re: Making hops with sugarpaste

Caro. Not sure if this is helpful, it is in Russian but maybe you can learn enough from the photos. I am guessing hers are made of clay but you could do the same with gumpaste or fondant with a bit of Tylose powder mixed in. I think you could make the centers with a cone of gumpaste on a wire but you might also consider the small styrofoam rose cones too.
http://www.lovelytutorials.com/forum/showthread.php?p=11052#post11052

Shirley