Bubbleology
Information

Stacey “The Balloon Kid” Schmude
October 2000

Sorry for such a brief article this month but my bike and I had an argument with a truck on the way home from school last Monday . . . I lost. Fortunately, I got by with only 12 stitches in my left elbow and a few scrapes and bruises. Even more fortunate for me was that they did not want to immobilize the arm and hoped that I would keep exercizing it so it did not stiffen up. Ahhhhh… now you are talking my language. Balloon therapy. I was able to hold to my scheduled shows this weekend (over eight hours of twisting) and am beginning to feel normal again.

Anyway, here’s a quick pattern for a cute lizard hat I learned up from my friend David Ness, “Buster the Clown.” If this is a pattern that you designed, please do not hesitate to let me know so that I can give you credit for it next month. It’s a fun and very popular hat for me and one that is done often.

You will need: One green 160
One red 160
One heart - White, Yellow, or clear.

Blow up the two 160s with about a half inch on the end. Make two ear twists at the head of the green balloon and measure the child’s head. Then make a five-to-six inch bubble, then a 10-to-12 inch bubble and attach the end to the back of the loop that makes the head. Cut off remaining balloon.



Blow up the heart and divide it in half, wrapping it around the end of the five-six inch bubble. There are your eyes.


Curl the red 160 into a curley cue and wrap the knot around the two ear twists to make the tongue. Add eyeballs with your marker and there’s your hat.



For a nice alternative, put two bouncey balls inside a clear heart and twist it for the eyes, keeping one ball in each half of the heart.

Until next month, keep safe, watch out for trucks, and keep on twistin’.