hello all,

so i am making a knitting cake for an 80th birthday and have saved many pics on here for inspiration... buuut i am frustrated at my attempts.

ok so i have done everything just fine except for the balls of yarn.

how should i go about making them? i tried using a cupcake lightly iced then rolling thing strips of fondant but after the cupcake was covered there were spaces in between the strips. then i tried pipping buttercream onto the cupcake and the strands just didn't look defined enough. i tried covering a cupcake in a fondant base then the strips and it didn't stick very well.

please help... ideas, instructions

sara

Have you tried a clay extruder to make the yarn? That might make things easier.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0018BOXWQ/?tag=cakecentral-20

wet the fondant base very, very lightly.....like, no more than a wet stamp....then stick your fondant strips on. They'll stick just fine.

i don't have time to go get a clay extruder nor do i really want to spend the money on one right now... not sure how often i would use it.

Ok thanks... i will try the water... i made a 1/2 gumpaste 1/2 fondant ball this morning so we'll see how it hardens and go from there... then i will try to put on the strips hope it goes better then last night!

You could make the yarn balls out of rice crispy treats. That could make it easier.

If you do not want to purchase an extruder I would just roll out long ropes of fondant or gum paste and wrap them around the RKT. Yarn is yarn and does not have to look perfect.

I would make a RKT ball and then cover it in the color fondant you plan to wrap it in...then wrap with the "yarn"...if you can see through the pieces it will just show through to the same color fondant.

ok so i made a small fondant ball in the color of yarn i was going to be using and let it dry over night then rolled out huge strands of 'yarn' and slowly painted small amounts of water onto the ball as i wrapped the yarn and ... success!! it looks amazing and i used the same technique to make a spool of thread.... they loved it so much thanks!!

I'm so glad you found something that worked for you. I hope you can post pics of the cake because I would love to see it!

I know you already finished the cake, but here's a tutorial for a good way to make the balls of yarn without having to wrap the strands individually around the ball:

http://www.cakejournal.com/archives/how-to-make-a-knitting-basket-cake

Scroll down and you'll see her technique.

photo?

i am off to post a photo now... check my pics in a little while.

sara

just wanted to say that i finally posted it! sorry it took me so long.