Every now and again, I like to get my craft on!  

No, not like this. Though this was the first DVD I ever owned. #throwback

I am especially interested in crafts that will save me money. I’ve been considering making my own laundry detergent for awhile, mostly due to its cost effectiveness. I am also sensitive to some commercial detergents, so being able to control what ingredients were in the stuff that goes on my clothes piqued my interest too. While perusing recipes for homemade laundry detergent I found a tutorial for wool dryer balls that promised to cut drying time and save money too. What the heck, I thought–let’s make both!

I started with a recipe for homemade laundry detergent I found online. The steps were pretty simple: grate one bar of soap and mix with one cup each of washing soda and borax. 

It smelled really fresh and only took about 10 minutes to make. The most time consuming part was grating the Fels-Naptha soap. I pulsed mine in an old smoothie blender to make it super fine (like me!) and easier to dissolve in cold water(…not like me). 

I made a double batch (which should last me quite some time) that breaks down to about $0.05 per load! Wayyyyyy cheaper than the overly-perfumed store bought stuff! Check out the original recipe here for more information. 

I was feeling pretty accomplished at that point, but my crafternoon wasn’t over just yet. On the same site I found the homemade detergent recipe, I also found instructions for making “felted” wool dryer balls. These dryer balls are supposed to cut down drying time, eliminate static, and soften clothes (without the residue and hefty price tag that comes with store bought fabric softener). 

I gathered my supplies: 100% wool yard, a crochet hook, knee-highs, and scissors. Then I started shaping balls! <~That sounds really inappropriate, but I promise this was a family-friendly activity. 

I ended up with five baseball-sized balls from 585 yards of yard. Once the balls are made, pop them into the knee-highs and throw them on the washer on the longest, hottest cycle. Then put them in the dryer (also on the longest, hottest cycle). You may have to do this a few times–I ended up putting mine through the washer and the dryer twice–but at the end of it you’ll have a “felted” wool dryer ball! Peep the original website for detailed instructions on the process. 

Once you get the hang of winding them, the task goes quickly. You can use these things for YEARS, which will totally save money on fabric softener. Not to mention they are chemical free and won’t coat my clothes with yucky residue!

Overall, my laundry-inspired crafternoon was extremely successful. Not only am I saving money, I’m actually looking forward to washing clothes and seeing the fruits (of the Loom–hahaha) of my labor!