Made my first fondant loop bow - was amazed at how beautiful it turned out for the first try! Was expecting it to just be a practice bow, but it looked great! Until it collapsed... 
Just started over - made my loops a bit thinner this time, mixed 50/50 with gumpaste, and intend to let it dry for 48 hours instead of 24.
Should I expect to be successful this time? This time it can not fail as it is for my dear friend's baby shower this weekend.
Any advice or input? Please share!! Thanks 
Here's a video that will help, I love her work she's awesome. It's always nice to see someone do it than to explain it. Hope it works!
I use fondant with gum tex or gumpaste added or straight gumpaste. It may have needed more time to dry depending on the humidity levels. Most of my loops are done 24 hours (gumpaste) to 48 hours (using the mix) before I need to put the bow together.
I also use candy melts to glue it all together.
I can't tell from your description if you added GP to the first bow or not, but I didn't know to do that the first time I made one and it collapsed as well; of course not until AFTER I delivered the cake! 
Better luck with your next one. Sounds like you are making the proper adjustments!
I wire each loop so that I can put it exactly where I want it on the cake. I usually use gumpaste or fondant mixed with quite a bit of gumpaste powder.
Thank you everyone!!! My new batch of loops has only been drying for 12 hours and is already harder than the collapsed pieces which were made entirely of fondant. 
Think that was the main problem. Love the idea of wiring them - would you mind sharing your technique?
Cut strip of gumpaste.
fold into loop.
Cut of ends so that they form a point.
Take a piece of covered floral wire and bend a hook into one end.
Dip hook into water and shake off excess or blot slightly.
open up pointed end of loop.
place moistened hook end of wire between the points.
press gumpaste closed, trapping the wire inside.
hang loops over a fat dowel or something similar to form the loops.
When dry, jam them into the cake in a bow configuration.
Cut strip of gumpaste.
fold into loop.
Cut of ends so that they form a point.
Take a piece of covered floral wire and bend a hook into one end.
Dip hook into water and shake off excess or blot slightly.
open up pointed end of loop.
place moistened hook end of wire between the points.
press gumpaste closed, trapping the wire inside.
hang loops over a fat dowel or something similar to form the loops.
When dry, jam them into the cake in a bow configuration.
How do you protect you cake from the wires? I was thinking this sounds really really good, but what if you used like a piece of Styrofoam to jam them into instead of the cake? Think that would work? Kinda like you might make a floral arrangement with?
Oh - also I used candy melts to secure it. Not sure how if I liked how it worked. What do you like to use and how do you like to do it?
Okay so when you say candy melts do you mean the chocolate that is used for melting? I used that once and it worked great but that was with out coloring. Then I colored it and it balled up. It was horrible. How do you avoid that? I think the wire idea is an awesome idea too I need to try that! I have had bows fall too. Actually mine just broke. No one noticed but me but it was sad still. Good luck!
Okay so when you say candy melts do you mean the chocolate that is used for melting? I used that once and it worked great but that was with out coloring. Then I colored it and it balled up. It was horrible. How do you avoid that? I think the wire idea is an awesome idea too I need to try that! I have had bows fall too. Actually mine just broke. No one noticed but me but it was sad still. Good luck!
What kind of coloring did you use? If you used your every day colors, they have water in them and it will cause it to seize up. You want to use colors that are oil based and made to be used with chocolate/candy melts.
Okay so when you say candy melts do you mean the chocolate that is used for melting? I used that once and it worked great but that was with out coloring. Then I colored it and it balled up. It was horrible. How do you avoid that? I think the wire idea is an awesome idea too I need to try that! I have had bows fall too. Actually mine just broke. No one noticed but me but it was sad still. Good luck!
What kind of coloring did you use? If you used your every day colors, they have water in them and it will cause it to seize up. You want to use colors that are oil based and made to be used with chocolate/candy melts.
Oil based!! That makes sense. I used normal food coloring, my americolor gels, and something else but can't remember. PRetty sure I didn't use oil based though! Where can you buy those?? Thanks!
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