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Wool Dryer Balls and a Mother’s Day Gift Idea

It’s that time again, time to think of some special way to pamper our moms. I appreciate gifts that are little splurges, that while I love I wouldn’t ordinarily purchase for myself. Pairing practical and useful wool dryer balls with indulgent laundry products is a great Mother’s Day Gift Idea for those needing inspiration.

Ok, I will admit that my opinion may not be the most objective, but…I will go on record as saying that Mother’s Day really should be celebrated more than once a year.

And by no means am I diminishing the roles of dads, but…I mean, moms are…well…MOMS! And I’m talking about all those who do ‘mom’ jobs, including single dads, grandmas, etc…

We are a dedicated, hard-working and hard-loving group and enjoy the day of pampering when it comes around.

So, when my family starts looking for Mother’s Day gift idea hints, I’m inclined to drop little clues that involve splurges and indulgences.

And the biggest indulgence of them all…I don’t want to make any decisions on Mother’s Day, especially decisions that involve ‘what’s for lunch?’ or ‘what’s for dinner?’

But aside from not having to make decisions, I love little extravagances that I wouldn’t ordinarily purchase for myself.

At this point, you are really starting to say to yourself, “OK, I get that moms should be pampered and indulged on Mother’s Day, but in what universe do DRYER BALLS constitute an indulgence?”

The Laundress soap and wool dryer balls are a great Mother's Day Gift Idea

DIY Oyster Shell Mirror

Point well taken, but…when your dryer balls are paired with delighfully fragrant and indulgent laundry soap, then you have the makings of an indulgent gift. And the little indulgence that I’m loving right now is the line of laundry products from The Laundress.

Some of these links may be affiliate links and I may earn a small commission off of the sale of these products, but the price you are charged is not affected. You can see my full disclosure policy here.

I was introduced to their Signature Laundry Detergent when I received it as a gift this past Christmas and became an immediate fan. In fact, a friend brought it to our ‘Favorite Things’ party and I wasn’t the only one vying for this gift.

It is definitely pricier than Tide or Cheer or Gain (remember, we are talking indulgences here), so I only use it on my sheets, towels and lingerie. The fresh and clean scent can linger for up to a week, making putting on my pjs and climbing into bed a serious treat.

And while I can’t scientifically prove it, I do think my sheets are just a bit softer with the naturally derived Laundress soap. Here’s my thinking in a nutshell…sometimes this world can be a tough place…climbing into a soft bed which has the perfectly balanced fragrance of  lily of the valley and jasmine with notes of sweet musk, sandalwood, and a just touch of citrus can make it a little softer place. And heck…I’m worth it!

I’ve since added their Ironing Water to my laundry repertoire.  I obviously add it to the water in my iron, making one of my least favorite tasks more like a little aromatherapy session. But I also put a little bit on my dryer balls (a favorite essential oil) for some extra fragrance oomph.  For what it’s worth, I have no relationship with The Laundress, I just truly love the products that I have used.

If my family is reading this, a bottle of their Fabric Conditioner would make a great little Mother’s Day Gift idea…or an any day gift idea for that matter!

And so back to the  wool dryer balls, which when paired with some Laundress products, is a delightful and useful splurge.

How to Make Wool Dryer Balls:

  • Use 100% wool yarn (my skein was in my stash from MANY years ago…but something like this would work) and wool roving.  I prefer using a natural undyed color to prevent any staining of clothing. It’s possible that with that roving yarn, you might not need the extra roving to cover it! I haven’t tried that yarn yet…but if I make more I probably will.
  • Wind up your balls of yarn tightly.
  • Put your balls in a a length of panty hose in a pot of boiling water and then simmer for 1 hour. Turn the stove off and let the balls sit until the water cools down. You may have to weigh your balls down…I just used a pot lid that was smaller in diameter than the pot.
  • Let the balls sit in a colander in your sink to drain.
  • Once a good bit of water has drained, toss them in your dryer at high heat STILL IN THE NYLON. Once they were mostly dry, I began tossing them, still in the nylon, in with my clothes. Because they are so dense, it does take a while for them to become fully dry.
  • Once dried, I wrapped my wool dryer balls in 100% wool roving for 2 reasons, the most important being that they are less likely to ever ravel with the roving cover and the second reason…I just think they look better. ?
  • In addition to the roving, you will need felting needles for this project.

As opposed to trying to explain how to add the wool roving to the wool dryer balls, I thought a little video would be more helpful.

So there you have it my friend, the makings of a little bit of spoiling and indulgences for a Mother’s Day gift idea or for any day. What are the little indulgences that you love, but wouldn’t buy for yourself? A day at the spa or a monthly floral bouquet delivery are some of my favorites.

What are some of your favorite splurges or indulgences that would make a great Mother’s Day gift idea? And, check out some other gift ideas for moms here!

Bookmark this page or the pin the following image for future reference if you’d like to make wool dryer balls or for a Mother’s Day gift idea.

Pair wool dryer balls with delightfully indulgent laundry products for a Mother's Day Gift Idea that is both useful, as well as a splurge.

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Until next time…

Hugs,


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4 Comments

  1. I have used homemade dryer balls for years and love them! I must admit though, that I have always made mine with wool yarn, but never tried the extra step of covering them with wool roving and I am going to have to give that a try. I am also intrigued with the idea of using the ironing water to scent the wool balls as I have only ever tried using essential oils for that purpose. Thanks for the great ideas to bring my homemade dryer balls up a notch.

    1. Hi Dorene! Hope all is well with you. Essential oils are perfect for dryer and I have also used essential oils for my dryer balls. But I didn’t want to have ‘conflicting’ scents going on since I love the Laundress scent. You reminded me that I need to make note of essential oils in my post. Thanks!

      Have you given any more thought to restarting your blog? I’d love to read more of your great recipes!

      Have a great day my friend.

      Hugs, Lynn

  2. First, let me say I like your ideas. But must remark, that recommending wool Roving that costs almost $8 for.8oz (less than 1oz)when you can find 7oz natural Roving for $12-$13 offered by amazon is surprising to me. Most people are struggling to maintain households with ever increasing prices on all products. This is a huge difference in cost.

    1. Hi Brenda, thanks so much for bringing that to my attention. I always try to find the most economical ‘version’ of the products I use, but guess I missed the boat on this one! I will go in and change the links today.

      Thanks again and have a great day my friend.

      Lynn

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