Before you start
- Set up 4–5 hours before your party (or the night before for an indoor, air-filled garland).
- You’ll need a hand or electric balloon pump (not included) and about an hour.
- Lay out your balloons by size: 10″, 12″ and 18″.
Step 1 — Inflate
Fill each latex balloon to about 90% — slightly under-inflated balloons look rounder and pop less. Tie them off. Mixing big and small sizes is the secret to the organic, professional look.
Step 2 — Build clusters on the strip
Push the knots of two balloons through neighbouring holes in the garland strip, then add two more and twist them into a cluster of four. Keep going, alternating colours and sizes. Leave a little strip free at each end for hanging.
Step 3 — Hang it
Stick the two wall hooks where you want the garland to start and end, and hang the strip. Shape the garland into a curve by gently twisting clusters.
Step 4 — Fill the gaps
Use glue dots to tuck the small 10″ balloons into any gaps. Add your foils last.
Step 5 — The stars of the show
Inflate the foil number, letters or shapes with a straw or pump through the valve — they self-seal. Air-filled foils don’t float: stand your number on the floor in front of the garland, or hang foils with the ribbon or glue dots. If you want them to float, fill them with helium at a party store.
Tips
- Keep balloons away from heat, direct sun and sharp edges.
- Outdoors, latex balloons fade and pop faster — set up as close to party time as you can.
- Foils are reusable: deflate them carefully and save them for next time.
WARNING: CHOKING HAZARD — Children under 8 yrs. can choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons. Adult supervision required. Keep uninflated balloons from children. Discard broken balloons at once.