Hello felters! I have a non-felter question about the basics. I have some wool dryer balls that are getting a little… “loose” i guess you could say. And I am wondering if I got one of the multi-pronged needle-thingies could I stab them a bunch and “retighten” the outer layer?
I have seen one such tool at Michael’s and it’s $20! I could use a coupon and my senior discount or just wait and hope I find a used one or something, because I don’t think I’m going to take up this new craft.
My felted wool balls fell apart! I thought they’d just keep felting up tighter & tighter but nope. I had a vague plan of stitching covers from an old wool sweater & running that through the wash to tighten up the fabric but never did.
You could try laundering them in hot water followed by hot dry. Maybe more chance of success if you tied them up tightly in an old nylon stocking first.
Good luck!
The key is agitation while wet. Place them in a sock individually with soapy water in the hottest temp of your washer and the lowest water amount so that they really get thrown around. You can put in some towels to help as well, just don’t let them swish around the water…they need to hit the sides, each other, the towels, etc.
Dry them with the towels on cotton.
Were they made by winding up wool yarn? The needle felting tool might not work to reach the inner layers but the water, soap, agitation and heat will.
I have had mine for over 20 years and periodically wash them to refresh them. Batgirl made them for me in a swap!
Thanks, friends! I will check in to my washer’s settings. I have a front-loader, so hopefully that will make them bounce around and dig up some old towels. I have been meaning to go through my socks, so hopefully I can find some I don’t care about shrinking.
I have no idea how they were made, they were store bought ages ago. They don’t look like wound yarn, but maybe they wouldn’t to my untrained eye even if they were.
OK! I found some white knee socks (my dryer balls are formerly-white) and some dog towels that I think can stand up to HOT water. I chose the “sanitize” setting + steam on the washer. I’ll set the dryer to HOT, too. The wash cycle will take nearly 2 hours, so it’s going to be awhile.
As part of my spring cleaning, I am also going to refresh mine. My cat has taken one so I have to find it to do all four at once. I need them for drying the curtains and all the sheets!
It seems to have worked! They are on their 3rd dryer cycle on “high” or “sanitize.” They are nice and tight and noticeably smaller. Our set only came with 3, but I have been martial about keeping them from the dogs.
Peaches got 1 and tore it to shreds. She doesn’t even like balls but this one was “mine” & irresistible!