Ugh!! The Course 3 Fondant Rose, Any Tips??
Decorating By pinkyEm Updated 25 Jan 2007 , 1:33am by pinkyEm
I'm trying and trying to make the fondant rose in the Wilton course III and for the life of me, I can't! They just do not work for me. They look absolutely nothing like a rose and the fondant just becomes a big mess. There is no way on this earth that I will have the patience to make 30+ of these stupid things for the final cake. I follow the directions in the book, word for word, letter for letter but my roses suck! Any tips at all to make these at least half way decent?? I have even tried to make them out of chocolate clay but they don't look like roses no mater what medium I use. There has to be an eaiser way to make these. Help, please!! 
I know how you feel. I haven't taken any courses, but I followed directions from this site and others on how to make several different types of roses. I tried them for several hours and the ones I made at the beginning almost looked better than the others! I decided to take a break for awhile and try them another day. I wish you luck...and patience.
You're bringing back nasty memories. . .
I never learned to make that nasty rose, and now I don't need to. Gumpaste is so much easier.
It's like this:
First you make the BC rose. . .which is replaced by the Wilton fondant rose. . .which is replaced by the gumpaste rose. 
This is the only flower we have made so far for course III but if I can't figure out this rose, I will have to use something else for my final cake. I'm not a fan of flowers anyway and don't plan on making many cakes with them once I'm done with the classes. So far the only cakes I have put flowers on are my class cakes. (I think out of all the flowers I have made so far, my pansies are the best and will probably use those, then I can give up on flowers. lol!)
My fondant is getting all stretched out and not holding any shape. I have even tried using the smaller cutter to make up for the stretch factor but that doesn't work either! I've tried not rolling it out as thin. I'm just super annoyed with this flower, I really don't even care at this point if I figure it out. I somehow managed to make one that my teacher approved. Maybe I should just quit now, while I'm ahead. This is strictly a hobby for me so it's not like fondant roses are ever something I'm going to be required to put on a cake because a paying customer wants them. Can I just cry now?
I suppose if it comes down to it, I can do BC roses. Those I can make.
I feel your pain, I learned those last week. Today I learned the royal icing flowers and asked if I could use those instead, my instructor said yes I was so happy and relieved. I have never been able to make a fondant or even a gumpaste rose. But I will keep practicing that rose until I get at least one right!
Are you using the wilton fondant or did you make your own?? And It is your final cake so it is up to you how you want it. I think as long as you can use the things you used in couse 3 for your final cake you will be fine. But it does take practice for everything you do. And by the way after trying to get 40 roses done you figure out what works for you. And in course 3 you also learn the Poinsettia, Easter Lily, Petunia, and the Morning Glory. So you could use those also for your final. Are you in your 2nd class of course 3?? Don't stress and just keep practicing if you can. Good luck looking forward to seeing your final cake 
Well, thank you all for the tips and words of support. I'm done with this rose, I no longer care to learn how to make it. I just don't have the patience or motivation for this particular flower. So far it is the only one I have not been able to get to look at least something like a flower. Like I said, my teacher approved of one I made and I will just stop while I am ahead. I don't want to lose my motivation for cake decorating all together over one stupid flower. lol
I will just use another flower for my final cake.
Again, thanks everyone. 
Did you add gum tex to your fondant? Or you can mix in a little premade gumpaste into it. This allow your fondant to be easiler to work with when you need to roll it really thin. Which for the roses you want to be able to roll them really thin.
Take a break from them, then maybe try them agian. Sometimes once you get frustrated with something it only goes down hill from there. You can also ask your instructor if she can meet you a little early the next class and watch you do them so she can see can offer advice.
My teacher was very thorough with her instructions. She walked me through step by step. I did add the gum tex because she told us to. I rolled it super thin and I rolled it not so thin. I tried some without gum tex just out of curiosity. I tried it really dry and tried it really wet and everywhere in between. I'm not trying this flower anymore. 
But, thank you for the tip.
What I usually do is learn the technique in class then the next day sit down at the table where I can get comfortable and practice everything we learned the night before until I actually get things to look like they should then keep going from there. It's just not working with this particular flower. I don't even like roses. LOL!
Just as you don't fondant I hate royal icicng. We had a bad relationship LOL I have yet to do them since class. I do love to do flowers (Roses) just not in royal. Royal was my royal pain So good luck again on your final cake Couldn't you do cornelli and place your single rose on the top I think it would be elegant. A simple elegant wedding. Just a thought.
Funny, I like your pun.
I'm going to see how I do on the next flowers and maybe use some of them. So far all of my cakes, aside from the class cakes, have frustrated me in one way or another. I get these great ideas then start making the cake and wonder what the heck I got myself into. But, so far I have been able to persevere and make them work. But this rose is killing me. I've thrown 4 of them across the room! 
You sound like me with my royal pain. And I finally had a few Duh moments. First I had grease residue in my tips. That made them melt. And a freaky way that my royal was almost rock hard. I never figured that one out. But I felt better cause it happened to our intructor as well after it happened to me. I did ok with the royal in course 3. I took course 2 over for 2 reason the royal pain and the wait for course 3 . I think I could do royal agian if I would try it but in my opinion WHY would I. But the only difference. Is I want to be able to do this for a income. And you want to do it as a hobby. So keep up the ggod work and you will enjoy what you do. Just have FUN.
Thanks! and right back at ya. Good luck with your royal pain. lol We can always hope no one will ever ask you to do royal flowers. 
So far this has been really fun for me. I've always said when it's not fun anymore, it's time to stop. I'm not ready to stop. 
Pinky... I am with you. I had to make the gumtex buds on toothpicks for class tomorrow. I am also in Class 3...2nd one tomorrow. I find that I am a little stressed in class. My teacher is kind of hyper and I am stressed. I think because of this I lose a lot of what I am trying to learn. I just couldn't understand the basketweave instructions so I was slower than everyone in class and it stressed me out. (I also get confused with the clock positions....) Did it on my holiday cake and it was great! I do better practicing at home but with the holidays and all I haven't done much. I didn't master the BC rose. I am getting better about not worrying if I can't master a particular thing in class especially if I don't like it and won't be doing it. I don't know if they fail people or don't give them their certificates.... Now I am getting the attitude to take what I can from the class and not worry about it.... well I am trying to have that attitude....
I am a Wilton instructor and I still have some trouble with the fondant Rose. I have found that if you slide your petal shapes on to your toothpick holding the flower upside down it tends to stretch a little less then gently press petals in place. Other than for that and Gumpaste added to your fondant there isn't much I can tell ya but to practice. Before I became an Instructor, I did my final course 3 cake in pointsettias because they were the easiest to make.
I have a great tip.
Take your pink foam thing and after you have cut your 5 petal flower out and thinned the edges, place it on the pink thing.
Brush whatever you are using for glue (the vanilla if you do it by the book) very lightly (put some on your paintbrush, than run your fingers over the bristles and squeeze out excess) than take your toothpick and stick it down through the pink thing, right through the middle of the 5 petal cut out. Place your petals like you are supposed to and than pull on the bottom of the toothpick so the pink thing kind of hugs the base of the flower. Remove the toothpick and repeat with the next layer.
The pink thing supports your flower perfectly and I got great roses that way.
Rachel
That is so funny shadowgypsie.....I am a Wilton Instructor myself and had a heck of a time with Course II when I took it and never mastered the Wilton rose with fondant. Also did my final cake with poinsettias.
Since I have had to teach II and III, and practice more. I have almost masted the fondant rose. So everyone that has had problems, we have all been there. I practiced, practiced and practiced and finally have 10 completed roses sitting here on my table for the last week of my Course III class! Hopefully you have a patient instructor. I have started my class a 1/2 hour early just to give people a little extra help (myself included) So hang in there it takes tons of practice. Good luck
I hope nobody gives you grief, Jopalis, about being slower. Try not to stress too much. I know, easier said than done sometimes. lol Keep trying for that attitude of not worrying too much. Why are you having trouble with the BC rose? I did too because my bases would smoosh as soon as I started putting petals on, no matter how stiff my icing was. I asked here on CC and people recommended using a Hershey's Kiss for the base and so far that has worked great for me. Just a thought.
Cakerlady, we might have to cut a deal!
Again, thanks for the tips but I myself am never making that rose again. Hopefully though, others reading this, who are also having trouble, will get something from the tips and learn to make beautiful fondant roses.
really 30 Roses ? I didn't know Wilton class requires students to make 30 roses for finals. Do you have "hot " hands ? because that is one reason you will have a hard time making them. But don't get discouraged. It not impossible, just a challenging.
According to the book you need 38. 20 lg, 10 med and 8 buds. In the picture it looks like there are about 34 on the cake. I'm not making even 1 more, let alone 34 to 38. LOL! The other cakes with other flowers have 20 to 35 flowers on them. I do want my cake to be nice and look good, it will just be with a different flower.
I struggled at first but I came up with solution that worked for me. Make sure you roll out the right consistency. Use your paint brush and a little bit of vodka. Dab each petal with vodka where the petal is to seal. I also held my stick upside down when wrapping petals they turned out beautiful. I hope it works for you. Just be sure not to get them to wet that will make them messy. Good l luck!
cakenutz talked about the vodka and I had to laugh. When we were doing our flowers someone talked about using the vodka. And there is a lounge across the street from where we were.. We all joked about going to the bar to get a few drinks before class so we would be able to make the flowers. And not to drink the vodka while working on the flowers it was to be used to make the flowers. Sorry I just had to share that story.
So pinkyEm get yourself a bottle of vodka and say it is for making the flowers. Drink it and your flowers will appear beautiful to you LOL
Ok I will quit before I get in trouble.
Quote by @%username% on %date%
%body%