Step by Step Balloon Garland Tutorial

Take your party to the next level with this step by step balloon garland tutorial. Learn how to make professional looking balloon decorations. No more amateur balloon displays, I’m giving you my top tips on creating a stunning backdrop for your next party!

I’ve been making balloon displays for over 4 years now and have really come to be a bit of a perfectionist about them and am always learning new techniques. My balloon displays are usually the main attraction of my parties and at this point, my guests pretty much expect them. They are the perfect backdrop and my favorite way to decorate any celebration.

Balloons are an easy and effective way to add color, interest and customization to any party. There are so many ways that you can incorporate and display them at your functions, which I hope to share with you in a later post.

Take a look at the progression of my balloon garlands. We all have to start somewhere right?

Before we get into this balloon garland tutorial please note,

My method may not work for you and that is ok! There are several different methods out there for you to try, so keep practicing your skills and find what works for you!

This is a very detailed balloon garland tutorial, so I have provided closeup shots for you and a quick video.

If you want to start making professional looking balloon decorations, I made this balloon garland tutorial for you! No cheap balloons, no balloon garland kits, no balloon string or fishing line. With a little extra time, money and practice you’ll never go back to amateur balloon displays again.

Supplies to Make a Balloon Garland

High Quality Balloons

When it comes to making professional looking balloon displays, this is where you don’t want to skimp. High quality balloons are what takes your garlands to the next level.

Why? I always opt for high quality balloons for several reasons. The main reasons being, the colors are vibrant and opaque (not see through, unless that what you’re going for), they keep their shape for weeks and you can manipulate them to where they aren’t popping every 3 seconds. (Keep in mind that there will always be a few defective balloons or some that may pop).

I have made balloon garlands with both cheap and quality balloons and have noticed a major difference. My favorite balloons are made by Sempertex or Qualatex – but there are tons of brands to choose from. I recommend purchasing balloons from wholesale companies to get your moneys worth.

Here are my favorite suppliers: Balloons.Online and Bargain Balloons.

When choosing your balloons, I think its best to choose 2-4 colors in at least 2 different sizes, ranging from 5″ to 36″. I normally purchase 5”, 11”, 16” and 24” (or 36″) balloons for every color.

Varying colors and sizes is what gives you that professional and full look!

If I’m being honest, my balloon budget is always $100, but do what makes sense for you. It can be as elaborate or as simple as you’d like.

TIP: To cut down on cost, you can purchase bigger size balloons and use them to make smaller sizes.

260/360 Balloons

260/360 balloons are the long balloons that ballooners use for twisting and making balloon animals and other fun shapes.

I like using these almost like a rubber band to: attach clusters, attach to a structure or wall, add some smaller balloons and fill in gaps. I highly suggest keeping these in your repertoire in neutral colors that can blend in with your garland.

(Note: These don’t have to be from an expensive brand, cheap affordable ones (like these here) will do the job because we are using them for their stretchiness)

Electric Air Pump

Do yourself a favor and invest in an electric balloon pump, this thing will be your best friend. Long gone are the days of blowing up balloons the old fashioned way. No one and I mean no one has time for that!

You can get you a cheap one from Amazon or Walmart for less than $20. If you’re really serious about your balloon game, I recommend getting one with 2 nozzles, that way you can blow up more than one balloon at a time.

Hand Pump

If you like the look of 5” balloons then you will most likely need a hand pump. Because 5″ balloons are so small, sometimes it’s a little difficult to get the electric air pump to fill them up. This is optional because it is achievable with an electric pump, but I still like to have a hand pump on hand just to save me some frustration and time.

Command Hooks

Command hooks are most ballooners go-to and safest way of attaching the balloons to either a wall or standing structure. Depending on the size and weight of the balloons you may need either light weight or heavy duty hooks.

Tape or Glue Dots

Gaffer tape or glue dots are perfect to have on hand when you just need to fill in a few gaps with single balloons. You can even use a low temperature glue gun if you already have one.

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How to Make A Balloon Garland

Step 1: Blow up Balloons

First you’ll start by blowing up your balloons. The easiest way is to blow up two at a time and tie them together, creating duplets or dupes.

Tying two balloons at once will save you time and your fingers.

You’ll want to blow up and combine your medium and large size (9″-18″) balloons together. For example, you can have a duplet of 11″ and 16″ balloons or they can both be 11″, just be sure to switch it up every now and again. This is going to create a more organic balloon shape.

Now is also the time to think about how you want to arrange your balloons, would you like them to be a mix of colors or color blocked?

Tie all 5″ balloons together and keep your larger balloons (24″-36″) as singles. Go ahead and attach a 260/360 balloon to the ends of your large balloons.

Sometimes, I tie together my 24″ balloons with 16″, but the decision is up to you. The more you make garlands, the more you’ll find what you like and don’t like.

TIP: Blow up your balloons in various sizes by adjusting the amount of air you put into each balloon. You can make an 11″ or 16″ smaller than its actual full size.

Step 2: Make Quads

Now that all your balloons are ready, you’ll want to take two sets of your duplets and twist them together to create a quad, which is a total of 4 balloons. You’ll only need to twist them together once to make sure they are secure.

Twist all your balloons into quads until you don’t have any dupes left. For your 5″ balloons, you’ll want to leave some as dupes and make some into quads.

Step 3: Make Clusters

Next, you will take two sets of quads and create a cluster. A cluster is usually 8 balloons, but can be more if need be. If you have any extra dupes left over, feel free to add them into your clusters.

To create a cluster, you need to TIE two sets of quads together. Instead of twisting, as we have done previously, you will actually be tying them together. This is going to help create a very dense balloon structure.

This is why I push for high quality balloons, they really allow you to manipulate them without too much work.

You’re going to find a neck from a balloon from both quads and tie them together. This will take some time and work – make sure to reeaaally stretch those necks to create as much slack as possible.

Tie all of your quads into clusters until you have none left. Be sure to make small clusters and big clusters, so pay attention to the sizes of the quads that you’re combining together.

If you want to turn some of your 5″ balloons into clusters, now would be the time to do so.

TIP: In the beginning stages of blowing up your balloons, really stretch those necks as you’re making dupes, doing so will help in this step of tying clusters.

Step 4: Create Base Structure

In this step, you will need to take two sets of your clusters and tie them together, just as you did in the previous step. Then you’ll continue to tie in one cluster at a time until you are satisfied with the length of the garland.

This step may require a little bit of elbow grease, especially if you’ve never done it this way before. So I have another option for you if it becomes a bit frustrating.

When you’ve reached your desired length, this is called your base structure. This is going to be the general shape and direction of your garland.

Step 4a: Create Base Structure Option 2

If you find tying the clusters to be difficult, then you can tie a 260/360 balloon to one of the clusters and use that to connect your clusters together. You’ll just take the other end of the 260/360 and wrap it around the other cluster in a figure 8.

You can also go ahead and take some of your 5″ dupes and quads and tie them on the ends of a 260/360 balloon, as shown below.

Step 5: Secure Base Structure

Now that you have your garland and details prepared, you can start securing the base structure to your wall or backdrop.

Be mindful of how you want it to flow. Garlands, in my opinion, should be organic and have movement. So don’t just plop it on your wall or backdrop and let it hang. Be very intentional about where you place your command hooks. I recommend having at least 2-3 rig points.

Once you’ve placed your command hooks, start attaching your garland to those rig points. Attach your garland to the command hooks using a 260/360 balloon.

Step 6: Add Details

When you have your base structure secure and in place, now is the time to add in your 5″ and 24″/36″ balloons. These details are called fillers and give your balloon garland that quality, pro look, and add visual interest.

Take your smaller balloons and fill in any gaps, areas of light, or places where the garland looks a little empty. You’ll use your larger balloons almost as anchors. Place them on the outsides of the garland to help round it out.

Don’t forget about the base or bottom of your garland, it should be full and elongated. You can do so by adding your clusters to the outsides of the base.

Feel free to add in other accents to your balloon garland, like florals, animal print balloons, or orbz. Have fun with it and customize it to your event!

Step 7: Perfecting the Garland

Now is the time to take a step back or even a break. Take a look at your garland and see if anything needs to be added, shifted or removed.

You can always cut out or add balloons where you see fit. Keep in mind, that the more you manipulate or touch a balloon it may cause it to deflate or pop, so just be gentle.

Make sure the weight, colors, and accents of the balloon garland are distributed evenly.

TIP: If you need to add in single balloons, all you need to do is attach them to the garland with a little bit of tape or glue dots.

Expert Tips for a Professional Balloon Garland

• If you are creating your garland outside or in a dusty area, I recommend laying down a tarp, blanket or large trash bag on the floor or ground to prevent your balloons from getting dirty. You can also go in with a duster and lightly remove any hair, dust or dirt.

• Don’t over inflate! While blowing up your balloons, if you start to see its shape becoming distorted, that means you over infalted the balloon. This will cause popping or deflation, so just let some of that air out until its a normal round shape.

• Shape the balloons. Sometimes the balloons come out more oval than round. To help that, you can push the balloons onto your body or floor while letting out a little air. This isn’t a necessary step (creating clusters will hide the oval shape), but it may help with the overall appearance.

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Bonus Video: Balloon Garland Tutorial

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to make a balloon garland?

Depending on the size and look your going for, it could take anywhere between 1-2 hours. The more you practice and do these, the faster you’ll be. So just throw on some music, a podcast or favorite show to help pass the time. It takes me about 30-45 minutes from start to finish.

How far in advance can you make a balloon garland?

With my advice of using higher quality balloons, you honestly can make a garland up to 1 week in advance or even longer. The beauty is that they really do hold their shape and will last up to weeks indoors. If I’m really on top of things, I will make my entire balloon garland and set it up 3 days before the party.

If I have to set up on the actual day of the party then I will blow up the balloons and make my base structure and detail balloons 2-3 days before. This works well if you have to set up at a different location other than your home.

Do you need helium?

Nope! That’s the great thing about these balloon garlands, no helium is required.

Was this Balloon Garland Tutorial helpful? If so be sure to leave me a comment below or tag me in your creations on IG @itsavemartin.

xoxo, ave

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