I have some random questions that I have been wondering about, It would be nice if you can answer one.....or two.....or all of them

1) Where do yo buy your icing tips?
2) How do you do the fondant rope names?(example pic attached is Kello's)
3)How do you get the 'soft serve' swirl effect on cupcakes? (pic attached is Jessfmaldonado's)

For the names...some people roll them into ropes by hand and then shape them...mine always end up lumpy that way! So most people use a clay extruder or "gun" it pushes your fondant or gumpaste through different shaped or sized discs to make ropes then you shape.

for the cupcakes...i use (i think) a 2d icing tip (large open star) and start on the outside and swirl in.

i get my tips from hobby lobby or michael's or sometimes a local cake shop.

hth.

I have 2 tips I use to get the swirl effect..tip 1M and 4B..I bought mine on a few cake decorating online cake sites...To do the fondant names you simply roll the fondant out really long like a skinny snake and start forming the name.Let it dry for a few days.Attach skewers or whatever if you plan to stick it into a cake.It isn't hard just a bit tricky to get the letters whimsical.

I use a huge tip #324 to get a nice swirl top and I think they use a clay gun or something like that to pipe a perfect tube and then braid together other wise by hand would be real nasty! I buy my tips from a cake supply store in my city, you can buy these online as well lots of ppl do. Good luck

I can answer a couple of them for you.

1. I usually buy my tips and Michael's/Hobby Lobby. I use Wilton ones and if those places don't have them, then I order from Wilton's website.
2. this is the one I don't know.
3. That look is usually done with a star tip. I use the 1M tip for a cupcake.

Hope this helps.

Thanks so much everyone!!!!
Would anyone like to share websites with the best deal on extruders and tips? or any website with extruders and tips???

I was looking into the extruder a few weeks ago and the consensus seemed to be that the Makin Clay Extruder was the best and easiest to use and cost $20 and came with 25 discs (to make different types of ropes and such) You can find it on tons of websites just google it and I think it may even be available at Michaels. HTH.

The best extruder (IMO) is the Makins Green "T" extruder. I got mine from cakeconnection.com - I work at Michaels and ours doens't carry it. (although they DO carry a set of discs for it - go figure??)