How to Make a Balloon Jet
Blow up a balloon animal balloon ¾ of the way., Twist a 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section from the knot., Pinch and twist a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section right behind it., Fold the 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section against the rest of the balloon...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Blow up a balloon animal balloon ¾ of the way.
Tie the end off.
You can use any color your want for the jet.
If the balloon feels a little firm, give it a gentle squeeze to soften it up.
This will prevent it from popping., Measure up about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) from the knot.
Twist the balloon to create a section.
This will be the nose part of the jet., Measure up 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) from the twist you just made.
Pinch and twist the balloon to make a small bubble.
This will eventually turn into a joint., Hold it against the body of the balloon.
The 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section should be right between the two sections at the joint., This will help the balloon hold its shape.
When you let go of the 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section, you will have something that looks like a
7., Make another 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section.
Pinch and twist a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section right about it.
Hold the new 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section against the rest of the balloon, and pinch-twist the new 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section again.
You will get a shape that sot of looks like a J., Measure up 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) from the last bubble you made.
Give it a twist to create the section.
This completes the body of the jet.
You are now ready to make the tail., Use the rest of the balloon to make a small loop behind the 6-inch (15.24-centimeter) segment, about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) long.
Twist it so that it holds its shape.
Make another 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) loop right across from it, and twist it as well.
They should be roundish., Measure up about
2.5 inches (6.35 centimeters) along the rest of the balloon.
Give it a twist to create a section.
Twist two 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubbles right about it., Fold the two 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubbles against the 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) piece.
Tuck the rest of the balloon between the two tail flaps you made earlier., You want it to be nice and tight in preparation for the final step in this section.
If it is not tight enough, the balloon may deflate., Twist a small bubble at the very end of the balloon.
Pop the bubble.
Untwist it and let the air slowly come out of the remaining balloon.
Wrap the remaining deflated balloon around the tail flap joints to hide it., Give it a gentle squeeze so that it is nice and soft.
You can use the same color as the body of your jet, or a different color., Measure up 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) from the tail-end of the balloon.
Give it a twist to create your first section., Twist a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section.
Hold the 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section against the body of the balloon.
Twist the 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section again.
This is the same technique you used on the jet's nose., Measure down 7 inches (17.78 centimeters).
Twist a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble for the joint.
Twist a 3-inch (7.62-centimeter) section after the bubble., Make another 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble.
Twist a 3-inch (7.62-centimeter) section, then another 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble.
Finish off with a 7-inch (17.78-centimeter) section.
You will have a short, 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section left at the end of the balloon., Start by folding the balloon in half so that the sections match up.
You will have a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble at the folded part.
Twist that bubble to hold the shape., Go back to the two 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) sections at the end of your balloon.
One of those sections will have a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble right above it.
Twist the other 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section around that bubble to form a diamond shape.
Make sure that those two sections are perpendicular to the diamond., Make sure that the two 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) sections are perpendicular to the balloon.
Find the end with the knot on it, then pull it towards the 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble at the top of your diamond.
Twist them together to form a sort of V shape., You want the two long central pieces on both the wings and the body to match up., Repeat for the back.
This will join the wings to the body.
Don't worry about them being on the side for right now; you will fix that in a later step., Use the same technique as you did for the body of the jet.
Twist off small bubble at the end of the balloon.
Pinch it to pop it, then untwist it and let it deflate.
Twist the deflated balloon end around the joints.
Make sure that you twist tightly., You will need to do this carefully and alternate sides.
Move the body and wing pieces between the connecting bubbles bit by bit until the wing piece is on top., Your jet is done, but you can draw details on it using a permanent maker if you want to.
A black marker will work on most balloons.
If your balloon is already black, then try gold or silver instead.
Add a cockpit window and some designs, such as stripes, a number, or insignia. -
Step 2: Twist a 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section from the knot.
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Step 3: Pinch and twist a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section right behind it.
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Step 4: Fold the 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section against the rest of the balloon.
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Step 5: Pinch and twist the 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section again.
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Step 6: Repeat the previous steps.
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Step 7: Twist a 6-inch (15.24-centimeter) section.
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Step 8: Make two tail flaps by twisting two 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) petals.
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Step 9: Start making the tail fin.
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Step 10: Fold the tail fin in half.
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Step 11: Twist the remaining balloon around each of the tail flaps.
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Step 12: Deflate the end of the balloon
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Step 13: then wrap the excess around the tail.
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Step 14: Blow up another balloon animal balloon ¾ of the way.
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Step 15: Twist a 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section.
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Step 16: Make a pinch-twist.
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Step 17: Finish forming the first wing.
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Step 18: Start forming second wing.
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Step 19: Fold and twist the balloon in half.
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Step 20: Twist the two ends of the balloon together to make a diamond shape.
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Step 21: Fold the knotted end of the balloon to the top of the diamond
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Step 22: and twist.
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Step 23: Place the wings alongside the body of the jet.
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Step 24: Pinch and twist the two bubbles at the front together.
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Step 25: Get rid of end balloon piece on wings.
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Step 26: Straighten the balloon up so that the wing piece is on top of the body.
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Step 27: Add some finishing touches
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Step 28: if desired.
Detailed Guide
Tie the end off.
You can use any color your want for the jet.
If the balloon feels a little firm, give it a gentle squeeze to soften it up.
This will prevent it from popping., Measure up about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) from the knot.
Twist the balloon to create a section.
This will be the nose part of the jet., Measure up 1 inch (2.54 centimeters) from the twist you just made.
Pinch and twist the balloon to make a small bubble.
This will eventually turn into a joint., Hold it against the body of the balloon.
The 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section should be right between the two sections at the joint., This will help the balloon hold its shape.
When you let go of the 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section, you will have something that looks like a
7., Make another 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section.
Pinch and twist a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section right about it.
Hold the new 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section against the rest of the balloon, and pinch-twist the new 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section again.
You will get a shape that sot of looks like a J., Measure up 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) from the last bubble you made.
Give it a twist to create the section.
This completes the body of the jet.
You are now ready to make the tail., Use the rest of the balloon to make a small loop behind the 6-inch (15.24-centimeter) segment, about 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) long.
Twist it so that it holds its shape.
Make another 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) loop right across from it, and twist it as well.
They should be roundish., Measure up about
2.5 inches (6.35 centimeters) along the rest of the balloon.
Give it a twist to create a section.
Twist two 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubbles right about it., Fold the two 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubbles against the 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) piece.
Tuck the rest of the balloon between the two tail flaps you made earlier., You want it to be nice and tight in preparation for the final step in this section.
If it is not tight enough, the balloon may deflate., Twist a small bubble at the very end of the balloon.
Pop the bubble.
Untwist it and let the air slowly come out of the remaining balloon.
Wrap the remaining deflated balloon around the tail flap joints to hide it., Give it a gentle squeeze so that it is nice and soft.
You can use the same color as the body of your jet, or a different color., Measure up 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) from the tail-end of the balloon.
Give it a twist to create your first section., Twist a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section.
Hold the 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section against the body of the balloon.
Twist the 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) section again.
This is the same technique you used on the jet's nose., Measure down 7 inches (17.78 centimeters).
Twist a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble for the joint.
Twist a 3-inch (7.62-centimeter) section after the bubble., Make another 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble.
Twist a 3-inch (7.62-centimeter) section, then another 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble.
Finish off with a 7-inch (17.78-centimeter) section.
You will have a short, 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section left at the end of the balloon., Start by folding the balloon in half so that the sections match up.
You will have a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble at the folded part.
Twist that bubble to hold the shape., Go back to the two 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) sections at the end of your balloon.
One of those sections will have a 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble right above it.
Twist the other 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) section around that bubble to form a diamond shape.
Make sure that those two sections are perpendicular to the diamond., Make sure that the two 2-inch (5.08-centimeter) sections are perpendicular to the balloon.
Find the end with the knot on it, then pull it towards the 1-inch (2.54-centimeter) bubble at the top of your diamond.
Twist them together to form a sort of V shape., You want the two long central pieces on both the wings and the body to match up., Repeat for the back.
This will join the wings to the body.
Don't worry about them being on the side for right now; you will fix that in a later step., Use the same technique as you did for the body of the jet.
Twist off small bubble at the end of the balloon.
Pinch it to pop it, then untwist it and let it deflate.
Twist the deflated balloon end around the joints.
Make sure that you twist tightly., You will need to do this carefully and alternate sides.
Move the body and wing pieces between the connecting bubbles bit by bit until the wing piece is on top., Your jet is done, but you can draw details on it using a permanent maker if you want to.
A black marker will work on most balloons.
If your balloon is already black, then try gold or silver instead.
Add a cockpit window and some designs, such as stripes, a number, or insignia.
About the Author
Matthew Fox
A passionate writer with expertise in crafts topics. Loves sharing practical knowledge.
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