Ok - here's the deal - I can't pipe pretty to save my life!

it's not that I can't make the designs, it's that it's not smooth! is there a special recipe for icing to pipe with? I've used regular buttercream, firm buttercream, buttercream with piping gel - what else do I need to do?

I see all these beautiful cakes with smooth piping and I just can't figure it out! any help or tips or recipes would be oh so appreciated!!

any icing can be used to pipe with. if it's a smooth icing, i would try sugarshack's recipe.

Sorry I looked at your pics and I think the piping looks fine!!

The only tip I can give is to not fill you bag very full, just enough icing to fit in the palm of your hand you can squeeze at a more consistent rate and I find this helps when piping.