Tying balloons?

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  • sonarloon
    Senior Member
    • Jun 2017
    • 121

    Tying balloons?

    Hey,
    I'm almost out of balloon quick clips and would actually like to try learning how to tie a knot in the neck of a balloon.
    I've wanted to learn for the longest time and have really sat down all day today and been working at it.
    As a guide, I've followed this tutorial here:
    Trying to tie a balloon can be deceptively tricky. But like shoelaces before it, once you've perfected your form, you'll soon forget it could ever have been so frustrating. Your fingers are more nimble than you realize—they just need a...

    Please note as I'm totally blind, any graphic based illustrations will not work for semi-obvious reasons. Lol
    Anyway, following the text of the article as closely as possible, here is what I do:
    I purposely underinflate the balloon so I have a lot of neck to work with I'll inflate it more and more as I progress, if I ever do.
    By the way, I'm working with a q16 for this particular attempt. I have about 3 to 5 inches in the uninflated neck to work with.
    I pinch the neck with my right hand, with my thumb, between my index and middle fingers.
    I pull the neck, with my left hand, forward, moving my middle finger out of the way, then down, then loop back towards me to end up under my hand containing the now partially looped index finger.
    I pull towards me and up to wrap my thumb. At this point, the lip is almost back to where we started, only this time now I have a thumb and index finger wrapped in latex.
    I then bring it around to my index finger one last time, and do the absolute best I can to fit the lip of the neck itself in between my index finger and thumb.
    At this point I have two loops, One wrapped around my index finger and one wrapped around my thumb and index finger.
    I hold onto the lip tightly and help the balloon to slide off my fingers, this usually requires quite a bit of effort. The loop around my thumb and index finger is usually the first to slide off, at which point the lip is usually through that loop.
    The problem is getting the balloon off my index finger. Usually I do manage it, though instead of a knot, the neck is instead twisted as if to tie it with a quick clip or something.
    Could someone provide me with either, a reason the neck usually ends up twisted rather than knotted, a fault in my attempt or better instructions on tying balloons?
    Any and all would be greatly appreciated on this 10 year long ambition of mine.
    Thanks all!
  • Bounci
    Member
    • Apr 2018
    • 30

    #2
    Re: Tying balloons?

    This is how I do it. Apologies if it's hard to follow, I'm not sure why but I found this a lot harder to describe than to do!

    Holding the base of the neck in the cradle between my thumb and index finger on the left hand, I keep the inflated body to my left between my elbow and my side. With my left thumb I keep the balloon tightly secured and pressed to the right side of my left index finger, and pull the mouth with my right thumb and index finger. I wrap the neck around my left index and middle finger and clench the mouth between my left thumb and index finger. Then I flip the balloon from underhand to overhand, manoeuvring the pulled out neck between the left thumb and index finger. The mouth I then clench between the tips of my left thumb and index finger, passing right of the neck. Keeping it clenched like this, I pull the loop that’s gone all around the left index and middle finger down over the nub of the mouth held between my fingertips.

    I hope this helps!

    Comment

    • sonarloon
      Senior Member
      • Jun 2017
      • 121

      #3
      Re: Tying balloons?

      I'll have to try this when I next get a chance, though it looks like I should be able to follow this more closely.
      When you say flipping the balloon from underhand to overhand, I assume you rotate your left hand so your palm is facing upwards?
      Thanks for this! much appreciated!

      Comment

      • Slugamano
        Senior Member
        • Jul 2016
        • 209

        #4
        Re: Tying balloons?

        A prefer the half-knot (pulling through the lip only half way in the loop). It seals the balloon properly but easy to untie it for a later play ot B2P...

        Comment

        • Bounci
          Member
          • Apr 2018
          • 30

          #5
          Re: Tying balloons?

          I keep my palm downwards, but move the balloon from under my palm to sitting on my hand. This is also very suitable for halftying, as you can hold each end of the mouth and slip the neck over the middle. This leaves one end to easily pull the tie out.

          Comment

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