevent paint from drifting inside the jars. The picture was taken part way through - just before the pearl layer.

You'll notice that the embossed wording shows up quite distinctly - more so than before they were painted.


Step 2: Prepare the Designs

I worked on two patterns initially, but realised that one didn't work for this project, and I've repurposed it as a bookmark!

The jars measure about 11"/280mm, make the designs a little under 12"/305mm. Open the design and resize it to just under 6"/152mm. Then:

1. Open the Replicate panel
2. Select the Replicate tab
3. Click the Mirror Right symbol
4. Draw a small circle with the Ellipse tool
5. Hold down shift to make it round
6. Move it onto the point where the two patterns meet
7. Right click with mouse and Weld

(Optional) Make offset if you want to layer the vinyl.

1. Open the Offset panel
2. Select Offset tab
3. Reduce distance to .050"/1.27mm
4. Select Rounded Corner
5. Click Apply

Move the offset off the original and look for small, unwanted cuts.

To get rid of them, right click your mouse and Release Compound Path. Select and delete the little cuts, but not the larger ones. Then select the whole offset including the larger holes, right click, and Make Compound Path. Now they are ready to cut.



Step 3: Choosing Heat Transfer Media

Now, I'm not the world's expert on layering Heat Transfer, but here's the consensus from the various manufacturers and blogs I checked out.

Base layer: Smooth or Flock
Secondary Layers: Smooth on Smooth, Flock on Flock, or Flock on Smooth
Top Layer: Metallic, Glitter, Holographic

Different brands may give different results.

For this project I've used Silhouette Metallic on Silhouette Smooth, and Silhouette Smooth alone. I've layered metallic on flock on other projects with good results too.




Step 4: Cutting Heat Transfer Media

Choose your media and cut out the layers, placing the shiny side down (you'll find further details on cutting metallic vinyl here and smooth vinyl here). Ordinarily you'd reverse the image before cutting, but these are symmetrical with no words, so it isn't necessary for this project.


Step 5: Pressing Heat Transfer Media


Press the heat transfer vinyl for the minimum time for it to allow the backing to be peeled away.

Add a second layer, if used and press again.  Press one more time from the reverse. Trim the sleeves and fray the edges up to the decoration.

Step 6: Completing the Tissue Holders

Affix the decorative sleeves to the jars. I used strips of double-sided quilting tape.

Break open a box of tissues and remove the tissues in one pile keeping it intact. Separate the pile into two and roll the tissues with one tissue standing proud in the centre. Remove the screw top on a jar and place the tissues inside. Replace the screw top.

I hope you'll try this project - so much prettier than a box of tissues!




Bye for now,

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