Want to save the planet, money, AND time. There is an easy way to do this. Make a set of Dryer Balls. Specifially, Felted Wool Dryer Balls.
Once you do, you will never have to buy over-scented dryer sheets or bulky bottles of fabric softener again.
Dryer Balls will also reduce static cling and cut your clothes drying time significantly {25-50%}.
These nifty little felted wool dryer balls will do all of these things while happily bouncing around in your dryer.
How to Make Dryer Balls
Things You Will Need:
- 100% Wool Yarn (mine had 223 yds.)
- Panty Hose
- Dental Floss
- Crochet Needle with blunt tip
- Lavender Oil (optional)
Begin by wrapped several strands of yarn around your fingers 10-20 times.
Pull the yarn off your fingers and pinch together in the center.
Tightly wrap yarn around the middle.
Start wrapping until the yarn takes on the shape of a ball.
Continue wrapping the yarn around the small wool ball.
Optional: When it reaches about half the size of a tennis ball, sprinkle a 2-4 drops of lavender oil on the wool.
Keep wrapping until your wool ball is about the size of a tennis ball.
Push the blunt end of the needle into the center of the wool ball and pull through. Clip the yarn tail.
Repeat the above steps until you have 4-6 yarn balls.
My skein of yarn was 223 yards and it made 4 dryer balls.
To felt your dryer balls, wash on your machine’s hottest setting. If you have a front loader, add in some towels to help muffle the noise of the balls flinging around.
Once the wash cycle is complete, dry on the hottest dryer setting.
Notice the difference in size before and after. The felting process took place in the washer. The dryer balls did not continue to shrink after drying.
This set should last at least a year. Simple and economical ~ always a winner with me.
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Welcome, I'm Leslie. The Seasoned Homemaker is where I comment on all things delightfully domestic. To read more, click 
I’m so excited! Can’t wait to try this. So much prettier to have these sitting out and smelling good than dryer sheets. I’ve never been a fan of liquid softeners.
These are beautiful, I am not sure i would want the in the dryer. On the table looks great!
What a great tutorial. I never knew you could do that. and they are so cute! Thanks so much for sharing on Super Sweet Saturday.
Steph
swtboutique.blogspot.com
Seriously, they make a cute decoration! Love this idea!
I have a weekend party I’d love for you to share this on:
http://westernwarmth.blogspot.com
Thanks!
Bobi
This felting business is a complete mystery to me, but this sounds as if even I could achieve it. Like the idea(s) too. Thanks for sharing. As a fellow guest on this blog hop, will be following to see what other ideas you come up with: hope you’ll return the favour and visit me at http://www.ColdhamCuddliescalling.blogspot.com. We look forward to getting to know you! Isobel
At first I thought these were a cute snowball decorations. Ha ha.But this is so cool. What a great idea! Glad you linked up at “I Gotta Try That” Have a great Thanksgiving!
Marcie
I’ve been wanting to make some of these. Great tutorial! I would be honored if you shared this at my Ginger Jamboree Link Party!
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I make my own wool dryer balls, too. I’m completely sold on them. Thanks for the tip on threading the end with a needle. I’ve just been tucking them under. I like your way better
I keep mine in a basket and dab a few drops of essential oil before each use. I can’t decide what scent I like best: lavendar, lemon grass, sweet orange, spearmint, vanilla, or grapefruit!
http://dejongdreamhouse.blogspot.com/2012/11/wool-dryer-balls.html
Found you from Mop it Up Mondays. What a great tutorial! I’ve been wanting to make these, but have been hesitant because of the noise. I think this is an awesome idea and you’ve encouraged me to give it a try! Love your blog – you have a new follower!
Jen @ Noting Grace
http://notinggrace.blogspot.com
I will definitely try this – during the winter, cutting down on drying time would really save money on our utilities bill!
Very interesting! I love an idea that saves me money for sure! Thanks for sharing this. Saw you over at Sweet Boutique and happily following you via GFC and looking forward to more!
I love this! My husband likes using Downy, but I don’t like using extra chemicals, so this looks like a great alternative. Plus, your great tutorial makes this look like a fun project to make. I better go out and buy some wool yarn. I’m now following you on GFC and hope you’ll stop by at thedomesticatedprincess.com.
Way cool, I never knew you could do this! I have a TON of yarn from my grandmother that’s just waiting for me to find a use for it, and I know a bunch of it is 100% wool, so this is perfect.
Thanks for sharing at The Fun In Functional!
Wow! This is so brilliant! I’m so glad I decided to join the SundayFunday blog hop over at WTFab and saw your link. You have a beautiful blog and I’m delighted to pin your post and share it with my readers on Facebook as well!
Jenn/Rook No. 17
What a great idea! And awesome tutorial! Thank you for sharing! Found you through a linky party and I am excited to be a new follower! I hope you will stop by my site if you get a chance! http://www.thetaylor-house.com
I love this idea! I am always looking for ways to save money. Plus dryer sheets are so hard on sensitive skin…..
Thanks.. Your picture are great, so easy to follow…
hugs x
Crystelle
Thanks for linking up at the Ginger Jamboree! I featured your project today…come on over and grab a featured button if you’d like!
This is the first time I’ve ever heard of this. At first, I thought this was just a cute decoration (they look like fuzzy snowballs) but would love to try this in for drying clothes-sound simple to make too. Thanks for sharing
Just wanted to let you know I featured this today on my blog! You can check it out and grab a Featured button here: http://practicallyfunctional.net/2012/11/the-fun-in-functional-link-party-27/
Hi! They look great that’s for sure. I would be very happy if more people start using wool dryer balls in their laundry
is there any problem with using coloured wool, i have leftovers of red, blue,green from making felted slippers. thanks for your fabulous (free) instructions. these are sold at the farmer’s market up here (ontario, canada) for 3/$12.00.
This might be a weird question but I want to make these for my mother in law and sister in law who have dryers. The problem is, I do not own a dryer (we hang dry all our stuff just because we can). Can I dry them out in the oven, air dry them, or something?
This is really a great question and one that I didn’t even consider. Here’s the good news ~ almost all of the shrinking and felting takes place in the washing machine. Be sure to use the hottest water possible and let it agitate in washer, then set them out to air dry for a couple of days. If you are using central heat in your home, this should help speed it up. Do not use the oven ~ it might create a hazard.
Hi — I’m going to try and make these….just wondering, do you use all them at once in the dryer for each load or one at a time??
Thanks for the great tutorial!
Such a great question ~ which I never addressed in the tutorial. I use 4 dryer balls for a medium size load. If you are doing a really large load of towels or sheets, you may want 5-6 dryer balls.
I want to try this, my question is: I have yarn that is 100% acrylic or polyester, will they felt the same?
The acrylic yarn will not felt at all. You have to use 100% wool yarn for this project. I found mine for $3.00 at Michael’s. Good luck!
Hi Leslie. This is a great tutorial, and I’m really excited to start making these dryer balls … so thanks! Quick question: after removing the balls from the washer, should I leave the balls in the panty hose when drying or is it safe to dry them freely on their own? I’m just wondering if they’ll keep their shape if I put them in the dryer individually and wet.
Thanks for a great question! Either way is fine ~ they will retain their shape. If you take them out of the the pantyhose, they will bounce around your dryer and make a lot of noise. I recommend adding a couple of towels to the dryer to muffle the sound.
I love this idea, how often do you need to add more lavender oil? Every use or does it last awhile?
Thanks for visiting. I keep a bottle of inexpensive lavender oil in the laundry room. Once every week or two I put a 2-4 drops on each of the dryer balls. You will know because your laundry room won’t smell like lavender and you will want that lovely scent back….
I tried this last night and I don’t think it worked. The yarn (which was 100% wool according to the label) balls did not shrink and don’t look felted. It looked like it did when I put it in the washer. (Two of them came unraveled and the unraveled portions felted though.) Even when I washed on hot. Should I try a different brand of yarn? Thanks!
Sorry you’re having problems getting your dryer balls to felt. If I had to guess, I’d say that the hot water in your washer isn’t hot enough or it didn’t get agitated long enough. I used an inexpensive 100% Merino wool for mine. It came from Michael’s. You may want to try dropping them into a pot of boiling water and stir them around. Keep us posted.
I have found that if I wind the yarn around the ball too tight, it will have a harder time felting as well. However I do have a front loader, so maybe that is the problem. I love these.
You are probably right about winding the yarn too tight. It seems that since front loaders don’t agitate that sometimes the felting takes a little longer.
What a great idea that seems simple to do!
What a lovely and wonderful idea! I’ll be pinning!
Thanks. Super easy project.
Hi! I made these a couple weeks ago and love them so far however I am suddenly finding fuzzies from the yarn on my clothes and blankets. I am using 100% Virginia wool yarn from michaels and the cost is $12.00. Should I be using a diff kind of wool?
Hmmm. I have never had any fuzzies. I would try re-felting them in the washer. It may be the wool – but I used really cheap yarn from Michael’s and I’ve never gotten any fuzzies.
Amazing idea! This will save me so much money. I can’t wash unless I have fabric softener..thanks!
Thanks ~
I’m so intrigued by these! I never use dryer sheets or fabric softener {I’m a cheapskate} but I love the idea that they’ll speed up drying time. I’m pinning and I’m definitely going to be trying this. Thanks so much for linking up at Project Inspire{d}!
My pleasure!
I always use vinegar in the rinse cycle instead of fabric softener but sometimes I still get some static, especially in the winter. I think this is a great idea! Between this and the homemade laundry soap from Little Birdie Secrets, I should be set!!
I use vinegar in the rinse cycle, too. Witht he dryer balls, it really makes a difference. I’ve yet to make my own laundry soap. Hmmm.
Hi there
I have attempted to make my own dryer balls. I have bought 3 packages of the Paton wool for Felton like you show in your blog. I’m on my third attempt at washing and drying in the pantyhose and my balls still look the same as they went in.
I am washing on my hottest setting in my washer but do have new top loader washing machine. Am I missing something?
I thought my balls would felt and look like a tennis ball like yours do. I made two white balls and 4 colored balls all with the Paton wool. Any suggestions?
Great blog BTW. I’m glad I stumbled upon you
I have had this comment from other readers. My best guess is the water in your washer isn’t hot enough. Most top-loaders will agitate the wool balls, but they won’t felt if the water isn’t super hot. I suggest you put a stock pot of water on the stove and let it come to a full rolling boil. Drop the pantyhose with the dryer balls in the hot water and make sure that they get rolled around. The felting process will continue in a really hot dryer while bouncing around. Keep us posted on how this works.
I’m going to try this today! Being a knitter, I know that felting requires heat and friction– and is very unpredictable. If your balls don’t look like they’re felting enough try this: use the smallest load setting with hot water and a little soap (this helps get the natural oils and lanolin out of the fibers) then throw in a pair of jeans or a couple of tennis balls for more friction.
This is a great way for me to use up left over bits ofwool yarn!
Excellent suggestion. Thank you for sharing.
thanks for the suggestions and ideas.
I have washed these balls 5 times each and put them in the dryer after each use…Do you think maybe that is my problem? Leslie i took your suggestion and boiled the CRAP out of the balls and did so for about 30+ maybe even 40 minutes and placed in the dyer.. they DEFINTIELY shrunk but they dont look like they’ve “melted” (felted) together.
I used 100% wool. Size 4 so i think a medium thread, it also stated on the package to hand wash… so have I used the wrong wool?
I am going to take them out of the pantyhose tonight and see.. I’ve also heard that maybe some wool balls are felted but still look like the do when first winding.. any truth to that?
I had the same problem when I used the stockings. I tired it again putting the balls together in a pillowcase. I tied the top with cotton yarn. It worked much better.
Great tip. They probably felt better because they get to bounce around in the washer.
Hi! I’ve made 4 balls so far this weekend, and I’m hoping to roll sets for family members. My mum had a question though:
How do you get the balls dry once they are put to use? Do they mold on the inside ever?
Once you’ve dried them in the dryer after felting, they do not need to be put in water again. I keep mine in the dryer between uses. They get damp with drying, but they dry out again.
Thanks for such a swift reply! This was such a simple and great tutorial!
For those that had issues with the balls not felting in the washing machine, I had the same thing happen even though I used a small load with the hottest setting and a pair of jeans for agitation. What I did was dump them into a stock pot of boiling water and push them around with a spoon for about 10 minutes. I then dried them on high heat for over three hours and they have felted amazingly.
Thank you for testing this ~ I was pretty sure that the combination of boiling water and high dryer heat would felt them.
Yours are some of the prettiest dryer balls I’ve seen yet!
Good work!
nice soft color too!
hugs x
Crytelle
Thanks ~ just some Paton’s yarn from the craft store.
I made these today as a gift for a friend. Also made a few for myself. One tip that helped mine to felt better was placing the balls together in a pillowcase and tied the top with cotton yarn. I used colored yarn then once they were done I needle felted polka dots in fun colors. I ran them through the washer one more time to secure the polka dots. They turned out really cute.
Also, I used a white pillow case so I would be able to see if there was any bleeding from the yarn. My pillowcase came out clean, so I know they are safe to use with all colors in the dryer.
Thanks for the idea!
Thanks for these awesome tips. I never thought about putting them in a white pillowcase. Great idea.
What a great idea. excellent tutorial too.Will have a go today
Thank you
Penny
I made a set of these for a Mothers’ Day gift and they turned out fantastic! Thanks for such a great tutorial for a neat idea
Lovely
I ran across your dryer balls on HomeTalk. What a great idea. I make my own fabric softne out of vinegar, cheap scented conditioner, and water. But I want to try these. Thanks for sharing your wonderful tutorial. These felt balls are really pretty and make a pretty table decor. Pinning and sharing!
I may have to try your idea, too. That sounds great.