I had my second Wilton Course I class last night and we did the rainbow cake. My question is how many bags do you make up and is it a good idea to have duplicate tips? I felt like I was do disorganized because I had to keep putting my icing back in its container and putting a new color in my bag, squeezing out the excess color, etc. etc. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

A bunch of couplers and a few each of the tips you like, plus a box of disposable decorating bags are all SUCH a good investment and will greatly reduce your frustration and make decorating more fun.

I have about a dozen bags. For tips I use a lot, I have about half a dozen. Most tips I have at least 2, except for the jumbo tips and the tips I rarely use.

i keep a box of 100 disposable bags on hand (one open, and one ready to go). I probably have 2 dozen or more coupler sets and multiple-multiples of the same tip. I know I have at least six of the #3 writing tip and at least 3 of each size of rose tip.

Definitely make up a bag of each color before you get started. If you have 10 colors, then make up 10 bags. The disposable bags cost pennies so you're not really saving money by using only 1 or 2 bags.

I just finished course 1. I found that if I made up my bags before class and wrapped the end in plastic wrap to keep the frosting from drying out I was ready to go. I tried to use the parchment bags but it just didn't work for me. I agree with the others and get some plastic bags. I have several duplicate tips especially the rose 104 and writing tips. I have also already accumulated a bunch of coupler sets. I think my husband counted 18 sets and I have only been decorating a couple months.

Have fun with the class. I certainly learned alot.

I think that it doesn't hurt to have multiplies of any of the tips from the course one kit. I always suggest my students get two packages of the 4 pk couplers. In course 2 I have them make up 7 bags in one night, to they will all get used. You want several 3s and 16 or 18. A couple of 21 are nice too, as well as the 104.

I'm not one trying to collect one of each of the tips out there. I'd rather have several of the tips I use all the time, rather than one of each. At one point I probably had close to ten #3s.

Awesome, thank you so much. That's exactly what I needed to know.

I have a couple of each tip that I use the most (3, 16, basket weave and a few others...). I have at least a dozen couplers and I have about 8 fabric bags. I usually use Parchment bags for colors that I only need a bit of, and for doing frozen butter cream transfers (I don't use a tip in the bag for these anyways). Parchment works really really well for me, I just can't store the icing in the parchment over night as it gets weak and bursts.