TEA WALLET
I was gifted the open tea wallet some time ago, but never got around to making another. You can buy them readily enough on Etsy, but they look too easy. I had wanted to find a read-made pattern, but all the links to them in Pinterest led nowhere. So, he's my version.
Materials: fabric, thread, snaps or velcro, sewing machine, small bit of iron-on interfacing
Cut 1 piece of cotton fabric 18.5" long and 9.5" wide for the body of the wallet.
Cut 1 piece of cotton fabric 4.5 x 9.5" wide for the top pocket.
Cut 2 pieces of fabric 3.5 x 3.5" square for the flap.
I used a plastic snap for a closure, but the original tea wallet had a velcro closure.
Unless stated, the seams are 1/4".
Directions:
Using the 3.5" square, round off the top edge. If you use a plastic snap closure, fuse a small piece of interfacing to the wrong side of either piece. With right sides together, sew 1/4" seam on 3 sides, leaving the bottom edge open. Clip the curves. Turn right side out. Press.
Mark the center of the flap. Mark the center of the body fabric in half along the 9.5" side. Place the tab on the right side of the body fabric, matching center lines and raw edges. Stitch the tab to the body fabric. (The rounded edge of the tab will be facing the inside of the rectangle.)
Fold the body fabric in half, right sides together, to make a rectangle 8.25 x 9.5. The tab will be inside the rectangle. Stitch around the rectangle leaving an opening to turn. Trim corners. Turn right side out. Press.
On the folded edge of the body section, mark a spot 3" from the bottom and centered on the 9" side. This is for the snap placement. It's easier to put 1/2 of the snap on now rather than after the bottom edge is turned up to make the bottom pocket. The round 1/2 of the snap will go on the inside of the body fabric. The female or male section of the snap goes on the outside of the body fabric. Test that you have the snap sections going on the correct side by folding up the bottom 2". The snap will be inside the fold.
Once you have the snap attached, fold up the bottom edge 2". This will form the bottom pocket. Pin or clip in place.
*Make the top pocket before securing the bottom pocket.
With right sides together, stitch around the top pocket fabric leaving an opening to turn. Clip corners. Turn right side out. Press, folding in the opening. Stitch across the side of the pocket that had the opening as close to the edge as possible.
Place the top pocket along the top edge of the wallet, matching the edges of the pocket to the edges of the body. Clip or pin in place.
Stitch around the entire wallet securing the turned up edges of the bottom that forms the bottom pocket and the top pocket. Stitch as close to the edges as you can.
Fold the wallet, left side in, right side in, and bottom up. Carefully press to form the lines to make the lines to separate the pockets into 3 sections.
Open the wallet, and stitch along the press lines through the wallet and pockets.
Fold the wallet up again, and mark where to place the second half of the snap on the flap. Secure the snap on the flap and you are ready to fill your wallet with your favorite tea bags.
