Why I hate my washing machine -- Exhibit A

A couple of years ago we made a huge strategic error in buying a new washing machine instead of repairing the old one.  Now we have a fancy water-saving model with no center-post agitator.  It supposedly cleans by gently sloshing the clothes around in two teaspoons of water, tossing and kneading and forcing water through them.

I hate it, but that's a topic for another discussion.

The other day I opened the tub after the wash was finished and this is what I found:

The entire load had been tossed and kneaded into a ball, wrapped in a flannel shirt.  So neat and taut, it looked like a ball of dough rising in a bowl.