April SMF Soap Challenge, Hanger Swirl Petra Style

[newbie]

Thanks! I was pretty peeved when I did the horizontal pull and saw that I had found the wrong landmark on my hanger for gauging it. It was so high that it didn't make sense not to go back in and do it at the proper depth but I knew no matter what, the soap would not qualify. That's okay though. It made me do it again a couple times which is good for practice.

I hope you find the gear ties, Nav and your next try nails it.

If you take your soap to emulsion and then split off for colors, you should be good. SB ONLY until you can't see any more of the darker streaks of oil mixing with the lighter parts of the batter. It should be thin as oil when you split. YOu will still have to mix/stir for your colors and once everything is ready, you can stir more until there is no oil on the surface. As long as you are at emulsion when you pour, your soap won't separate, so I would start your pour before you hit trace or when you can see the very very slightest indication of trace. If I am pouring really thin like that, I will often let the soap sit on the counter for an hour or two to make certain it's fully together before I set it to gel, or I won't gel at all as insurance.

 

[Navaria]

Thank you! I'll definitely try going much much thinner! I have learned so much already with this challenge. Even if I don't produce an "ideal" soap, I'm SO glad I'm trying it!

 

[KristaY]

Made my 4th attempt today and it was the biggest disaster of all. I think the problem started with me adding TD to the batter right from the start. The FO D/C's to beige and I wanted white so....first mistake. Then I added AC to a portion. The usually well behaved FO accelerated a bit due to all the TD and AC but the portions colored with mica in oil, no prob. So I had a med trace base, thin trace colors alternating with med to thick trace black then thick trace base over top. NOT pretty. The thin trace colors were drown out by the thick black. Then trying to spoon thick batter over thin was a mess. The only pretty part is the top because the thin colors went on smooth so I could swirl with a chop stick. The rest is an embarassment.

In the normal scheme of things I would have quickly adjusted my plan and done an ITP, poured, all good. But not me! I just had to stick with my vision and press on. I'm such a moron sometimes!

 

[LisaAnne]

But not me! I just had to stick with my vision and press on. I'm such a moron sometimes!

Sorry about the mess, but that last made me laugh hard! Still laughing! Pressing on to a disaster! That's how we roll.

 

[KristaY]

But not me! I just had to stick with my vision and press on. I'm such a moron sometimes!

Sorry about the mess, but that last made me laugh hard! Still laughing! Pressing on to a disaster! That's how we roll.

Too true LisaAnne! Soaping tunnel vision even though we know better, lol. :twisted:

 

[Saponista]

I got a sort of butterfly swirl with this go. Instead of pushing the hanger directly down on my vertical swirls I went in at a slight angle.

I messed up by doing an incorrect horizontal swirl too high and had to do a second one at the right height.

I used a gear tie which I found moves far more batter than my hanger tool, but I think I like the slightly more subtle effect of my first soap with the thinner wire.

 

[Rowan]

I love your butterfly! I'm going to have to get some gear ties now!

 

[Saponista]

They have them for fairly cheap on eBay Rowan

 

[Rowan]

Thanks Saponista, after seeing your soap I can't wait to give them a go

 

[Sonya-m]

Love your colour combo saponista and that is one beautiful butterfly!

 

[doriettefarm]

I just gave it a shot but have a bad feeling I will be posting fail pics tomorrow. Of course I used a new/untested FO because the reviews on WSP said it did not accelerate. It does smell great (Pink Watermelon Apricot) and the colors really pop so that's a plus. I had trouble getting a fluid wall pour and moving the colors all the way to the back edge but went for it anyway.

 

[dibbles]

What a beautiful spring butterfly you created Saponista. Love it!

 

[TeresaT]

Here's my first attempt. My batter was just too runny, unfortunately.

Nice!! Jackson ******* anyone?

(We REALLY have to do a ******* challenge!!)

 

[Misschief]

Nice!! Jackson ******* anyone?

(We REALLY have to do a ******* challenge!!)

No kidding! I must admit that the more I look at it, the more I like it. I've never made anything so strongly coloured.

 

[mintle]

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!
5. Misschief - now to find the time
6. dibbles - I heart this
7. TeresaT - I am a huge Petra fan. She is stellar!!
8. Songwind - I just got some gear ties. Let's do this!
9. LisaAnne Thanks for letting me play
10. Crispysoap - let the good times soap
11. KCHaystack - I was going to do this anyway
12. BlackDog - Fine. But I've got to get a 1 lb mold first; I sense a lot of fugly soaps in my future.
13. Judiraz- Maybe the #13 will change my luck!
14. doriettefarm - I've been wanting to try this since LP's black & white soap was so wispy and gorgeous!
15. GalaxyMLP- I don't think I've ever seen anything like this before. It's gorgeous! I can't wait to try it.
16. Karenbeth - absolutely love this swirl
17. Penelopejane - I will try despite seeing the dreaded phrase "easy with the right trace".
18. Lisajudy2009. Can't wait to try!
19. topofmurrayhill - What could go wrong?
20. Sonya-m - so looking forward to trying this technique!!
21. Amd
22. Rowan - thankyou LP for making this seem manageable. Can't wait to try it.
23. KristaY - I'm going to give it a swirl!
24 JuneP - Hoping all my planting will be done by early next week, so I can give this a try. It looks challenging; but fun. Love the soap in the video. Wow!
25. Navaria- here goes nothing!
26. Steve85569 - Wasn't going to and then DW said "What's this month's challenge?" soooo very innocently.....
27. mintle - I hope I will manage to do it! at least once

 

[Steve85569]

Gear ties....
The garden supply section at the local store sells the same type of thing too. Rubber / plastic coated wire for tying up plants. Seems a bit thick though.

First attempt is laid out and ready to make in my square mold.

 

[TeresaT]

No kidding! I must admit that the more I look at it, the more I like it. I've never made anything so strongly coloured.

The first thing I thought when I saw it was, "Holy sh!t, there's a face in there!" Then, "I'd put that on my wall." Then, "Did she make it for me?" All of this in the space of a nano-second. (Notice the third thought. Because it's all about me!!).

I really love the soap. Well done. I love bold colors and abstract designs. I didn't when I was young. For me, art had to look like "something" a few decades ago. Now, not so much.

 

[TeresaT]

I just mixed my oils. Now I've got to figure out which new FO to try and what colors to use. Livin' on the edge!!

 

[kchaystack]

Just cut my 3rd try. Gear tie is the way to if you have thin batter. This might be the one.

The only issue is it looks like some of my lines might have sunk to the bottom on one side.

I'll have to see how the base looks after the fo oxidises. I used WSP's nag champa, (its all i can smell now!) And it should darken up some.

 

[Misschief]

The first thing I thought when I saw it was, "Holy sh!t, there's a face in there!" Then, "I'd put that on my wall." Then, "Did she make it for me?" All of this in the space of a nano-second. (Notice the third thought. Because it's all about me!!).

I really love the soap. Well done. I love bold colors and abstract designs. I didn't when I was young. For me, art had to look like "something" a few decades ago. Now, not so much.

Thank you, Teresa. (And I agree with you about the art... I'm still in the "has to look like something" phase. I paint and I really want to be able to see just what it is I've tried to paint, yanno?)