Basic Decorating Techniques - Rope

Finish your piped baskets with pretty edging and handles. Excellent for western or nautical themed cakes. You can make a great-looking rope with star or round tips (or basketweave tips, ridged or smooth side up).
Getting Ready

Set up your practice board. Insert a coupler base in your Featherweight bag and lock open star tip 21 onto it with your coupler ring. Fill bag half full with medium consistency Buttercream Icing.


Practice with: Tip 21
Icing: medium consistency
Positions:
Bag: 45° at 4:30 (7:30 for left handed decorating)
Tip: lightly above the surface

1. Using a steady, even pressure, move the tip in a gentle sideways "S" curve. Stop pressure and pull tip away.
2. Insert tip under the bottom curve of the "S" shape.
3. Squeeze the bag with steady pressure as you pull down, then lift the tip. Move up and over the tail of the "S" as you continue to squeeze and form a hook.
4. Keep spacing as even as possible and "S" curves uniform in thickness, length and overall size. Be sure to tuck the tip into the bottom curve of the previous "S" before you begin squeezing to insure the clean, continuous look of a rope.