Contributor post written by Kelly from New Leaf Wellness.
Looking for an all-natural alternative to store-bought dryer sheets? Wool dryer balls are your answer! Not only are wool dryer balls all-natural, they’re so easy to make!
Benefits of Homemade Wool Dryer Balls
- Shorten drying time
- Reduce wrinkles
- Decrease static
- Soften laundry
- Save money
- Fragrance-free (or naturally scented with a few drops of essential oils)
You can buy wool dryer balls on Amazon or Etsy, but they’re also incredibly easy to make yourself. All you need to make your own is 20 minutes and four basic supplies: wool yarn, a crochet hook, scissors, and pantyhose.
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I’ll admit that I know nothing about using yarn to knit and crochet, but I know a heck of a lot about doing laundry. Between me, my husband, and our three young daughters (ages 4 and under), laundry is just a part of our everyday life.
Doing laundry isn’t exactly what I’d call “fun,” but an easy, practical craft sure is. These homemade wool dryer balls rank up there with my homemade coconut oil lotions and sugar scrubs. They’re a simple DIY that I absolutely love and want to share with all of my friends.
Actually, I think making these wool dryer balls would be a really fun craft to make with friends. I made my first two wool dryer balls with the help of my super-crafty mom and then asked for a crochet hook and wool yarn for my birthday so I could make more.
The more dryer balls you have, the more they will bounce around with your laundry and help it to dry quickly. Six to eight wool dryer balls that are between the size of a tennis ball and soft ball seem to be just right. The tutorial below shows you how to make two dryer balls from one skein of yarn.
The best yarn is 100% wool. After wrapping your yarn into balls, you wash them in pantyhose so the yarn “felts” together and becomes a solid ball that won’t unravel. Thick, wool roving yarn felts perfectly.
The best colors for homemade wool dryer balls are ones that are bright and will be easy to pick out of your laundry. Avoid red or other colors that might bleed. (I learned that the hard way.)
Have I convinced you to make your own wool dryer balls yet?! Let’s get started!
Homemade Wool Dryer Balls
Ingredients
- 1 skein 100% wool roving yarn 120 yards
- 1 crochet hook
- 1 pair knee-high or pair of pantyhose, no need to buy new, use an old pair
- 1 pair scissors
Instructions
- Start your first wool dryer ball by wrapping the yarn around a couple of fingers 10 times.
- Remove the yarn from your fingers and wrap about 10 times around the middle.
- Continue wrapping around the ball from every angle. Make your way around the ball, wrapping 5-10 times before moving to a new angle. (There’s no exact science to this. Just keep trying to form a round ball.) Wrap the yarn tightly and hang onto your ball so it doesn’t pop out of your hands.
- When your ball is a little bigger than a tennis ball, cut the yarn and pull the end through the ball with your crochet hook.
- Repeat Steps 1-4 to make a second wool dryer ball with the remainder of your yarn.
- Place your wool balls in your pantyhose, knotting the pantyhose between the balls.
- Run your wool dryer balls through your washer and dryer with separate loads of laundry until they “felt” and become solid balls. (Mine “felt” in 3-4 loads.)
- Remove balls from pantyhose and use in the dryer in place of dryer sheets.
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Do the dryer balls make loud banging noises when they roll around inside your dryer? Thanks for your comments.
Hey Angela, With a full load of clothes in the dryer, the dryer balls aren’t loud. But if I just throw a few things in the dryer, with the dryer balls, you can definitely hear them rumbling around.
Can you just boil them instead of putting them into the washer? Then put them in the dryer?
Hey Molly, You could definitely try. I don’t have any experience with this method.
Awesome writing, great post! Thanks for sharing with us !
I’m glad the tutorial was helpful, Edith!
I used a different brand wool yarn and they haven’t felted after a year and three unraveled. I put the remaining three back in the panty hose and after several months of laundry they still haven’t felted. This goes against everything I know about wool. I wish I had just bought the other yarn now instead of getting the one on sale.???? It was 100% wool, I’m baffled.
Hey Bethany, That’s interesting. Someone mentioned above that a front loader may be an issue for the balls not felting. Do you use a front loader washer? My other thought is maybe the balls weren’t tight enough, or the yarn wasn’t secure enough, since they unraveled.
Thanks Kristin for this great diy tutorial. I am going to make these wool dryer balls as soon as I receive the wool I ordered. the instructions are clear and easy to follow.
Thanks, Nora!
I have a HE washer and read on one of the posts that it may need more agitation than this type of washer does. Any suggestions how to make it work or do I need to buy pre made ones?
Hey Tonya, I’m not really sure. I know some people have issues, and some don’t. If you want to take the chance, I would give them homemade method a try. If not, I would purchase the pre-made ones–they work very well, too!
I have an HE washer, and I have found that the wool balls felt better if I do not wash them with other clothes. Also, when the balls stop working, I just send them through a hot wash cycle again. This seems to recharge them.
Great tips, Tammy! Thank you for sharing!
I have seen some youtube videos where people boil the wool balls on their stove top and skip the washer altogether. Then they throw them in the dryer with a load of clothes.
How many balls does one skein make?
Hey Cassandra, One skein makes about 3-4 balls from my experience.
About how long, how many loads, does each wool dryer ball last?
Hey Dustin, I’ve been using the same dryer balls for over a year and they still have lots of life in them. So, I believe they last indefinitely. 🙂
Your idea is great, I’ll do it right now!!! thank so much
Thank you, Enrique. Enjoy!
I like your post so much!!!
What do you do when they eventually start to unravel and tangle all your clothes together? I wrapped 3 of my 6 in pantyhose so far, but I wonder if that doesn’t just add static!!
Hey Debbie, Once they have “felted” they shouldn’t unravel, so you can remove them from the pantyhose. The pantyhose are used just to keep the balls from unraveling :).
Awesome, Teresa! Enjoy!!
I got to thinking why people where having trouble. Felting works best with a washer that has the agitator (top loader). Many people have the front load now and that is not great for felting.
Hey Laura, Thank you, thank you for thinking of this great point! Yes, that makes so much sense.
Some may be flammable if touched to a direct flame, but this is a recommended practice and I’ve been doing it for years with no problems at all. The wool doesn’t get hot and there are only a few drops of oil on the ball.
Does this work well with HE washers?
What essential oils do you use? Are you using oil for just fragrance or therapeutic purposes?
Thanks
Hey Amanda, The dryer balls will work with any dryer :). I like lavender, but it’s completely optional. It just adds a bit of scent.
Oops! Typo…..should be purchased, not purchases!
The Patons Classic Wool yarn that I purchases says BULKY, not Roving…..will that work? Thanks!
I dont have a crochet hook, totally forgot to get one when I bought the wool yard!!! Is there any other way i can pull the end through the ball? Or something else i can do with the end?? I just spent $20 on yarn, and now I am thinking I should have just bought the wool dryer balls because i am pretty sure it would be cheaper. So basically, i dont want to buy any more materials for this. Hahaha thanks!
Hey Zoe, If you have a paint can opener, that will work instead of a crocket hook. You could also try using your finger. The idea is to secure the yarn so well inside the ball that it won’t unravel. Once you’ve gone through the felting stage, I think unraveling shouldn’t be an issue (even without the hook).
Really nice tips. I will apply it for my house. My daughter will love it.
Thank you, Joe!
If you have a problem felting the 100% wool yarn make sure you don’t have superwash wool. This type of wool is made NOT to felt by removing some of the “scales” that make up the fibers,the smoother the fiber the less to catch together and felt.
Thank you for sharing, Peggy!
Would I add the essential oils to the balls once they’re made or part way through? Also, I don’t have pantyhose. What could I use instead?
Hey Kristin, I would add the essential oils once they are done. Although, the yarn may retain some of the oils if you add a few drops in the process of making the balls. I’ve never tried using anything but pantyhose, but I’m thinking a really light pair of socks may work. Maybe a pair of dress socks?