Left in Knots Water Balloons: Using, Washing, Making & Selling

There's a trendy new crocheted toy around this summer! They're fun, easy to use, environmentally friendly & quick to make. They're the incredibly creative Crochet Water Balloons designed by Megan Meyer of Left in Knots. I've seen a lot about them lately & just had to jump on the band wagon! I decided to make a batch for the craft fair I participated in last weekend & here I'm going to share what I learned from the experience!

Using the Balloons

The first thing I discovered is that there is some confusion about exactly how to use Crochet Water Balloons. A lot of people think that you need to put a real water balloon inside the crocheted one. I briefly considered making a comical video of me actually attempting to do so but decided it wasn't worth the trouble or confusion it might cause! Let me be clear, the crocheted version completely eliminates the need to use those awful little rubber balloons that are challenging to fill, difficult to tie & impossible to clean up! One of my favorite parts about the Crochet Water Balloons is the simplicity of them. Just dunk them in a pail of water, throw them at someone & repeat! The lack of little rubber bits lying around afterwards is reason enough to make the switch & the reason I call them "environmentally friendly."

Of course if I was going to sell these (& write about them) I needed to see them in action! So here are some things I learned when I actually tried them out!

• They can get you really wet!
• Don't want to throw them AT each other? Throw them TO each other! Playing catch gets you almost as wet!
• They sink slowly in the pool - try tossing them in the pool & diving down for them. They definitely won't scratch the liner & whoever retrieves them can throw them next. I see a lot of potential for creative new pool games with these!
• As soft as they are, if thrown too hard it can smart a little! Use the same rules as regular water balloons. Remember the goal is to soak, not injure. Aim away from faces & don't throw too hard. 
• They take a while to dry. Spread them out in the sun or hang them from a drying rack or clothes line after you're finished playing. *Update: I've been told that if you use them in a chlorinated pool they should not be left to dry in the sun, but instead washed immediately!* 

Washing the Balloons

Another great part of these balloons is that they are machine washable. After being thrown around & inevitably getting into grass, dirt, mud, leaves, etc. your balloons are likely to get a little grimy. Dunking them in a bucket of water between throws will keep them clean enough to keep playing, to a point. Eventually, they'll need a real clean. So, just toss them in with the next load of laundry! To properly test this aspect I did a little experiment. I washed 4 balloons - grey, pink, red & blue - 4 different ways. I used my front-loading washer on a normal, cold water cycle. The dryer was set on low heat & I used a dryer sheet. Turns out, there really wasn't much difference! I could almost even say that the ones that went through the dryer look a tiny bit better! Whether that would remain true over time is another question, so if you want them to last stick with a bag & air drying. If you just want them clean quickly, forget the bag & toss them in the dryer!
*Update: skip the dryer sheet (& fabric softener), they could make them less absorbent over time*

Grey Balloon: Delicates Bag, Air Dry, Pink Balloon: Delicates Bag, Dryer

Red Balloon: No Bag, Air Dry, Blue Balloon: No Bag, Dryer

Making the Balloons

If you've made these before, or are looking closely at Megan's pictures, you might notice that my balloons are a bit smaller. That's because I left out Round 4. It's a repeat round identical to Round 3 & leaving it out didn't affect how well the pattern worked. I left it out for completely selfish reasons - saving time & saving yarn - & the end result was still a good size & shape for the purpose. Whether you follow the free pattern exactly or not these are very quick (less than 10 minutes for me) & very easy. Megan even has a video tutorial! For materials, you'll need Bernat Blanket Yarn, a 9mm hook, plus a large finishing needle to weave in the end. With my version, each balloon used about half an ounce of yarn which means I can get 21 balloons from each 10.5 oz skein.

Selling the Balloons

Are you doing a craft fair this summer? Or maybe you have an Etsy shop? These balloons sold like hot cakes at my fair last weekend! I was sitting in my booth making more between customers to keep up with the demand. I sold them for $4 each or a set of 3 for $10. Most of my customers bought the set of 3 while many bought 6 ($20). I had all of my balloons in two large (dry) buckets & let customers pick any that they wanted. I recommend having a variety of colors (this is where Bernat Blanket Stripes comes in handy!) because customers never chose all the same color, no matter how many they bought. 

Just remember, if you're going to sell them make sure you give credit where credit is due! At your fair, have a sign (like the one below) that says the design is by Megan Meyer of Left in Knots. If you're listing them online, include a link to her Facebook page or Blog.

Overall I am very impressed by these balloons! They are fun to play with, easy to make & they were a great seller at my fair! Whether you're trying to entertain kids on a hot day or building inventory for your own fair I highly recommend visiting Left in Knots for this great pattern!

Happy Creating!