I'm new to roses. I know, I know, how did I get away without them? I bought the pre made ones for anything. Now I'm trying to get into making royal icing roses, and I've decided that they're just a pain.
Does anyone have any tips about making roses?
The center of my rose always seems too big, and I don't know if I need to change tips or what.
My mother was sitting at the house watching me do roses, over and over again, and she goes, "well it looks okay, but the center looks like it had a melt down."
Any help?
I couldn't get my centers to stay stiff for the longest time, but someone told me to use a hershy kiss and use that as the cone, Worked great!!! Latter after taking a wilton course I found out my royal was not stiff enough. maybe try a litte more sugar.
I too feel your pain! I've been practising and practising and my roses just melt into blobs - both with royal and buttercream. I try to make my icing stiffer but then my poor little hand screams from the workout. Perhaps a kiss would help (assuming I don't eat it first 
) I'll be interested to hear other, more experienced rose-makers tips.
Check out the Wilton site/video... And I use kisses for centers. I am not sure how to get it to stay on the nail though.... Have had problems with them coming off while making the rose.... Looking for ideas on that. Tried toothpicks insead of nail.... not great either
roses are one of the hardest to master. it takes a lot of practice and the icing has to be just right. the only thing i can say is make sure your icing is stiff and when you make that first loop around the center spin the flower nail in a continuous motion until the loop is formed. don't try to do it with the icing...let your other hand do the work for you while you just hold the icing and allow the other hand to spin the nail until your loop is formed. hope this makes sense. 
The center really is the key to roses. I was skeptical about the Hershey's kiss at first, but I'm a believer after trying it. If you don't want to use it, then you just have to make sure your icing is stiff enough to hold all the rose petals upright and practice, practice, practice. Good luck!!!
I had to look at the instructions over and over and over before it sunk in my head how to get the center loop correct. It finally hit me like a hard thump on the head what I was doing wrong. Also I was trying to start all the layers from basically the same place.
Getting your icing the right consistency is the most important thing. I also use meringue powder in my icing for roses. That helps me. I never use royal icing--only buttercream. My daughter makes all her roses from fondant.
The most important thing I can tell you is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and then, PRACTICE some more. That is the only way I learned.
Diane
Jopalis in order for the rose to stay on the nail you have to "glue it" with a drop of icing. I have never had any problems icing consistancy I add more suger if it too thin and water if it is too thick.
Deborah
BTW nanahaley I really like your signature!
Thank you thank you!!!
I've been practicing roses every day, using a stiff royal icing with the meringue powder. My little hands are screaming (as mentioned by someone else), but I've kind of gotten it to a good consistency. That first loop is what's killing me, so thank you for the hershey kiss idea. I'll have to go grab a bag tomorrow morning.
THANK YOU!! If anyone has any other rose secrets, please let me know. This is going to be a work in progress. Oh, and I just looked at the Duff roses someone made, those are beautiful. If I don't get roses, I'll start making those. lol. 
I use a skewer and don't use a cone but rather a sort of "ring", and then twirl the skewer along back and forth my fingers while moving my hand in four motions at a time to make the petals.
It's not easy but only the outsides of the roses seem to be challenging via the skewer method rather than the nail, and you don't have to deal with forming the perfect cone.
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