How to Make Your Own Tea Bags

Like many people, I enjoy a good hot cup of tea. Over the years, I have experimented with different blends and different ways to achieve a specific flavor. Not always being able to find a pleasing blend, I started growing my own herbs, for herbal teas and making my own tea bags. Making your own tea bags can be simple, requiring no sewing or a few stitches can be added to make them more attractive.

No-Sew Tea Bags

To make no-sew tea bags, you will need cheesecloth or muslin, cut into four inch squares, scissors, hole punch, some cotton string or non-waxed dental floss, and index cards or other type of card stock.

Place one rounded teaspoon of your favorite blend of tea in the center of each square. Gather up all four corners of the square and the outer edges, covering the tea inside. Wrap the cotton string or dental floss around where the bag is gathered several times and tie a knot. Cut the index cards into one-inch squares and write the name or blend of the tea on each. Punch a hole in one corner of the card. Thread the strings from the tea bag through it and tie securely in place with a knot. Your tea bag is now ready for use.

Sewn Tea Bags

You will need the materials listed above plus a stapler, needle and thread or sewing machine.

Measure and cut out a five inch by 30 inch piece from the cheesecloth or muslin (you can also use lightweight interfacing-the non-fusible type). Fold the strip in half so it measures 30 inches by two and one-half inches. Using the needle and thread or a sewing machine, stitch the two layers together by alternating the stitches at intervals. With the folded edge on the bottom, you will stitch one-half inch from the left edge, top to bottom. Then measure two inches from that stitch, and stitch from top to bottom again. Then measure one-half inch and stitch top to bottom, and continue in this manner until you reach the end. Fill individual bags with one teaspoon of tea. Stitch all the way across the top, sealing the bags. Cut in between the one-half stitched lines to form the individual bags. You can add the string to the bags before you stitch across the top or fold the top of the bags over and staple the string to the top. Add the index card to the string as instructed above.

Tea blends: (one cup of tea will make 12-14 bags), Use one cup each of the following dried herbs:

Rosemary and lavender

Citrus zest and anise seeds

Lavender flowers, rosemary, lemon balm, spearmint, and cloves

Birch leaves, peppermint, savory, bee balm

Strawberry leaves, blackberry leaves, sweet woodruff

Source: Personal experience