I know how to make just a simple bow. I actually took a grooms cake class this past weekend and we started to get into how to do the big huge bows. We only had time to make the loops. She said she does a big blob of icing and just puts the loops in kind of a stacked construction. I tried this a few times over the weekend. Mine either would fall over or you could see the icing blob showing through. Please help Thanks in advance 
I had the same problem this weekend!! I would like to know as well. I thought that maybe I made my loops too big.
This is what I ended up with instead.
http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=coppermine&file=displayimage&meta=allby&uname=alicia_froedge&cat=0&pos=0
Here's some directions I posted awhile ago.. This is how I d my bows.
If I'm going to make a bow for a 6" cake I will cut my strips of gumpast 6" long so when I fold it over to make my loop it will be 3" long. When I make the loops for the next row I will cut the strips 5.5" long so they loops will be a 1/2" shorter, and so on. I think by making each row slightly shorter it gives the bow a nice shape. When I dry my loops I just put them on their sides on a piece of cardboard. I don't want them to be all the same shape.
As far as the width goes, that's all personal preference... I like my bows to have wide loops. I think they look more realistic that way.
I always put my bows together before they go on the cake... I use royal icing. For a bow that goes on a 6" cake I'll put it together on a 6" board to make sure it's going to fit. If I'm making a bow for an 8" cake I'll use an 8" board. I mess with the loops a lot when I'm putting my bows together...When I use the cake board I don't have to worry about messing up the cake. It also gives the bride a keepsake.
I also use gumpaste or a gumpaste/fondant mixture to make my bows..I tried using fondant once and it was too unstable. I prefer gumpaste because it dries nice and hard.
Just keep practicing until you get a technique you like for making bows... I love making them!!
Here's a picture of one of my bows... I put the loops at different angles instead of putting them all flat.. I believe this helps fill in some space. Try to use candy melts or royal icing that matches the color of your loops it will help hide the center.
I hope this helps!!
TamiAZ - your bow is really pretty. Boy have I had a time with these. I have done some that seem to do real well and others that are just terrible. I think the key is the fondant/gumpaste mix. I have not tried it yet but I have done a thousand fondant bows and tried every suggestion and I have never gotten one to really be the way I want it to be. I think the gumpaste will help it. That is what I plan to do next time. Also, I think the candy melts work well to attach the bow loops together. I haven't had too much luck with the royal.
Hello everyone....I just received my 20 lb pail of Satin Ice fondant. I think I am ready to try my hand at making a bow.
BJ....would you please tell me how you put the accents on your bow? Is it a string of pearls then attached with royal icing? Whatever you did it is beautiful.....
Everybody bows are awesome...I can't wait to try one....Kim
Thank you all for the lovely compliments. I made the pearls using a pearl mold - it makes a 6" strand and it also has a very small edge to it that you attached to the edges of the bow loops. I use vanilla as the "glue" and I use a tool with a very thin metal point to pinch the pearl strand onto the bow loop and then just bend the loop and pinch the ends together and let them dry. I used pearl luster dust for the shine. I bought the pearl mold at a local cake supply store. I did a quick search on the internet and found a site that sells them so you could see a picture of it. I'm sure other sites carry them but I thought this would help you to at least know what your looking for if your interested. The website I found was www.cakesbysam.com On her home page - click on "On-line Shopping" and it'll take you to a page that has different catagories and you'll find "Bead Makers" right there on the top left (it looks like a blue rectangle). Click on that and it'll bring up all the different size molds. No I don't work for them - haha 
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BJ
Are the pearls made out of gumpaste or fondant. I have one of the pearl molds (I actually bought it at the same website you mentioned) and have been wanting to try it, but I am a little leary of how to fill the mold. Any instructions you can give would be greatly appreciated.
HI! i too have been having trouble making a fondadnt bow, my fondant just does not dry hard enough. I am new to cake decorating I know how to make fondant but i was wondering how you make a fondadnt/gumpaste mixture maybe i need to try that to be able to make my bow. Is there someone who could help me out with a recipe for the fondant/gumpaste mixture, Thank you so much for the help!
BJ, would you please PM me with the instructions as well? Thanks!
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