DIY~Wool Dryer Balls

A few months ago, the Mister and I attended our 2nd Mother Earth News Fair. While we enjoy listening to our favorite farming "peeps", we also enjoy perusing the different vendor booths, dreaming about all the things that could make our lives easier if only we were millionaires. One vendor that we especially liked was selling all kinds of green laundry supplies, most of which I already did. Except one.

Wool dryer balls were created to take the place of toxic dryer sheets. Made with 100% wool yarn, they help to eliminate static cling, decrease drying time, and keep your towels and unmentionables properly fluffed. But, at $21.00 for a set of 4, buying them just didn't make economical sense. So, I googled it.

You should know that there are literally hundreds of posts dedicated to the making of dryer balls. Either people have entirely too much time on their hands, or they balked at the high prices as I did. For me, it is a little of both. I have a really difficult time watching television and not doing something else at the same time. Maybe I'm just too ADHD to sit still for an entire 2 hour flick. Or maybe it's because I know that my restless hands drive my family nuts.

That's probably it.☺

Making wool dryer balls is easy, and for $10 (or less), you too can have your own 4 fancy balls to toss in the dryer.

And if you're as fortunate as I, your family will burst into fits of giggles when you ask, "Where are my balls?"

I really need to get a life.

Here's what you'll need:

1 skein of 100% wool yarn (Make sure it is NOT machine washable or the yarn will not felt.)
1 nylon stocking (I use cheap knee highs.)
1 tapestry needle
acrylic yarn (for tying)

Start by wrapping yarn around two fingers several times.

Remove the yarn from your fingers, turn the loops sideways and wrap a few more times.

Now fold this in half and continue wrapping, turning often to make a ball.

Continue to roll until the ball is 5-6 inches in circumference. Cut the yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail.

Thread the end of the yarn through a tapestry needle and draw the end through the ball.

Tie into a knot by looping around 1 strand of yarn. Cut off the tail or tuck back into the ball. Place the ball into a nylon stocking and push to the bottom. Tie off the stocking just above the ball with a piece of acrylic yarn. (Don't use wool yarn for this, you don't want it to felt.)

 

Make 3 more balls, adding each one to the stocking and tying off.

 



Place the balls in the washing machine and wash on hot with no soap. When finished, toss in the dryer and dry on high heat.

After the balls are dried, untie the yarn and remove the balls from the stocking. Increase the size of the balls by adding more yarn until the balls are approximately 9-inches around. Tie off as before and return to the stocking. Again, wash on hot with no soap, and dry on high heat. If you want, you can repeat the wash/dry cycle for a third time. You don't have to; the balls will continue to felt as they are used.

The dryer ball on the right is new; the one on the left has been in use for a few months.

 

To use, place a minimum of 4 balls in the dryer per load. (I use 8 for large loads.)

Just one word of caution when making these~don't, I repeat don't ever watch a movie with high adrenaline action, such as "The Amazing Spiderman." You may find your balls rolling half way across the living room...

 ...while the family comes up with more reasons to giggle.☺

This post is linked to Farm Girl Blog Fest at Fresh Eggs Daily.

Inexpensive Entertainment

A couple of weeks ago, I celebrated another year since my escape from the womb. I also added another year to the growing tally of how many times I can celebrate my 29th birthday.

I'm up to 16. Don't judge.

One of the things I enjoy in the evening is sitting next to a campfire. The sound of the wood crackling, the smell of the wood smoke as it drifts toward the night sky, the laughter of my children as yet another marshmallow spontaneously bursts into flames...that is inexpensive entertainment. And better than any rerun on the boob tube. Our last fire ring, which was a rusty old barrel cut in half, only made it through 2 summers. In our area, rain is a campfire ring's worst enemy. So, for my birthday, my family built me a Pacific Northwest worthy fire pit. If you need a last minute gift idea for Father's Day, a campfire ring just might fit the bill and the pocketbook.

Here's how:

There are 12 stones for each of the 3 rows, for a total of 36 bricks. The bricks, or cottage stones, are almost a foot in length, so if you use smaller stones, adjust accordingly. Arrange each row in a circular pattern and stack the next row in a staggered pattern. This will allow the air to circulate and keep your fire from turning into a smoldering smoke-fest. If you have grass, you can add a small bag of sand to the bottom of the ring if you want to, but it isn't necessary. Depending on the stone used, a campfire ring can cost as little as $36. The best part? It can last indefinitely.

And I guarantee it will last longer than 2 wet, Pacific Northwest winters.☺

*If you live in town, check with your local fire department about rules regarding backyard campfires.

Can You Feel the Love Tonight?

Spring has sprung and Bourbon Red Fred is feeling kind of randy.

That's turkey talk for he's in the mood.

And because we currently have 3 frisky toms, we decided it was time to get our turkey nests up.

Just in case the girls were feeling the love too.

My Mister and I got to work, converting some old wooden boxes we already had.

My Mister used the portable band saw.

He handed me a hammer to pound out the old nails.

My Mister used the skill saw.

He had me fetch some wrenches.

I went on strike.

My Mister promoted me to chief of the staple gun.

 I did so well, he then trained me on the band saw.

While he pounded out the "oops" staples.

 Between the two of us, we managed to knock out 3 turkey nesting boxes in record time.

Which included most of the hours featuring daylight.

Adding shingles.

Turkey nests are mounted on the outside of the coop.

A little straw and it's Home Sweet Home.

After all that work, the hens spent the remainder of the day hiding out in the blackberry brambles.

Last I heard, the tom's found them.☺

Making the Old New...then Old Again

I don't know if you're familiar with Pinterest, but I am seriously addicted. Pinterest is a website where you can "pin" favorite items, projects, books, recipes, places, etc. that pique your interest. You can pin your own ideas, but there are so many creative people out there, I just "repin" everyone else's awesome ideas. (So far...) I'm especially fond of the DIY projects.

Finally! Ideas for all of the junk we have lying around!!!

I now know how a seagull feels when it finds an open dumpster behind McDonald's.

For a seagull, that's a good thing.

For my Mister, this may not be good as I'll be double checking each load of stuff bound for the dump. Old doors, window frames, cupboard doors, broken chairs, and miscellaneous jars are no longer deemed junk here. In fact, some of that old stuff may even find a place of honor on my living room wall or hanging from a tree as a repurposed swing!

What Pinterest does is inspire. It inspires me with new ideas, but mostly it inspires me to finish all those projects that I've kind of lost a vision for.

My first project was an old toybox/bench that my mom-in-law gave me. First, I removed the hinges and the bench seat. The original color (when I got it) was tan. I covered it with an espresso (of course!) brown.

Once that was dry, I applied a coat of antique white.

After 24 hours, a third coat of paint, this time in a robin's egg blue, was added.

Once that was dry, it was time to make the new paint look old with a little sandpaper. The edges I took all the way down to the espresso brown.

A little clear varnish, and hinges that I spray painted "Hammered Black", and the old toybox was given new life.

"A chair for me!"

I told her it was a toybox.

Maddie's not convinced.☺