I like disposible bags, but they don't hold much.
I like cloth bags, but they always get sticky.
Lined cloth bags are ok, but I always find that the lining crack and shreds and the sticky gets throught anyway.

So... I would liek to use parchment most of all, but quite often when I try it the bag eventually slips and the hole at the tip grows really bug and teh coupler falls out. I've tried taping it, but tape doesn't stick to parchment very well.

What am I doing wrong?

Make sure that the two side come together evening in the back, then I fould the point down several times, I then add one piece of tape on the back where the two sides butt-up to oneanother (the really slipper side should be where the icing goes, so I don't usually have a problem with the tape sticking to the outside. Once I add the icing fold the top down several times to keep the bag tightly together. Hope this makes sense, good luck.

I use tape around the bottom of mine where the coupler goes and have never had an issue. In fact, that stuff wants to stay on there even when I'm done and trying to pull it off. I've noticed the only time I have an issue is when I've cut the whole too big. It seems like it fits, but is actually a tad too big. I never cut larger than the top thread of the coupler.

Sure- why not?? Why couldn't you? The very first class I ever took had us doing this... I don't know any different.

It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to not use couplers (and metal tips) with parchment bags, otherwise you can only do very limited piping and very limited use for the parchment bags!

Janice

Nope, not at all.

Someone on another board was trying convince me that the way you do it (using 2 bags) is faster than using couplers... I still don't get it and I tried it. What do you think?

I don't know. I haven't tried the couplers but if the bags don't come apart when you twist off the ring then I'd say using a coupler would be faster. It's like the plastic wrap trick with other types of bags...I always thought that would be more trouble than it was worth. I haven't tried that yet either though--LOL! I'm just pretty happy with my disposable bags. Fill'em and toss'em. Also...if there is enough icing left in the bag, I can store it that way and have a filled bag ready for next time.

Same here! I've also been known to leave my tips on too. Have to go hunt for them sometimes. Can't seem to ever have enough tips and couplers.

I have had so much trouble with the parchment bags...I sort of look like a cat with tape on it's paws...just can't coordinate myself with them! But, I have used the plastic wrap inside the decorator bags and I like that, doesn't seem to be too much of a hassle. I don't always use it that way, but if I'm doing a big project I do. A couple of times using the disposable bags I've blown out the side!

I believe that using two bags wastes a lot more icing than switching the tips, and that gets expensive! I have stored icing in the parchment bags a time or two, but if you leave it for more than a day or two they get a little soggy, but generally still usable.

I also get a little frustrated with the parchment bags, but found if I use one of those really small staplers and staple the three top ends, it helps me a lot. Once the couplers and tips have been put on the parchment bags, they don't come apart when you take off the coupler cap and the tip. Another thing I figured out is that if you cut the excess off of any of the bags (to make them fit the coupler), if you cut on a curve and not straight across, they will fit the coupler much better.

That's probably more than 2 cents worth, isn't it?
Janice

At least once I was glad I'd put away bag and tip and all! While putting the cake into it's box, I managed to do a number on about a 6 inch portion on the corner of the cake, so it was simple to just take the stored bag out of the container and repair the cake, which was being picked up within 15 or 20 minutes!

Lesson #4,587,658, leave the front side of the box open until the cake is inside, THEN fold that flap up and close, and tape, the box! Janice

Ya-huh!!!! I can't believe how many try to place the cake in or take it out with all four sides up. Not Me!!!!

Not me either...anymore--LOL! I was just starting to box cakes. I went ahead and put the box together and then tried lifting the cake by the sides to put it in the box. Well my cake board folded in half like a book! My heart dropped When I laid the cake down it had a huge crack through the center. I filled it in with BC, smoothed it and until you cut it...you'd never of known what a newbie I was. Lesson learned!

Slide that baby in... slide, baby, slide!!!!!

Sliding ever since! I worry sometimes though that people who get the cakes will try to lift them out by the sides. I usually tell them to slide the cake out. I've also started doubling my boards. No more unintentional book cakes for me.

I agree..I'd rather be safe than sorry!

maybe need to slide

just slide, baby