AI'm going to start (trying) to work with gum paste. There are so many tools and kits online, I don't know where to start and don't want to waste money. So my question, to those of you who work with gum paste to make flowers, what are your must have tools? Thank you!

Foam pads, a ball tool, petal cutters and something to hold the flowers while they dry (either bought flower forming cups or I make them myself)

Hi ! I'm such a newbie to gum paste but I love it!! I started watching You tube videos first and some of them would state would tools they would be using, so I jumped onto ebay and bought myself a basic tool kit which had:

1.Ball tool

2.Cone tool

3.Shell and Blade tool

4.Wheel tool

5.Bone tool

6.Fluting and Veining tool

7.Scallop and Comb tool

No, I haven't used them all yet but I sure can't wait to try!!

These immediately come to my mind:

A smooth non-stick mat to roll the gumpaste on

A small smooth roller

A gum paste storage board

A good set of basic gum paste modeling tools

A good basic set of flower cutters

Leaf veiner

Fabric coated floral wires in various gauges and in green and white

Moss green and white floral tape

A selection of stamens

Nitrile or like gloves for protecting hands when coloring gum paste or dusting flowers

To dry you flowers/petals/leaves don’t spend a fortune on formers go to your produce department in your grocery store and ask for the inserts that the apple, oranges and other fruit come in they are perfect… 

AFor drying wired flowers and leaves I use those shelf organizer racks that have the wire cross pieces and just hang my flowers and leaves upside down on those. You can fit a lot on just one of them and you can often find them at yard sales. I have four of them and when I am doing a large project they are often all in use. When not in use, they stack together to take up very little room.

For non wired flowers and leaves I use heavy duty aluminum foil that I have doubled and pressed into the cavities of regular sized cupcake tins and mini ones. I have dozens of them made up and just keep them stacked when not in use.

I'm about to venture into making gum paste flowers, so this thread is very helpful. Thanks so much! 

-Fruit holders for flowers formers like thebrat says

-Foamcore from the craft store instead of the padding-type mats...they have better surfaces to press on

-Basic sert of rose petal cutters (quick rose is good)

-Ball tools that are meant to be used for clay, one-piece handles, not the two-piece ones that can break.

-plastic wrap and baggies

-small scissors with a pointed tip, not rounded

-pizza cutter with a dullish blade

-fabric floral wire

-pasta roller if you can afford it, it helps to roll things out best

AThank you all. I've done some research, but like I said, I don't want to buy stuff I don't need. It sounds like I've got my Amazon cart filled with the right stuff.

AI do have a few things, foamcore, all the stuff that comes in the ultimate wilton kit.

I take pride in the fact my best asset in my little cake world is my flowers. That being said there is a few pieces of advice I have.

1. Metal ball tools with NO seams! This is something I cannot stress enough!

2. a firm petal mat that is large, mine is huge 7.5 in x 7.5 in

3. metal petal cutters. much cleaner cuts and less work later

4. Don't bother with 20 different veining mats, get one for petals and one for leaves. I have a million of them, I use two (I have a set of silicone calla lilly petal veiners and I press every petal in it, doesn't matter which flower and I have had great success, then I have a large rose leaf mat, same thing, multi leaf shapes, same mat.

5. craft store, floral department, floral wire, make sure you think before you buy. heavier gauge wire supports heavy multi level flowers, be aware of what you are making and what strength of wire you need. Not all wire is the same.

6. All of my other tools came from the sculpting section or various craft stores and online searches. If it works for sculpy it works for gum paste and fondant.

7. as dangerous as this sounds I use a long straight razor, I have loads of different kinds, but the long, handle less razor work the best.

8. a box of ziplock bags

9. a cardboard box filled with poly fill

10. cups and tin foil

11. save every egg carton you ever get from here on out

I can keep going if anyone wants me too. I just don't want to if no one needs it :) I can even explain each item and what I do in detail. :) just let me know and I will

A

I am open to any and all advice you are willing to give. Thank you so much!

Cakespirations - I'm intrigued what you use the razor for. I think a lot of us would be appreciative of any information you're willing to give. Your flowers are beautiful.

I use the razor to clean up edges that came out gunky from the petal cutters, I use it to trim off the wad of gum paste that builds up on some flowers with multiple layers that i need to lay flat, I use it to scrape my bench area (small area) where I am rolling out the gumpaste so it doesn't stick, I use it to trim fondant, I use it to cut excess off of molds. I can go on forever. it is a straight long rectangle with no edges so it is perfectly flush to the table or I use the edge for detail work. I have a bunch of them and go through one a month, but at 2-3 dollars at AC moore, it is worth it. I find them in the wood section of all places. It is steel so I just bring it home, boil a cup of water in the micro and drop it in for a few seconds. Oil it with a little sweetex and off I go till it dulls.

I am off to church with the munchkins, when I get back I will post more info on flowers :) I just had a second to look in this morning :)

Hi, I have always used the jem brand products....they have pretty much everything you need or want.

the tools are seamless. I started with the book that goes with their cutters and it has very nice step-by-step

instructions...It is "sugar flowers" by Jill Maythem.    Just my opinion.....:)