Hello all

Ok...I'm so new, I'm Shiney...chuckle... I intend to take all four of the Wilton Decorating Classes at my local Michael's store. Here is my question... While browsing through the Wilton online store, and at Michael's I saw a large caddy that looks like it has a LOT of the required items in it that would be needed for most cake decorating for about $130.00 I am thinking that the caddy might actually be a better value then buying each of the individual kits for the classes. Then just pick up any specific things that I need for that class. So can someone help a newbie out here with a little advice. Which would be best to buy? Or...are the kits necessary... It seems to me from reading some reviews that I will want to buy additional things that are not provided in the kits...and the caddy seems pretty complete...

Thanks!
Pat

That caddy is a great deal. I always recommend it to my students. Especially if you have a 40% off coupon. It's cheaper than buying everything separately. Unfortunately, it doesn't have everything you need in it for all 4 classes. You would still need to purchase the individual kits (except the Course 1 kit). Whether you purchase it or not really depends on how serious you are about decorating and what your budget will allow you to buy. Look at all the items in it and decide if they are things that you are going to be buying anyway. Also, once you take your first lesson and see the instructor demonstrate and talk about some of the products in the caddy, you will want it even more!
Renae

The tool caddy is a great buy, with a coupon, if you think you will really enjoy cake decorating. I'd hold off on it until after the first night of Course one because you will see alot of the tools in it in use that night.

It will replace the course 1 kit, but there are alot of parts in the other kits that are not in it. Sure you can buy pieces here and there, but the kits will be a cheaper vaule than buying parts to make up the kits.

So if you buy the 101 piece caddy, you will still need to purchase the Course 2 and 3 kits as well as the Fondant and Gum Paste one.

The more you have of each tool, the better off you will be during your cake adventures. You don't have to rinse a tool just because you have a different color icing to change to. Invest in multiple tips, couplers, etc.

Buy the caddy w/ coupon, and buy the kits.

Thank you all for your responses. Yes, I think I will be buying the kit. Those coupons ya'll were talking about...they are in the Saturday paper? I would REALLY like to get one of those!

Thanks again,
Pat <~~~hope to Earn that hat one day...

Sometimes they put them in every week and sometimes they don't. You just have to watch your local newspaper and check to see if they put one in that week. You won't regret buying the "big" caddy... to me, you can never have too many tips/bags, etc ... the kit is great and a lot of my students buy it ... good luck with your classes!! I hope you learn a lot and enjoy them

I'm not an instructor, but here is my input! lol

You can never have too many tips! So, purchase the individual kits as well as the tool caddy, especially if you are serious about cake decorating. Believe me, I have wished that I had even MORE than a couple of some tips!

As for the 40% coupon, I know that Hobby Lobby has one that you can get off their website, or you can subscribe to their weekly sales "paper" and get it in your inbox. It is not on the sale paper in the store - only via the internet. Plus, HL (I think Michaels does too?) offers a 10% discount to anyone in any of the classes when buying purchases for that class. You can only use the 40% coupon once a day for the week it is good for. I don't know about Michael's.

I don't think you need to buy all the kits on top of the caddy. I think in course two I only had them buy one or maybe two tips. Three had a couple more things that you needed. That I would get only if you had a 40% off. I think Michaels isn't allowing 40% off of thier wilton class kits anymore. I could be wrong though. You can get that in the Sunday paper. I sometimes just tell them that I forgot my coupon and they have you write on a paper stating that and then they give you 40% off.
I didn't teach the Gumpaste class so I can't tell you there. I heard it wasn't that good of a class anyway. Good Luck in the classes. They should be alot of fun.

I'm a Michaels Wilton Instructor and Michaels reversed their policy of not allowing the 40% off coupon to be used towards a Course kit. Effective July 15th, the 40% off coupons can again be used to purchase any Course kit.

And I also recommend getting the loaded caddy if you have been bitten by the cake bug. It's well worth it.