How to cake decorate ive taken a few Wilton classes but have really only been doin cupcakes 
pastryprincess219,
I have to practice, you have to just step out on a limb and go for it. You also have to love it. When you love doing something you will always put forth your best effort. Also dont give up. If your 1st cake doesnt turn out great try again. When you start try something you know you can do. Never start with something difficult because you will get frustrated and want to quit. Me personally I started doing fondant and was self taught and wanting to learn more I took Wilton classes. I think the thing that keeps me going is that I love it, I love creating tasty creations and seeing the expressions on people faces when they see my cakes.
Goodluck,
Mrcake01
Wilton classes, books, online information, websites like this...
Trail and error and practice, practice and more practice.
I learned by practicing what I read on CC and on what I saw on youtube. I found the Wilton classes a big ol waste of time! By the time I took them I knew the "basics" and then some. It also didnt help that my teacher seemed bored of the class and wasn't very motivated. Whether you covered your cake nicely or awfully she didnt care.
Hopefully everyone else has a better experience.
But definitely check out youtube too! 
You can read books and take classes, look at videos ask questions but it boils down to practice! Lots of practice is the ONLY thing that will make you better, the love of the craft is the motivator to work at it. My personal strength is piping I get asked what is my icing recipe and what tips I use but these things don't matter it is only due to hours & hours of practice.
Getting back to the Wilton classes. After I took the Wilton classes I became an instructor. I apologize for CristyInMiami experience even though I didnt teach her. The teacher really does make a big difference but the biggest difference is your amount of practice and your willingness to be the best you can.
Getting back to the Wilton classes. After I took the Wilton classes I became an instructor. I apologize for CristyInMiami experience even though I didnt teach her. The teacher really does make a big difference but the biggest difference is your amount of practice and your willingness to be the best you can.
I totally agree with this. The teachers make it the class or not.
I do think it also depends on how much you know and how much you are willing to learn. I had a student that originally took the classes 30 years ago, so she had many years of experience on me. But she came into the class to learn all she could, not to show me what she knew. She could have come into the class telling me how she had done this and that this way, but rather she came in the class to absorb all she could.
I played with icing and tips before I took the Wilton classes and they gave me my basics that I was able to build on. I'm not saying you have to have them, but for me I really liked the hands on. There are so many times when people post a question here, like about the butter cream rose that I just want to be sitting in their kitchen watching them, because it is hard to give advice unless you are watching what they are doing.
I think classes, Wilton or otherwise, are great for those visual learns and those that do like some hands on and someone to help physically show them how to do things. Id so take more classes if they were available to me. That is one of the reason I love the ICES conventions is because I do get to see how people do things, rather than read a book and see the pictures.
Iam self taught by practice practice and more practice ( there has been a few temper=tatrums inbetween and a few tears on my way but most of all this is something I have a great passion for > I love doing it and I love learning new thing everyday because of sites like this on thanks to everyone here on cc) Just leap in and go for it!!!
90% self taught, took a cake deco class 15 yrs ago and a couple Gum Paste flower classes recently, watch a lot of tutorials and cake shows, read cake decorating books, practice, trial and error, and through all the great advice and info here on CC.
Took a basic course...watch Sharon Zambito's DVDs...scour CC for tips and tricks...PRACTICE as much as I can! 
thanks everyone...Definately want to invest in some of Sharon Zs videos and even though i just joined i love this site already sooo much talent and information here 
I've been in the biz for a while now...to many years to mention. You all might figure out my age LOL. I learned to bake from my grandma's....but to decorate I took a PME course many of a moons ago. I still love taking classes, all sort of them. I don't ever mention that I know most of what they are teaching ( not there to brag......there to learn). I don't watch youtube much, but I do have a collection of mags and books that I will take to my grave with me. I want to decorate in heaven. LOL. Keep learning, this website is full of very talented people who won't hesitate to help you with whatever you need.
I learned by practicing what I read on CC and on what I saw on youtube. I found the Wilton classes a big ol waste of time! By the time I took them I knew the "basics" and then some. It also didnt help that my teacher seemed bored of the class and wasn't very motivated. Whether you covered your cake nicely or awfully she didnt care.
Hopefully everyone else has a better experience.
But definitely check out youtube too!
Wow!! I think we had the same teacher, lol. I didn't take them all though( the courses I mean). I have heard there are some really good Wilton Instructors but I didn't get one.
LOL I almost thought this was my old post!
When I was a teenager my mom went through this phase of cake decorating. She's always been anti store bought cake, but always used cake mixes. She wanted to make a anniversary cake for her parents...the cake turned out amazing and after that she did a few birthday cakes for family, and she made both mine and my brothers wedding cakes. When becoming a grandma she made oh about 3 for my daughter, and her interest changed and now she no longer does them. She learned from nothing more than a Wilton year book.
As a teenager walking through her kitchen I would pick up an icing bag, and just "play" with it. It wasn't too long after that I was roped into helping during those long nights decorating. As a teen it hadn't become addicting to me. At first it was a way to pass the time until something better came up, than once I got roped into it, it became a chore. Interest gone! LOL
Once my mother stopped decorating I was expected to continue it with my own children's birthday cakes when my second child was born. Had I bought a store bought cake my mother would have murdered me!!! I did a few Wilton cakes, but found the more I made my children's birthday cakes I wanted more of a challenge. More "wow" did I really create that?!
I would say that what little I've learned was from trial and error. No classes. Cake central is a wealth of information and youtube is pretty awesome too. With those two amazing tools I continue to learn something new each time.
I have yet to figure out if I am a hobbiest or some crazy 30 year old going through a passing phase. 
I learned by practicing what I read on CC and on what I saw on youtube. I found the Wilton classes a big ol waste of time! By the time I took them I knew the "basics" and then some. It also didnt help that my teacher seemed bored of the class and wasn't very motivated. Whether you covered your cake nicely or awfully she didnt care.
Hopefully everyone else has a better experience.
But definitely check out youtube too!
Wow!! I think we had the same teacher, lol. I didn't take them all though( the courses I mean). I have heard there are some really good Wilton Instructors but I didn't get one.
Are you in Miami too?
I'm proudly to say that I learned here. With the CC Family. I want to thank everyone that helped and responded to my question. I also did alot of research and I'm still learning. You learn every day no matter how much you know.
Thank You 
Wilton classes, books, online information, websites like this...
Trail and error and practice, practice and more practice.
Ditto...
I also am self taught. Alot of books, utube and the help of all the CC members.
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