Did you see the new plastic ones from wilton? They are a set of three I think, including one to hold a cupcake....I love mine, they screw onto the stem...my metal ones are always rusting so I quit using them. This set has small medium and large.
I thought those cupcake nails were so clever. I wonder if I could get the hang of using one?
It makes it easier for me. Mine are not perfect but I am improving.
You people who use a stick, how do you get the rose off the stick? What do you put it on? Directly on to the cake or on a plate to dry out?
I have always made my roses on a square of waxed paper stuck to the flower nail with icing. I pull off the wax paper and set it down (with the rose on it) on a tray to dry out or to freeze.
I tried only once to take it off the nail with those scissor-lifter things and when I opened it back up it pulled the rose apart with it. I quit too fast. Any tricks on using that tool?
I tried only once to take it off the nail with those scissor-lifter things and when I opened it back up it pulled the rose apart with it. I quit too fast. Any tricks on using that tool?
Yep.
Don't open it back up. Juse the tip of your nail to just sort of hold the rose in place over the cake where you want it and slide the closed scissors back out. It works quite nicely.
On the other hand, freezing the flowers for ten minutes--i use my small cutting board since it's VERY easy to find a place for it in the freezer--works SO MUCH BETTER that I will probably never use the scissors again, especially since it works on every flower I know how to make, and every form of buttercream.
You people who use a stick, how do you get the rose off the stick? What do you put it on? Directly on to the cake or on a plate to dry out?
I have always made my roses on a square of waxed paper stuck to the flower nail with icing. I pull off the wax paper and set it down (with the rose on it) on a tray to dry out or to freeze.
I tried only once to take it off the nail with those scissor-lifter things and when I opened it back up it pulled the rose apart with it. I quit too fast. Any tricks on using that tool?
Make sure the stick has sharpened ends (at the bottom and top). Make the rose on the stick, and then place your wax paper at the bottom of the stick, center it and slide it up the stick, all the way lifting the rose off the stick on the wax paper..... tada 
What a great idea. I would have never thought of the waxed paper sliding up the stick trick.
These tips have been so helpful! I tried making some roses again tonight and they look so much better after I tried some of the techniques you all listed. The most helpful one was to not move the hand that holds the bag and to let the twirling do the work! This place rocks!
I am a stick user. I place my scizzors under the rose and slightly twist the stick as I slide the rose to the top of the stick with the scizzors. This makes a clean removal. I also sat with a bag of icing and watched every youtube available. Being a lefty was my challenge when watching. I work at a bakery so was very fortunate to have every person show me "their" technique. Eventually you will get your "ah ha" moment! Good luck.
Great advice for BC roses. But I never really worry about each one being exactly the same size and its friends - no 2 roses are identical. My motto is: Nothing in Nature is perfect, but Nature, herself, is perfect.
For fondant roses, I had one instructor who recommended using small styrofoam balls for the centre, rather than rolling your own - with the toothpick suck in as usual. That way, they are all the same size to start out. A little bit of gum glue to stick and you're on your way to beautiful, equally sized, fondant roses.
Good luck!
Hershey Kisses are a godsend to making nice roses 
. And a sweet surprise when eaten.
For me personally, I'll make roses all day long out of RI...I love doing that at night after the kids are in bed. I get into a lovely rose groove. However, I'd rather ghouge my eyes out with a spork before making the same roses out of BC. Hate it, hate it, HATE IT! The closeup of my avatar is of RI flowers on a cake I did two years ago.
I took the wilton course specifically to learn how to do a rose. I nearly cried over the angst it caused me! What worked for me was to use the wilton canned icing. I can't make a rose to save my life with my normal buttercream, but use the canned wilton icing and tada easy peasy. Too bad it tastes horrible. I think I read somewhere that adding a little more shortening to your icing may help...haven't tried it though.
For fondant roses, I had one instructor who recommended using small styrofoam balls for the centre, rather than rolling your own - with the toothpick suck in as usual. That way, they are all the same size to start out. A little bit of gum glue to stick and you're on your way to beautiful, equally sized, fondant roses.
Then they are not edible; I hope your customer knows and tells the people eating the cake!
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