At last - paper pom poms and bunting have a rival - hanging spheres! Made from string or wool mixed with glue, they can be left as their natural colour or painted to suit the décor. When left unadorned and clustered together in groups over tables, or placed strategically around a room, they look textural and rustic. For a more bohemian look, tie feathers to them and let them sway in the breeze, similar to the American Indian dream- catchers. When fresh flowers are tied to the top of the sphere, they take on a pretty vintage look, one you will never tire of.

You will need:
A ball of string, sisal or wool depending on the effect you want
Fabric stiffening glue
Round balloons
Rubber gloves
Recycled tin cans or jars to stand balloons on when drying
Note: Each medium sized sphere takes approximately 15 metres of string.

How to create:
1. Inflate balloons into a medium sized ball.
2. Fill a deep bowl with glue.
3. Cut the string into three five metre lengths and with your hands, thoroughly saturate with glue.
4. Start the wrapping process by loosely tying one end of the first length of string around the knot on top of the balloon to anchor it in place. Do not make the knot too tight as you want the balloon to slip out when you deflate it. Continue wrapping the first length of string around the balloon from north to south as firmly as possible.
5. Join the second length of string with a knot* and start wrapping from east to west.
6. Use the third length of string to fill any gaps until you are happy with the coverage and the shape.
7. Balance the balloon on a tin can and leave to dry overnight.
8. Once completely dry, deflate the balloon and remove it from inside the sphere.
9. Hang or decorate as you desire.

*You can cut the straggly ends off the knot to make it look tidier when the glue has dried.

Where to get materials:
1 ply sisal lashing was purchase from a hardware store. All other materials are available from craft or fabric stores. Feathers are available from www.feather.com.au

>> TIPS:
1. If the glue is too thick add a little water to thin.
2. It is useful to have another person working with you to help de-tangle the sticky string as you continue wrapping the balloon.
3. A ground sheet is recommended during construction to catch any drips of glue.
4. Once the balloons are removed and the spheres are completely dry they can be sprayed with paint to match your décor.

MW x