Woolen felt Balls, free Tutorial

Every child likes to play with balls.

There should be lots of balls – different colors, sizes, and also from different materials - plastic, wood, textile, and wool balls.

Today I’d like to share how I make balls from wool yarn.

 I will need:

- yarn, new or recycled from old sweaters, but it needs to be woolen,

- couple of cheap nylon tights,

- string or cord,

- washing mashine.

 мастер класс по русски
thank you for the English translation for Nadia from LuNaViFelt

Even different types of wool felt (full) differently but non woolen yarn will not full.

Let’s prepare by rolling my yarn into balls.

 
Then I put the balls into the nylons one at a time and tie cords in between.
    

Now my balls are ready for a cycle of intensive wash! If I have an old pair of jeans needing wash – I  throw it in, or a couple of plastic toys, old runners, anything to help full my balls..

Cotton wash on 60 or higher.

Usually after the full cycle I take everything out, hang the other laundry and check my balls. Here I take them out of nylons – yarn has fulled into balls but they are still soft.

  

Now is the time to decorate them with embroidery, add wool appliqué and keep fulling! I put the balls back into washing machine on spin cycle and add some hot water and soap (not for wool). My washing machine can’t spin them out, so the balls are bouncing  further fulling and getting tighter.

I check again and repeat previous cycle as I’d like them even tighter.

When the balls are tight enough I switch the setting to rinse and add a big towel to hold my balls in place as they spin. Ready!  For a couple days I dry my balls out in warm place with lots of air circulation.

So, here they are – bright, warm, soft, and safe for my home’s furniture! 
  

Don’t be surprised if the balls will be a hit with your kids and pets alike!