basket of dryer balls on top of wool sweater

How to Make Reusable Wool Dryer Balls from an Old Sweater

Week 29

This week, while researching the environmental impact of laundry, I learned that conventional dryer sheets are made of nonwoven polyester which is a form of plastic. One way I've cut back on dryer sheets is by air drying clothes on my homemade clothes drying rack. However, since bulkier items like blankets and towels still require a tumble dry, I wanted to find a low-waste alternative to single use dryer sheets.

After a little searching, I found that wool dryer balls are an excellent replacement that can be used for years! Natural Wool Dryer Balls are available for purchase through plenty of online retailers, but why spend $30, when you can get a $5 sweater from Goodwill and make your own?

There are plenty of tutorials for making dryer balls with wool yarn or roving, but I wasn't about to waste a good ball of yarn when there are so many secondhand wool sweaters to be found. I'd also like to mention that when I thought of using an old sweater, I searched Pinterest to see if this idea already existed. It did, and thus I was inspired by Cleanin' Up's tutorial when making my own.

What you'll need:

  • 100% Wool Sweater - Make sure you don't get one that says "washable", since those won't felt properly. I found a moth-eaten, size large sweater at Goodwill and it was enough to make six balls.
  • Scissors
  • Old Panty Hose or Tights

Let's make some dryer balls!

  1. wool sweater on a table

    First, wash and dry your wool sweater. You should notice shrinkage and the beginning of the felting process.

  2. hand cutting bottom of sweater off with scissors

    Cut off the ribbed parts of your sweater - the cuffs, collar, and bottom. Put them to the side.

  3. wool sweater with sleeves detached

    Cut off both sleeves at the seam.

  4. sweater cut into sections

    Cut the top of the sleeves and chest portion of your sweater so that you have three tubes of fabric.

  5. sweater sleeve cut into strips

    Starting with one sleeve, cut half inch strips, leaving about a half inch in tact at the seam. See picture.

  6. cardboard between cut strips

    Insert a piece of cardboard into the sleeve so you can easily identify the uncut section.

  7. sweater strips cut into diagonals

    Cut strips diagonally, so that you are creating one long piece of fabric. See picture.

  8. other parts of sweater cut into strips

    Repeat steps 5, 6, and 7 on the other sleeve and the body of the sweater.

  9. section of sweater cut into spiral

    For the back and chest pieces, cut fabric into a half inch wide spiral.

  10. pile of cut up sweater next to scissors

    You should have multiple piles of half inch wide "yarn".

  11. hand holding sweater scraps

    Use a piece of the ribbed scraps you cut away earlier to start your yarn balls. One cuff is a good size.

  12. hand holding sweater scraps with long piece of yarn under thumb

    Grab a section of cut "yarn" and use your thumb to hold it in place with the balled up scraps.

  13. hand holding ball of wound yarn

    Wind your yarn around the scraps, making a ball.

  14. hand holding bigger ball of wound sweater yarn

    As the ball grows, work to keep your yarn flat and not twisted. This will help the balls felt easier later on.

  15. hand holding ball of wound yarn with one finger pulling up yarn from center of ball

    Keep winding until your ball is about three inches in diameter. One sleeve of my sweater was just enough for one ball. Then, pull up a piece of yarn that is a few layers down in the ball.

  16. hand holding ball of yarn and showing end of yarn tied in knot around another piece of yarn

    Tie the end of your yarn in a knot on the piece you've pulled up.

  17. hand holding ball of yarn with finger stuck in the middle

    Tuck the end of your yarn into the ball. You will have one complete yarn ball.

  18. six balls of wound sweater yarn

    Continue winding yarn balls until you have five or six that are all the same size. The men's size large sweater I used was enough for six balls.

  19. hosiery stuffed with ball then knotted and repeated six times

    Stuff a ball into the foot of a pair of panty hose or footed tights, then tie a knot. Repeat until all six ball are in the hosiery, as pictured.

  20. dryer with sheets and hosiery stuffed with balls

    Add the hosiery balls to your next load of hot water laundry and dry on high heat until the balls are completely felted and there are no loose strips. This could take three to five cycles to complete.

  21. basket with completed felt dryer balls

    Throw all five or six balls into the dryer to help your laundry dry quicker. If you'd like a scent, you can add a few drops of essential oil to each ball before drying.

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