This is my first post to the forum. I have been looking at cake pictures in the gallery for about two weeks! They are super, such talent everyone has! I finally posted my first cake picture from Wilton Course I yesterday in the first cakes section.

Now for my "need help" dilemma...I am disabled and also have fibromyalgia, and have just a tiny(!) bit of shaking in my hands. I find that I am having a terrible time creating roses out of butter creme using the nail. I guess it is just a practice issue at this point...and being unable to turn the nail while squeezing the piping bag without the rose just being a big mess. I am using the basic Wilton "student" recipe for bc. The other problem that I am experiencing is that I am having trouble getting the correct consistancy or stiffness of the bc to make the roses. I can't seem to come up with the right formula...either it is too stiff/dry and the edges crack and my hand cramps up. Or I have added too much water and the rose, although easier to pipe, just melts into a blob after I am done. For the life of me, I can't get this right! Anyone have any tips on how to judge the icing for roses suitabililty?

Any help is appreciated.

Well, I for one hate the nail, I like to pipe mine right on the cake, saves some hassle. I've also never been able to get my consistency 'just right' so I've made myself learn to make a rose with all consistencies (except when it's like soup ). Here's a few videos that might help:
Roses

I have several other videos showing me making roses but the one I listed focusses on just roses.

Uuggggggg I had a long reply all typed up and when I tried to send it google said there was a broken link and it wiped out the whole thing Let's try again:
With your disability you are going to have to practice harder
Make sure you are using an 8 or 10" pastry bag and fill it only 1/2 full. This should help w/the squeezing/control factor.
Is your mound the right size & shape? Is it the same as a Hershey's Kiss? Some people say they just use the Kiss instead of making a mound but you should learn how to get it properly made because not all people will like a choco center to their rose.....yah, I know stupid people don't like choco! If you icing is too stiff the mound might not stick to the nail; could be pushed off the nail when you try to add the petals.
Beginners usually have the most trouble w/petals having jagged edges. It is a combination of not squeezing hard enough while not turning the nail fast enough.
If you are following the Wilton class bc recipe for stiff icing you should have the perfect consistency for roses. If you find it too stiff, instead of adding more liquid....add a bit more Crisco so it is creamy instead of thin. It won't take much -- about a tablespoon per cup of icing. Try these hints; see if that doesn't help you.

Thanks for your suggestions. SC, I have downloaded all of your youtube videos, plus about 25 others I found to be so helpful. I will just continute to practice. The shaking hands may be helped by doing the roses right on the cake and avoiding the possibility of dropping the rose on my work surface. I thought I would buy a small can of the Wilton stuff to play with and to get used to the consistancy. I did practice over the weekend and I am getting better, but that is relative to how bad I was at class! I have signed up for Course II which starts tonight, I can't wait!

Hugs

Hello! I recommend my students buy a small container of the ready to use Wilton Icing - the one with the roses on the front. It is of a perfect consistency at room temp. When you are working with stiff, only fill your bag with enought to fit in the palm of your hand and so you can close your four fingers down over the front of the bag. Keep a nice tight twist in your bag at the place where the icing is filled to. An over-full bag makes it really difficult to squeeze for any length of time with any force. When you have good squeezing power, you will get smoother petal edges. Enjoy your Course II. It is really a fun course. HTH.