BUILDING AN ARCH Arches are a fun and popular balloon decoration with endless potential for creativity. From shopping malls to hotel ballrooms, Supplies: arches add excitement and provide lavish displays of color. There • Latex balloons–11", 14", or 16" • Monofilament line (at least 50# weight) are many variations. The following is just a sampling of the • Electric sizing machine or templates simple ways arches can be constructed: • Helium cylinder + inflator or electric air inflator SINGLE ARCH
Single Arches are made up of single latex balloons tied directly to a monofilament line. The balloons can be packed closely together or evenly spaced. The arch can be dressed up with a variety of accents such as ribbon, tulle, poly-silk leaves, flowers, or feathers. An airfilled latex balloon can be tied directly below the helium-filled balloon, creating the High-Low Arch, a variation of the single arch. 1. Attach the loose end of the monofilament line to the back of a chair or a similar stationary object. Be sure to allow about four or five extra feet of monofilament line to finish the arch. 2. Typically, two colors of balloons are used. One will be called the contrasting color or the swirl. 3. Inflate the balloons uniformly using either an electric sizing machine or other suitable templates. 4. Tie two inflated balloons of the same color together. 5. Tie two inflated balloons of the contrasting color together. 6. Twist the two sets of balloons together, creating a cluster of four. 7. Secure clusters on the line by looping the monofilament line around the cluster several times to hold it in place. Be sure to keep the line tightly stretched and clusters solidly packed on the line. Wrap monofilament line around two or three balloons in the cluster to secure. Add another cluster and repeat. 8. Make sure each cluster is exactly the same color pattern. The swirl is accomplished by moving the contrasting color one quarter turn clockwise as it is