I'm making a cake for a book signing (children's story) the cake is to look like a dust mop. I need some advice as to how to make fondant strings to look like the mop strings. I thought that a pasta machine would be great, I don't have any friends that own one. I thought maybe a play-doh factory, but they look so cheezy.
I usually do cakes for fun, but this one I'm charging for......help here too, please. there will be a full sheet cake, plus another cake about 9 x 18 for the mop which will have shoes and eyeballs.
Help please, much thanks - Pati

I have a clay extruder that I use to make strings. Do you have a garlic press?
I haven't done one but you may be able to get away with doing this:
Roll a strip of fondant 5" wide and 10" long.
fringe it with a pizza cutter/knife leaving 1/2" at top not cut.
pinch the tips of the strings so they are not flat or even twist them a few times to give them a curl.
place a piece of brown fondant rolled out into a sauage for the handle (however long you want it) and either end on the 1/2" uncut section then roll the fondant around the mop handle.
Fluff out the mop strings

An extruder would be a good investment and it's not too expensive. This is the cheapest I've found it:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018BOXWQ/?tag=cakecentral-20

I got the idea from Earlene's website but a cookie press w/ the rope disk is great to produce string or rope like fondant. It depends on how large you want the strings or rope to be. I know I had a cookie press hanging out around my house that I hadn't used and they're relatively easy to find (pretty cheap too.)

In regards to the pricing I have NO idea (I've never sold any cakes myself at this point) but there are a couple pricing spreadsheets in the "cake decorating business." I've taken a peak at them and they pretty much have you add up how much your supplies cost, how much you charge for your time, and (from look at enough other threads) you are supposed to include prices for like electric and utilities. You may wanna check out that section for $ ideas.
HTH and best of luck!!!!!