ok. so, I'm fairly new to this and I'm making a cake that's supposed to have little squares stuck around the top of the cake but standing up if you know what I mean??!! They are half on the sides of the cake and half standing proud at the top. hope you understand!! They're supposed to be black so i bought the black paste, gummed it 1 tsp to 250g like I'd read but it's just not stiffening up at all. It's really sticky and every time I put them on they're falling over. I can't change the design cos she came to me with a specific picture. It's due tomor and I'm having a complete nightmare!! Are there any ways of drying it out?? I've cut out 200 squares and really don't think I've got time to re gum and cut etc.

Sorry I can't help; I'm having a difficult time imagining in my head what you're trying to do. If you're using gumpaste (I'm a little unclear about this), did you leave it overnight and it's still not dry?

I think you're talking about gumpaste. Not really sure. When I color gumpaste, I usually don't use the darker colors like red or black. I airbrush them. Everytime I've ever colored gumpaste extremely dark it gets sticky and won't dry or hold it's shape.
Seeing as how you already have it done and it has to stand up at the top, the only thing I've done in those situations is keep a fan blowing on it and after 6 hours I turn the peices over and do the same on that side. Maybe it will help, don't know about your humidity where you are.

Clueless as to what you're trying to describe. Do you have a picture??

Are you letting the squares dry off the cake before trying to stick them on? You need to place the squares on a piece of foam sponge or a cooling rack to allow air circulation. After several minutes, they should begin to stiffen. Considering how sticky the gumpaste is, it may take 30 minutes or more for them to stiffen enough to hold their shape.

For future reference, adding tylose to your gumpaste will help them dry faster and harder in about half the time. Also, rolling your gumpaste nice and thin will have your pieces dry in about 24 hours - I roll mine very thin, then cut and usually don't have to wait more than a 1/2 hour to have them rock hard. When colouring dark, you need to remember that black only needs to be coloured charcoal grey - in 24 hours it will be black. Too much colour added will make your gumpaste sticky and won't allow them to dry as quickly.
Malakin mentioned a fan - this will definitely work. If the pieces are firm enough to put on a cooling rack, put them on and place the fan where it will blow lightly on all the pieces. Turn after a few hours. They should be good to go. The pieces for the sides won't have to be completely dry to be applied, just keep the ones for the top row until last, since they need to stand on their own. FYI, if you have a food dehydrator, this will speed up the process a great deal. Much luck to you, can't wait to see the pics!

Thank you so much for your replies. I'm guessing I have a lot of learning to do on this subject!! Sorry for the poor description. I knew when I was writing it down it wasn't working but I just couldn't describe it. The woman gave me a pic out of a book n I don't have a scanner so cant upload it. I have a fan on them now so fingers crossed..........
I'm thinking my fault may have been with what I used, having read everone's replies. I'm not entirely sure what gumpaste is?? sorry to be a bit thick!! Whenever I've wanted something to hold it's shape but still be fairly edible I've always just used gum tragacanth in sugarpaste and it's done the trick. Is that what I've done wrong here?

I'm so confused because my white sugarpaste that I coloured and gummed has firmed up fine for the people I've made (who are now standing yay!) yet the black that I bought ready coloured and then gummed hasn't turned out the same.

Appreciate all your help guys. One day I'll get there. Will post pics once it's done. Be warned, they may be in the cake disaster forum!!