What’s a tea wallet? Is that what you’re asking? Yeah I did too the first time I saw one last year. Cute, I thought. Nice idea, i mused. But I wasn’t sure I needed one. When would I need to take tea bags anywhere with me? If I’m in a cafe, I order leaf tea. If I’m at someone’s house, I have whatever they’re offering. I don’t take flasks of hot water on the road with tea bags. So where’s the need? I filed tea wallets away as cute but not for me.
Then something happened. I found out that I can no longer consume dairy. A series of tests, followed by a diagnosis of no more dairy, at least not for a long time was for this milk addict a life changing moment. No dairy? No cheese! No milk! No butter! No products that contain hidden milk solids. You’d be amazed how many products that rules out. It’s been a learning process. Three weeks in and I feel markedly better. I didn’t believe it would happen but it did.
So now I’m drinking soy milk in tea. That’s an adjustment and not one I’ve made well yet. I may yet switch to black tea but I’m not ready to do that. So if I’m at someone’s house and they don’t have any herbal tea on offer, now I don’t have to go without. I can take my tea with me!
At least, the need for a tea wallet was immediately obvious to me. Today I made one because really, who wants to carry a zip lock bag around in their handbag? Not me.
I even found some cute tea pot fabric in my stash.
It’s tiny. That surprised me. For some reason I thought it would be bigger, but it’s perfect for me! Fits in my hand nicely.
Open it up and look inside.
Ta da!
I totally think this is a bit of a twee little thing, but there’s a place for twee, right? It’s cute, it’s functional, it’s not entirely necessary but as I said, who wants to carry a zip log bag around? This is so much nicer.
The pattern is from here. One of the most commonly made tea wallets you can find on the net. And it took about 45 mins. Very satisfying.
Bells
I definitely need one of these – I carry mint tea around with me all the time. Thanks for the inspiration
Wonderful,thank you for sharing!
That’s a cute & handy wallet. I do carry my herbal tea bags in a little zip lock bag.
oh, it’s sweet! neat idea, particularly for the herbals…
good luck with the dairy-free, hope it continues to make an improvement for you
I have never understood the milk in tea thing. I’ve always drunk my tea without (and with just a bit of sugar). I am a milk drinker and have been my entire life. It would be difficult to give up dairy but if it were a question of health, I’d do it. I would miss my cream in the coffee, though.
What an excellent idea. Having no dairy would not be any fun but you have to do what is best for your health. I am trying to go without sugar but it seems very hard at the moment.
Now that is cute!
It’s adorable! Catching up on long unready blogs here – glad you are doing well
It’s too bad about the dairy. I’m lactose intolerant, but I can still have some kinds of dairy in very small amounts or larger amounts with Lactaid pills. Fortunately, I like my tea black. I hope you find something that works for you. Did you try rice milk?
I understand your pain about the no-dairy thing. I’ve been dairy free (with a little cheating here and there) for the last six months. I can take soy milk in my coffee but I just can’t stomach it in my tea. Can’t do it. Want to, but can’t.
Very nice fabric and a neat idea.
I drink my tea black and love it. I went from milk and two sugars to black tea and find it a much more satisfying drink.
Cute! Waaaay nicer than a plastic baggie!
That is fab! I drink herbals and de-caf, so this would be very handy to take my teas with me! Thanks!
I never had success in finding a good alternative for milk in coffee or tea–I switched to other hot beverages instead, like herbal tea or hot apple cider. The tea wallet is an awfully cute solution to your need to carry teabags!
That’s serendipity at work. It is so cute!! I am sorry to read you haven’t been up to par and oh, a life without dairy?? But it is good that you have noticed an improvement. I have a life without coffee, cocoa and chocolate but I do love a good cup of tea.
It is darling, especially in that pattern.
I have a vegan friend so at her house I have to put soy in my coffee. It’s not awful, but I don’t do it often enough to have adjusted.
Do you drink Chai, Bells? It’s perfect with soy milk.
Love the tea wallet, and such perfect fabric for it too.
It is the perfect fabric for this purpose! I think I was there when you bought that!
There’s nothing wrong with having nice things for purely utilitarian reasons!
You were there! I bought it so my mum could make something for me. Never knew I’d be making something myself!
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For once, having three rooms and seven cupboards full of fabric offcuts has led to a conjunction of the perfect fabric and purpose. Total justification forever, IMHO. Gainsay the naysayers!
I love it! I drink way too much tea and this is just such a gorgeous idea!:-)