String Nest Bowl for Easter

I've been wanting to make a giant double sided string bowl ever since I made the little ones for Easter a couple of years ago. They came about because our string eggs were squished and I loved the double weave and the little space in between the layers.

Materials:
Cotton yarn skein
Balloon
White glue
Popsicle or craft stick   
2-3 Plastic trash bags
Glass bowl
Measuring cup

 
Get ready:
Protect the table surface with plastic bag (maybe even the floor).
Cut armholes and a neck hole in the other plastic bag and put it on like a smock.

Make:
Add ¼ water to ½ cup glue in the measuring cup –mix well with the craft stick.
Pull the yarn end from the middle of the skein.
Add the cotton yarn skein to the glass bowl.

Pour the glue water straight down into the middle of the skein.

Swish the cotton yarn skein around with the craft stick and let it absorb the glue water.

Pull the string from the middle of the skein and wrap the wet yarn around the balloon.
Cover the whole balloon.

This is messy- that’s why you’re wearing a trash bag to protect your clothes – you'll find that you need to brace the balloon against your tummy to wrap the gluey string around the balloon (notice in the picture my bag is too small).

Set the balloon on the bowl to dry overnight (don’t worry, you can wash the bowl later).

Turn the balloon to make sure all the yarn is COMPLETELY DRY.

Gently check to see if the string is pulling away from the balloon then use a pin to burst the balloon.

Carefully pull the deflated balloon out from the egg.

Push the middle top down into the center and squish the side edges together.

String Nests for Easter

Yes! It’s something new to do with those crazy string eggs!

Last year we made them for work (in December, because that's how we roll around here) and then put them out at Easter time.

When I unpacked the Easter stuff last week --Yawzaa! one was squished! But I think it was such a great happy accident because immediately --I saw it as a cool design-y nest. So I did it will all the eggs.

Cut a little paper egg for a place name and now we're good to go!

I’ve seen the string eggs used to make garlands, wreaths, and ornaments but – only here folks - are you seeing a lemon made into lemonade- metaphorically speaking.
I’m going to tell you the truth. I could not blow up the water balloons and I used regular balloons when I made ours. 

Here’s a video of the balloon shrinking.

So let’s say you made the eggs last year or last week… then just push the middle top down into the center and squish the side edges together.

Really, it's not rocket science but it's super cute. 

I suppose if you were making them into nests on purpose - you could just wrap half the balloon but I like the double weave and the little space in between the layers and the jelly beans seem to stay inside the bowl just fine.

If you’re wondering how to make the eggs here are some more links:

http://craftwhack.com/cool-craft-string-easter-eggs/
http://www.instructables.com/id/String-Easter-Eggs/