So is there a trick to this? I have the 6mm bead maker and I can't for the life of me get those things out without them tearing apart or having to pluck them out...then they get squished. I have tried corstarch and crisco...still ain't werkin'! Ugh!

I had the same problem the first time I tried it. You have to have verily stiff fondant and that helps. I also dusted the mold w/pearl lustre and that helped also. Add some powdered to your fondant and make a rope and let it set for a couple minutes before you try it and see if that helps. It worked better for me! Good Luck!

I know I have the same mold and I can't get it right either. It either won't come out or when it does it certainly does not stay together in a garland!

It helps make individual beads faster but I am hoping to figure out how to actually make the garlands correctly.

try this, roll little sausages of fondant and cut into 6" pieces, let them dry alittle, dust the mold with cornstarch or pearl dust, place the strip inside, close mold, trim off excess. open mold carefully,using a firm but soft paintbrush start brushing in, along the pearls, to release them, turn the mold around and do the other side, they should then fall out. Glenda Galvez has a great video showing how to make them and her pearl edged dress bows. www.auntglendascakes.com i think that is right.

I oil mine not to much though. Use a small paint brush then walla they fall right out. It doesn't hurt the fondant or mmf.

Oil that sounds like it might work according to the other info I have read about using shortening w/mmf etc. I'm going to try. The rope and letting them set for a short time and then dusting the mold w/pearl lustre works pretty good too. It does help if the fondant isnt too soft.

I have a bead-making mold too... I was so disappointed the first time I tried it. The beads were turning out in weird shapes!
But I find that using stiffer fondant, and letting it sit for a while before placing it in the mold really helps.
cakesondemand, what oil do you use? Can you please let me know? Thanks.
Karen

I just use vegatable oil or canola. I don't have to wait for the fondant to dry or have it thick just make sure you press the fondant into the mold if all beads are not uniform leave them in an press in more fondant to fill in the ones that didn't come out. That should work. Practice ,practice , practice. Once you get it you'll love it. Practice with mmf.

Good luck
Sharon

Hmm I'll have to try that...I usually use a bit of "Pam" spray while working with MMF so that might help doing beads, too.

Only will the pearl dust dust it correctly if it is a bit oily?

Well I'll have to give it another shot tomorrow. The fondant I was using was not very stiff...I had been practicing making ribbon roses so there was a bit of crisco mixed in. I did try the pearl dust but they still stuck. But tomorrow is a new day! Thanks for all the great info!

You can still use pearl dust the fondant dries even when using the oil also
I can't see why pam wouldn't work. A little bit of oil or crisco doesn't hurt
in fact fondant works better with it.

I like the Pam idea. Quick, more even and easier to apply. Do you use the pearl dust befor you spray or coat w/ oil?

I think maybe the crisco made the fondant too sticky. I'm not sure. Could be just cuz I'm new too. I was looking around on-line for a big bead maker, maybe one that makes them the size of a grape...do they make'em that big? I didnt see any on ebay, or maybe I just dont know where to look. ...???...
(Go Seahawks!)