Hi, I am just learning cake decorating. I took the first Wilton course and just love it. I did pretty good roses. Then last night I tried making roses again and they were TERRIBLE!
The edges of the petals would split making them look rough like pieces of stone or something. As I squeezed my bag there wouldn't be a flat top on the petal... it would be like a v right on the edge.
What am I doing wrong?!? Is it the icing or the technique?

Thanks for any help.

It could be a couple of things. Your icing could be to stiff or dry. If this is the case add more crisco maybe a tablespoon per cup of icing. This should make your icing smoother and creamier with out thinning it down to much. The outer thing could be that you need to squeeze harder. Sometimes you just forget to squeeze hard enough to make a nice petal.

thanks kaecakes.
Actually, my icing was very stiff. I thought that stiffer was better for roses. And now that you say it- it was kind of dry.

If you can take a little of your icing and roll it into a little ball with out it sticking to your fingers at all, it is too dry. This will make it hard for it to stick to itself when you are doing petals and can be a cause the cracked edges.

You can add about a tablespoon of crisco to every cup of stiff icing or about a teaspoon of piping gel. This will as said above make it more creamy with out it getting to soft or thin.

If your icing is a good consitancy you should be able to roll it in a ball and have it slightly stick to your fingers. This means it should stick, but not leave anything behind on your fingers.

Also you presure control does make a difference as well. I have learned when I am teaching the flowers and doing them slowly they do not come out near as well as when I am just making them. Because you are moving your flower nail and piping together better when you are not thinking so hard about what you are doing.