Well, hello! It’s been a while since I have posted. Four months to be exact. However, it is a new year and I will be blogging on a more regular basis. I intend to share patterns, yarn reviews, techniques and anything else I come across that I think you may find helpful or useful.

Today, it will be wool dryer balls. Everything I hear about them I like. They cut down on drying time, they are more economical than dryer sheets (they last years), they eliminate static cling and reduce wrinkles. They are also pretty easy to make. There are a few ways to make them. This is how I do them.

Materials  I used:

Patons Classic Wool Yarn (2 or 3 skeins)

Wool roving (about 4 oz)

Nylon knee highs

Scrap cotton or acrylic yarn

Directions:

Begin by winding the yarn into a ball. I made mine about 6 inches in diameter

Next, use the wool roving to cover the yarn ball you created. Go round and round and stop when you reach about 9 inches in diameter

Make as many balls as you want. I made 5

Put the balls into the knee highs. Separate each ball by tying yarn between each one

Put the balls in a hot water wash and then toss in the dryer

When done, check to see that they are felted. You should not be able to pull the roving off the ball

Put them through another wash and dry cycle if necessary

And that’s it!

A few things to keep in mind:

You must use 100 % wool for the yarn and the roving. You need it for absorption and felting

Do not use wool as ties between the balls. If you do, it will felt and make it difficult to remove. Use cotton or acrylic yarn

Scent your balls with pure essential oils

Tell me if you give it a try.