Many of our customers want to use as natural materials as possible in everything they do, including diapering. Our PVC dryer balls are made using non-toxic processes, but for those who want an even more natural alternative, we are providing this tutorial. Please note this is not the only way to make wool dryer balls but is one easy way you can make them yourself, if you are inclined. :-) Also note the creative commons copyright and the licenses and restrictions it includes.
Enjoy!
Make Your Own Wool Dryer Balls
Finished Size: Any size you want, really! Commercial dryer balls are approximately 9 inches in circumference. I like to make my wool dryer balls about 10-10.5 inches in circumference prior to felting, since they will shrink a bit as they felt.
You'll need:
* Wool Yarn: This is a great time to use your scraps. For the best results, use a yarn that is 100% wool or otherwise is a good felting yarn. Do not use superwash wool. If it says it is machine washable, you don't want it for this project! There are a lot of good, cheap, felting wool yarns available at local stores.
The amount of yarn required depends on the weight and gauge of the yarn you choose. Bulky yarns will wind faster and take less yarn. For the worsted weight yarns pictured here, it was approximately 3 ounces.
* Old Pantyhose or a Sock
* Cotton or Acrylic Yarn or String: You can use scraps here, too. This will be used to tie the hose or sock. You don't want this to felt, so don't use the wool yarn here.
* Scissors
* A Small Crochet Hook
* A Measuring Tape
If you have ever wound yarn into a ball, this is basically just like that, except you want to wind it tighter than you should normally. There are *many* different ways to make felted wool balls. This is just one way. Feel free to experiment! You could also use wool roving and needles for felting to make the whole ball or just the core.
Step 1: Winding the Core
We'll begin by making the core of the ball. Making a core first will make the finished ball a little more firm. It is also possible to simply skip this step, but the ball will be a bit more squishy during the felting and might not have as nice a shape when you're finished.
Begin by winding a bit of yarn around your fingers.
Once you have a bit, take it off your fingers, let it close and wrap the yarn around it. This is the beginning of your ball.
Continue wrapping the yarn around and forming a little ball. There is no right or wrong way to do this step, as this will be completely covered up later on.
This picture shows a small beginning ball, a ball ready for the first felting and a ball that is ready for the last felting. This should give you an idea of approximate sizes.
Once you have a small ball, break(or cut) the yarn and tuck the end under using the crochet hook. This will keep it from coming loose as it's felting.
Step 2: Felting the Core
You can try to felt the balls by hand, but this isn't necessary and takes a while. I prefer to use the washer and dryer.
Put your small wool balls into the pantyhose or sock. I like to use the cheap knee-high pantyhose. After you put a ball into the hose, tie the hose closed with a piece of string or non-wool yarn with a secure knot. This will keep the balls separated during felting. DO NOT skip the hose/sock and just toss them into the washer. Trust me, they are very likely to fall apart and you will end up with a felted rat's nest. Toss the wool ball pantyhose caterpillar into your washer with a load of laundry. I like to wash them on hot to felt them faster, but you can wash them with any type of load. They will take longer to felt if washed in a cold load. If you use a hand-dyed or not colorfast yarn, be careful for bleeding. Just put them in the washer and dryer with the load of laundry. Once the dryer cycle is done, cut the strings between the hose and remove them. They should be slightly felted. If you want them felted more, run them through another load.
Step 3: Winding the Dryer Ball
Begin winding more wool yarn onto the ball. You don't have to do anything special to attach the yarn, just lay it onto the ball and wind over it. Continue winding until the ball is the size you want. Tuck the end under using the crochet hook.
Step 4: Final Felting
Once you have your dryer balls the size you would like, put them into the pantyhose and tie them. Repeat the felting by once again doing your laundry and tossing these in. They don't have to be completely felted before you can start using them, just slightly felted will do. You just don't want them to come apart. They will continue to felt and get harder as you use them.
That's it! You now have wool dryer balls! Depending on the wool yarn you use, they may get pills on them with use. If these bother you, just give them a shave with a sweater shaver now and then.
If you would like scented dryer balls, you can sew a little sachet filled with your favorite dried flowers or scents then begin winding your ball around it. Remember that the scent won't last forever, though, and there is no way to re-scent it once the scent is gone.
Make your Own Wool Dryer Balls by goodmama, inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License
Enjoy!
Make Your Own Wool Dryer Balls
Finished Size: Any size you want, really! Commercial dryer balls are approximately 9 inches in circumference. I like to make my wool dryer balls about 10-10.5 inches in circumference prior to felting, since they will shrink a bit as they felt.
You'll need:
* Wool Yarn: This is a great time to use your scraps. For the best results, use a yarn that is 100% wool or otherwise is a good felting yarn. Do not use superwash wool. If it says it is machine washable, you don't want it for this project! There are a lot of good, cheap, felting wool yarns available at local stores.
The amount of yarn required depends on the weight and gauge of the yarn you choose. Bulky yarns will wind faster and take less yarn. For the worsted weight yarns pictured here, it was approximately 3 ounces.
* Old Pantyhose or a Sock
* Cotton or Acrylic Yarn or String: You can use scraps here, too. This will be used to tie the hose or sock. You don't want this to felt, so don't use the wool yarn here.
* Scissors
* A Small Crochet Hook
* A Measuring Tape
If you have ever wound yarn into a ball, this is basically just like that, except you want to wind it tighter than you should normally. There are *many* different ways to make felted wool balls. This is just one way. Feel free to experiment! You could also use wool roving and needles for felting to make the whole ball or just the core.
Step 1: Winding the Core
We'll begin by making the core of the ball. Making a core first will make the finished ball a little more firm. It is also possible to simply skip this step, but the ball will be a bit more squishy during the felting and might not have as nice a shape when you're finished.
Begin by winding a bit of yarn around your fingers.
Once you have a bit, take it off your fingers, let it close and wrap the yarn around it. This is the beginning of your ball.
Continue wrapping the yarn around and forming a little ball. There is no right or wrong way to do this step, as this will be completely covered up later on.
This picture shows a small beginning ball, a ball ready for the first felting and a ball that is ready for the last felting. This should give you an idea of approximate sizes.
Once you have a small ball, break(or cut) the yarn and tuck the end under using the crochet hook. This will keep it from coming loose as it's felting.
Step 2: Felting the Core
You can try to felt the balls by hand, but this isn't necessary and takes a while. I prefer to use the washer and dryer.
Put your small wool balls into the pantyhose or sock. I like to use the cheap knee-high pantyhose. After you put a ball into the hose, tie the hose closed with a piece of string or non-wool yarn with a secure knot. This will keep the balls separated during felting. DO NOT skip the hose/sock and just toss them into the washer. Trust me, they are very likely to fall apart and you will end up with a felted rat's nest. Toss the wool ball pantyhose caterpillar into your washer with a load of laundry. I like to wash them on hot to felt them faster, but you can wash them with any type of load. They will take longer to felt if washed in a cold load. If you use a hand-dyed or not colorfast yarn, be careful for bleeding. Just put them in the washer and dryer with the load of laundry. Once the dryer cycle is done, cut the strings between the hose and remove them. They should be slightly felted. If you want them felted more, run them through another load.
Step 3: Winding the Dryer Ball
Begin winding more wool yarn onto the ball. You don't have to do anything special to attach the yarn, just lay it onto the ball and wind over it. Continue winding until the ball is the size you want. Tuck the end under using the crochet hook.
Step 4: Final Felting
Once you have your dryer balls the size you would like, put them into the pantyhose and tie them. Repeat the felting by once again doing your laundry and tossing these in. They don't have to be completely felted before you can start using them, just slightly felted will do. You just don't want them to come apart. They will continue to felt and get harder as you use them.
That's it! You now have wool dryer balls! Depending on the wool yarn you use, they may get pills on them with use. If these bother you, just give them a shave with a sweater shaver now and then.
If you would like scented dryer balls, you can sew a little sachet filled with your favorite dried flowers or scents then begin winding your ball around it. Remember that the scent won't last forever, though, and there is no way to re-scent it once the scent is gone.
Make your Own Wool Dryer Balls by goodmama, inc. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 United States License
Love it!!! Thanks for the info!
Posted by: JustMe | May 29, 2008 at 02:48 PM
I think you might as well type up some step by step instructions for making your diapers.
You know since you pretty much stole the thunder of a great WAHM.
Shame shame I don't like your ethics you've done many things to piss me off.
Posted by: Mad momma | May 30, 2008 at 09:41 PM
awesome tutorial! I don't know what crawled up pp's ... oops, keep up the great worked Suzanne!
Posted by: Andrea Santaga | June 07, 2008 at 04:17 PM
Wool felted balls have been around for years and years. I remember playing with felted wool balls with I was a kid. I'm 24. I also made some 5 years or so ago myself. Should I sue the fluff balls maker for stealing my idea? So yeah, someone thought to put them in the dryer to soften clothes, but Suzanne is hardly passing on privliged information. Almost anyone could have figured this out on their own, she just made it easier.
Posted by: skybluepink02 | June 09, 2008 at 02:27 PM
I thought that this was awesome and yeah there are WAHMs out there that make them and perhaps if I didnt want to take all the time to make them then I would pay for them... which I think a lot of ppl would do... but if I want to take the time to make them this is an awesome tutorial for it... 2 THUMBS UP !
Posted by: Alicia | June 23, 2008 at 07:47 PM
This sounds like a great idea, however, Im not sure that I understand the reason behind this. Just for softening and static control? Keep the ideas coming.
Posted by: shannon | July 30, 2008 at 02:40 PM
Please sell the wool dryer balls! How can I order some?
Thanks, Jan
Posted by: jan | July 31, 2008 at 01:17 PM
You say to make them 9" in diameter (across). Do you mean 9" in circumference (around)? The ones in the tutorial don't look 9" in diameter. Thanks.
Posted by: Dorothy | August 01, 2008 at 05:57 AM
This is really kewl but you can rescent them by simply putting a drop or two of oil on the ball and letting it dry once or twice...now the down side like shoes I suspect although not sure that it can screw up the balance on your dryer. Dryer sheets release as part of the scenting process a chemical that builds up on the dryer and can cause fires.... and that nerve wracking squeaking dryers do tend to be from dryer sheets I would ask a appliance repair company about these....
tonya
Posted by: Tonya | August 05, 2008 at 03:56 AM
Is Bernat Felting Yarn a good choice to form a dryer ball?
Posted by: Anna | August 13, 2008 at 02:45 AM
Umm these are sooo nothing new, I love the tutorial and I think that it was nice for moms that dont have the animals on hand but want the dryer balls. My grandmother put them in with her clothes for as long as I can remember. We just never thought to market it lol! WE have sheep and llamas so it was a natural to use what was around:)
Posted by: Heather | October 16, 2008 at 01:30 PM
So if a skein is about 3 ounces (the Patons Classic wool in my lap is 3.5 ounces), you need close to an entire skein to make one ball, or does that amount make four balls? (Have made two up to the first felting stage, but wanted to make sure I was going to have enough yarn before I made more balls.) Thanks! If this helps my static problem, winter will be a lot more bearable.
Posted by: Muria | December 08, 2008 at 12:40 PM
Thanks! You've helped me solve my not wanting to use dryer sheets dilemma!
Posted by: Carrie of CKC | December 30, 2008 at 12:44 PM
My question is the following, if the colors bleed, wont they bleed onto your clothes when you put them in the dryer? say your ball is red and the clothes are white?
Posted by: Alan | January 23, 2009 at 02:52 PM
Love this! Thanks for the tip. One question: Do the balls leave lint on your clothes? Should you make white or light colored balls for your white/light laundry, and dark/black balls for your dark laundry?
Posted by: Amy | February 24, 2009 at 08:38 AM