How to Make a Reusable Coffee Filter
Week 34
Since coffee and tea are a consistent part of my daily consumption, I want to make sure I'm being as sustainable as possible. Fortunately, there are plenty of low-waste products for brewing both coffee and tea. I found out that my local organic grocery store offers bulk coffee beans and loose leaf tea, which eliminates packaging waste and now, I steep my tea leaves in a tea ball. As for coffee, I still use my drip machine, but I've made a few reusable cloth filters to use in place of disposable paper ones.
This project is extremely easy and takes about 15 minutes to make.
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What You'll Need:
- Cotton Fabric - I used some muslin I had on hand, but I think quilting leftovers also work nicely. It should be washed first.
- Serger or Sewing Machine
- Scissors
- Pattern- it's free! Click to download.
- Chalk or something to trace pattern onto fabric
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Using the free pattern I've attached above, trace 8 shield shapes onto your fabric.
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Cut out all 8 shapes.
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This will be a double layer filter, so put your cut pieces in stacks of two.
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Line up two sets together, you should have four identical pieces.
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Serge or zig zag stich one curved side of the stack.
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Repeat steps 4 and 5 with the other cut pieces.
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Line up the curved edges of your two sewn pieces. See picture.
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Serge or zig zag stitch the curved edges together. It should have a bowl shape when you are finished.
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Finish off the straight edges with a serger or a zig zag stitch.
How to use your coffee filter
First, wash and dry your filter. Use it the same way you would a normal filter, only after the coffee is finished brewing, rinse until the water runs clear and hang to dry. Every few weeks, give your filter a more thorough washing.