So I have been doing cakes for about 2 years. Off and on usually, only when someone I know needs one, but I have usually done fontant because I am so intimitated with piping. I know practice, practice, practice but piping with my left hand and not being able to see what I am doing until my hand is out of the way is just frustrating 
. I have put it off but want to learn so if any of you left handers or any one that has a good idea to fix this issue please let me know. Thanks.
OMG, I was just wondering if there's a thread for lefties! LOL
Is there a particular thing you're having problems with or is it everything? I just purchased Wilton class books on clearance and I noticed they have directions for us lefties. Have you read those?
Like nearly everything else in this right-handed world, I usually study what a righty does, look at the end result, and adapt from there. For example: the shell border. Instead of working left to right, I work right to left. It turns out that's exactly what Wilton says to do.
I was just wondering about left-handed piping, too! I have trouble not being able to see what I'm doing. Very frustrating. I'm slowly learning to work right to left, as well. Seems to work better, but it's odd trying to re-learn things backwards 
I'm an instructor who happens to be left-handed (although very ambidextrous so I can manage both left- and right-handed piping equally well).
The Wilton practice sheets and books are definitely very good at giving directions for both left- and right-handed decorators, so those can be a good start.
When writing in cursive on cakes I find it easiest to tilt the cake so that the upper left corner is much higher than the upper right corner (same tilt applies to round cakes, but just imagine that your cake has corners). Most lefties also tend to find it easier to hold the bag at a 90-degree angle to the cake when writing in cursive.
For most other types of piping, you'll definitely find it easier to work right to left! If you've been taught the other way it may be awkward at first, but once you see how much easier it becomes I think you'll find it worth the effort.
I am right-handed, but I taught myself to write with my left. And I found that writing backwards worked better for me. I know, that sounds really weird, but... Whether or not you write with your left or right, you have to plan the space for the writing anyway.
The other option is to cut your letters out of fondant (or GP). Either tappits or the small letter cutters . i prefer those, because my writing is terrible!!!!
Im a lefty 
and i cant write, on paper or cake if its straight in front of me , I used to get in such trouble at school for turning all my books side ways, its the only way i can do it with it looking like i scrawled it with my foot lol
Another leftie here. I am taking the Wilton courses now. The instructor asked if there were any left handed people in the class. And of course I was the only one. 
The Wilton books are great for giving tips for left-handed piping. It helps to learn it that way right off the bat instead of relearning. They also sell left-handed tips for some things that need that kind of tip. I haven't had the need to get one yet. But then again I have yet to finish my first rose, let along get the base correct. I'm still practicing.
My question is will being left handed be a deterrent in getting hired decorating cakes. Recently there was a lady who had an opening in my area. I didn't get the job due to being a very new beginner. But I'm wondering what she would have said had I told her I was a lefty. After all some border shells would be piped in the opposite direction. Is that important to the overall look of the cake?
I think I will try that right to left thing. It's mainly only the writing that bothers me. I need to practice my piping anyway but the writing is what was holding me back from doing it. It will probably take some getting used to but that's where the "practice" will come in handy.
I took all the Wilton classes offered and when my instructor asked if there were any lefties I was the only one. She didn't look pleased but she taught me the best she could lol 
Thanks for the tips all. I felt like I was the only one. I do tend to turn my paper sideways when I write so I may have to try that sideways thing as well. Thank you! You guys gave me the motivation to start piping! 
I just remembered that I have this in my bookmarks. It shows how to do the rose left-handed.
http://donnascraftycreations.blogspot.com/2009/05/icing-flowers-for-left-handed-decorator.html
If the link doesn't show, it's donnas crafty creations on blogspot.
I think I will try that right to left thing. It's mainly only the writing that bothers me. I need to practice my piping anyway but the writing is what was holding me back from doing it. It will probably take some getting used to but that's where the "practice" will come in handy.
I took all the Wilton classes offered and when my instructor asked if there were any lefties I was the only one. She didn't look pleased but she taught me the best she could lol
Thanks for the tips all. I felt like I was the only one. I do tend to turn my paper sideways when I write so I may have to try that sideways thing as well. Thank you! You guys gave me the motivation to start piping!
Yeah, you get used to the look after a while. You also get used to people thinking you are some kind of freaky circus act when you do things like write, cut with scissors or knife, etc.
When we practiced writing in class I turned my board like I do with paper. I turn it so that the paper to is all the way to the right instead of straight up and down on a table. It freaks some people out to see me do that - oh well. I don't write with my hand hooked like Obama does, so that may be the reason why. I was lucky in grade school our principal was a lefty. I can still remember the day he came to our class and in front of the whole class he showed how he wrote left handed in order to avoid the hook writing thing. Now of course there was only two of in the class who were left handed, he could have pulled us aside, but that's another story. If it wasn't for him, I probably would have written with a hooked hand. The other kid in my class was not so quick to catch on. I remember him struggling as the teacher tried to "force" him to write without a hook.
Sorry off topic.
But - my son thinks my new GD is going to be left handed. at three months she is grabbing everything with her left. Yay!
Linda being a lefty won't keep you from getting a job only lack of skill <g> As long as you can make a cake beautiful then it shouldn't matter which way you decorate a cake. I'm a lefty and worked lots of different places before starting my own business and had no trouble.
cakechica good luck with the writing just keep saying I think I can, I think I can and you'll have it down in no time!
I'm also a fellow leftie
I either make an imprint with a message press first (Wilton and a number of other companies offer them), or I print the message out from my computer and prick the design onto my cake with a corsage pin. Once I have my message layed out I pipe from right to left and follow either the imprint, or prick marks. HTH
I have always been proud to be left handed. I liked being diffrent and it's never bothered me. Until cake decorating came into my life. This was the first time I wished I was right handed. I am a strong person and as long as I practice I will do it. I do have a new respect for left handed cake decorators that's for sure. And I know I will be a proud left handed cake decorator in the future. Making goals keeps me going.
its weird, but for all im a leftie, i do every thing with my right hand besides writing . . Ive no idea why, But when it comes down to writing on a cake . . I cant do it, im not brave enough . . I have several different tappits for that purpose lol! they really have been a life saver of turning my cakes into neat elegance instead of a cake wreck lol
I'm a leftie and I just became a WMI!! I'm pretty sure I'll be one of the few lefties in the class. HaHa!!
When I took my Wilton classes the instructor always said, "Sit across from me and that is how you'll see what I am doing."
its weird, but for all im a leftie, i do every thing with my right hand besides writing . . Ive no idea why, But when it comes down to writing on a cake . . I cant do it, im not brave enough . . I have several different tappits for that purpose lol! they really have been a life saver of turning my cakes into neat elegance instead of a cake wreck lol
Off topic, but I know what you mean! I'm about half-and-half (sports I play right handed...all of them). I think my dad just automatically taught me to throw right handed, and there you have it 
...and I just got my first set of tappits, and I'm in love. My handwriting stinks on paper, much less on cake.
I'm a leftie and I just became a WMI!! I'm pretty sure I'll be one of the few lefties in the class. HaHa!!
When I took my Wilton classes the instructor always said, "Sit across from me and that is how you'll see what I am doing."
That's how I teach people to knit and crochet and it's also I learned to do lots of stuff. It confuses people, but it's always worked for me. For some reason, they don't understand why it work.
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