Okay, I have been decorating on buttercream for a while, but I'm new to fondant. I made a fondant covered cake this last weekend, but after that experience, I think I need to ask a few questions.

See bold questions for TLDR.

When I was reading up on covering my cake, I saw several people say that if I mess up or it gets too cracked, I can take it off and do it again. When I pulled my fondant off the cake, there were pieces of buttercream stuck to my fondant. Can that buttercream be rolled into my fondant? Will that result in messing up the fondant somehow?

I know that the texture of the fondant is important, but how dry is too dry and how soft is too soft? I was operating under the ideas that as I am kneeding my fondant, I should be able to fold it over without it cracking. That was a "good texture". As I started rolling, I noticed my edges were cracking. Was my fondant still too hard? It felt nice and pliable, but when I covered my cake, I ended up having to patch a few cracks and holes.

And finally...

How do you keep your tappet letters from flying across the room? I'm still finding some in my living room...

TIA! :)

If I have to peel off my fondant I scrape the buttercream off before I knead it again.  it's fine to knead buttercream back into the fondant, as long as it's white and/or won't change the color of the fondant. It's any crumbs that you may have that you need to remove before kneading.   I do not save that fondant's scraps if it's got buttercream in it...they get tossed if I'm not using it that day.  I'm not sure how to answer your question about how soft or hard your fondant should be...I just can feel it.  I guess it also depends on the type of fondant you use...I use fondarific which tends to get soft  when you add a lot of color.  As far as the tappets...Damn I wish mine would fly across the room! I can barely get them out of the strip!

Thanks, Savanna. So, when you roll yours out to cover a cake, do the edges get cracked or do they stay fairly smooth?

I think it all comes down to practice and experience.  It also depends on the type of fondant you are using.

When I am rolling out my fondant ready to cover a cake, if it's the right consistency it doesn't usually crack around the edges.  I have put it on the cake, and noticed it tearing, which to me is a lesson learnt that it wasn't warmed up enough, and I needed to do some more kneading to get it 'cover-ready'.  

I'm still learning, but I'm getting better at knowing when my fondant is warmed up and the right consistency to go on the cake.  You can add shortening, or glycerine, to the fondant if you feel it is too dry, as another option.

It's a matter of trial and error, and working out what works for you, your climate, and the type of fondant you are using.

Firstly, freeze your buttercream covered cakes for 20 minutes before covering in fondant. Then when you put the fondant on and need to readjust it, your buttercream stays on the cake, not the fondant.  And I don't tap my tappits, I roll out gumpaste very thinly then put a scant amount of Crisco on the surface and then cut the letters out.  They never stick inside my alphabet cutters and no flying across the room.