Practicing writing with icing?

[Mrs_Krock]

I'm new to the cake decorating world and would like to start practising writing with icing. I see on YouTube there are "practise" sheets you can use... does anyone know if there is somewhere on the internet I can get them from or somewhere to buy from? Or should I just make my own?

Thanks!

 

[Hoot]

I took a look around and found a supplier of all manner of cake and decorating supplies. It's a company by the name of Wilton.
This page has a quite a selection of tools, including practice boards.
Cake Decorating Shop

 

[Mrs_Krock]

Thanks! Looks like Wilton is going to get some more money from me lol

 

[Kylie1969]

That will be great to start doing that Kell...there is deffo an art to it...I am pretty average at it

Good luck with finding some practice sheets

 

[Mrs_Krock]

I'm not sure what I'll be like with it Kylie but I wont know till I try fingers crossed I don't suck hahahahaha

 

[CWS4322]

Could you not just print some practice pages and use those or buy a stencil and practice? I assume you want to practice off a cake...

 

[buckytom]

can't mr. krock go "aglhlllllll" with his tongue?

 

[Kylie1969]

I'm not sure what I'll be like with it Kylie but I wont know till I try fingers crossed I don't suck hahahahaha

Kel, I am sure you will be brilliant at it...it looks like you are good at all things "cake" so I am positive you will be great!

 

[Addie]

Thanks! Looks like Wilton is going to get some more money from me lol

Use the practice sheets. Then scrape it all up, put it back in the bag and do it all over again.

The main tip you will need is the smallest plain hole. It will give you the finest lines. Also get yourself a small offset spatual. Don't go over board buying everything. This is just for practice. Considering most cakes are eight or nine inches, use a practice sheet that is no larger than seven inches. It will help with the spacing.

 

[Oldvine]

Plain old wax paper works. You will be able to place a paper pattern under the waxpaper that allows you to trace the letters until your hand gets steady. You can even scrap off failures, add new wax paper and keep practicing. It's not complicated or expensive.

 

[Addie]

Plain old wax paper works. You will be able to place a paper pattern under the waxpaper that allows you to trace the letters until your hand gets steady. You can even scrap off failures, add new wax paper and keep practicing. It's not complicated or expensive.

It is better is she has something solid to work on. A piece of vellum or plastic. The top or cover of a large food storage container works best if she doesn't want to invest is expensive equipment. But she does't want something that is bigger than the top of a cake. She needs to keep the lettering withing the bounds of a regular size cake. I learned on a flat dish.

 

[Janet H]

I use a thrift store cookie tin to store icing tools, tips and pastry bags and have more than once practiced writing on the lid of the can. It's cake sized, round and elevated. You can wash the lid when you're finished. Easy, cheap and useful.

 

[taxlady]

I use a thrift store cookie tin to store icing tools, tips and pastry bags and have more than once practiced writing on the lid of the can. It's cake sized, round and elevated. You can wash the lid when you're finished. Easy, cheap and useful.

Those sound like excellent ideas.

 

[Addie]

I use a thrift store cookie tin to store icing tools, tips and pastry bags and have more than once practiced writing on the lid of the can. It's cake sized, round and elevated. You can wash the lid when you're finished. Easy, cheap and useful.

I have my buttons in a tin like that. Where was my brain when I was practicing? I just used a flat dish. You definitely want to priactice on something the size of the cake. The problem with the practice sheets is that they are square and small.

 

[Janet H]

It just occurred to me that you could wrap a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper around the cookie can lid and put the lid back on the can (this tightens up the paper nicely).

No washing!

 

[Mrs_Krock]

thank you so much for all the tips! I didn't get a chance to practise this weekend, but when I do, I will be using the wax paper etc.

Thanks again!!

 

[Kylie1969]

Let us know how you go Kel

 

[bakechef]

I would suggest using a #2 or #3 writing tip, #3 is the easiest for a beginner to use that still looks nice. I wouldn't suggest a #1 because it is very small and prone to "squiggling" if the pressure isn't just right.

 

[LPBeier]

What I do with my students is just print off some sheets of different fonts with the alphabet (upper and lower), certain words (Happy, Birthday, Anniversary, etc.) and slip them into page protectors (plastic sleeves you can buy at an office supply or anywhere that sells school and office supplies). I buy the heavier ones but you only need a small pack because you just wipe them off and reuse them over and over.

Much cheaper and with more variety than anything you can by through the cake supply companies.

Hope that helps!

 

[Mrs_Krock]

Thanks for the tips! It looks like its going to be a rainy weekend here in Melbourne so I plan to spend the day practicing! Will post my attempts once I've done them