Thursday, April 26, 2012

Specialized Lids - Tea Balls


Some tea drinkers like to steep loose tea leaves in the little metal tea balls attached by a chain to a hook. Here's a couple of lids designed with an inside loop that will take a tea ball hook.


When I sell these teapots, I always include the teaball. They are inexpensive and can be bought in bulk from suppliers.

Another thing a potter can do that commercial tea pot manufacturers don't do is make a matching tea bag saucer to go with the pot. It's just a nice touch. 

2 comments:

-Rob, Simple Circle Studios said...

Loose tea is indeed better than tea bags. I like the idea for a tea ball hanger. I guess you just have to make sure the chain is the right length for the teapot.
I just recently talked to a potential customer who wanted a tea cup with a lid that would let her do the same thing with a tea bag. A knob to wrap the string around and a notch in the rim where the string hangs in the cup...
There are so many different ways you can approach the whole tea thing. It makes great fodder for pots.

Clay and Fiber Artist said...

I have to admit I use teabags too and have been thinking about how I could incorporate the string into the lid or body of the pot design.

I recall vaguely a teapot maker who solved this problem very neatly. At least I remember that it was a cool solution, but for the life of me, I can't remember what they did.