make your own wool dryer balls - take two
I have to say, I was really surprised at how well these worked, I don't think I really expected it to. There was less static and my laundry was really fluffy. And these are so easy to make. It's better for you, your family and it can extend the life of your dryer. Apparently, the chemicals on dryer sheets clog up the filter which can cause the machine to burn out and even scarier, can cause fires.
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| They make great gifts too. |
- Start by wrapping the yarn loosely around two fingers aproximately 10-15 times
- Pull off your fingers and begin wrapping, shaping into a ball
- Wrap until it's about the size of a tennis ball
- Once you've reached your desired size, using plastic yarn needles, weave one last strand (I usually cut the yarn so that there's about a foot left to work with) of yarn back and forth through the length of the ball. After doing this a few time or until you feel certain that it's secure, just snip off the end, being careful not cut the yarn that you've so carefully wound.
- Place in an old sock or stocking, you can tie it closed or tie a piece of string so it's nice and snug
- I just throw it in with my wash a few times until it felts. You'll be able to tell that this is happening because the strands will begin sticking together.
Some options: When it's about half the size you want (or half the size of a tennis ball), you can add a few drops of essential oils. My favorite is lavender, but you can use the essential oil of your choice. Some nice ones are sweet orange, vanilla, or ylang ylang. Keep in mind, the scent doesn't last, but it's nice while it does.
Another option is to make a core. I uses Fisherman's Wool for the whole thing, but you could start with the cheaper wool to make a core and then finish with something fancier.
