For some reason I cant pull up your pictures right now.
Can't pull up pics either.
Anyway, I'm a Wilton Instructor and I get a lot of people who say they have experience, but when they get in class they have hundreds of beginner questions, which slows down the class tremendoulsy.
Usually, I don't like to accept anyone in Coursee 2 or 3 if they have not had Wilton's Course 1 w/myself or another instructor recently. Also, there are many things to learn when you take Course 1.
Your cakes are nice, especially without having taken classes! djrob might be right though, wilton teaches a specific way and might make it easiest if you just started at the beginning. Hey at least you know you would be the head of the class!
When I took wilton 1 there was a gal that seemed to have some experience and I wondered why she was even taking the class. But she did have questions and I think was able to benefit from some beginners basics. good luck!
As an instructor I always suggest that you start with C1 even if you have some experince with cake decorating. There is a lot of information in C1 and you will probably learn a few extra things. You also may learn a way to make things easier for you.
With the price of the classes, you are spending very little, so in my opinion it is worth starting with C1.
I agree - start with #1 even with experience. I learned lots in all of the classes.
I think you should you never know what you will learn until your in the class. I have alot of tips from here and the first night of my class everyone else didn't know half of what the instructor was talking about. Go have fun and you might be able to help others out!
If I were you, I would start with course 1. These classes even at the course 1 level would help you with a more finish(smoother, more professional) look on your cakes, also give you more insight into borders. Your doing a great job for someone with no lessons.
I agree with everyone here. As an instuctor I always suggest starting with Course 1 even if you have experience. It just makes it easier to have everyone on the same page in class. I just had a Student who went all the way through course 3 and she retook course 1. She said it was a great refresher and she had forgotten a lot! So, I definitely suggest starting with Course 1!
I am NOT an instructor, but I recommend starting from scratch... Wilton I. I started taking the classes because even though I was self taught, I wanted to learn the 'correct' way to do it. I actually approached the class as "I have all the supplies (which I didn't) and if I'm bored, well, at least I can follow along". WRONG!!
I learned so much more in the classes (I'm in 3 now) and have thoroughly enjoyed each and every one! And I'm still learning, a little broker, but love it! I switched teachers after Wilton 2 and love this one! Plus our class is just two of us which is really cool. I recommend taking them all.
I haven't had any formal training either and I plan to start taking the Wilton courses next month and I'm starting at one! I know there are probably a ton of things that I don't know - or think I know and really don't ! LOL So I would suggest start with C1 also! I can't wait for them to start- I love learning new stuff! I'm sure you'll get more out of it then you think you will.
Good Luck and Have Fun!
I definitely think you will learn a lot of things you didn't even realize you didn't know by starting at the beginning level. I've been through all three and am signed up to take the new fondant & gumpaste classes, but I've seriously been thinking about going through them again maybe once a year for a while with different instructors. You never know what little tidbits of information you can pick up. And you can help others with some of the things you have learned along the way.
In another thread, they were talking about hating to do the fondant rose, but yet another hated doing the royal icing flowers. Well, I wasn't feeling well one of the evenings when we were doing royal icing and I know I missed a lot. 
Wouldn't you know that it would be the class when we used the lilly nails. 
That class has really got a lot of info to absorb in 2 hours and being ill on top of it - well let's just say it wasn't one of my shining moments in life! 
But, seriously, IMHO, start with C1 and go all the way through. HTH 
I also had some decorating experience before I took course I and I can say I learned so much more. I've now taken all three courses twice and found that even the second time around I picked up a lot that I had missed the first time because I was filling a bag or looking for my spatula 
I also had some decorating experience before I took course I and I can say I learned so much more. I've now taken all three courses twice and found that even the second time around I picked up a lot that I had missed the first time because I was filling a bag or looking for my spatula
Just curious cakerlady, did you go to the same store/instructor, or did you stay with the same one? I really liked my instructor because she was very thorough and was patient, as well as being rather knowledgeable. But I think I may try another one the next time I go through them because you meet other people who have different experiences and questions. Of course, being a woman, I have the right to change my mind on that by the time I decide (if I decide) to go again.
I had been decorating cakes for 13 years and thought that I could start at 2, but changed my mind and started with 1. I realized I made the right decision because Wilton does teach a whole lot of stuff that I knew nothing about.
I watched my mom decorate cakes since I was knee high to a grasshopper, but I did not pick up the bags until recently. I started with class 1, even though I had watched all those years. I learned tons of tips and tricks and even how to do the Wilton rose.
I took C1 22 years ago and from there learned on my own. I decided to go back and take C2 and C3 a few years ago, but had an instructor that insisted I retake C1 before I went on. At first, I thought it would be a big waste of time....WRONG! It was worth every minute...learned things I never would have thought of in all the classes, plus was able to meet others with my interest in decorating. Now, I teach decorating classes and always explain to "experienced" decorators how much it is worth to go through the classes. Have Fun!
I have taken class I over a year ago and want to get restarted again into the classes. I will start over from the beginning...however, I think I'm going to take my classes this time from the local cake shop. There classes are 7 weeks long and by the end of the first course they say you decorate a wedding cake. I felt like I learned alot in the Wilton class, but I also felt that there was some things in the beginning classs that was brushed over too quickly.
Hopefully, I'll be able to restart this summer as right now I'm working full time, raising 2 kids and my financee (lol) and also taking 2 online classes through a local college. My plate is full at the moment...any more stuff and I will probably explode!!!!
I decorated cakes on my own for a year before taking a class. The only trick I really learned was about using a fondant roller to smooth your buttercream. I did have fun though because I took it with a friend. I haven't taken 2 or 3 yet, but hope to take them soon!
Way to go Mare! I looked into it for this month, and classes start here Feb. 6th too. But that's my youngest daughter's 8th birthday, and of course I can't leave her that evening to go to a class......so I'll have to wait until March 
It's probably for the best anyway, I have too many cakes due in February to be taking a class too! Let us know how you like your class Mare!
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