Supporting Gumpaste/fondant Booties While They Dry
Decorating By forjenns Updated 28 Feb 2013 , 2:01pm by GixxerChick
My first attempt at making booties turned out not too bad except for one thing.
I don't know how to support them while they dry. Once I attached the toe to the bottom I stuffed cotton balls to hold the shape but the final result was a lumpy toe. Luckily I was making sneakers and was able to hide it with a second layer over the toe. When all was said and done the cotton balls stuck to the gumpaste and I couldn't really dig all of it out so there was stragglers.
How do you support something like this while it dries?
TIA
Jennifer
You used to much glue if it stuck, and left stragglers. I don't know of what else to recommend, besides plastic wrap, but that can keep it from drying, if it restricts the air flow (what it was MADE for, lol)
FYI, if you have a lot of stragglers anyway, use a lighter to burn them off. Do it quickly, and make sure you don't hold the flame on the paste, or you'll ruin it, but it helps if you do it properly. (Annabakescakes assumes no liability for individual results, use a lighter at your own discretion!)
You'll want to start with fairly stiff gum paste for something like that. Something that will fairly keep it's shape without much help from cotton balls. If the cotton balls are making lumps and marks, what you're using is too soft and/or your piece is too thin. I use torn up paper towels, and it's really only there as backup, as the gum paste I am using is already pretty stiff and holding shape on it's own. No more cotton balls, those are stringy and messy...paper towels won't leave a mess behind.
Paper towels will not stick like cotton balls...Use a soft paper towel like viva, use small amounts to fill the shoes...this will work much better for you in the future!
BTW what kind of glue are you using? I use water with a bit of tylose and get it to a thick syrup like consistency.
You'll want to start with fairly stiff gum paste for something like that. Something that will fairly keep it's shape without much help from cotton balls. If the cotton balls are making lumps and marks, what you're using is too soft and/or your piece is too thin. I use torn up paper towels, and it's really only there as backup, as the gum paste I am using is already pretty stiff and holding shape on it's own. No more cotton balls, those are stringy and messy...paper towels won't leave a mess behind.
This has been my experience too. I generally hold it in shape for 2-3 minutes with no stuffing. If you are making a larger bootie, you may need the paper towels, but tear them in tiny pieces and stuff them in with some tweezer. I use all gumpaste for booties. I think when I used the wilton gumpaste I had to add tylose to it, but I didn't have to add anything to Satin Ice gumpaste.
I made a pair of baby converse shoes last weekend. It took a bit of manipulating, but I used tin-foil. I folded a piece over and over (to give it more strength) until I had the right size, and then just worked it with my fingers until I had the right shape to support the toe and tongue. Then, I rolled up a paper towel and bent it into an "L" shape, so that the vertical part supported the heel and ankle, and the horizontal part helped to support the foil which was at an angle to support the tongue. "Whew!" I hope that made sense. If your gumpaste/fondant is too thin, it will show all the bumps below it, just like when you cover a cake, so be sure it is a good sturdy thickness.
1/8" should be just fine. I used fondant to make mine. Wilton fondant. I have tried using "Duff" fondant, but it's way too soft and stretchy. Wilton and Duff are the only ones available within 100 miles of me. I have to place online orders for Satin Ice.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%