1) I was taught to use "cotton balls" to dry the bow loops in a nice loop shape... but what I've found is that when I remove the cotton balls, there's always fuzz left inside the "loop"... I'm thinking there must be another way?

2) What works best for drying the loops... Do you dry your "loops" sideways or laying flat?

I know this is very basic stuff, but I've only made one bow loop before and didn't exactly have the best result... lol I have a wedding cake to make for the 19th with a bow loop as the topper and want to make sure I make a "perfect' bow! Any help at all would be greatly appreciated!!!

The type of bow I'm talking about is in the attached photo...

I've made 2 bows and both times I laid them on their sides to dry. I made them in the morning and had the bow put together by the afternoon (I read that some have to let theirs dry overnight, but mine dried pretty fast. I used Satin Ice.)

I wrap my loops around a dowel to dry for a few hours, then slide them off and let them finish drying on their sides.

Sometimes I twist a few and wrap a few around the dowel unevenly so I have a variety of natural looking shapes to choose from.

I turn mine right on their sides, never had any luck stuffing things in the middle or wrapping them around things. Here's my tutorial:

http://tinyurl.com/yb3xkn8

I like the dowels so that I can get the even 'loop' on them. When I did them all laying down on the sides some loops had more space between them. I do a few of the top ones on their sides, cause often times they are too small to really wrap around the dowel.

I do all of mine on their sides, but if you are wanting to stuff them you might have better luck using plastic wrap instead of cotton balls.

I use paper towel tubes wrapped in wax paper, if you look in my gallery at the gift box cake you can actuall still see the tube in the bow cuz I forgot to take it out before taking the pic. I also add a touch of tylose powder to the fondant for strength..not too much or it becomes brittle.

Thank you so much for all your replies!!!!!

For those of you who are using dowels to hang your bow loops, do you lay the dowel rod on a flat surface or do you suspend it in the air (horizontally) and then hang your gumpaste loops??? Am I making any sense???

allrighty, my first post on this forum. I hope I explain it well, I don't speak (write) english very well.

On my website, I have a tutorial for a bow with 2 colors. this is the link: http://creaties-van-tirza.webs.com/howtostrik2kleuren.htm

I don't use anything for the bows to dry. I use half gumpaste/ half RTR icing with a bith of tylose.

I use a dowel that I hang from a couple of cup hooks attached to the underside of my kitchen cabinets. I have the hooks up permanently, but when I want to hang up the dowel, I hang two loops of ribbon from the hooks and set the dowel into the loops. That way I can take it down really easily to slide the gumpaste loops off.

Hey Jolie1977
Ive made one bow like this before and it was for my sons 1st bday cake. I didnt have a clue how to make one so after a little goggling I found this site http://www.cakeboss.com/FondantBowTutorial.aspx . I was able to make a very good 15 loop bow by using this site. Good luck.
Mrcake01

First off, "tipseytaartje" hats off to you for posting your 1st post on CC and thank you very much for all of your help everybody!!! "Texas Rose" I can totally picture the hooks under your cupboards and am now on a mission to get myself some hooks to obtain the same setup! That makes SO much more sense than my cotton ball technique which was really frustrating me!!! What would I do with all of your help! I feel very blessed! Thanks again everyone!!! Can't wait to try my bow loop and using all of your tutorials to help me along!!!

Sincerely,
Joline

hi
i usually put the bow loops on their side to dry but i have also put a small ball of fondant icing in the middle - thi works well but you have to keep an eye on the time and make sure the icin ball doesnt dry onto the bow!!! hope this helps

Taping the dowel rod to glasses!! How ingenious and easy!!! Great ideas you guys!!! Thank you so much!!! For once I'm actually looking forward to making that bow!!!

I also just lay mine on their side. I just take a paint brush or whatever is on hand and smooth out the loop to make it look the way that I want it it.

Ditto to what cylstrial said. On their side, you form the loops as evenly as you want them, then let them dry. Never had a problem with that method.

jolie1977,
Just in case you werent going to use this. I use Wiltons pearl dust (there are several different brands) to give the bow a nice shinny and sparkly look. Just a suggestion
Good Luck,
Mrcake01

I use a broom handle....I hang them to dry between two dining chairs.
Happy Caking!

i use the wilton plastic dowels and then hang them so the ends of the dowels rest on the edge of my sheet cake pan. its a 3" pan and i can get about 8-10 dowels hanging in it.

I use two supports made from PVC parts. Each support is a metal base, a short tube and a T-shaped tube on top. I slide the dowel between the two T's. The area between the supports is not used.

Texas Rose,
What diameter of dowel do you use? I definately want to implement the hook idea. I have the perfect spot in my kitchen. Thanks