I'm new to decorating and the cakes on here are wonderful. I was thinking about taking a couple of classes at the Wilton School, but they are a bit expensive. I wanted to know your imput. Has anyone ever took a course there?

Unfortunatly, the wilton school is a little out of my area, however, I would love to be able to take classes there. Let us know if you get to go and how you like it!

Hi missmelbox,
I did Wilton course-1 and now I have joined course-3. I think its very helpful for me.
I am satisfied with these courses.
If we need more info Then CC family always helps us.
  

Thanks
Nitu

Nitu did you just take the courses offered at Michael's or a craft store? Or did you go to the Wilton school in Darien Illinois?

Welcome to CC your going to love it here. I took Wilton course 1-2-3 at our local Joann ect. store and found them very helpful and the instructor was great.....

missmelbox

I did my first course in Michael's and now I am taking third course in AC Moore.

No I didn't take any in Wilton school. But I would love to do that.

Nitu

I took the three courses at a local Michael's but, I found myself wanting to learn more. If it wasn't for a nice lady at a local cake shop I wouldn't have know about the CC website. I'm learning soo much as far as buttercream transfer, MMF, etc... I was just thinking if I went to the actual Wilton school I'll learn more. I know one class they are offering Gumpaste with Colette Peters!

I was just looking at the gumpaste and fondant and advanced classes offered in April. They are being taught by Colette Peters and I would just love to go.

I'm seriously thinking about it, but there is also the cost of airfare and hotel. But it is a dream come true for me.

When you compare it to a regular college class, it's not that expensive and it would be a whole lot more fun.

If anyone is serious about going and thinking about April, keep me in mind.

I check their website every so often and dream about getting away for a week to take a few classes at Wilton, but it's out of my price range.

Cakes are really just a hobby for me and I only do about one cake each week, so it isn't realistic for me to spend that much for classes.

But, a girl can dream!

So can guys

I would consider it TickledPink...if Canadians are allowed!

I really want to go as well!! Luckily I have a friend in the area that I could probably stay with so that would help. It's probably 2 years away for me, but I do intend on going... maybe for one of those 2 or 3 day courses. I could never get away for the 2 week one... although i would LOVE TO!

Hope someone replies that has gone... I would love to hear this feedback as well!

Hi Everyone,

Last year for fun I took all 3 courses at Michaels(just so that I could decorate my girls birthday cakes). After taking the classes I decided to try decoming an instructor. So it took about a year for an account to open up. In the meantime I decided to take the gumpaste class at the Wilton school of cake decorating. It was a great experience for me and I'm glad I did it. I'm from the Chicagoland area and it takes me about an hour to get to Darien IL. At the beginning of next year I'll be taking the master course that they offer. Wilton method instructors get a 40% off on classes and products. My idea is to take as many classes as I can and very soon rent a kitchen to sell my cakes. I hope this help you.

Irma

I've been to the Wilton School for a number of classes. The first class I took was late last May (it coincided with their Tent Sale ) and it was called Adult Day Camp. We did cake sculpting and fondant work. I've also taken Roses-Roses, Strigwork & Borders, Advanced Fondant, Beginning Sugar, and Advanced Sugar. As you can see, I don't like it there at all....LOL

The staff at the school is wonderful and you can't beat bonding with 4-30 like-minded people for a day or a week. I've met professional chefs, amateurs so green they've never even seen a pastry bag & tip before, and a lot of eager amateurs like myself. Everyone learns something, even if that something is that they don't like certain aspects of decorating.

I'm going back in the spring for Colette's classes. Wilton has very reasonable negotiated hotel rates for several area places. Classes go from about 8:30 am to 4:00 pm and you're pretty exhausted, so if you stay at a place with a shuttle, you can get along very well without a car. Southwest airlines has great prices to Midway (I usually fly for less than $100 roundtrip) and there's some good eats right in the shopping center where the school is located.

I've taken all 3 classes offered at Michaels and they were great samplers, but the intensity of the all day offerings at the Wilton school has made me confident to try all kinds of things and have certainly shored up the things I learned in I,II, & III. I think the classes in Chicago are money well spent and if you can afford the time and money, go for it. I tell my hubby it's cheaper than therapy--and for me, it's the best therapy there is. I just feel amazingly happy when I'm learning, experimenting, and decorating

I really want to take a Wilton class at Michael's or Joannes but am afraid it won't be worth it. I do not decorate cakes that often but want to much more. am getting better and thanks to discussion boards like this I am learning new techniques. However, I think I could use some hands on guidance. Are the Wilton courses at the craft stores worth it? What kind of supplies do you need? Those of you who have taken it, do you feel it is right for an ultra beginner like myself?

I appreciate your advice.

If you are a beginner, I highly recommend the Wilton classes at the craft stores. The instructors begin with the basics and lead you from there. You will get a firm foundation from those courses. I don't know the requirements of supplies where you are, but here in Texas you have to pay for the class usually $20 - $25. The store that I took my classes at are always running a special. When you pay for the class you get your kit for free. The kit has everything that you need for that course in it.

I was a complete newbie when I took the level I course at Michaels...It was the first time I'd made a batch of buttercream icing...this was about 3 months ago...before that I'd always baked and used the store-bought tubs of icing to cover my cakes.

The courses have been great experience for me. If you don't have anything (and I mean anything) cake-decorating related, you do have to buy some stuff that's not included in the kits...I bought a turntable, disposable decorating bags, dollar store container to keep everything in, extra tips (it's easier than trying to wash/clean and use the same tip during class for different colors of frosting), gel/powder colors, flavors, containers w/ covers to transport my icing in, cake boards, extra different size spatula, round cake pan ( I only had 9x13 and 8x8 before), bake even strips (love them!), etc, etc. Once you buy the stuff though, you use all of it for all the classes and obviously this is more than a passing fancy otherwise you wouldn't be considering taking the class!

My instructor has been really good...I have seen a few posts here where people were unhappy/disappointed w/ their instructors...if you find one that you don't like, I would try another store/instructor if you have that option.

Good luck!

Math, yuck. Math doesn't like me.
So what does the advanced class cover, and for the gumpaste class, do you need to already have experience? And what is the cost?
I've wanted to do this for years.

Go to www.wilton.com and they have a link to all their classes.

The Gumpaste and Advanced Fondant is $550 for 5 days and the Advanced cake decorating course is 3 days and runs $275 and are both taught my Colette Peters. If you aren't familiar check out www.colettescakes.com for an idea of who she is what she can do.

I'm going to ask my husband for this as my birthday and christmas present.

I'm not in the business but I really would love to get good at this cake thang I've got going on and see where it takes me.

I'm planning to go sometime in the next year. I'm trying to become a perfessonal so for me it would be worth all the money.