need better way to tie off balloon

I am BRAND spankin' new twister - I got my first qualitex and ketchup pump yesterday. My 4 year old really enjoyed the fruits of my labors.

I am having the hardest time with tying the balloons off after blowing up. It is really, really hard! Do any of you know of a good tutorial on how best to do this? I have been watching YouTube vids and nobody really shows how to tie off well, I think it is assumed that the viewers already know how to do this Also, is there an inexpensive implement that can help with this (yes, it is *that* hard for me, LOL!)?

Thanks,
Barbie

Try pinching the end, twisting a small bubble & pinch your fingers over where you twisted the bubble. Let the air from the bubble out & this will give you some extra tying room. This was very hard for me too & took a lot of practice. I'm ok at it now, but still not great & while I can make some cool stuff, I'm not very fast.

What sucks for me is that when I get a LARGE group, my left hand's middle finger's skin at the top of my nail bed starts to peel back and that hurts like a motherF*#(*&. I've tried bandaids but they slip off...so be careful with that too.

Barbie, after inflating let just a little air out. Hopefully that will make the balloon a little "soft" and easier to tie. You might also try to pull on the nozzle to give yourself enough balloon to wrap around your fingers. It will get easier with practice. Enjoy - twisting is a lot of fun

Hello Barbie,
the better way for you by free vidéos (and also others ) is to learn with the great Don Cadwell on his site : Busterballoon.com , go and see: " how learn to twist" It's super !
Marie-F a fan of him !

Thanks all!

I am surprised there isn't a little key or implement or something you use I guess I will keep at it - it sounds like the key is to get that part of the balloon nicely s t r e t c h e d

Barbie, they do talk about knot-tying-gadgets on the Balloon HQ site, here is the link. They give explanation on how to make your own, and some links to commercially produced ones but I think the links are old and no good. But, that means they exist, or once did exist. I found this site had some: Clown antics. I don't know how practical they would be to use when you're trying to be fast, though. I remember at one very long and busy festival, my index and middle fingers were practically raw by the end, I wished there was an easier way but nothing is as quick, I don't think.

I'm happy to help you,
with Don: it's Episode 2 ( how blow and tie a balloon).
You can also "meet" a french friend: Arthur Tivoli on the site: videocoach.com if you put the word in the research: ballon (in french) Oh, maybe you can learn the french langage (but it's easy enaugh with the video pictures )
and in your country, you have actually class with Robbie Furman "on the way" and a lot of many very good twisters (depending location).
Marie-F

Blu, I don't know *how* you tie, that ends up irritating the nail bed, but what if when you wrap the nozzle end around your fingers, it goes below the nail bed/cuticle, and when the knot rolls off, it's "with the grain" of your nail bed and not going against it? Does that make sense?

I burp and give the nozzle a good stretch, or if I have to, make a little bubble and release the air, like Psalm was saying

BarbieSmith wrote:Thanks all!

I am surprised there isn't a little key or implement or something you use I guess I will keep at it - it sounds like the key is to get that part of the balloon nicely s t r e t c h e d

Go to BalloonHQ, they have a bunch of different tutorials that will help you. AND yep, they do have just the tool that you are asking for at TMyers magic....you will find their link on balloon HQ.

Welcome to the balloon world, you are in for the ride of your life.

Jenny

Krystal, explain "Burp" for the newbies or you may have belching balloon twister

LOL Psalmbook

Psalmbook wrote:Krystal, explain "Burp" for the newbies or you may have belching balloon twister

Ha! Okay, I totally thought I'd written "I burp the balloon" The noobs are all "I don't get it, but okay...pass me a pop!" Soda, for you guys I guess

All burping the balloon is, is when you've inflated it however much you want, to let a little bit of air out of the balloon again, before tying it off. Just a bit, mind! You don't want to have to re-inflate right off the bat

Kristal wrote:pass me a pop!" Soda, for you guys I guess

fizzy drink for us in NZ