April SMF Soap Challenge, Hanger Swirl Petra Style

[dibbles]

The stripes on the first one were too fine. I like the second one better but the pattern is not what it should be.

So I'll leave it at that!

nframe, both of those soaps are so pretty. I think the first one would have made a great entry!

 

[dibbles]

So attempt #2 was another fail for a couple of reasons. I didn't have a big enough tilt on my mould, my batter was too thin and my horizontal pull is a tad too high.

Sonya, those are lovely. I agree with kc, I think you did a good job with the horizontal pull. It's pretty tough to judge where the color is, even with the hanger marked.

 

[cgpeanut]

My final conclusion to making this look ALMOST as good as LP or Petra's is to pour more color with each pass at light trace and use a thicker hangar than I've got. I'm going to measure the width and see if I can find (or make) something just a bit bigger. LP talked about this earlier so I'm going to re-read her optimal hangar size and see what I can do.

I went to the hardware store and got some plastic tubing to run my hanger though. Makes it thicker.

 

[Navaria]

I wasn't going to participate in this month's challenge because I have more soaps that I can cope with but then, I decided to have a go... I was going to put my name down but I had two goes and they are both failures so I thought I'd better stop. I attach pictures of my failures:

The stripes on the first one were too fine. I like the second one better but the pattern is not what it should be.

So I'll leave it at that!

Those are beautiful! I don't know how you did the second one, but please, teach me how! I'm in love with that lightning strike look swirl!

 

[Sonya-m]

Sonya,

You are nuts.

The last pic is exactly what I would think the swirl should look like. the first 2 you might have missed the bands near the end, but you got more than half of it.

So now I feel like I am missing something. Because when I look at the tutorial soaps, I am not sure how you are missing anything.

I am really starting to question what I planned to enter.

Thanks! I think I just had something else in my mind and it wasn't this. Attempt #3 at the weekend.

Teresa is right, we are our own worst critics! But please don't start doubting yourself on account of me being way too fussy!

Also wanted to add whilst I'm here that I really enjoy these challenges. One of the things I love the most is that we share hints and tips with each other without worrying in the slightest that we're giving that information to the competition. I like that this is more about pushing ourselves than about winning.

 

[Rowan]

June, I really wanted to say that I hope your meeting goes well with the surgeon. I will be praying your surgery goes smoothly and that you have a really quick recovery it's just a thought because you mentioned you were using your mothers walker.? I'm not sure if that's a walking frame? I just wonder if crutches would be easier to use? I'm sure your physical therapist can advise.

I'm in awe of everyone's soaps and colour combinations. I haven't had time to post attempt number 2, which accelerated on me but will try later this week. For the black I used just activated charcoal this time rather than mica and charcoal mixed. I also left it in the mould slightly longer (20 hours). There's no ash and the black is really black, much better than my previous attempt which now looks grey. It must have gelled. Interestingly enough I tried a small portion in the sink (I so couldn't resist!). The lather is discoloured slightly but nowhere near as much as previous dark soaps. Picture of me dancing round the kitchen in glee

Sonya, I love your colours and your swirl is to die for Did you use a neon for the yellow, it really pops?

 

[Sonya-m]

Sonya, I love your colours and your swirl is to die for Did you use a neon for the yellow, it really pops?

Thanks. It's a combination of yellow mica and neon pigment. I only have samples of neons so I ration them when I use them

 

[Rowan]

Thanks Sonya, I would love to get some neons but have only seen them in the USA.

Sorry for hijacking the thread but I wonder if anyone from the uk would be interested in ordering a large batch and splitting the postage? Deanna and others have suggested USPS is cheaper for postage (if I have that right?).

 

[dibbles]

Attempt #4, and not overly optimistic for success this time either. I'm having trouble getting the colors to reach the opposite side. It got there this time, but barely. I think I need to pour more color each time than I have been doing. My first try got there, no problem, so I'm not sure what my problem is. At least the ones that aren't quite right for the challenge still turn out to be nice looking. I'm going to have a LOT of soap to give away.

 

[TeresaT]

Thanks Sonya, I would love to get some neons but have only seen them in the USA.

Sorry for hijacking the thread but I wonder if anyone from the uk would be interested in ordering a large batch and splitting the postage? Deanna and others have suggested USPS is cheaper for postage (if I have that right?).

My apologies also for adding to the hijack. Yes, the USPS is usually the cheapest way to send mail to the UK, but not always. It depends on what you're sending and what the weight is. You can go to www.usps.com and check out the fees that are charged for shipping and try to compare those to UPS, FedEx, DHL and others. Keep in mind, though, that the USPS may not be able to track the package once it leaves US soil. I had an issue with tracking a package in Canada (wasn't able to). The USPS doesn't have any agreements with the Canadian postal service to track mail. My tracking ended at the border. I don't know if there are agreements with the UK post. If not, you may not be able to find a lost parcel.

 

[kchaystack]

My apologies also for adding to the hijack. Yes, the USPS is usually the cheapest way to send mail to the UK, but not always. It depends on what you're sending and what the weight is. You can go to www.usps.com and check out the fees that are charged for shipping and try to compare those to UPS, FedEx, DHL and others. Keep in mind, though, that the USPS may not be able to track the package once it leaves US soil. I had an issue with tracking a package in Canada (wasn't able to). The USPS doesn't have any agreements with the Canadian postal service to track mail. My tracking ended at the border. I don't know if there are agreements with the UK post. If not, you may not be able to find a lost parcel.

I have shipped soap to my BF in the UK. It was much cheaper than all the rest, and I tracked it the whole way. Plus it got to Plymouth in less than a week. Pretty fast as far as I am concerned.

A small flat rate box is about $25 US. That would hold several 4oz bags of powder no problem.

 

[TeresaT]

I have shipped soap to my BF in the UK. It was much cheaper than all the rest, and I tracked it the whole way. Plus it got to Plymouth in less than a week. Pretty fast as far as I am concerned.

A small flat rate box is about $25 US. That would hold several 4oz bags of powder no problem.

Well apparently the Brits like us much better than our northern neighbors. (That's OK. They've got a much better accent, cool castles, fairies and Stonehenge!)

 

[newbie]

I'll start a thread in Shopping Recommendations about a group US purchase from UK, so this thread doesn't get too confusing.

 

[galaxyMLP]

I just spent 30 minutes looking for gear ties at Walmart and I couldn't find them. Turns out, they don't keep them in stock at my Walmart. I settled on 50 lb galvanized steel wire. Hopefully it works as I'm doing attempt 1 tomorrow!! I don't think I'll be able to get something great out of this but I'm sure as heck gonna try. I'm debating on what FO to use... Does someone want to help me pick?

I've got these FOs that behave:
Black Raspberry vanilla
Sun and Sand
Black tie
Pink grapefruit
Aqua di gio
Pomegranate

 

[kchaystack]

I just spent 30 minutes looking for gear ties at Walmart and I couldn't find them. Turns out, they don't keep them in stock at my Walmart. I settled on 50 lb galvanized steel wire. Hopefully it works as I'm doing attempt 1 tomorrow!! I don't think I'll be able to get something great out of this but I'm sure as heck gonna try. I'm debating on what FO to use... Does someone want to help me pick?

I've got these FOs that behave:
Black Raspberry vanilla
Sun and Sand
Black tie
Pink grapefruit
Aqua di gio
Pomegranate

I have never heard of BRV being a speeder, I would go with that

 

[galaxyMLP]

I've tested all of these and they're pretty well behaved but that's one that I know for sure should be my friend so I'll go with that!

 

[newbie]

I used Sun and Sand and it was pretty speedy. I think you'd be safest with BRV or Grapefruit as they almost never misbehave.

 

[Saponista]

I really think your soaps were entry worthy nframe. I'm glad you still showed us anyway though, even if you didn't want to enter them.

 

[nframe]

Thanks Sonya, I would love to get some neons but have only seen them in the USA.

Sorry for hijacking the thread but I wonder if anyone from the uk would be interested in ordering a large batch and splitting the postage? Deanna and others have suggested USPS is cheaper for postage (if I have that right?).

I would be interested but bear in mind that we, in the UK, have to pay import duties as well - plus £8 for the Royal Mail to open the parcel! Unless the parcel is marked as a gift of course.

 

[nframe]

Those are beautiful! I don't know how you did the second one, but please, teach me how! I'm in lovproe with that lightning strike look swirl!

Thank you all for your kind words. Maybe I'll enter the competition next time and be less critical.

As for the second soap, I did the same hanger movements as in the first one. Nothing special really. I don't know why it looks so different - probably a thicker trace.