Felted wool dryer balls are a great, eco-friendly alternative to dryer sheets and are also a fantastic way to use up odd bits of yarn and wool roving. A great kids craft, they make a fun and functional gift for kids to give the grownups in their life!

Things you’ll need:
Wool roving, various colors
Thin trouser sock or the leg of a pair of nylons

Optional:
Wool yarn
Essential oils

Things to do:
1. Wrap a tight ball of either roving or yarn about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. You’ll want this to be as dense as possible.

2. Spread out pieces of roving and then wrap them around the ball in successive layers. If working with kids, it may be easier to slightly dampen the roving to help it stick.

3. Continue to add layers until you have a ball just slightly smaller than a tennis ball. If you want the dryer balls to have a scent, add a few drops of essential oils to the middle layers of the roving.

4. Slip the ball into the trouser sock and tie tightly at both ends to help hold the ball shape.

5. Toss in your washer and dryer on your next load. Once they have dried, untie or cut out of the trouser sock to reveal the felted ball. If it feels too loose, put it back in the sock and repeat the washing and drying process.
6. To use, simply toss in with your drying to help freshen your laundry.