DIY Felted Wool Dryer Balls

DIY Felted Wool Dryer Balls are a practical and eco-friendly alternative to dryer sheets and fabric softeners that you can make right at home. Even better – they can reduce drying time, soften clothes, and reduce static cling.

Four felted wool dryer balls after felting.

Don’t you love homemade gifts that you can use?! DIY Felted Wool Dryer Balls are little balls of foil that you wrap in wool yarn. Then, you use your washing machine and dryer to “felt” the wool yarn, which means it all smooshes together and turns into felt that won’t unravel.
Add the Wool Dryer Balls to a gift basket with someDIY Bath Salts and Sugar Scrubsor amug that you can make at home.

A hand holding a felted wool dryer ball.

Why You’ll Love This Project

A greateco-friendly alternative to disposable dryer sheets.
A non-toxic way toreduce static cling and drying time.
Dryer balls are awonderful gift, especially for loved ones who enjoy handmade or sustainable products.

Supplies

Aluminum foil:To put in the middle of the ball so you can use less wool.
100% wool yarn:Lion Brand Alpine Woolis what I used or you can usewool roving.
Pantyhose:Old ones are great for this project.

Wool dryer balls in a pantyhose before being felted.

How to Make DIY Felted Wool Dryer Balls

Step #1.Cut a piece of aluminum foil about 24 inches long and crumple it into a ball the size of a ping pong ball.
Step #2.Wrap the wool yarn or roving (about 3 ounces) around the aluminum foil until the yarn ball is about the size of a baseball or small orange.
Step #3.Trim the end of the yarn and then tuck the loose end of the yarn under some of the yarn pieces on the ball.
Step #4.Repeat until you have 5-7 balls (this is a good amount to use in your dryer to have them work well).
Step #5.Add one ball to the leg of the pantyhose and push it down to the toe. Tie a knot in the pantyhose close to the ball. Drop another ball into the leg and push it down against the first knot and tie another knot in the pantyhose above the second ball.
Step #6.To felt the wool, put your snake of dryer balls and a couple towels into your washing machine. Run a wash cycle on the hottest setting without any soap. You want there to be lots of room for the towels and dryer balls to swish around and rub against each other.
Step #7. Dry the towels and balls (still in the panty hose) on the hottest dryer setting. Depending on your machines, the yarn you used, and how hot your water is, this should have felted your wool yarn. Repeat the washing and drying steps again if they aren’t felted enough.
Step #8. When the wool is felted, remove the balls by carefully cutting the pantyhose near each dryer ball.

FAQs

Do I have to use wool yarn?

Yes. And make sure that the wool yarn you use is 100% wool. If it has cotton, linen, nylon or anything else blended with it, it won’t felt properly and your dryer ball may just fall apart.

Can I use superwash wool yarn?

No. Superwash wool has gone through a process to remove the scales that causes the wool to felt so it won’t work to make dryer balls.

What is the difference between wool roving and yarn?

Roving is wool that hasn’t been spun into yarn yet. It looks like big puffy yarn but it doesn’t hold together very well because it hasn’t been spun. If you use roving to make dryer balls, be careful that the roving doesn’t fall apart when wrapping it.

How do I know the dryer balls are done?

The felted yarn will look like it shrunk and smooshed itself against the rest of the yarn. When you rub your finger against it, it will feel smooth and not like little pieces of string but rather one piece.

How many times do I need to wash and dry the dryer balls?

If you make the dryer balls out of wool yarn, you will probably need to wash and dry the balls two or three times. If you use roving, you should only need to wash and dry them once.

How do I add essential oils to the felted wool dryer balls?

Add 6 to 12 drops of essential oils to one dryer ball before drying your clothes to add a nice scent to your clothes or linens.

DIY Felted Wool Dryer Balls before they were felted.

Expert Tips

If youdon’t want to use aluminum foilin the middle, you don’t have to. But if you don’t, you’re going to require more wool yarn or roving.
Adjust the amount of water in your washing machinebased on the size of the towels you’re washing with the dryer balls – I ran a medium-sized load.
It’s a good idea touse old pantyhosefor this project because they will get ruined.
You cankeep the dryer balls right in your dryer or put them in acute basketif you have a shelf or cupboard available.