• 0 items$0.00
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Hands Occupied

Colorful knitting, crochet, latch hook and macrame from craft book author & designer Heidi Gustad.

  • BLOG
    • Knitting
    • Crochet
    • Latch Hook
    • Macramé
    • Punch Needle
  • ABOUT
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • TikTok
    • YouTube

How-to: Balloon Garland

September 23, 2013 11 Comments

How-to: Balloon Garland | Hands Occupied

I can’t believe it. Yesterday marks 3 years since I decided to set up a little crafty website, just for fun. I never thought Hands Occupied would be more than a way to participate in the crafty internet world I loved following. My initial vision was simple: take some phone pics of projects I threw together and write up instructions on how I crafted them.

Since the blog’s start in 2010, I have gotten married, learned a little bit about photography, and blogged hundreds of DIYs. In honor of the big day, I’ve got a super simple (and affordable) DIY balloon garland to share with you all. Thank you, dear wonderful readers, for coming back again and again to check out my whacky and colorful craft project ideas. It means a lot that people appreciate what comes out of my crazy head.

Supplies

balloons
scissors
yarn

How-to: Balloon Garland | Hands Occupied

Directions

Blow up several balloons and tie them off. Cut a piece of yarn a few feet longer than the length you’d like the finished garland to be. Also cut several pieces of 4 inch-long yarn, one for each balloon. Tie a piece of string to a balloon.

How-to: Balloon Garland | Hands Occupied

Tie the balloon to the long piece of yarn with a square knot.

How-to: Balloon Garland | Hands Occupied

Tie many more balloons to the long yarn with the same method.

How-to: Balloon Garland | Hands Occupied

Push all of the balloons together so they cluster.

How-to: Balloon Garland | Hands Occupied

Ta da! That’s it. Since yarn is fibrous, it acts kind of like velcro and grips to itself, which is part of why the balloons stay in place.

How-to: Balloon Garland | Hands Occupied

For those of you not in the know, I’m a librarian too. I developed the balloon garland idea when given the task of decorating for my branch’s grand opening last month. The budget was basically $3. Here’s what I made with 50 dollar store balloons, yarn, and two hours. I may or may not have blistered the living daylights out of my left middle finger tying all those balloons in a row, but I think it was worth it:

How-to: Balloon Garland | Hands Occupied

Are we friends on Instagram yet?

Filed Under: How-to, Parties Tagged With: balloon craft, balloon garland, birthday, birthday party craft, cheap, craft, crafts, diy, hands occupied, parties, simple, yarn

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

Previous Post: « Weekly Reader
Next Post: Best Balloon Ideas »

Reader Interactions

DID YOU LIKE THIS POST?
Visit similar articles...

  • How-to: Spider Ring Drink Markers How-to: Spider Ring Drink Markers
  • Weekly ReaderWeekly Reader
  • How-to: Bat Place CardsHow-to: Bat Place Cards
  • DIY Library Pockets DIY Library Pockets

DON’T MISS ANOTHER UPDATE

Comments

  1. Rachel | 52 Weeks Project

    September 23, 2013 at 5:49 pm

    Yay, happy blog birthday! You nailed it with that balloon garland. Your branch is lucky to have you :)

    Reply
  2. Mimi

    September 27, 2013 at 6:03 am

    That is adorable!! Great for any party! Thanks for sharing :)

    Reply
  3. Laura / The Shed blog by Pet Scribbles

    September 30, 2013 at 8:57 am

    Happy 3rd bloggy birthday, Heidi! I love your blog, and this latest balloon garland is but one example of why! :)

    Reply
  4. Naila

    January 4, 2014 at 4:50 am

    really I say thanks a lot to you :*

    Reply
  5. Lindsay

    January 9, 2016 at 2:02 pm

    I’m considering doing this for my daughters birthday but don’t know if it’s possible to do the night before? Do the balloons last?

    Reply
    • Heidi

      January 10, 2016 at 9:52 pm

      Hi Lindsay! I found this blog post about making balloons last longer – maybe it will help with your daughter’s party: https://ballooncrewsviews.wordpress.com/2014/06/16/15-tips-for-getting-balloons-to-last-longer-in-hot-weather/. Best of luck!

      Reply
  6. Lilly

    September 23, 2017 at 9:43 pm

    Hi where did u get that fun star confetti backdrop? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      September 24, 2017 at 5:31 pm

      It’s just some fabric from the craft store! :)

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 10 Best Balloon DIYs – Inspiration – Hands Occupied says:
    September 25, 2013 at 1:59 am

    […] 3rd blog birthday was this week, and I celebrated with this fun balloon garland. It turns out many of my favorite crafty blogs to follow like to craft with balloons too. Above, […]

    Reply
  2. Party ideas : birthday balloons - Belle Bébés says:
    July 4, 2014 at 1:02 am

    […] this balloon garland from Hands Occupied would make a fun backdrop to the party […]

    Reply
  3. 風船でパーティーデコ | ベンジャミンズパーティー says:
    August 16, 2014 at 2:41 pm

    […] Day / Photoraphy by Hilda Grahnat 3.カラフルな風船を紐で繋げたガーランド Hands Occupied 4.膨らませるとメッセージが!招待状 Lavender’s Blue […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Never miss a tutorial with these short & sweet monthly updates.

Find Me on Social Media

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • YouTube
Latch Hook by Heidi GustadDiscover Unique Items

Footer

INSTAGRAM

handsoccupied

Craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé
❤️ Email preferred

Heidi Gustad 🧶✂️
Nobody panic. This is just the back of an (admitte Nobody panic. This is just the back of an (admittedly insane) intarsia project. One day, this will be a seamed sweater, but today is not that day. 🧶 
.
Have a good weekend, everyone! 
.
Yarn: @universal_yarn’s Fibra Natura Cobblestone in Antarctica & Dragon’s Breath 
.
#handsoccupied #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #wip #knitting
Here’s how to work a Norwegian purl stitch for e Here’s how to work a Norwegian purl stitch for easier continental style knitting. With this purling method, the working yarn says tensioned (held) at the back of your knitting at all times. For many knitters, always holding the yarn at the back helps with tension issues, as well as feeling a little more comfortable. 
.
Have you ever encountered this style of purling before? If you’ve tried it, have you found it helps with your purl tension and knitting speed? I’m curious.
.
For a written tutorial, visit handsoccupied-dot-com. For video, you guessed it, You2be. Both of these platforms allow for longer, more in-depth versions of this tutorial, including full transcripts, alt text & the ability to pause, slow down or speed up at will. (Like if you really want to learn this, I recommend using a platform that doesn’t keep your hands occupied. Thinking of putting this in all my captions these days tbh - shout out to you if you made it this far. 🙌🏻😂)
.
#handsoccupied #learntoknit #continentalknitting #howtoknit #norwegianpurl #norwegianknitting #knit #knitting #knitter #knittersofinstagram #knittinghack  #handknitting #handknit #norwegianpurling
Have you ever tried this style of purl? . All thi Have you ever tried this style of purl? 
.
All this recent talk about throwing vs. continental style knitting made it clear many people struggle with purling in continental knitting. Turns out that Norway may have the answer! In Norwegian purling, the working yarn stays tensioned at the back at all times, helping with speed and tension. 🤯
. 
Head to the bl0g (🔗 in bi0) for a more in-depth look at how to work a Norwegian purl stitch, including a photo tutorial with animated GIF & a video tutorial. Wrapping your mind around how to work a stitch you’re familiar with in a totally new way can be confusing, so I tried to give a few options for clarity. 🤙🏻 Video is also on You2be. 
.
#handsoccupied #norwegianpurl #norwegianknitting #norwegianpurling #continentalknitting #howtoknit #learntoknit #knitterofinstagram #knitters
It’s been a hot second since I showed my face or It’s been a hot second since I showed my face or reintroduced myself, so here goes! I’m Heidi Gustad, a craft book author, pattern designer, and tutorial creator who specializes in yarn crafts. Lately, I’ve been focused on releasing quality knitting videos and related blog posts to help teach things like the difference between provisional cast ons and how to fix common knitting mistakes. Next week I’m shooting requested crochet and latch hook videos, so h👀kers, your time is coming! And if you ever have tutorial requests, please let me know. ☺️
. 
TLDR: I’m Heidi. I design & teach yarn crafts. You can find tutorials on my blog (est. 2010) & You2be. I also have several knitting & crochet patterns + a book about latch hook available. / All of these can be found on my website, the 🔗 is where you’d think. 
.
#handsoccupied #fridayintroduction #heidigustad #knitting #knitter #knittersofinstagram #yarncrafts #latchhookbook
Are you a picker or a thrower? Do you knit Contine Are you a picker or a thrower? Do you knit Continental or English Style? Here’s a quick overview of the differences between the two most common knitting styles, including a side by side comparison. (A good one to save for future reference. 👍🏻) 
.
There’s more on the differences between picking and throwing in my latest blog post & You 2ube video - the l1nk is where you’d think!
.
#handsoccupied #learntoknit #knittingstyles #howtoknit #knittersofinstagram #knitter
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 / Foodie Pro Theme On Genesis Framework / Branding by Ink + Mortar
All Site & Shop Policies / Privacy Policy / Cookie Policy