Make Your Own Wool Dryer Balls

I had seen WAHMs selling wool dryer balls and had even seen some offered at a discount on one of my favorite websites.  But I got to wondering if I could make my own.  So I did a web search.  Was I happy to see that many had made their own? Yes, I was!!
You can find the directions that  I used here.  I made some this week and gave them as a baby shower gift yesterday.  I love the way they turned out and I'm anxious to make some for myself now!

Here's what I did:


I used roving wool in the pink and green colors and the cream was fisherman's wool yarn.

Here's my cores before putting them into the stockings.

Here's my cores ready for the first felting.

After the first felting and the first wool ball rolled ready for the second felting.

All the wool balls rolled and ready for the second felting.

All done!

So why do this?  Because it is a natural product that isn't laden with chemicals.  I've been using those plastic nubby balls, but they only last for so long and I didn't even think about the PVC in them.  I just knew that it wasn't softener, which you aren't suppose to use on baby clothing.  Plus, I'm trying to be "green" where ever I can within my logical capabilities.  My understanding is that these wool balls are suppose to last a very long time.

Over all, it is not too long of a process.  The roving yarn seems to take a little less time to roll.  They did make a lot of noise in the dryer, but they were tied together in the stocking, so they weren't tumbling independently.  I don't think they'll make as much noise when they aren't tied together.  I think I have enough yarn left for me to make cores for myself.  I need to get more yarn to complete my own wool balls though.