• 1 x big round balloon
• Sisal rope
• Old cardboard
• Plastic of white milk bottles
• Thin wire
• Globe and light fittings
• Scissor

• Vaseline
• An old plastic bowl
• Joiner’s glue that dries transparently (e.g. Ponal)
• White spray paint
• Permanent marker
• Thick, sharp needle
• Wire cutter

Blow the balloon and tie it.

Cut the rope in 3 to 4 meter lengths.

Grease the balloon with the Vaseline so that the whole balloon is covered. This prevents the rope from sticking to the balloon.

Put a small amount of joiner’s glue into the old plastic bowl and grease a thick layer of joiner’s glue over the whole area of the balloon.

Crisscross the rope over the balloon till you think the balloon is covered enough. Remember not to cover the balloon totally – the openings are used to for the butterflies. 

Hang the balloon overnight to dry. You will feel that the rope gets as hard as stone.  

Spray the balloon with the white paint and let it dry thoroughly.

Prick the balloon so that it can deflate and shrink. Remove the balloon through one of the openings.

Sketch a butterfly design on the cardboard and cut it out – this will be your template.

Cut the flat parts out of the white milk bottles. Place the butterfly-template on the plastic and draw the butterfly-pattern with the permanent marker onto the plastic. Cut out the butterflies. Press 2 holes through the bodies of the butterflies with the needle. These holes are for the wire to go through.  

Cut the wire into short lengths and push it through the holes. Fix the butterflies to the rope-ball by bending the wire around the rope.

Make as many butterflies as you wish.

String the light cable through the top opening and out at a big enough opening for the bayonet-globe and fittings to go through. Fix the globe and let it hang.