I love making crafts, learning new activities and anything that lets me be creative. My projects may not always turn out fabulous but I usually have fun trying, which is really what matters, right?

I’ve always enjoyed different do-it-yourself (DIY) projects. Many of my projects over the past few months are focused on being healthier and greener in my home as I try to move away from chemicals and also save money. I often am asked how to make different items so decided to share some of my projects on this blog. You’ll notice a new DIY tab where these type of blogs will be organized.

To kick off this new tab, I’m sharing how to make homemade dryer balls with wool yarn. You can also add natural essential oils for a fresh scent.These wool dryer balls are a nice alternative to dryer sheets and fabric softener, which often contain harsh chemicals and dyes. Many of the commercial scents, such as lavender, are made with chemicals that create the scent and aren’t made with natural ingredients. So the more I thought of these chemicals seeping into my clothes, sheets and towels, which touch my very sensitive skin, I decided to try making my own dryer balls.

These wool dryer balls are very easy to make. I’ll forewarn you to keep a tight grasp on the yarn ball as you’re wrapping as it’s a bummer when the ball drops and unravels (that thankfully only happened once to me!).

You need:

• 100% wool yarn (I bought from my local craft store. I chose a cream color so I can use in all fabric and color laundry loads).
• Pantyhose (use one with a run in it!) – I used a knee high but full leg will work too.
• Essential oil (optional if you want scented dryer balls)

Here’s what to do:

Wrap the end of the yarn around your middle and index finger approximately 10 times. Remove that yarn from your fingers and wrap yarn 3-5 times around the middle so it looks like a bow.

Continue tightly wrapping the yarn around and around, ensuring it forms a round ball. Do this until the round shape is about the size of a tennis ball. Cut the yarn and securely tuck the end into the ball. Make sure this is tucked securely into the ball so it doesn’t come unraveled during the wash cycle (see below).

Repeat the same action until you have a total of four balls.

Next, place one ball into the bottom of the pantyhose (if you’re using a full leg hose, cut just above knee length). Tie a tight knot right above the yarn ball, then repeat with each ball. Make sure the last knot is secure.

Add the yarn balls in the pantyhose to the washer (you can wash with dirty load of laundry). Wash on the hottest heat setting. Then dry on the hottest setting. This allows the yarn ball to felt, or fuse together to create a solid ball. I washed and dried my yarn balls first on a medium heat setting – this caused the yarn to not felt securely and they fell apart during the next wash cycle. I washed and dried my next set of yarn balls on the hottest cycles and it worked!

Once the balls are dry, remove the pantyhose. Now you can use your new dryer balls! Add the dryer balls to your next load of laundry’s dry cycle. For a freshly scented laundry, add 1-3 drops of essential oils. I use Purify (cleansing blend) or lavender, but you can use any scent that you enjoy!

Tips:

Remove laundry from the dryer when it’s dry, not always when the dryer turns off. Drying your clothes longer than necessary often causes static cling.

I include 3-4 dryer balls per dry cycle.

It takes one drop of essential oil per ball for a great smelling load of laundry! For a stronger scent, add more drops. The scent usually lasts two cycles. Reapply oils whenever you feel necessary.

To order Purify, lavender or other essential oils, click here (this is my website for essential oils).