- 1). Cover a small table with kraft paper and pull it tight, smoothing out any wrinkles. Tape down the edges to keep the paper in place.
- 2). Draw a pattern on wax paper that is twice the size of the desired balloon. Somewhere on the edge of the balloon, draw a filler neck that is 1 inch wide and 4 inches long. Use scissors to cut out the pattern.
- 3). Unroll the colored foil with the nylon side up, stretch it tightly over the table surface and tape down the edges. Place another piece of colored foil on it, nylon side down, smooth it to eliminate any wrinkles and tape down the edges to keep it securely in place.
- 4). Place the pattern on top of the top sheet of foil and trace around it with a permanent marker.
- 5). Test a hot iron on scrap foil. When the iron is at the proper temperature, the scrap pieces will seal together. Once the iron is ready, set a piece of wax paper over the foil. Seal the balloon by setting the iron on the wax paper and lightly moving the iron along the outside line of the pattern. Start at the outside edge of the filler neck, press along the edge without lifting the iron and stop once you reach the other edge of the filler neck. Do not seal the filler neck.
- 6). Use a hot knife or electric heat pencil to cut around the outside of the sealed edge, leaving one-half inch of sealed edge. Cut slowly and check that you are cutting through both layers of foil. Curve the pencil for any directional change to avoid making blunt edges which could tear.
- 7). Peel the balloon slowly off the table. Remove the foil scraps from the table and place the balloon back on the table, upside down.
- 8). Check the seams all along the back to make sure they are properly sealed. Replace the wax paper and iron again over any areas that are not sealed tightly.
- 9). Use a helium pump to inflate your balloon through the filler neck. Fill it slowly to avoid tearing the seams. Do not fill it too tightly, as heat will cause the gas to expand.
- 10
Place ribbon inside the filler neck and then heat seal the opening.
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