Still a newbie (love everything that is posted and all the wonderful things done on here, by the way)......what the heck is brushed embroidery.....it looks beautiful but what is it and how do u do it?!?
its simple really. outline your flower pic with stiff peak coloured royal icing and using a damp brush pull some of the icing towards the middle of the flower.
just a few things to remember:
1: only outline one petal at a time and then use the damp brush as royal icing dries quickly and doing more than one petal or leaf at a time will end in you totally distroying your outline.
2: brush must be damp but not wet or it will melt the icing into mush
3: gently stroke icing from the inside of the piped line or you will ruin the outline, but should this happen you can always overpipe the line again. just takes more time than needed
4: pipe alternate outlines to avoid smushing your first petal eg if piping a 6 petal flower pipe and brush 1,3,5 wait a few mins then do 2,4,6. the same principle applys to leaves.
i think you can do this with butter icing as well but i've never tried myself. it does take patience but gives a wonderful veining effect to petals and leaves. Oh and remember to wash your brush between colours.
hth
Brushed embroidery is a technique used to decorate fondant covered cakes. It gives a nice depth of decoration to the cake.
Essentially, a pattern is outlined with royal icing and then a slightly damp, small, flat paint brush is used to pull the icing line towards the center, leaving a defined outside edge. You can make flowers, leaves, animals, etc. with this technique. The brush strokes should be made to simulate veins for flowers and leaves, or the fur of animals. Generalized strokes will take away from the overall effect of the embroidery.
Normally, the design is done with a line of white royal icing, working in small areas at a time, allowed to dry, and then color is painted onto it. The color is normally petal dusts that have been made into a paint with either water or vodka. Using lemon extract or almond extract makes a nice paint, but the oils can break down the royal. The paint is usually pale in color, but it can be as vibrant as you would like.
The main things are to work on only one area at a time and keep the brush clean and barely damp. Too much water on the brush will cause drips and runs, and can ruin your design and or fondant.
HTH
Michele
If you are making brush embroidery on a buttercream cake, then you can use buttercream frosting. If you are making the design on fondant, then you must use royal. Otherwise, the oils will absorb into the fondant and leave an ugly "shadow">
HTH
Michele
I, too, am new to cake decorating. I've done a few things that I'm sort of pleased with, but I know all of it takes time and practice. I've read through the posts giving the guidance on brushed embroidery, but I've still got questions. Once the cake is covered in fondant (I do know how to get this far), the flower is piped onto the cake? What flower? Am I supposed to draw a flower free hand onto the fondant? I hope there's an easier way because I'm not an artist. Please say there is. And, is it thin consistency for RI? And, if there are five petals on this "magical" flower, I only pipe the first petal, do the embroidery, pipe the second petal, do the embroidery, etc. because the RI will dry if I pipe all the petals at once? I think I'm confused. I hope someone out there with talent can understand what I'm saying because now I'm confusing myself. Wonderful board, thanks so much. Cassie
When I first started to do brush embroidery I used a flower cookie cutter. I set it on the fondont gently. Just enought to make an impression. Then I would use RI to outline the entire flower.....I used med. consistancy. It it's too thin it will run too quickly. When I brush embroidery I dip my brush (a soft bristled one) into some water and brush quickly into the middle of the flower. I hope this helps you. Don't worry about it being perfect because you will have to practice......and that's fun!!
HTH,
Chrissy
Hi Chrissy, Yes, that has helped a lot. I thought for a moment there that I was going to need to go to art school also. I'll make a batch of RI and begin practicing. I appreciate your help. Cassie
Well I am still a newbie too, but I done a practice cake yesterday on this embroidery. I made a cake with BC and then took a small cutter to make my imprint lightly on the top and sides. Outlined with icing about like you would write with. Then with a small good art brush just start drawing some of your outline to the center lightly. I really like this look but I still have a lot of practici ng to do! 
Linda
Oh, one more thing before I give it a try. Which tip is used for outlining? I'm getting excited to give this a try. Thanks to all for responding.
Thank you, Linda. Today is practice day. Cassie
I know this topic is older, but I used buttercream icing on fondant, and the effect did not get shadowy. It was a nice way to draw on the cake. I just read here that people can use a press to make the design - I did mine freehand not even thinking of any other way. In the future i'll add that trick. 
I always seem to learn from my mistakes and reading others posts!
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