Making Felted Dryer Balls
felted dryer balls
In my last post I talked about how I wanted our family to produce less waste, and use more sustainable products. I have started making small changes in our home, and wanted start sharing these changes with you. One super easy change, I made, was in the laundry room. I made wool felted dryer balls! Using dryer sheets is something I struggled with. I stopped buying and using them over a year ago. Finding myself looking at them in the grocery store, wanting to buy them, to soften our clothes and make them smell good. But, I started passing by them, thinking about the waste they created and wondering what chemicals were in them. After a long time of using nothing, I decided to make felted wool dryer balls. It was super easy!
What you will need:
100% wool yarn
plastic needle
knee high pantyhose
your washing machine and dryer
essential oil (optional)
wool yarn
Purchase 100% wool yarn (this cost me about $6.00). Make sure the wool yarn does not say machine washable and it is not a blend, those will not felt.
You will then make balls with the yarn. I was able to get four balls out one spool of yarn. It took about 15 minutes wrap the four balls.
Start by wrapping the yarn around your fingers 10 - 15 times. You continue wrapping the yarn around itself until you have about a 3" ball. I used a plastic needle to help me secure the end of wool yarn.
Grab a load on laundry, something you like to wash in hot and rinse in cold, and thrown the wool balls (in the stocking) in the washing machine with the load of laundry. While you are waiting for the load to wash... it a great time to have a drink! I chose some mead made by Josh:)
Then run the balls, still wrapped in the stocking, through the dryer on a high heat. I ran my through the washer and dryer twice to be sure they felted.
Once done running them through the washing and dryer you are ready to cut them out of the stocking.
They are ready to use! I added a little lavender essential oil to mine, but you can leave them unscented. I put a little dab of oil on each ball.
These were super easy to make and so far have worked perfectly! I have found the scent lasts for about 4 - 5 uses, when it gets weak I add a few more drops.
If you are looking to create less waste in your home this is such an easy place to start. Next up our laundry detergent!! Would love to hear any favorite recipes. We have made a liquid one in the past, but I am thinking I want to make a powder one.