I am having a brain freeze and need some help. I am looking for the technique that looks like pinched or puckered strips of fondant on a cake. The overall look is like a "puffy" diamond look. Kind of. At a loss for how to describe it. Need some pics because I want to show a client what I am talking about! If anyone can figure out what I am talking about, I'd be so grateful! Thanks!!

Billowing technique. HTH

Billowing Technique: http://thejoyofcake.shutterfly.com/tutorials/4

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Thanks chunkee monkee and OP for asking the question! I have bookmarked that technique. How lovely of {thejoyof}cake to post that tutorial.

forgive me if this is a dumb question, but i'm a novice here lol.

would this work on a buttercream cake instead of a fondant covered cake? would you still use the piping gel as glue (after BC crusts), or would you be able to utilize the buttercream to make it stick (before it crusted)?

thanks!

I have to try that one day, thanks for the link.

here is it again but slightly different...gold buttons

Calicopurr--thanks so much for that pic. Wow--that looks like a cake for Royalty. Would you mind providing the link so I may see the entire cake?

There's no other pic of that billowing.
http://www.cakefu.com/ossas-2011-fabric-inspired-cakes/

http://www.cakefu.com/ossas

Thank you to both of you for posting the link. I watched the CakeFu live show yesterday and really enjoyed it. I hadn't checked back to see the newest cake photos. My favorite of that bunch was definitely the fabric topsy turvy. What an amazing level of skill.

Tufted Billow Weave Technique (c) by Susan Trianos.

She did a step by step tutorial for cake central magazine but the magazine has not come out yet. She has taught it at the Baking & Sweets show and offers private lessons through BGC.

Here's her site with photos of what the original technique looks like, it's really beautiful. http://www.susantrianoscakes.com/wedding-cakes/

Chunkeemonkee: How on earh would you figure how much fondant to use on that kind of look? It looks like there would be quite a bit more fondant for that tier than usual.

@cakenovice thank you for posting info about susan trianos, her wedding cakes are beautiful and pristine, had heard her name but had never looked up. Her cakes are brilliant!

I know, aren't they gorgeous? She's really very lovely in person too.

well you are certainly moving away from being a novice, your billowing cake is gorgeous and your other cakes are exceptionally executed. @cakenovice.

Has anyone successfully done this technique on a crusted buttercream cake?

Don't forget that swags and drapes are very different. The first pics in this thread are drapes. They are spectacular, but they are drapes.