gscout73.. Very Pretty !

Everyone, your roses are beautiful!

I have been wanting to do bigger fuller roses after learning the Wilton way and using their 5 petal cutter. I agree with gscout73 that you want to thin out the edges out only. I'm going to try straight gumpaste that ShirleyW suggests.

ShrileyW, what size JEM cutters do you own and what sizes do you generally use together for a big full rose?

Thanks so much!
~julie~

BTW, I'm attaching my latest Wilton fondant roses. A couple have a cabbage feel but your tips well help on this.

First let me say that all you have an awesome talent for making the rose!! Just beautiful!!! I thought I had added a post to this earlier but it turned out that I made a whole NEW post!!! Anyhooo....here is my picture of my latest attempt at the fondant rose. Please give me your advise and opinions.....

Texan68,

I think it looks very good but I think you're thinning more than the outside edges. You only want to run the baller/balling tool on the edges of the petal...the edge that's going to be exposed, I see the "inside" of the petal being thinner...or is that just my imagination?

HTH or even makes sense.

I agree. You have the concept right. I will ask you what size petals you are using because if you try to attach large petals in the early stages, they will not work. The petals should gradually increase in size with each row. Then the thinning part comes in. I could not get the hang of that crazy 5 petal cutter. It was just way to much for me to handle.

I have the fondant/gum paste kit that instructs individual petals and I found it much easier. and the instruction book shows great pics that I found very easy to follow. I was able to make the carnations and the babies breaths from that kit as well.

Be aware that the more rows of petals you add may make your roses look more like cabbages.

I always use fondant as much as possible because people always want to eat the decorations. I fugure, why have them on there if they cannot be eaten??? (excpet for strings of pearls, those I still use fake)

I believe I have the 60 and 80 mm but they aren't marked as such on the cutters themselves. I don't have a measuring devise for mm, but the largest cutter is 4" across.

There are always lots of answers for every question it seems, but what it comes down to, is different things work for different folks!!!! It is always helpful to have all the suggestions, but in the end, we each find our own way with the terrific ideas that everyone shares. It is wonderful to have a place to go where everyone is so willing to share their time and ideas. I write a food column for a local paper, and the things I learn here are priceless!!! If you look under the Flowers gallery, you will see many pictures of roses all done with a different techniques, and all very lovely.
Thanks to everyone for sharing!!!
Lily

ShirleyW,

Do you start with one size around the rose center and then go up a size (rose cutter) for the next set like the culpitt tutorial says?

I think I have the thinning down but I want to make a bigger fuller more realistic rose. Mine are small because all I have is the Wilton rose cutter. I'm hoping to get some JEM cutters this weekend.

~Julie~

I do it a bit differently. I use the same size cutter twice and if I want a larger rose I cut separate petals with a single rose petal cutter and gum glue them in place. The edges are still thinned the same way. The largest Jem rose cutter makes a huge rose and if you want a nice video for large roses try Glenda Galvez's website. Includes her beaded edged bows as well.
http://www.auntglendascakes.com/video.html

Texan68, what I noticed about your rose is that it opens too quickly. The center should have a tighter spiral before opening up to the larger petals. When adding your larger petals, don't bend them back quite so far. It appears as if you are turning them inside out.


The centers of roses and most flowers is slightly lower than the outer petals. If your rose looks like a pine cone, then start placing the outer petals a little higher than the previous row. By the time you flare out the petals, then they will be at about the same level as the center.

When making your base cones, making them a little more pointed helps when adding the first few petals that will hide the cone. These petals are usually several millimeters higher than the tip of the cone. This will give a nice tight center to the rose.

I hope this helps. If you have any questions, you are welcome to PM me.

Michele

Thank you all for your help, tips, advise and most of all to all the links of helpful information!!! Shirley and Michele, along with everyone else on this site, you all do beautiful roses and bows. I really appreciate all the help! I haven't had a chance to practice, but soon as I can I will be posting my pictures of roses and bows!!

One other question, I'm doing a cake in a few weeks and would like you all to give me your opinion on this idea.....It will be a 4 tier stacked cake(14",10",8",6" Rounds). I'd like to make a big bow to go on top of the 6"round and a monogramed letter "S" on top of the bow. Do you all think it would look right?

I have attempted fondant roses only once, they were not the best, but I have heard that gumpaste is the way to go. thank you for posting the link.

IC

I just made my first roses this week. Thank you so so much to aine2's tutorial. I had to use the wilton cutters because that was all I had. I used the big one and I had to cut all of the separations between the petals which was really annoying. I definitely think having a good cutter and some graduated sizes would help. But for what I had I am really quite proud of them.

I had to make a couple roses before getting the hang of it. By the looks or your picture it seems is the edges of the petals are a little thick. Plus I think they look better when they are ruffled. The trick is to thin just the edge of the petal with a ball tool or similar. I am talking have half of the tool on the petal and half off. Otherwise it will thin, but not ruffle. I used straight gumpaste for mine.

I am so excited about making them again, but I want better cutters first. Take a lookie at my cake if you want

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1202805

WOW! Your roses came out great! I just bought some JEM easy rose cutters from sugarcraft and YES it is so much easier than using the Wilton cutter and having to separate each petal! I just need more practice.....

Merissa not only do I love your roses but that's an awesome cake as well!!! My problem is that I get impatient, but I am persisitant. I haven't had a chance to practice but I will this weekend!

Merissa,

Your roses do look great! Your cake is beautiful. I hope you don't mind...I might use a similar idea for a future cake or display cake.

Texan68,

I think you have a good but the letter might not stand on the bow...what about putting the letter in front of the bow?

Also, I find that doing cakes that are 3 inch in difference really helps so give enough of a "ledge". If you're doing BC it might not make a difference but it will definitely help with a fondant covered cake. See my latest cake with fondant roses...it's an 8inch and a 5inch.

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1191653

HTH
~Julie~