How to Make a Balloon Banner, Balloon Backdrop, or Balloon Garland

Balloons are the quintessential decor element that must be incorporated into any party theme.

Whether it be a birthday, anniversary, school function, wedding, or special occasion, balloons are festive and used at all sorts of gatherings. Balloons are my favorite decor element for a party bash, I’m not a fan of streamers..but when it comes to balloons the more the better!

Balloons are typically inflated with gas like helium or air and they come is just about any color you can imagine. Did you know early balloons were made from dried animal bladders, like from a pig? 🤮 I digress..balloons have come a long way since then and are now made from rubber or latex. Solar balloons are also popular and often used as congratulatory decor for baby showers and birthdays.

The way we decorate with this festive and colorful decor has evolved as well. Balloon Banners are very popular and a great way to add drama to any party theme.I recently made one for a Post Pampering Baby Shower my friend was hosting at her home. It was easy to make and I was very pleased with the end result. Let me show you how to make one for your next party.

The length you want your banner to be – will determine how many balloons you will need. My banner was approximately 8 feet and I used 66 balloons. Guesstimate 5-10 balloons per foot..depending on the size of the balloons. My banner was to celebrate the arrival of a Baby Boy so I chose a combination of blue and white balloons.

You will need the following items to make an 8 Foot Balloon Banner or Balloon Backdrop

• 30 – 12″ balloons in one color (I used dark pearlized blue) HERE
• 30 – 9″ or 12″ balloons in another color (I used white pearlized) HERE
• 6 – 12″ accent Balloons (I used confetti balloons) HERE
• Hand pump HERE or
• Electric Balloon Pump HERE
• Small Rubber Bands HERE
• Clear Twine HERE
• 3M Hooks HERE

Step 1 Pump Up the 12″ Balloons

The great thing about this banner is that it requires air NOT helium, making it very cost effective.

First, you want to start by pumping up the balloons. I used a hand held pump which required quite a bit of muscle power..I was tired after 2 balloons 😩 But my kids were helping me with this project and they blew them up the old fashioned way…with their mouths!

If I didn’t have my kids to help, I would have been hurting. I definitely recommend an electric pump to make this job easier and faster. 66 balloons is a lot to blow up with a hand held pump or your mouth!

TIP to Blowing up Balloons

When you blow up the balloons, make sure not to over inflate them! You want nice round balloons…not oblong. Notice in the picture above, when they over inflate..they start getting that weird shape at the mouth..stop just before that..you are aiming for a nice round shaped balloon.

Step #2 Pump up the 9″ Balloons

We want balloons of at least 2 different sizes. For the second batch of balloons, you can use 9″ balloons or 12″ balloons. I couldn’t find white pearlized 9″ balloons so I bought 12″ and partially blew them up.

Step #3 Tie Like Colored Balloons Together

Tie all the like colored balloons together in sets of two. I highly recommend using small rubber bands to do this. I didn’t use rubber bands and my fingers were aching and turning purple half way into this project. Tie all the 12″ blue balloons to each other and all the 9″ white balloons to each other in sets of two.

Step # 3

Create clusters of balloons by wrapping a set of small white balloons around a set of blue balloons at the base and twist together.

Do this for all the sets…you should now have 15 clusters of balloons.

Step #4 Using Twine to Wrap Balloon

Using clear twine, begin your banner by leaving about 2 feet of twine before you start wrapping the balloons. I used dark ribbon which showed through the gaps, so I recommend using clear twine or fishing line.

Begin by wrapping the twine around a cluster of balloons. Add another set of 4 balloons to the banner and wrap the twine around it as well.

Step #5 Add in Accent Balloons

Since we only have 6 confetti balloons but 15 clusters, add in the accent balloons every few feet. Take one accent confetti balloon, and wrap the twine around the base of the balloon so it attaches to the banner.

Tip: Rub the confetti ballon well with a cloth to create static, then shake the balloon. The confetti will disperse within the ballon and stick to the sides instead of sitting at the bottom. Repeat until you are happy with the appearance.

You can see the banner beginning to take shape.

Step #6 Repeat Process

Repeat the steps until all sets of balloons are attached to the twine.

Step #7 Ending the Banner

Once you have attached all sets of balloons, leave a couple feet of twine at the end of banner. The extra twine will be used for hanging purposes.

Step #8 Hang the Banner

The easiest way to hang your banner to the wall is to use 3M clips. I used two small clips, one on the left top side of the wall and one lower on the right side. Wrap the extra twine that you left at the beginning around the clip and secure. Cut off excess twine.

There are different ways to hang the banner. My personal preference is to hang it unevenly in a flowy pattern, high on the left and lower on the right side. If you hang it this way, you will need an extra piece of twine to attach to the existing twine and secure it on the right side. The remainder of the banner hangs down without being secured.

You could also hang the banner in a U shape, thereby using the excess twine on both sides. It’s a personal preference as to the look you like.

 Our blue and white banner was a festive addition to the Pampering Shower and added the right touch to an already elegant affair.

For info on throwing a pampering party of your own, check out Hosting a “Pampering Party” for Mom.

For more helpful hints and tips on making a beautiful balloon banner, check out Helpful Hints and Tips for Making an Awesome Balloon Banner, Balloon Backdrop or Balloon Garland

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