Getting started

I'm doing a little contracting for a local company and I've been asked if I'd like to learn how to twist balloons - sounds like fun! but looks tricky to do... how long did it take you guys before you could do basic-ish designs well?

It took an afternoon of sitting w/ a balloon twister friend(she was using me that weekend to twist, so I had some pressure). Once you learn the basic twists & names, it gets easier. Also, remembering how much air each design needs(how much tail to leave). I say go for it, it' a great & fun skill!

definitely... a couple bags of balloons and a few hours... you'll have the puppy, sword, etc basic stuff down. From there it's practising the proportions, how much to fill the balloons, and checking out more and more complicated designs.

fantastic guys, thanks for your feedback - I'm going to go ahead

Im on holiday on a little island right now and the internet's really dodgy! can't fund a proper forum search so sorry to bother you for info's that's probably already on here but would really apprecaite your thoughts of best balloons, best pump and favourite supplier website please!

would love to get my order in ASAP if the internet here will allow it

pumps are a personal preference, but I love my Qualatex Red (ketchup bottle) Pump. Not sure of the best suppliers outside of North America, but a lot of people seem to like T Meyers for balloons. http://www.tmyers.com/?gclid=CK216v_x26ICFY845wodijgp_g

I buy my balloons locally so I don't have to pay shipping (although I do have to pay to cross the border over into Michigan). I use only Qualatex, but I've heard an equal number of people who prefer Betallatex.

A good amount of Qualatex 260's and a simple pump (I like the purple Qualatex dual action pump just fine for the small amount of twisting I do) will get you started just fine in an afternoon. The 260 balloon is a great place to start and will make up all your basic dogs, giraffes, swords, etc... other sizes aren't necessary to start. I still don't do a huge amount of twisting, but I generally get a couple big bags of traditional assortment & vibrant assortment & an extra bag of just pink for all those little girls' parties (about 75% of girls under 5 seem to want a pink balloon) to last me a couple months.

If I were you I'd contact the company you're working with for information on the best websites around for materials. If they have experience with working with balloon twisters in your area they'd probably have a good idea of where to get the supplies.

The lowest prices I've found around are at larocks.com, but they're here in the US (they will ship internationally, but I imagine it would be more cost effective to find someplace closer to you).

You can pick up good working designs in a couple of hours. I showed my friends 11 year old daughter some basics and she went out 2 days later, worked 5 hours by herself outside of our facepaint booth and brought in over $200 in tips (she wasn't charging, just asking for tips) She did a ladybug and turtle bracelet, a flower a sword...ummm a dog....maybe that was it...and everyone gathered around and were asking her about her pump LOL (it was my fillbert)

I love my fillbert pump. Half the price of the other floor pump I found and a HUGE timesaver when I am needing to move quickly. And I prefer betallatex balloons, they have very cool specialty shapes that will have you making really advanced looking things right off the bat (how about a 2 foot tall Elmo on your first day?? LOL) There are some DVD's on the website www.adventureinfun.com that are specificallyfor the specialty shapes. And so far I have purchased from Tmyers magic however I am just about to place an order with Larock's because they are so much cheaper. If you go with betallatex, just buy fashion colours to start, some of the others are a ittle harder to work with (metallics etc) I am new myself so this is all stuff I have just learned. Good luck and have fun!!

Hey Heather - I wanted to get Shonna's video on specialty shapes but didn't realize there were 2 which one do you have and what is the hottest design?
I really want to learn that lady bug - did you get a video from YouTube?

Just be careful with the specialty shapes. Yes, very fun and easy, but the balloons are expensive. Once you pull one supersized creation out, that is all they will ask for. Also, don't bring out a super complicated one that you have just learned to wow them. That is what they all will want.

Stick with what you know and can do quickly and work up to the others. I made the mistake of putting a super cute one on my business card that I did while watching youtube. HUGE mistake! I just kept saying I didn't have the right skin color to avoid doing it.

It is fun and once you figure out the "burping" concept, how to tie and some of the basics you are well on your way. Don't bother with the metallics, neons, pearls and such when you are ordering. Just get fashion or deluxe fashion to start. The rest are nice, but react differently and can be frustrating when practicing. Just start with an assortment of the fashions in 260's(I prefer Betallatex as the colors are brighter and they blow up larger) and a bag of white 5" rounds to start. Then if you like it add all the other stuff. Just don't get sucked into buying everything until you know you'll like it.

Oh and get all the free training on youtube BEFORE you sink money into vids. Vids are great, but so much free stuff on youtube!

-Metina

absolutely... you don't need to buy videos off the bat... and the books are terribly confusing. go to www.balloon-animals.com and watch a few free videos on there for some awesome designs.

you guys are just the most amazing resource!! I think i've just worked out that this red pump you guys talk about is the second on on the larocks website? it's red but not actually shaped like a tomato?

in NZ we have sauce bottles that look like this:



and I thought that was what you meant haha.

Magic wrote:Hey Heather - I wanted to get Shonna's video on specialty shapes but didn't realize there were 2 which one do you have and what is the hottest design?
I really want to learn that lady bug - did you get a video from YouTube?

I have all of her recent ones. I like Big bear heads so far. I'm not sure which is my fave, I like the cat and mouse, or elmo always makes the little ones squee

The lady bug I got from Shonna's 'One Balloon Wonders' dvd. It is also super popular and has saved my butt more than once when time ran short and I needed something quick for all the kids, ladybugs and turtles it was!! LOL

haha... no, it's not round, it's a red cylinder.

I wouldn't necessarily buy it from here, but the pump is there if you scroll down a bit.
http://www.sillyfarm.com/balloons.html

order has been placed through larocks - yay!!

so I did my first ever balloobn twisting in front of a group today and it went really well The mum knew I was just learning - she was actually the one that asked if I'd be willing to learn to do it at the party - I did swords, Clayton's double ended light sabre (both of which had glow sticks inside them, a bit hit thanks Kristal!), dogs on leashes, a flower and a monkey in a palm tree.

I've got a long way to go, would be really cool to make awesome things and quickly but I'm sure that will come with practice. I enjoyed it so am sure I'll stick with it thanks guys are all the advice you've given me - gonna sit later this week and look at the sites/you-tubers you all recommended in my other thread yay