DIY Wool Dryer Balls — Have you ever used wool dryer balls in place of dryer sheets? If not, here’s your chance. I’m showing you how to make them on your own. And make them you should. Because they are awesome.
Wool dryer balls contain none of the harsh chemicals in dryer sheets, when you throw a few in with your wet clothes (I use about 5 at a time) they allow your clothes to dry faster, therefore saving you money and energy, and they naturally soften as the wool rubs against clothing fibers. It’s so gentle it doesn’t harm your clothes at all and actually fluffs them by separating clumpy clothes. They reduce static like a champ and it’ll last forever—think 1,000 dryer cycles!!
Here’s how to make your own DIY Wool Dryer Balls:
Supplies
Supplies2 skeins of 100% wool yarn {Just don’t use the machine washable variety}
Large-eyed felting needle or crochet hook
Pantyhose or old tights
Instructions
InstructionsLoop yarn around your index and middle finger about 10 times and then carefully pull your fingers out. Pinch the middle of the loops you’ve just formed and wrap yarn around the center 10 time. Then continue wrapping around until you’ve covered those first loops and you have the beginnings of a ball forming.
Continue wrapping tightly until your ball is about the size of a tennis ball {you can make them larger as well, as they help clothes dry even faster}.
When you’ve reached the desired size, use your needle to tuck the end of the thread under several layers of yarn. Pull it through and cut the end.
Repeat this process until you have your desired number of balls or you run out of yarn.
Place your wool balls in the leg of an old pair of pantyhose, tying a knot in between each ball. Toss in with a load of towels and run through the hot cycle, then dry on the hottest setting as well. Repeat this step, washing and drying once more. If felting has not occurred, you can repeat this again.
Remove balls, and they are ready to be tossed in the dryer with your next batch of laundry! I use about 5 per load, but if you have a larger load, you can toss more in for quicker drying time!
Keep Calm and Carry On.
~Mavis
Melissa says
I made these about two years ago! I used my 40% off coupon from Michael’s and got the skeins of wool even cheaper! The only downside to using these is they are a bit noisy. It’s also a little bit of a scavenger hunt to find them and they are sometimes inside sleeves and pant legs. While the clothes do come out softened they tend to have some static electricity still in them. IMO they definitely cut down drying time by about a third!
Karin Carson says
I tried these and did not notice that they worked very well, still had stoic in my clothes, my cats Love them so they went to good use.
Lisa LaMunyon says
Overdrying is the reason most have static. You can also try adding aluminum foil ball or even safety pins added to the balls will help. Mush better than putting toxins on our clothes to out gas in our closets and on us!
Delores says
I usually add a drop or two of essential oil to the ball as well for a nice scent. 🙂
Freya says
Was already thinking about making these awhile ago but didn’t because read that the wool fibers can come off on your clothes. Would love to know other peoples experience with that.
American Dreamer says
Thanks for sharing but I am very skeptical that these really work to save the 25% energy that people say they do. They must be noisy also. Plus dryers wear your clothes out faster and I believe these balls would make that happen even faster.
That is just my $ .02. I know people who love them and swear by them.
Keri says
I love the scents from EO’s I put on them but I still get static and my family hates the noise of the balls.
Kat says
I just love the idea of cute little cozy balls of wool dancing around in there…I know…I’m weird…
Thanks for sharing Mavis!
Judy Roberts says
These are hard to find… why not make these with your scrap yarn and sell them on Ebay too?
Lace Faerie says
Our Walmart had a pack of 2 for $5, I found them in the aisle with the ironing boards, not the laundry soap area. I used them as stocking stuffers this year.
My sister uses 5 balls in her giant machine and she swears they cut down the drying time. I only use the dryer for 10 minutes (I set a timer) to warm the wash wrinkles so they fall out while drying on a hanger. The only things I dry thoroughly is towels, sox & undies and HH’s jeans. This extra effort to avoid dryer time definitely makes my clothes last longer.
Karin Carson says
I hang/line dry most , I will time dry a few things , I dry our socks and undies/ bras on rack and it has great lengthened them , have some Costco socks of hubbies that are easily 3 years old, the dryer erodes the elastic in them,undies and bras . I also throw in towel to help cut down dry time , saves our clothes and hydro bill .
Carol says
How large do you make these dryer balls?
Mavis Butterfield says
About 2 – 2 1/2 inches.
Christy says
Any worry about yarn color coming off on white laundry? I got some red wool yarn cheap and hope to use that but don’t want it turning my clothes pink.
Christy L says
I still seem to have static when using these. Thoughts?