Are there patterns for brush embroidery or does one just go at it and learn by experience? I've found instuctions on-line, but haven't found books or patterns. Thanks!

I don't know if there are patterns exactly for brush embroidery, but you can use any drawing, make sure it is simple in design. Then pipe around outline then pipe around the inside of the outline with your royal icing, doing only one flower or petal at a time so it doesn't harden too fast. Using a tip one or two most of the time. Take your dampen brush, flatter brushes work better, wipe on top of your hand to make sure have excess water off and begin on the inside piping, gently pulling in to the center of the design. Do it gently so you still have a thicker amount of royal at the outer edge and gets much less icing as you get closer to center of the design. You can practice by using simple shapes or flowers from coloring books. If you see a design on wrapping paper, cards, napkins etc, just make a simplified tracing of it an you can use anything for patterns. lol

What she ^^^ said.

You can also do brush emb. with bc as well.
Here's a video by serious_cakes showing you how:

Thanks for the info! I'm going to give it a go. If I succeed, the results will appear in the gallery someday.

I'm sure your going to do great. You have have some awesome cakes in your gallery!

Thanks for the compliment on the cakes in the gallery. They were a joint effort with my son. We have worked together on other types of art work for many years. After watching the cake shows on TV, he decided we should try cake as a medium. We are still learning and appreciate all the wonderful feedback from CC participants. You guys are great!