Date: Thu, 12 Apr 2001 18:29:36 -0400 (EDT)
From: Tracy Vasquez <tvasq1@juno.com>
To: Larry Moss <moss@balloonhq.com>,
Subject: Re: Help with twisting

Larry,

Thanks for your response!  I have been successful by "heavily burping" the 260.  I will try using 160s and see how that works!

Thanks for your advice!

Tracy Vasquez
Santa Maria, CA


------Original Message------
To: Balloon Decorator List <balloondeco@balloonhq.com>
Sent: April 12, 2001 2:26:24 AM GMT
Subject: Re: Help with twisting


On Wed, 11 Apr 2001, Tracy Vasquez wrote:

> I am about to go nuts!  I have been trying all day to twist a flower out of 
> 260Qs.  I have popped each and every one.  I Larry Moss' book, "Twisting 
> History" and have been trying to do the large flower on page 84. 
> 
> I have not successfully twisted one and I have gone thru almost 3/4 of a bag 
> of 260s! 

Shansu already suggested two of the things I recommend, but I figured that
since you referred to my book I should answer and let you know that I'm
more than willing to help.

First, definitely get a bag of 160s to try it with.  The 160Q didn't exist
when the book was written.  Prior to the 160Q, there wasn't a really usable
1" balloon on the market, so I was hesitant to make that suggestion back
then.  These days, I teach the 6 petal flower with 160s first.  Then, once
you get it, move to a 260.  (Or just keep using 160s.  The flower looks
really cute that way.)

If you are going to work with 260s, as Shansu mentioned, you can heavily
burp the balloon (let a lot of air out before tying it).  This is one of
the very few figures that I'll actually give that advice.  Under normal
circumstances, I don't burp the balloon at all. With practice you'll find
that you dont' need to burp it much.  But in the beginning, it helps.

Another alternative is to stretch the 260 lengthwise after it's inflated
and tied (page 22).  You can add several inches to the length of the
balloon, making it thinner (and approaching the diameter of a 160) just by
stretching it.  That will make it significantly easier to make the 6 petal
twist.

I hope you're getting a lot out of the rest of the book and that the
frustration is just limited to the one figure.

Larry Moss
BalloonHQ.com