DIY Yarn Balls

Make festive yarn balls with our simple instructions to add some flash to parties or your home decor.

Want to add a festive touch to your home decor? Yarn balls are an inexpensive and versatile decor trick. They also make for easy party decoration





Materials
Balloons
Plastic bags or a dropcloth to cover the floor
Cooking spray
School glue
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup hot water
Scissors
Yarn
A mixing bowl

Instructions

1. Blow up balloons to different sizes (filling balloons only halfway will help you achieve a more spherical shape) and knot each balloon

2. Create a drying area (If you’re working outdoors or in the garage, hang up a clothesline. If you’re working indoors, suspend a string between two chairs. Be sure to put a dropcloth or plastic bags under the drying area to catch any drips.)

3. Hang balloons from strings above the drying area

4. Spray balloons with cooking spray (to make removing the yarn easier later)

5. In the bowl, mix hot water with cornstarch

6. Add a bottle of white school glue and mix thoroughly

7. Dip yarn into the glue mixture and gently squeeze out the excess with your fingers — you may want to wear rubber gloves.

8. Beginning at the knot-end of your balloon, wrap your balloon with the wet yarn. The more you wrap, the denser the ball will be

9. Wrap in all directions, top to bottom and side to side

10. When you’re satisfied with the wrapping, cut the string.

11. Repeat the process with the remaining balloons

12. Allow the balloons to dry completely. This may take about 24 hours. The yarn should be stiff and dry

13. Pop the balloon. Try very gently kneading the balloon before popping it to separate it from the yarn. Remove the popped balloon

Tip: If the ball collapses a little, inflate a new balloon inside the ball to gently push the collapsed spot back into place, and then remove the balloon.