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Hands Occupied

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

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How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations

August 27, 2012 2 Comments

Two of my favorite people on the planet (Tuesday of Muggy Tuesday and Jess of Milton & Margie’s Soy Wax Candles) and I have recently started a new business designing and making party decorations for everything from arts benefits to first birthday parties. This weekend was the first birthday party for one of our favorite clients, and it was HOT AIR BALLOON-themed. So, so, so cute! We made 15 unique hot air balloons, party bunting, and a photo booth backdrop for this party, and today, I want to show you how we made the hot air balloon decorations.

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

Supplies

Chinese lanterns

acrylic paint

paint brush

string/fishing line

yarn or tapestry needle

ruler

scissors

packing tape

paper cut into a square (or origami paper, which comes square)

push pin

Directions

Paint your lantern however you like with acrylic craft paint. For the first birthday party, Tuesday chose our color palette, and we used different patterns and color combinations on each of the 15 lanterns we were commissioned to make. When your lanterns are painted, you’ll need to create paper baskets for them using square paper, packing tape, and string. Here’s how to make the baskets I designed…

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

Fold your square piece of paper in thirds one way, and then the other, creating a tic tac toe board shape. I measured and marked where the exact lines should be so my thirds were perfectly even on both sides.

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

Fold a diagonal line within each corner’s square on the sheet of paper, as shown.

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

Fold the paper into a cube shape, securing the “basket” with packing tape.

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

Use a bulletin board push pin to poke four holes on each of two sides of your basket. They should be the sides that aren’t thickened by the folded corners and tape (this will make your life easier – believe me, I made 15 of these).

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

Sew your string through two of the holes, diagonally across the bottom and up the far side of the basket. I used some catfish-specific fishing line, but I realize not everyone has that stuff just laying around. Sturdy thread will work just fine too. Sew the other side, forming an “x” across the bottom of the basket.

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

Then, tie the basket to the base of the lantern. The way I designed the string on the baskets makes them incredibly adjustable in case the baskets are looking crooked to you when they’re hung. The adjustable design totally saved our butts when we hung the lanterns since they were transported across Chicago in my car. The back seat was literally full to the ceiling with these cute bad boys!

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

Setting up the party space

Tuesday and I handled setting up our decorations at the party venue, a perfectly weathered white space. Tuesday’s dress matched our ladder. :)

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

While we were both operating on significantly less sleep than anyone should use a ladder on, we had so much fun seeing everything come together. Check out some shots from our setup, and our sleepy attempts at making the most of the adorable photo booth backdrop Jess made for the event.

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

This is me being all “I haven’t slept like at all, but I’m trying to not look like I’m dying!”

How-to: Hot Air Balloon Party Decorations | HandsOccupied.com

Tuesday, equally tired, being way more adorable than I!

I can’t wait to see the professional photo booth and event photos! If I get permission, I’ll share some of the highlights. :)

Filed Under: Home Decor, How-to Tagged With: balloon party, chinese lanterns, hot air balloons, origami, paint, paper crafts

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.

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  1. 4.7.13 – Emily’s Baby Shower | phillypott says:
    April 9, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    […] Hot air balloon tutorial: Hands Occupied […]

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  2. Adventure Party Time | Make and Bake It says:
    May 13, 2013 at 8:11 pm

    […] going with the “Up” inspiration, I wanted to do some hot air balloon decorations. This site had a really helpful tutorial. All I had to buy was some paper lanterns and some string. I changed […]

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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.

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handsoccupied

Helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010
🧶 Really into intarsia
Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop the latest patterns ⤵️

Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts
Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the S Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. Thank you. 🙏🏻❤️ If you love this pattern & didn’t know already, we are going to be doing a knit along (KAL) from October 1-29 featuring this spooky sweater vest & lots of tutorials, especially for the intarsia part. 
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Later today my newsletter will be coming out with additional Knit Along details, so if you’re not already signed up, now is a great time - the 🔗 is in my b1o. 
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Pictured: My Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern from the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book by @tanisknits. Model is wearing size 1 with 2” of positive ease, knit in @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted. Vest images via @insighteditions 
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#spiralhillsweatervest #handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook
At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest, my contribution to the new book Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town, out now! 🎃💀 
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I’m hosting a knit along (KAL) October 1-29 for anyone who’d like to knit this vest along with a group & learn a little about intarsia while we’re at it. I’ve got weekly tutorials planned to help you knit this worsted weight sweater vest, and there’s a prize package giveaway at the end for KAL participants too. Details are on my site - you know where to find the 🔗 I think. 😉
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Book by @tanisknits 
Publisher @insighteditions 
Yarn @brooklyntweed Imbue 
Find it wherever fine books are sold. 
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#handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmas #intarsia #sweatervest #knittingpattern #knittingbook #spiralhill #knitting_inspiration #knitting
Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs closet after this weekend’s quick tutorial, here are few. ✂️ The tutorial is one post back in my feed as a video.
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As you can see, I didn’t worry about the wire hangers all being perfectly uniform, but it doesn’t matter to me. Also, this closet holds a lot! Despite that, it is already at capacity. Since the hanging bags don’t appear to be recyclable, I want to reuse them as long as possible. Who knows, maybe this will be a way to limit my WIPs? 😅
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P.s. In the third photo you can see how I use this system to store the original swatches, scraps, yarn ball bands, & notes from a design project all together. 
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#handsoccupied #wips #craftstorage #yarnstorage #yarncrafts #knitting_inspiration #craftstudio #craftroom #craftcloset
How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with jus How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with just a few supplies ✂️
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When I was a librarian, we would use these hanging bags to circulate books with audiobook CDs. They came to mind when I wanted to develop a filing cabinet-like system for my differently-sized WIPs. To fit in my studio closet, a standard bedroom closet, they just needed custom hangers. 🤙🏻 
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HOW TO MAKE THE HANGERS
1. Carefully cut approx. a 9” (23 cm) length of flexible 3 mm aluminum wire.
2. Near the end of a large knitting needle or dowel, wrap the wire around it as you would a twist tie. 
3. Bend the other end into a hook shape, perpendicular to the circle shape you just created. 
4. Hang like a hanger in a closet, as shown. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadelife #knitting_inspiration #craftcloset #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #craftroomdecor #crocheter #latchhook #knittersofinstagram #wip #wips #hangingstorage
It’s time for the monthly review and giveaway! T It’s time for the monthly review and giveaway! This go around, get to know two new sister yarns from @manosyarnsusa, Marla and Sami, and enter to win a skein of each to try for yourself. 
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What makes these yarns sisters is that, while dyed differently, they’re the same weight and come in intentionally coordinating color palettes. For my review, I opted for a sky-inspired combo of Sami in Natural and Marla in Nube. 🌧️ 
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Check out the full review & enter the giveaway at the link in my bio. 
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#handsoccupied #yarnreview #manosdeluruguay #knitting_inspire #crochet #yarngiveaway #knitters #yarn #crochetersofinstagram
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