What is the oldest Wilton yearbook you have, and do you ever use your old books? Just wondering...

Reason: Got a request for a birthday cake for an 82 year old woman, something elegant, and I am totally clueless.... I have several OLD yearbooks given to me from a friend who has "left the business"... Found an "inspiration" from a 1976 book... (THE YEAR AFTER I WAS BORN!!!!)

While it was a little gaudy, it had a pretty design to it, and I think can be simplified to be much trendier and modern....

Guess I'm just wondering if anyone else ever does this..........

I have every Wilton yearbook and publication, atarting with one book that was published in 1970 - the year I was born!

I don't really look through them all that much, if ever. I do want to go back and flip through the encyclopedias when I have some time, though. Thanks for reminding me.

Once fondant becomes boring, I believe we will see a return to heavily piped, Lambeth-style decorating, and we will definitely be able to use our old yearbooks for inspiration!

Can't wait to see pics of your cake!

I have a yearbook that is from 1972- my step-grandmother gave it to me years ago and even though I've never used it, I've held onto it anyways. I like to look back and see some of the cakes that I remember my mom making for me when I was a kid. I'm actaully a few years older that the book. Hitting the big 4-0 this year!

Okay, youngens, my first one was a 1977 one that I used to show a baker for my wedding. So while all of you were busy being BORN, I was getting married!!

I just turned 30 this year but was given alot of the books from the 70's from my aunt who is not decorating anymore. I think i have some as old as 72 or 73. She also gave me some older pans so its nice to see what other thing they can be used for. I look through them occasionally to get new(old) ideas. Post a picture when you get it done. Good Luck!

~Shannon

Yep it is true -I have them all starting from 1975 to present year. It became an obsession and betwwen garage sales e bay and my Mil I have and love each one!

Oooohhhhhh my! You guys have NO idea how old the Wilton yrbks really are
Before I sold off my decorating stuff I had the quartly publications Wilton put out before the yrbks started! The oldest yrbk goes back to the '60s! (I think it was '63). Yep, I had every single one. Sold them to PinkGerbra (Sue in the UK). Sure hope she is enjoying them as much or more than I did
As I remember my favorite one was 1979. I got sooooo many ideas from it over the yrs.
Nothing says you MUST copy any cake exactly. Yes, do make adjustments to make it *your* creation

don't really look through them all that much, if ever. I do want to go back and flip through the encyclopedias when I have some time, though. Thanks for reminding me.

You are missing soooooooooo much by not checking them out from time to time!!!!!!!
That Vol 3 of the encyclopedias is a real great idea book!

I just think it's funny to see how the 'times' are, meaning, lately the yearbooks go to all fondant things, or all cupcakes, etc. I used to enjoy buying them, but then the styles of cakes seemed to take a different turn and I stopped buying them. Skim through them in the store and unless there is something that really stands out, they are too expensive to just buy to have. Not impressed with them lately.

I have all the yearsbooks since 1968. I wish I could say I had all the pattern books that went with them. I like looking back at the older books and find I like the wedding cake styles better in the older ones than the new ones.

I also have the Mailbox news magazines that go back almost as far and love looking back through those too.

My mom has handed down to me every cake book she has including every Wilton Yearbook ever made. They are in storage tubs but I do look through them on occasion to get ideas. She also has most (if not all) then Mailbox books too, not even sure those are in production anymore. She still gets some books in the mail and hands them over to me when they arrive.

My oldest is 1977 ... the year I graduated high school!

I have been collecting forever.. I have all of them, and the pattern books as well. My oldest yearbook, appears to be 1966, and at that time, they had not started publishing them annually, but had other publications, as Kakeladi mentioned... I love to flip thru them occassionally to gather ideas... and I use the pattern books just as much.. they are great.. I also have a reference file available to anyone who wants it.. It catagorizes the theme to cakes in the yearbooks. It's a handy thing to have... PM me if you want it with your personal email...

I have 1973 and up. Love them all and use them sometimes for new inspiration.




I also have 223 wilton pans (at last count). They take alot of room to store and I know I will never use most of them but I have them if I need them right!!!!!!
I couldn't part with any of them. Everyone has I fetish, I guess mine is wilton pans. I keep looking everywhere for more because a girl needs pans.
Have a good day
Tracy

My Collection starts at 1968.
Edna

My collection starts at 1974. I also have some old wedding cake and Celebrate books that are from the the 70's also. When I started decorating I hit ebay and got all that were available until the present. I never saw anything earlier than '74. I am anotheer oldster. got married in '69.

1977...it was the very first thing that I ever bought with my "own" money...it took my three weeks to earn enough by doing extra jobs for my parents. I was 9.

Ok lads and ladies the oldest year book was 73. I was with Wilton when it celebrated 30 years teaching. Three years ago. Though I have two different ones dated 70 both are same cover different inside. The quarterly books that came out before that was compiled into a series of books called Celebrate. The oldest book put out by Wilton I don't know. But I have one put out in 56. And it was a recopy of a 55 book. I know that I have all the yearbooks and all but the 70 series of pattern books made with them. I was a fanatic about 'Wilton. I have many other books also. The local library may get them when I am gone. I have gone thru a couple of years of depression (still working on it) and haven't done any cakes. Though I am an CC addict. I have become a lurker. HTH

Mine start at 1978 up and including every year and this year!

I only have one yearbook and it is only a couple years old. I do have the Pictorial Encyclopedia of modern cake decorating from 1965

The cakes are hideous, but I do reference it for flowers and borders.

I have the first one I ever looked at - 1977. That book started my fascination with cake decorating, and I kept it all this time. I used to look at that thing for HOURS! The very first cake I decorated in 1990 was directly out of that catalog. It was a Sesame Street cake for my 1 year old son, and I was so proud of myself! LOL!

I have many other issues - but that one has always been special to me. I totally sound stupid, eh?

I got tickled looking through some of these older Wilton yearbooks... some of the cakes reminded me of the early 90s wedding and bridesmaids' dresses with the big poofy sleeves, the heavy lace and beading, etc... While it's not personally my taste, you gotta' give credit to the gals and gents who did these cakes because the detailing is so intricate, and SO MUCH!!! There was one cake in particular I'm thinking of, and the ruffles, lace, and swags seemed to just continuously lay over each other.

Someone mentioned about how she felt BC would make a big comeback... I, personally, prefer a BC cake myself... While fondant is beautiful, and easy to work with for decorations, I just dont like the taste of it. I like the taste of homemade marshmallow fondant, but I just prefer not to have a "chewy" icing on my cake. I'm an icing girl- (guess you could say I'm a texture freak!) I had never even heard of fondant until a couple of years ago. In looking back in the yearbooks, I don't think I even noticed a fondant covered cake until the late 90s, or maybe even the 2000 issue... could be wrong.

THanks for taking the time to "trip down memory lane" for me...

My oldest is from 1985... A gift from my Great Aunt who thought it would be great to show me cakes from the year I was born in. I love it, its my favorite cake magazine!!!

Indydebi, anything you do is already in "come back" mode... You work is always nothing less than perfection! I'm always in awe of your cakes!!!

my collection starts at 1973 and goes from there
kathy