First of all, I'm very new to cake decorating. Planning to take Wilton classes,but I haven't yet. I'm working my way through the Course 1 and 2 book right now. I'M ADDICTED TO THIS WEBSITE ALREADY!!! You are all so talented.
I'm really having trouble with roses. I'm a lefty and I'm finding it difficult to get the right angles to make my petals flair out. Each rose I do is looking very tight. Also, the tops of my petals always look cracked--- is it my icing or my technique??? Let me know which BC recipe is best for roses.
Thanks for your help!!
Crystal
Here's the Wilton instructions for making roses. There is a video that you can watch on the site also. I'm a "righty", so I really can't help you much. Maybe watching the videos will help more than just looking at pictures how to do it.
As for the tops of the roses being cracked, your icing may be a tad bit too stiff. Try thinning it VERY SLIGHTLY; if you thin it too much, the petals won't hold. I use Wilton's buttercream recipe.
http://www.wilton.com/decorating/basic/roses.cfm
Sorry I couldn't be of more help!
You can also try adding some piping gel to your icing to help get smoother edges.
I'm also a "righty" so I can't really help you with the "lefty" issues. 
It may help to angle your tip more outward, away from the rose itself to help open up the way you pipe the petals.
Something I love to do - use a Hershey's kiss as the base for your rose instead of icing. It is so much easier and provide a nice stable base for your rose that doesn't ever lean or tip. Plus people get a nice surprise when they eat it!
I just finished Course 1 and there was a lefty in my class. The instructor - who was awesome - taught her how to do the rose separately from the rest of us. One thing the instructor told us, that was very helpful, was to make a little clock and write where your had should be for each set of petals. She had the lefty reverse all of the positions - our 3:00 was her 9:00 and so on.
Make surethat you are keep the tip up on last two rows - I think yours would be at 2:00 and the bottom of your bag at 8:00 - I think...having the tip up will help make your petals open...
If your roses are too tight tip the tip of the bag towards you a little more and thin your icing a little or open up the tip a little with a butter knife to keep your edges from being ratty. Sometime the tips are shut a little too much. I always have to open my star tips and leaf tips a little when I buy new ones.
Val
Another righty here!! I used to make roses like that with ''rough'' edges and was told by the instructor to add just a little bit more liquid. That
worked out fine. It was just too stiff. But I really sort of liked some of the petals having that look.
Made look a little more realistic.
HTH
For your edges being a little cracked you can add that piping gel or even a tad of corn syrup. You don't want to thin your icing because then that would make it not stiff enough to hold it's shape.
Aren't there tips that are for lefties?? I THINK there are but, I could just be crazy! 
vonie99 is right about the whole where your hand is positioned for a clock though. If you take the classes the teacher will help you out!
Thanks for all the tips. I'll practice some more tonight and I'll have to let you all know what helped the most. The Wilton courses do have clock positions for lefties with all the instructions---the video helped me a lot I think. For one thing, I was turning my nail the wrong way--does that make a big difference???
Crystal
Man, I guess as a fellow lefty it is my duty to help! 
Although, my roses still need a lot of practice.
Wilton does sell some lefty tips. I personal prefer to make roses with tips 97 vs. 104. The 97 is a little bit more open and gives the leaves a 'curve'. If you decide to get it, make sure to get the lefty tip 97 - it will make a difference. Hope this helps even a little bit.
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