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DIY String Chandeliers

DIY String Chandeliers

Jessica of Wednesday Inc shows us how to make those gorgeous twine chandeliers from the inspiration shoot she shared with us this morning. Using balloons, glue and twine, you can also make these lanterns for your wedding – and then bring it home and use it as your very own mid century lampshade.

twine yarn ball lanterns

What you will need are: balloons, glue, yarn, tray for glue, corn starch 1/2 cup of Corn starch, 1/4 cup of Warm water, clear fast drying spray paint, hanging lamp cord or fishing line (depending on your desired final product), and a lighting kit if you’re looking for a fully functional lantern. Jessica recommends using a sharpie to mark on the inflated balloon how much room you need to leave for the lighting cord. She also recommends coating the balloon with vaseline prior to wrapping the yarn coated with glue so it doesn’t stick on the balloon once it’s dry. You can see all the details on Jessica’s blog.

diy twine yarn chandelier

Are you getting excited to try to do this at home as much I am?

diy twine yarn chandelier glue balloons

Instructions:

1. Inflate the balloon to a medium size so the shape is a little rounder.
2. If you’re looking to make a lampshade out of the string chandelier, use a sharpie to mark around the knot on the balloon.
3. Before you start working, we recommend using a tarp.Mix corn starch, glue and warm water together until it has a smooth texture.
5. Smear the vaseline all over your balloon until it is completely coated so th twine wet with glue won’t stick on the balloon after dry.
6. You can start a little assembly line with friends by one of you feeding the yarn through the glue mix and giving to another person to wrap it around the balloon.
7. Start wrapping the balloon vertically, slowly changing to wrapping. For a seamless look, tuck the ends of the twine under one of the wrapped strings.
8. Wait 24 hours until the balloon has completely dried before popping the balloon.
9. Spray the string chandeliers with clear fast drying spray paint et voila!

View Comments (306)
    • I do this for Easter but leave a large hole on one side, fill with Easter grass and then decorate with stuffed animal or something Eastery

    • She also recommends coating the balloon with vaseline prior to wrapping the yarn coated with glue so it doesn’t stick on the balloon once it’s dry. You can see all the details on Jessica’s blog.

  • These are so cool! These would be really neat as home decor too- how cool would they look in a kid’s bedroom? Great post!

  • I love the twine chandeliers. Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to make them.

  • This is a great idea, I was looking for something unique to mark our ceremony site, Yay! Thank you so much for sharing:)

  • I’ve been wanting to make this for so long and this post has definitely pushed my over the “edge.” they turned out beautifully!

  • Ohh, I’m throwing a sting chandelier making party this weekend! These are so pretty and seem to be really cheap to make! Perfect for my low budget wedding!

  • I always wanted to do this, after I saw a similar design in a lighting shop, I’M GLAD that I saw this tutorial! I’d never thought of using vaseline on the balloon first!

  • I wouldn’t spray paint them they might get to wet and lose shape… try adding food coloring or water color to the glue.

  • This is amazing! I am thinking of so many different scenarios they could be used in. heheeh…I’m giddy! Can’t wait to try this out. Thanks for sharing!

  • Oh! It looks absolutely gorgeous! In the nearest future I think I’ll to do it. But I’m going to decorate my Christmas tree with them 🙂

  • Made these last night with friends! Such a fun and easy project. They turned out great! Thanks for sharing.

  • The first picture looks amazing. I want to make these just for fun! Do you know if you can actually put a small lightbulb in them, or will it soften the glue?

  • such a great project! definitely going to have a go at this just a pity hadn’t spotted pre-christmas -loving charlottes idea of christmas decorations

  • My sister did this about 30 years ago for some party or other. It’s fun to see it in use again!

    Rather than just popping the balloon, I recommend gently piercing it near the opening and letting it deflate gently. It will be less likely to collapse the string framework. The vaseline is a good idea, too!

  • Hello! Just wondered if anyone could recommend an alternative to the corn starch? It’s amazingly difficult to get hold of in the UK! I can find corn flour (whole kernal ground up) just not starch. Will the flour work instead do you think? Thanks!

    • I think they make some type of stiffener for projects like this but I’m not sure what you have available to you. Sugar water works good also.
      Between diaper rashes and making gravy, not sure if I could live without corn starch.

    • You could also try liquid starch if you can find it in the UK. Also, you could try 1 part flour to 5 parts water. Mix well and boil for 3 minutes. Let cool. This is used to make paper mâché and it dries smooth. Guess you would just have to try different things and see what works the best for you

    • I used PVA glue, water and plain flour. 1 cup of each. Mix well and then using a stiff paint brush, coat thoroughly. Leave for 2 days and then deflate slowly.

  • If you are going to spray them, just do it before you pop the balloon and when it is all dry, go ahead and pop the balloon. They look great gold and silver for a party.

  • To Anna – in UK corn flour is the same as US cornstarch – just one of those odd name changes that crop up in UK English and American English. So feel free to use it as the recipe calls for.

    While you could leave it out and just use glue, the corn starch makes it very sturdy and stiff, it really binds everything together in a much more permanent fashion than glue alone. A lot of these posters are worrying about spray painting it after it dries because it will make the glue “wet” again – not to worry if you use corn starch, it won’t melt again after it dries.

  • pour noel 2011 je vais décorer mon sapin uniquement avec de la recup
    je vais utiliser cette belle idée pour mes boules les guirlandes sont faites avec du polystirene. MERCI pour le partage

    Aline à nimes de FRANCE

  • I love reading everyone’s comments and hearing all the different ways people will use and make them! My favorite thing about making these for this event was all the mess and fun we made- hope you made a good memory or two while crafting!

  • oh. my. gracious!!!!!! i have this 2.5x 2.5 foot x 12 feet tall cubby in my living room that needs SOMETHING, and i think this is IT! gorgeous!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Try liquid starch in place of corn starch. I did this for Easter baskets. just cut a oval and place plastic grass on the bottom fill with treats.

  • I can’t wait to make tons of these and hang them all over the tree I am getting married underneath 🙂 LOVE THEM! Thanks a TON!

  • This reminds me of a lamp my mother and law made us years ago. She used this same idea, but cut a circle out of the top and bottom, then covered the string with sea shells and sea glass. She then wired it through the top hole as a hanging lamp with a chain. It was beautiful for years.

  • I love this project! I will be featuring this on my blog. Thank you so much for sharing this!

  • My son and I made these with yarn for a school project. That is another way you could add your color. We did not coat the balloons with anything and had very little trouble with them sticking. I think spraying with cooking spray would be a little faster and less messy. Warning….it takes a whole lot more glue than you realize!

  • I think the first person to consider spray painting was not talking about doing it as it was made, but using them in one event as one color and then spray painting for another event to match. Just thought I would point that out. And, I am not sure if that was a yes on using these as lamp shades with actual bulbs in them. Could a bulb melt the glue/corn starch, or worse…start a fire? Thanks.

  • I am making these right now.(: They’re fairly difficult to get started, but once you do one it’s not as challenging. DEFINITELY start with vertical loops, and be sure to make the string go in a full loop around the balloon. Also, it is much, much easier to do if you use a lot of glue in the compound. The thicker it is the easier.(:

  • Just a question, in the first picture, how are they suspended in the thin air? haha, how would you hang them if you had an out door wedding? put a table under every tree? hehe or hang them from every beam in the roof of your reception venue.. any suggestions? they are awesome!

  • love love love these, am celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary this Saturday…and these are just perfect to hang in the garden!!

  • Wondering if we could some how use vellum or white tissue paper inside to make it more solid looking and then use battery operated tea lights?

  • Would be fantastic to not wrap totally around the ballon and make into tealight holders or use round water balloons to have beautiful balls to stick in any decorative bowl or as a topiary peices.

  • Hi,
    Love this! I can’t wait to try it this summer with my grand kids!
    These will look great at an outdoor get together, thanks for the info!

  • I used to do this with my son and the daycare kids….they loved it! It’s so much fun and very easy.

  • I remember making these in a smaller size for Christmas ornament when I was in grade school.

  • Mine just finished drying! I made them yesterday – it was great fun! I left them outside to dry, and when I stepped out just now the balloons had deflated inside the yarn and they look fantastic. Now we’re going to punch out the glue-crystals with a chopstick, as suggested, and hang them.

    My friend wrapped one in circles with a lot of yarn leaving a hole in one side. It looks like a little birds nest! Thanks for the great idea, I will definitely be making these again as they are inexpensive and super simple to make.

  • So I’m working on them right now… Instead of vaseline I grabbed a can of Pam to spray on the balloon, thought it might be easier. I’ll update later to tell you how it goes once it’s dry. P.s. I found a great brownish twine that I might just leave unpainted or maybe just use a glaze to make it more polished.

  • Just wanted to let everyone know that my mom used to make these around Easter time with pastel colored string but would leave a larger area at the one end and use them for Easter baskets. They are fragile but are very pretty.

  • I remember doing something like this as a kid in school in the 70’s, art teacher was great with stuff like this. I am going to try this again!

  • I made these with my roommate and i love them. it was such a fun project and the steps made it easy. Love it !!!!

  • What an amazing idea! Will definitely be giving this one a go 🙂

  • I love this idea. I am going to make these with my 12 year old daughter.

  • If I use colored yarn – will the glue dry clear so that i do not have to spray paint them?

  • My best friend is getting married and so we got a couple of friends together to do this project. All I can say is beware. For serious. It was messy, tedious, and in the end… unsuccessful. Not to be a giant Debbie Downer, but just make sure you have pleeeenty of time and patience, as this project requires both, as well as anally meticulous attention to detail. Attempters: Beware and may God have mercy on your soul.

  • My special ed students and I made these using variegated yarn in pastel colors. At first I thought we’d send them home as Easter Eggs but they were so unique that after Spring break I am going to hang them from the rafters in the classroom. Now I want to make some for my own house…

  • When i made this i just added a little acrylic paint to change the color and it worked really good!!

  • Gosh! I’v always wondered how to make such chandeliers and by a coincidence I arrived to this page, which is a tutorial on how to make them! Thank you, thank you so much!

  • Love this idea! my friend and I did about 13 little ones at the weekend. I am planning on putting fabric flowers in them to decorate my wedding!

  • Love this! I made ones similar only with doilies from my great grandmother as well as from a thrift store into a lamp. It was so easy, fun, and looks pretty awesome! Plus it is a unique way to include family memorabilia!

  • Can anyone tell me if these are really fragile to transport to a wedding venue? Will they survive a short car ride?

  • Kara, the ones that are photographed above are still just as lovely in May as they were the day we made them back in October! We’ve even moved with them and loaned them out for a few weddings! I hope yours turn out great!

    Angie S.- Thank you so much for sharing your photo! They look wonderful!!!

  • Jessica – This helps us a lot as we are getting ready for a destination wedding and want to make these when we get out there. Thanks so much!!

  • Hi again; does anyone have any suggestions about the type of balloons to use? extra large or the thick kind especially for water balloons? Mine keep popping.. Thank you!

  • I’ve read that some have used punch balloons as they are much stronger than the regular balloons.

  • Great idea! This looks so easy to make and of course, very very cheap. Thank you so much for sharing.

  • I tried to make your lanterns and it did NOT work. The yarn kept falling off the balloon and then for no apparent reason the balloon burst slinging the glue..etc. everywhere! I could not wait to make these..not knowing it was going to be like that. 🙁

  • Important: I really want to make these into a lamp; is it dangerous to have the light bulb in the center? I have the appropriate hardware, etc. I really wanted to make a lantern for my room!

  • Hi all!

    Have just bought some stuff to make these fab chandeliers and wanted to ask a couple of questions to those of you who’ve already made them.

    – Do you cut the string into strips or use a continuous length?
    – How thick does the gluey mixture need to be?

    Any advice would be appreciated. =D Thanks!

  • So, my mom and I started these last night for my wedding in July. They are so cool! We did 14 of them outside on the screened-in porch, and despite a couple of disasters (at one point the line they were hanging from snapped and they went everywhere!!) they look great. I am going to touch some of them up today, after a closer look it seems that some of them need more coverage to look better.

    Also, about half way into the project, we ran out of glue. We decided to substitute flour and make a paper-machey like paste, which worked really well! It made the paste nice and smooth but also thick enough that it stuck to the balloons very well. Once they are dry, I am going to spray them all with white spray paint (because when they all fell they got kind of dirty).

  • I want to try these for my daughter’s wedding – I think they would be fun mixed with white paper lanterns hanging from the trees.
    Is there a certain size of string to buy?
    Bring on the hints to make these easier and successful !!!!!!

  • I was wondering as well about using different color yarn and it coming out funky from the dried glue..

    I used punch balloons the 2nd time I did this and they worked awesome. They blow up to a nice round sphere, and you don’t have to pop them! Just untie when dried. You can reuse the balloon!

  • I tried this tonight… and it was a lot harder than I thought. 🙁

    I have a couple of questions:
    1. Did you cut your yarn in pieces and put it on? Or did you just use the yarn and wrap it until you were finished and then cut it off the spool?
    2. What kind of yarn did you use? I used a little bit thicker yarn used for winter hats…. would the yarn you used be the summer yarn… thinner yarn?

    If you could help me out… I would appreciate it a lot! 🙂 Thanks!

    – Another bride, Jamie 🙂

  • AMAZING IDEA!!!!! Im so going to try this for my outside ceremony wedding, and my inside reception! I think it will be perfect!!!

  • I would now go for this instead of those expensive and not so happening ones in the market

  • So cool! Since I am into recycled crafts, I may just have to try with all the colorful yarn scraps I have!!

  • I’m going to do this for my dorm room!!!! So excited, my suitemates are going to be jealous.

  • string lanterns~I made them in 7th grade…
    how exactly do i put lights in?
    I think we used sugar,thick~ instead of starch
    with the glue

  • This is very creative. I think I just might try it. I kinda wish I’d seen this about a month ago when I had to do decorations. Thanks for posting

  • How much glue? ( starch 1/2 cup of Corn starch, 1/4 cup of Warm water)

  • Love that art now I know how thats done I will try this.

  • I think you could put the little battery operated votives in them…would look pretty and not be a fire hazard?

  • I did this today and it was super fun. My friend and I did 45 of them in about three hours. We found out that putting them in the sun will cause the balloons to shrink, but the vasaline will prevent them from breaking. We also spray painted them to match the colors for the wedding. Great idea.

  • I am just wondering how much of the school glue do you add to the corn starch and water????? Thanks so much!! cant wait to make them and surprise my sister for her wedding.

  • I’ve made these many times since I was a little kid, and that’s a very long time ago!! They’re timeless, fun, and very MESSY to make! The best part is popping the balloon, and seeing the gorgeous shape still in tact!! Try dabbling glue on them again after the paint is dry, and rolling them in GLITTER!!!!!
    FABULOUS for a real festive ocassion!!!

  • such a cool idea!
    I remember making these when the kids were little. dont know what we did with them, but maybe we should have saved them.

  • This is great! I wander how they would hold up in a British garden? Have you tried mixing food dye with the glue mix… I may try that myself! Thanks for great idea!

  • we have been making these for easter baskets for over 30 years the make beautifull decorations also

  • I remember making these for Easter many years ago, I believe we used crochet thread, the heavy thread comes in many colors for those who want it colored. I love the idea of making them for a wedding. My children are grown and have families so I won’t be doing any for them, but maybe grandchildren. ha ha Funny how things come around again. Remember the bed dolls we made with Milk Filters? Or the dolls with the big hair we made on bleach bottles. fun memories.

  • I think these are great,very unusual and unique.cooooool idea,I love them!

  • Does anyone know how these chandeliers fare outside exposed to the elements (rain and bugs)?

    I love the idea of turning them into a string of lights for my outdoor wedding, but I wonder if the cornstarch would attract bugs or if the chandeliers would be ruined if it rained.

  • I am trying to make these but out of 45 ones in 3 different attempts only 6 have worked. I don’t know where im going wrong? What is the consistancy of glue to cornstarch and what is the best type of baloon or string to use? Im trying them one more time today! Fingers crossed!

  • I love these so much! I am trying to make some for my wedding, but I am having a lot of difficulty. They turned out functional, but they don’t look as nice as these ones. I tried using regular yarn and it kept falling off the balloons and took FOREVER to make just one, and after it dried they looked kind of messy and weird. So I tried string, and that was too delicate and thin looking. what kind of string do you use?
    I would really appreciate the help 🙂

  • Major props to you for making so many of these. I just made the dangerous attempt of making one and it took me forever. I have it drying now so I hope it turns out ok. I will however try it again –I’m not a quiter lol –thanks again =)

  • These look great, I saw a similar tutorial last year and bought everything that I needed to make them..just haven’t got round to doing so yet but this post has inspired me 🙂

  • This is awesome! We’ve used one of your photos in our latest post @ No Impact Bride. Hope you dont mind. 🙂

    https://www. noimpactbride. com/2011/08/ decorate-your-wedding-with-eco-friendly.html

    Thanks 🙂

  • We made these and used beach balls we picked up at the dollar store. Mixed the white glue with cornstarch until it was like pancake batter dipping long hacks of cotton string in. Some we’ve left white (as is), some we spritzed with hairspray and sprinkled with holographic glitter, and some we spray painted. About 25 hung at different levels and made different sizes. I’d almost like to keep them up year round. 🙂 Such a happy decoration. I’ll find something to do that will allow us to enjoy them daily throughout the summer. Thank You!!!

  • My Mom used to make these our easter baskets. She would cute out a hole on the side of the balloon and putt easter grass and candy inside. This idea is very versatile.

  • This is amazing! I am thinking of so many different scenarios they could be used in. heheeh…I’m giddy! Can’t wait to try this out. Thanks for sharing!

  • My friend and I attempted this project with high hopes, but we were really disappointed with our end results. We are both artists with experience working with plaster and papier-mache, so we thought it would be a breeze. Not so! The dollar store balloons we bought for the project slowly lost air during the drying period. They also took FOREVER to dry, which I’m blaming on the high humidity the day we did the project, but this caused the our nice round shapes to droop significantly as the balloons deflated. We attempted 21 lanterns, and only about 5 or 6 look halfway decent. We really want to try again, so if anyone has any suggestions to lead us to success, I would greatly appreciate it!

  • I remember doing something like this when I was a kid in school. We cut out the front and put Easter grass in them and gave then to our mom. That was forever ago. This might be a fun project to do with the kids. Thanks!

  • I did these years ago with 5th grade students for Christmas. We used liquid starch and string. The we spray painted them and sprinkled them with glitter. If it can be done with a classroom full of 12 year olds, it can be done by anyone!
    Everyone thought they were beautiful!!

  • My mom used to dod the same thing with the yarn, except she would make our easter baskets like this. At the end, she would wet the bottom and place on a shot glass until it dried again to make it so it would sit pretty easter morning. So much fun making these as a family and having something different than the other kids.

  • i didnt read all the other post but saw this and am totally in love with the idea. quick question though, should i cutthe twine first before putting it in the glue?

  • We did this with our kids for easter baskets, cutting an oval on the side & gluing lace, silk flowers etc… The kids lOVED it

  • Love it!! I am thinking about having these at my birthday party. Thanks for posting (:

    Sincerely, Katie Loo (:

  • Corn Flour…is not the same as corn starch, at all.
    Arrowroot will work fine.

  • i love this i am doing this for the baby shower in october, i am going to make it as a mobile they can take home and hang

  • Thanks for sharing, these are beautiful! I’m going to add paint pigment to the glue mixture… and use them to decorate my booth at festivals!

  • This is a fabulous idea! Normal lanterns turned out to be a bit over the budget, but these! They are a perfect substitute!!! Jessica, thanx SOOO much for your creativity and posts!

  • Has anyone made these and used a form of lighting in them??? Any ideas on how to incorporate lighting?

  • These are great, but it takes longer than 24 hours for the string to dry totally. If it is humid it takes longer. If you try to do these overnight, not a good idea. They work better if able to let dry in sun outside.

  • Thanks! I am helping my friend with his engagement party. This is amazing. They can use it as decor at home afterwards.

  • Very cool. Saw something similar but very industrial looking on HTV. Like both looks. Very nice and very flexible. Love the idea of using them in an artist’s booth.

  • Cool idea! My mom and I used to make these for Easter when I was very little and turn them into Easter baskets an fill them with that green grass stuff and other easter paraphenalia.

  • I’m thinking about trying this out for my wedding. Has anyone tried adding food coloring to the glue to make the lanterns a different color? If so, was it successful?

  • Making these for a Halloween Harvest Festival. I am going to pre – make the lanterns and spray them orange. The children will then be able to decorate them as a pumpkin ant way they choose!

  • Exactly HOW much glue will you need? What should the consistency be like so you know you’ve got it right?

  • We’ve made these with our kids at daycare. They are so easy, so much fun, so inexpensive, and so pretty.

  • when I was a little girl, my grandma made these on the farm with us. She would cut a hole in the center when it was dry and fill it with easter grass and treats, and it looked like an egg. She would spray them in pastel colors. It became our baskets for easter and later table center decor with ceramic bunnies inside. super cute! Recently, I called her to get this recipe and she couldn’t remember. 🙁 This year, I will have my little girls make my grandma one and take it to her. Thank you!

  • You can use any color string (they have lots of pastels at the Craft Store) to match wedding colors too. Or you can just use regular white string and when dry recoat with glue and sprinkle with glitter. You can also fit small items into the balloon…like little bells for christmas, etc. and when you pop the balloon the item(s) are inside the string ball and then just add a colored ribbon to hang from the tree!

  • These are lovely and a great find – I may have to give them a go for our home which still has a couple of rooms with only hanging bulbs :-/

  • small egg shape balloons are fun to for Easter. Same process and then carefully cut hole on side for grass and Easter chicks etc.

  • These are really great and would be super painted different colors for birthdays as well. I will have to try it out at my grandson’s next birthday. Thank you for sharing 🙂

  • I remember making something like this in elementary school. We used thin string of all colors and dipped them in sugar water before draping them over balloons. Then we popped the balloons and clipped out a hole in the side to create an egg-shaped Easter basket/nest. It was just sturdy enough to last a week or so. I loved that project and will do it with my kids, but I also like the idea of creating Christmas decorations that are a little sturdier and less likely to attract ants!

  • So I am totally going to make these for my wedding next year!! I even think I may try spray painting a couple with my wedding colors before I pop the balloon so that the outside is a bright color and the inside is white. I think the white inside will make the lighting feature appear brighter when hanging from the trees outside for my ceremony 🙂

    Thanks for the post!

  • I’m moving into a new place and I’m definitely going to have to try this out. I need more things to entertain myself!

  • My friends made these for their final art project last year, and now they’re hanging in the front hallway of my school. So awesome!

  • I attempted making these lamps for a friends of mine’s wedding. Too bad that it didn’t work. I followed the instructions exactly and failed miserably. Don’t bother wasting your time trying to make these. They will only collapse as soon as you pop the balloons…

  • I have done the same with equal parts sugar/water boiled. Wrap the sting aoundd ball on and roll in cooled mixture. Dry the same way. Makes great Easter egg deco also.

  • My grade school teacher use to make something that looked like the string chandliers.They were easter baskets I think she used colored sugar and string, she would cut a hole on each side of the string ball when it was dry for the handle. The sugar made an almost gliter look. They were enchanting filled with palstic grass and goodies.

  • ** THESE ARE BEAUTIFUL, DEFINITELY GOING TO TRY 🙂
    HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO ATTACH THESE TO A HANGING LIGHTBULB THOUGH?
    AND IS IT SAFE TO?

    THANKYOU IN ADVANCE 🙂

  • So, I just attempted this tonight and I had a lot of difficulty. I don’t know what I’m not doing right. I did both cornstarch and glue method. I did the vertical loops but as soon as I start making any kind of angled wrap-around, the whole mess just slides off my balloon. I really want to add more yarn, but if I even breathe on these balloons, the string all slides off and I’ll have to start again!

    HELP!!! please….

  • Nov. 24, 2011

    Way Out, great great idea, I cant wait to try it. I might add a few
    ideas of my own. Will keep you posted.

    JeanneMarie

  • I am attempting this tonight -but I don’t understand the measurements {for mixture} it doesn’t say how much glue to use?? Is it just corn starch and watch!? Or is there glue involved??

  • Different colors of glow-in-the-dark glue would make this so much cooler!

  • This is a BRILLIANT idea!! I am SO going to try this – it looks like a blast and the results are BEAUTIFUL> <3 <3

  • Just wondering how much glue, water and cornstarch to use? Great idea!!!! I am going to try making them for my birthday!! 🙂

  • To those wondering about using light bulbs inside these: Just use CFL’s. They are way more eco friendly, last longer and don’t get hot at all. I use them in all my paper lanterns.

  • For those of you wondering about the amount of glue, you use 4 oz of glue mixed with the 1/2 cup Corn Starch, and 1/4 cup warm water. I made a black one of these for Halloween this year and glued orange spider rings all over it so it was a giant spider web!(cut off the ring part of the spiders) The kids LOVED it!! Also, for a regular sized balloon, I cut 6 strips of yarn, each 20 feet long. That sounds really long, but it doesn’t go very far 🙂 I am excited to make these white ones for my house! Also, the vaseline idea is awesome. Can’t wait to try it! One of my spider webs stuck to the balloon real bad so it got ruined. Thanks for the idea!!!

  • Clear fast drying spray? Where can I get that? And what is it exactly?

  • Trying this right now. Going to add old white Christmas lights to them. Thanks so much for posting this. <3 DIY projects like this. 🙂

  • Good Luck with this project. Just tried it this morning and failed – they are not joking when they say messy – and I do recommend gloves – unless you want the glue and vaseline to combine on your bare hands. . . trying to get it off of my hands was not fun.
    Not the best idea.

  • you can make them with twine too! my brother made a fully functional one for my mom and the shadows it makes are really cool!

  • Omfg!!! I want to do this so badly but i dont know where to hang it to dry

  • Mine’s drying right now, however i only used hairspray and glue.. Hope it works!

  • Very neat!! I’ll have to show this to my future Daughter-in-Law!!!!!!

  • I made these for my wedding in aug. if you want to see them, shoot me an email!

  • I love this! It would be perfect for my annual 4th of July party in my back yard. How long do they last? Thanks for the pretty inspiring pics.
    🙂

  • What a lovely chandelier and a creative way to use the string balls.

    I made string balls for my daughter’s 21st birthday party a few years ago to decorate the tables. I coloured the string by soaking it overnight in strong water and food colouring solutions before winding it around the balloons.

  • I love it! I can’t wait to get home to do it! I’m at a friend’s house. We love Stumble, and I’m glad we stumbled upon this!

  • Hi jsut wondering i live in South-africa and would love to make thee. What type of glue do i use and another thing my baloons keep on popping. Please help asap

  • I loved the concept, and offered to do a sample ahead of time for our children’s graduation dance. Can someone advice as to the amounts or proportions of glue, water, and corn starch to mix ?

    Thanks in advance !!

  • Just finished my first try at this.
    For those of you asking for more specifics:
    I used white cotton yarn and got a very large spool for $7. (not any acrylic yarn I think that wouldn’t absorb as well)
    Walmart’s party balloons, 12 for $1
    small tub of vaseline $1
    an entire small box of corn starch $1.50
    half medium bottle of Elmer’s glue $2
    So not bad for about $12.50 or so

    I mixed the glue/corn starch/water in small batches at a time. About 1 cup of corn starch with enough glue to make a big sticky mess and then watered it down just enough so that I could mix it thoroughly with my fingers and the end product was a little thicker than pancake batter.
    I used one continous thread for each balloon and soaked the yarn in the batter about 2 feet at a time. I would dump a long segment in and then smooth off the excess and place it across a long row of paper plates then wrap that part around the balloon and then move on. This way the yarn wasn’t too wet or too dry, it stuck to the balloon just fine. Next I hanged them to dry for about a day and a half. The balloons had shrunk a little by then and I’m glad I waited until the batter was completely dry!
    I made 7 balloons in various sizes before I ran out of corn starch. Make sure you really wrap the ballon well with a lot of yarn becuse if you don’t use enough to cover it, it will collapse. One of my 7 was a total waste and 1 more is kind of wimpy because I didn’t use enough. I only made these two days ago and they seem sturdy enough to hang inside for a long time but if you want to use them outside be sure to bring them in at night because the moisture at night would probably kill them

  • Do you know how to make balloons yourself? Well if you do you should teach me because in two weeks is the science fair at Bonner MT Mosoula or whatever you spell it and I will be so happy if you help me.

    Sincerely: Angela

  • these also make great easter eggs. cut a small window, fill with easter grass and candy,

  • I have made these for my wedding in all 6 of my colors, however, I did not use the clear spray paint, corn startch or vaseline and I lightly spray with spray adhesive about 5 minutes before popping the balloons…

  • Maybe someone asked this already, but can you use actual light bulbs with these? Safely, I mean. ?

  • Ah, never mind. Clearly I did not read through the directions thoroughly haha.

  • Question? Has anyone just tried to use fabric stiffner that way you dont get the glue crystals?

  • Wonderful idea for extra decorations. Sometimes it’s so much more fun to do everything by hand. It carries an important personal touch. Looking forward to see more ideas like this.

  • Beaut idea, thanks for sharing. I’m going to attempt this with a mixed age group of school kids at the care centre where I work. Wouldn’t know how to get hold of corn starch here in Australia but I am thinking that wallpaper paste might work just as well. Helpful to read through all the comments. Thanks again.

  • Fantastic!!!! Looks like store-bought, probably costing like $20 each at Bed Bath & Beyond!

  • Hi Liz,

    We used cellulose paste for ours. We used lots of different coloured wool and boy oh boy our balloons look great! ( not being bias at all….. haha). We did this with 56 5-8 year olds and they loved it. Very very messy, but totally worth it!

    Thanks for this great idea, guys!

  • Great tutorial! I featured your blog on my blog. Thanks again for the great tutorial!

  • What a fabulous craft project! Maybe just a tad bit messy but it seems like it could be used for all sorts of applications! Thanks for sharing!

  • I love the idea of the battery-operative votive candles! These would be perfect for Jr./Sr. Prom decorations also and wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg.

  • So sweet for my girls room! You could use colored yarn instead of spray paint if you are pregnant (like me)!

  • I just love this idea, and can’t wait to try it out.

  • Hi there, I absolutly love this idea however am having difficulty with my own. I am trying to do it with seeded snow grasses but the ballons keep on popping! The grasses are quite soft and I’m not sure if they are the problem? My ballons are not overly large either nor

  • … nor is the mixture too warm. Any problem solving ideas would be much appreciated!

  • I tried these with raffia paper which was a bit cheaper but turned out really great! I imagine there are endless types of string you could do this with that would be equally as awesome. And it’s got to be one of the simplest, easiest crafts and good bang for the buck. Great post, thanks.

  • These are also great with colored string for easter!! If you wrap it around small water balloons it looks like an easter egg!!!

  • I didn’t see an answer to how much glue to use. I am anxious to try this week.

    Thanks

  • These look amazing. I am always wanting to try and do this with my daughter but haven’t found the time. What a great job and what a great post.

  • I have a couple of friends who are getting married this summer and would be a fun way to decorate for it together. Great idea, thanks!

  • After a failed attempted trying it my own way last night, I sort of followed these directions and love the finished product! Here’s what I did:
    First, I sprayed PAM on the balloon. I used yellow yarn and ran it through the glue mixture (one bottle of elmer’s school glue, about 1/4 cup water and 1 TBSP of cornstarch – I tried to make it the consistency of pancake batter) and started wrapping the balloon vertically, as many people suggested. After I wrapped it as much as I wanted to, I hung it outside in the sun to dry. After about 4-5 hours, the yarn dried and the balloons shriveled so all I had to do was pull the balloons out and I was done (minus the glue webbing I will have to clean off). THANKS FOR THE HOW-TO!!

  • Nobody answers questions about lights!!!! What lights can you use in these. Want to make them to hang above the dance floor for my daughters wedding.

  • This sounds great for my daughter’s wedding. I really want to use laundry starch instead of the glue and corn starch combination. Will laundry starch work as well?

  • Using this idea for my daughter’s 3rd birthday, but inflating the balloons to hold the true balloon shape. Colored yarn works out just fine, the glue dries clear. We’ve actually used colored yarn, then a contrasting spray paint before popping the ballon to make them dual toned. I’ve been using a 7.6 oz bottle of glue for each batch of adhesive. Makes sure the yarn is well saturated! Additionally, I have been using continuous lines of yarn for my wrapping, can’t see it working right otherwise.

    Very unsure of using these with bulbs that get warm, defiantly not for use with any open flame, as the glue is HIGHLY FLAMMABLE once dry!

  • Hello,

    Great idea that I passed through my French blog . Quick question, how much glue should be mixed with 1/2 cup of Corn starch, 1/4 cup of warm water.

    Thank you.

  • Wow, very cool!! I absolutely love this. What a great idea! You did an amazing job, if I ever have an outdoor event I am most definitely going to try this. Thank you for sharing!!!
    ~Jessica

  • HOW ARE THESE STRING CHANDELIERS HELD UP IN THE FIRST PICTURE? ARE THEY HUNG WITH SOME SORT OF FISHING LINE OR WIRE? OR ARE THEY ACTUALLY BEING SUPPORTED BY SOMETHING FROM BELOW? ANY SUGGESTIONS FROM OTHERS ON STRINGING THESE FROM TREES FOR A WEDDING? THANKS

  • GREAT IDEA! Going to try it soon for sure for some special occasion 🙂 I just cant figure out where to hang the final product :/

  • Just love yarn chandeliers! XD
    Sharing this tutorial on my channel

  • Alternatives and safety issues:
    I saw on another post that you can use a punch ball or inflatable gym ball. Cover the ball with aluminum foil using tapetklister (wallpaper adhesive), which by the way is not flammable!!! Then dip the twine in the wallpaper adhesive and swirl around the ball tightly. This is probably a good alternative for projects involving lighting.

  • I have been watching video tutorials for the making of all these elegant string chandeliers (or lanters). People use different materials but I want those that I can easily find and get. I was checking all the stuffs in your tutorial and they seem cool and easy to find. Thanks for this post, really helps me a lot!

  • I am going to try to modify this and make a chandelier for my new home!! This will make a wonderful project for me and my daughter. I’ll post pics later. Thanks so much for sharing.

  • Just tried making 10 of these today with my best friend for her wedding. Had a blast making a huge mess, but this project is totally not worth it. Lost many balloons after vasoline (vasoline + latex + sun = inexplicable balloon popping), and lost some more after the twining process. Just checked them after hanging in the basement to dry and lost two more. Down to three. Looks like we’re keeping decor minimal. 🙁

  • can you tell me exactly how you make the glue for this please and I love this idea very very beautiful

  • These look great! I’m hoping to make and put little led candles in them.
    I was wondering how much glue you need to add to the corn starch and water mixture? I don’t think you have specified?
    Thanks!

  • This is the best time spender, a bunch of Tweens can spend days on this very inexpensive project. thanks love it

  • My chandeliers are just drying now……. It’s been a great project and I just hope they work. This is a trial run and if they turn out ok I will use them as decorations for my daughter’s wedding next summer 🙂

  • I tryied I put the glue in a tub and mixed it up but when I put the cotton in it got all mixed up and tangled soi had to throw it away but I really wanted to do it

  • This is a really crafty idea. I think outdoor decor is too awesome, and these chandeliers seem pretty easy to make. This would fit in great with our DIY tips and tricks we have on our pinterest! Thanks for this! What do you think about lighting these? Would you use some christmas style lights since candles would be a bad idea?

    Thanks for this cool idea!

  • What glue are you using? I would also like to know why are you spraying with paint?

  • What a beautiful idea for a wedding day. They will brighten up the day. Brilliant!

  • About how many lanterns do you think I can make out of 525ft of twine. approximately?

  • Am planning to do lots of these for a granddaughter’s July wedding – only will be using off white lace remnants and perhaps even doilies – varied sizes – some with lights, some without. She is excited about them.
    Grammie

    • Plan to make these with off white lace remnants and doilies for a granddaughter’s July wedding. Anxious to get started.

  • I tried to recreate these lanterns for my wedding reception, biggest pain in the arse ever! Only one of them turn out okay but trying to recreate these was hands down one of the most frustrating crafting experiences of my life!

  • You need to mention NOT to use a synthetic yarn or sring but cotton as the ‘paste’ won’t adhere well.

  • Hello there, Thanks for this lovely tutorial. I made a bunch of these for my niece’s birthday and everyone loved them.

  • I tried these balls.But when i popped the balloons after keeping them to dry with the yarn on for 24 hours.But the entire lantern shrivelled up and lost its shape.The threads had stuck to the balloon so much that the balloon on popping did not pop completely and was still stuck to many parts of the lanterns from inside.It has become like a birds nest and lost its shape.Can you suggest me something so that i can successfully complete my lantern and so that it does not lose its round shape even after popping the balloon.Please as fast as possible.It is urgent

  • thnx alot …i’ll try it …but what is the “clear fast drying spray paint”!

  • can this be done with a glass vase and pam to keep it sticking?

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