How to Make String Eggs
I don't like books named things like, "500 Places You Must Visit Before You Die" or "1000 Things to Do Before You Turn 100." There are too many things on those lists. I cannot do them all in time. It feels stressful.
But there is one thing I'm going suggest that you do at least once in your life: make a string egg. There is a specific moment in the process, right when the glue has dried and the balloon is ready to be popped, as you stand there about to poke it, you feel like you might be magic.
True, this is something fun to do with kids, but kids are optional. It's also fun to make them alone and hang them all over your studio guest house.
You just need balloons, string or yarn, and glue. Not tacky glue- but a hard-drying glue like Elmer's school glue.
First blow up your balloons to about the size you would like your string egg to be.
Then squirt some glue onto a paper plate and dilute it just slightly with a few drops of water. If you are using plain string, you could add food coloring to the glue to make your string eggs colorful. Or you could mix different colors and thicknesses or strings and yarns for a super funky string egg. Whatever you've got available, really.
Now take long pieces of string or yarn and rub them around in the glue until they're coated. Pick them up and run them through your fingers to remove glue before you wrap the string around the balloon.
Continue to coat pieces of string and wrap them around the balloon until the balloon is mostly coated in an even crisscross of string.
Now you need to be patient. Hang your balloons up to dry over a piece of newspaper in case they drip.
A word of warning: do not be tempted to rush the drying process. After the string seems to be dry, then give it several more hours just to be 100% sure. Impatient, early popping of the balloon will lead to a horrific scene: the string egg will shrivel, slowly, like the witch legs on Wizard of Oz after they take the ruby slippers shoes off. No, not the main bad witch, but the one at the beginning with the striped legs who's under that house. You know the one.
After the balloons are definitely definitely dry, take a needle and pop the balloon. Poof! Like magic, your latticework egg is left behind in perfect denial that there ever was a balloon inside of it.
(Note- I know these photos aren't the best quality - I'm between cameras since the ocean incident - these are cell phone shots)
-Brigitte
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Comments
romeo Thursday, March 18, 2010
an edible version will certainly make for a more festive and creative easter project for the benefit of all of us who are very much still filled with the sense of wonder, innocence and purity of childhood at heart.
plus a little bit of glitter for glamour and may be some glow in the dark paint -can definitely make these eggs perfect for any occasion......
it looks beautiful and unique however they turn out to be.....
dare say -it's even quite suitable for a dance at a ball or as ornaments for the grove.
thanks for the inspiration!
Joe436 Friday, March 19, 2010
Where did the balloons go?
Shelly Friday, March 19, 2010
Those are really cool . I really really like this idea, thanks so much. Oh the possibilities!!
Marie M.C. Friday, March 19, 2010
I've seen large string structures (one, two feet diameter) made with thinner strings, then turned into very expensive modern style lights for a dining room. I've thought of making my own version. Maybe I'll practice by starting smaller.
Jessica Friday, March 19, 2010
Wow! That's really cool! How sturdy are they when they're dry? Would they hold up in a basket stacked on top of each other?
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Marie M.C. Friday, March 19, 2010
Joe 436: To remove the balloons you pop them with a pin then gently pull the popped balloon through the strings. Like Brigitte says: this is a fun project to do with kids.
Blargal D. Alien Saturday, March 20, 2010
Hello,Brigitte.
You have taken the scientific principle of "String Theory" to a fun level!
Brigitte Thursday, April 08, 2010
@Jessica - it depends on how much you water down the glue. For a really strong egg, don't water the glue down at all - then they'll definitely stack no problem!