Hello crafters!

Lately people really seem to be getting into the eco-friendly / DIY sort of lifestyle and I have to say I’m really excited about it! If I can prevent waste and save the environment while also creating more excuses to craft then I’m definitely on board 🙂

Wool dryer balls have been around for a while but seem to be growing in popularity. I have seen many products for sale both online and in store but they come with a ridiculous price tag. I’m all for saving the environment and cutting waste but I can’t bring myself to pay $20 for two dryer balls (even if they do last forever!).

This tutorial will show you how to make your own dryer balls for just a few dollars and a few minutes of your time. Let’s get to it!

Benefits of using wool dryer balls

• agitate your clothes to promote air flow between items
• absorbs excess moisture for shorter drying times
• reduces static
• much quieter than plastic dryer balls bouncing around
• reduces drying time by up to 30%
• all natural materials, no more chemicals in the dryer or on your clothes
• eliminates need for dryer sheets saving you some big bucks 🙂
• waste free
• lasts for years; easily recharged by running through a hot wash and dry cycle

Those are just some benefits off the top of my head but I’m sure there are more! Have I convinced you to switch to wool dryer balls yet?

Supplies you will need to make your wool dryer balls

• 100% wool yarn *VERY important that your yarn is 100% wool or it will not felt properly
• Old pantyhose

Process to make wool dryer balls

Step 1: Roll yarn into a ball

Step 2: Pull the tail of the yarn through the center of the ball so that the end disappears. Simply thread it through a yarn needle and poke the needle through the ball from one side to the other.

Step 3: Put your first dryer ball inside your pantyhose. Tie a knot as close to the ball as you can. Then put your next dryer ball in the pantyhose and tie that one off too.

Step 4: Wash your dryer balls in the pantyhose in a HOT wash. Then throw the wool dryer balls (still in the pantyhose) into the dryer on HIGH HEAT.

I just waited until I was doing a load of towels anyway so I didn’t use any extra utilities that I wouldn’t have already been using!

Step 5: Repeat step 4 to ensure that the balls are completely felted.

Step 6: Remove pantyhose and use your awesome wool dryer balls 🙂

Tips for using your dryer balls

• To recharge your dryer balls you can simply redo the felting process by running them through a hot wash and then a high heat dry
• For the most effective results use 4-5 dryer balls at once
• Many people recommend using essential oils to scent your dryer balls. This sounds like a very zen idea but most essential oils are flammable so I would do this at your own risk.

I hope this tutorial has taught you everything you need to know about wool dryer balls! Please comment below if you would like to share your experience or if you have any questions; I love to hear from my fellow crafters 🙂

Happy crafting!