Who was making the string balls?...a quick story of failure

I haven't made them yet, but want to! I saved the "recipe" and looked it up again for you. They suggest you use 1/2 cup corn starch, 1/4 cup warm water, 4 oz school glue. After you mix ingredients, pull cotton string through the glue mixture and wrap around balloon that has been coated with petroleum jelly (vaseline) - this probably keeps it from sticking to ballon as it deflates. After it dries, spray paint the string ball - this step adds extra stiffening to the string, as well as color, etc. I think you could sprinkle the wet paint with glitter at this time if you wanted the string balls to sparkle a bit. Good luck and keep me posted - I would love to see how it turns out. Take Pics!! I'm not planning on doing this till it gets a bit warmer than the 25 degrees outside it is now, lol!

Oooo glitter : ) I'm gonna try that. Thanks for the recipe I am going to try that one next and I will post pics...I would have posted the failure but they were just too pathetic....My fiance walked outside when I saw them and screamed and he was like "I thought you said they were going to be balls" Helpful honey.

Srry if im missing Os my key is sticking really bad

i saw this on you tube the other day and they just used liquid starch.

mix liquid starch (i think it als comes pre made) she said it takes a lot mre than you would think

blow up a balloon

soak string well in the liquid starch

DO NOT squeeze out the starch

wrap the string around the ballon being careful nt to get it where it is tied

let dry ver night, and pop the balloon.

she also said wear gloves and cver the wrk area well becasue it is MESSY.

cant wait to see them done!

Thanks Sheila-I actually have liquid starch in my laundry so I am going to try this tonight!

LOL at Sheila's sticky "o" key!

I also used Stiffy.. liquid starch.. IT WAS A HUGE PAIN IN THE BUTT!! I am so mad at this diy project lol. I used the "punching balloons" so that they'd be stronger ad rounder than normal balloons.

Well first I couldnt get the string to stop slipping off the balloon as I wrapped it, and I only put on a little olive oil because I didnt have patrolleum.

Then once I finally figured out how to get it wrapped up tight, I let it dry over night. My balloon did not deflate. When I popped it however, it stuck all over to the string, and caved in a good portion of it, I guess over night was not long enough to dry. So, being the genius that I am, I blew up another balloon inside it so that it would dry the correct shape. Problem solved! NO! When I took that balloon out another 12 hours later, and then put my one string ball on the table... 30 minutes later it was flat from where it was sitting.

So not worth the work. I am just gonna buy some freaking japanese lanterns LOL

Sunnie

I made these with my students two christmas' ago after watching it on Martha Stewart. It was quite the adventure. I can provide the following tips: Use straight up glue no water just glue also while the glue is still tacky put on the glitter.

@Sara A - how long did you let the glue dry before popping the balloon? Did you have any problems with the string sticking to the balloon? Did they turn out as fabulous as they looked in the picture on the old post, lol?

Can someone post a picture of what these are? I'm curious. I know I used this method to make a pignata (spelling) for a holloween party one year for my kids and it turned out fine..but i never heard of it with string?

Elizabeth, here is the DIY site that explains how to make them. They look cool and easy, but obviously not so easy given some of the problems the ladies have posted!

http://www.onestylishbride.com/diy-center/easy-peasy-diy-string-spheres/

These are a stinking fabulous idea! I love them!!!!!!!!