I am doing a cake that has 8" satellites that will have stripes on them. I want the stripes to be 1" wide, how do I figure out how to space them, and what do you do to make sure they are straight.

I also have a 12" round that I need to figure out too.

Thanks for your help,

Marilyn

I would make a template--cut a circle of parchment the size of the cake and the fold it into wedges until you get the pattern/spacing you want. Put that on top of the cake to gently mark where the stripes would go.

I'm sure someone has a template but I don't have the link.

Kristy

When I do strips like that I would just put the first two across from each other (straight line) then do the next two across them (think plus sign) then fill in betwee those spots. It helps to quarter off your cake and work from there. If you just start on one side and work your way around, you end up with either too big or two small a spot in the end.

my problem with this is that my strips end up getting distorted and thin out getting them from counter to the cake. in other words i cut all the strips, lets say one inch, and half end up being 3/4 inch or thinner. how can i avoid this?

Speaking of stripes... what does everyone find to be the best means to cut them out of fondant/gumpaste....do you use rulers and a knife or pizza cutter, or do you us one of those rollers... I have one roller where you can change the spacing from Wilton, but I absolutely hate it... piece of junk!

I have the Wilton roller and love it. I've learned that you have to push pretty hard to get it to cut well and you have to control how tight the nut on the end gets (to keep the roller actually rolling and not dragging) but my stripes are cut perfectly every time.

Get a real cutter, like this: http://www.cakecarousel.com/cakecarousel/images/product/1271194247_FMM%20Ribbon%20Cutter%2043-C240%20lg.jpg

I use a plastic pizza type cutter. That way it won't cut my mat. Here's the tutorial that I used when learning to do stripes.
http://tortentante.blogspot.com/2009/03/anleitung-streifentorte-mit-schleife.html

Thanks for the stripes cutting tips!

Thank you!!!!

Thanks for all of the help, it's good to know that I'm not the only one that struggles with stripes. It's one of those things that when you are on, you are on, and when your not, oh boy!

What are satellites? This question was very helpfull to me too.

I do what TexasSugar does and cut with a cutter like the one KimmyKakes4Me posted.

Oh, and to keep the stripes from distorting, roll the stripe onto your rolling pin and then unroll it as you apply it to the cake.

Great idea, I had never heard of that one. You learn something new everyday! I will give it a try.

Thanks