I'm wondering how the 'bleep' to make a fondant bow that is to sit on the side of a cake (sitting on the bottom tier) without it going all floppy? I have made the bows before but they were always sitting on the top of a cake. I use the tutorial here on cc, putting plastic wrap in the loops, etc. and they work great. But I had a heck of a time trying to do one on the side of the cake. I couldn't let it dry first as it needed to kind of mold to the side of the cake; however, by putting it on fresh it was so floppy that it really looked like it could use a dose of Viagra! I ended up mixing the fondanat with half gumpaste and had better luck, but now it is a rock hard bow (oh well). Is there a trick to doing one on the side of a cake in all fondant?! I'd sure like to have this figured out before the next cake; it was not a fun experience at midnight last night after working all day! Anyone have any tricks for me?!

I use a set of cake dummies to put the bow on to dry. That way it is drying the shape that it needs to be - when the cake is ready I just transfer the bow from the dummy to the real cake. (hope that makes sense)

Do you want it all fondant so that it is edible? Otherwise, your final solution was really the best solution overall. I always combine fondant and gumpaste for a bow that never fails to flop. Loucinda does what I do which is form her bows on the side of a cake dummy. If you don't have a dummy, use a coffee can, or something that is within the same diameter of the cake dimensions to dry your bow.

use the cake pan that you baked the cake in as a dummy to set the bow up against while it dries.

Usually the dummy trick works for me also. But I know what your saying. Sometimes trying to get it there is a pain in the tookus and end up breaking it while trying to get the sucker to stick!
I plan on getting Sharon aka Sugarshacks new video Boxes and Bows. Her dvds are always informative, even with things that I thought I already knew!

Thanks for all the hints everyone! I will try the dummy and cake pan ideas next time. I don't know why I didn't think of that, it makes perfect sense!

....or... you could make the loops individually wired and then bunch them together like a bunch of flowers and then you can adjust them on the side of the cake the way you would do a bunch of flowers. insert the bunch of wire into the cake in a straw so the floral tape or wire doesn't touch the cake.