Do you have a set pattern for swirling?

[newbie]

I have been trying different patterns and techniques for swirling, trying to find what I like best, and yes, trying to figure out how the person at Otions does their magnificent swirls. I'm talking about slab swirls so this is viewing the top, not loaf swirls or vertical mold swirls, which are different animals, at least to me at this point.

These are two swirls I tried this weekend. Both are OO/Shea 90/10, which I thought would give me some decent time. I read the post from a soaper on the CP soap forum who couldn't get their OO soap to trace (well, not in under two hours) and I was thinking of her (I'm assuming it's a female- sorry if it's not) because I'll be blessed if I didn't have my stupid batter start to thicken at an alarming rate with the orange swirled soap. I had to work really quickly but by the time I poured, it was at a medium trace at least, although it still swirled, just not with the fluidity I wanted. I swirled it with a McDonalds straw but just did loops and curves. Fragrance was BB's Bergamot and Mandarin with some BB Orange Peel.

The other one is not hard enough yet to unmold, but the fragrance didn't accelerate so i got it all poured and swirled while still just prior to or perhaps at light trace- very fluid. I poured the colors for both soaps at a diagonal to the corners and poured back and forth from one end to the other, one over the other through a white base. The orange one I randomly swirled, and the pink and red one I pulled a straw straight from the top to the bottom up and down and then straight across side to side- no curls or loops. Fragrance was Daystar's Hunter's Moon.

Do people use a set pattern when they make their swirls? I've seen some lovely swirls on here. Any techniques people would be willing to share?



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[newbie]

Holy cow! Sorry the pics are so big. I'm using the forum URL- should I be using a different one?

 

[judymoody]

They look fantastic; nicely done!

 

[Fullamoon]

I like that no two are alike.

 

[KD]

I think you did a great job. When I'm swirling in the slab mold, I often go in a diagonal figure 8 from one corner to another and then repeat it on the other diagonal. Sometimes I use my skewer and just free form it. One thing I always do, though, is take the skewer afterwards and draw color into blank looking spots - just sort of put the skewer down and pull in the direction it's needed. To get color throughout the bar, I would normally pour half my main batch, strips of color, my other half, then the last of the color. Swirl when the pouring is complete. But, as I said, I think your soap looks awesome, and I love the metallic touches.

 

[newbie]

KD, when you do your figure 8's, do you do one huge eight in one direction and then another from the other corner, or do you do a few on your way? SOmetimes I go back and fill in and I would have on the orange one, but it was too thick by the time I was done with the first round. I've also found it has to be done just the right amount or I tend to blend it too much.

I'm making my castiles for the winter- I was hoping to get the red/pink one out of the mold today or tomorrow and make anther batch. I am definitely going to try the 8's, if you don't mind me trying your technique. I hope you don't have it trademarked

 

[heyjude]

Your swirls are beautiful. I hope you remember how you did them because I think they are just perfect. 8)

 

[Relle]

Newbie, theres a sticky at the top of the Photo Gallery for resizing.

 

[Dragonkaz]

They look great Newbie and different to anything I do, as I don't have a slab mould.

I hope you can resize your pictures as I can't view your second one properly as my screen isn't big enough ... plus it makes reading anything that's written too hard, so I don't bother!

I worked out that by clicking on your pics, I can get an ordinary view of it on imageshack ... and I love what I saw!

 

[NancyRogers]

Really lovely swirls Newbie. I'm having mold envy too.

 

[JackiK]

Newbie,
Why would you want any advice? Looks like you have it down perfectly. Good golly, those are to die for. I only dream of making soap that beautiful.

 

[newbie]

Jackie, I love to know what other things people do that perhaps I haven't thought of. Sometimes I see swirls that are so beautiful and I haven't managed anything like it, so i wonder if they're willing to share what they do. DO people use a pattern or different tools?

Sorry about the picture size. I will read the sticky- I don't know why sometimes they've been fine and sometimes they're huge. I don't think you missed much, Kaz, by not reading the text. I'm usually just blathering.

 

[Guest]

WoW! Your soap swirl is beautiful! I am very impressed. Do you mind sharing where you purchased your colors, they are brilliant.
Keep on soaping!

 

[scouter139]

Love the metallic in there...can't wait to see them "cut".

 

[newbie]

Cody, I use mostly micas from TKBTrading

http://www.tkbtrading.com/category.php?category_id=8

although some of their soap safe micas lose some of their depth if they are mixed in with batter, so I save those for just the top, mixed in with a little oil (like Chameleon Glitter, Taurus Orion, and the golds, for instance) and since the pop micas have been discontinued, I started using the happy hour collection from the Conservatorie.

http://theconservatorie.com/Happy_Hour_ ... 9_199.html

Thanks for the compliments! I hope to add a few new tricks though. I tried the figure 8s last night, but my mold may be a different size because it left too much unswirled and I had to wing it. I think I'll try it with a smaller mold and see how it goes. Again, any tips on patterns or tools hugely appreciated!

 

[newbie]

Jacki asked why I'm asking for advice. It's because sometimes this happens. Smells good but whew, ugly. This is a stay-at-home product.




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[krissy]

i think it kinda looks like sea coral, you know the tall skinny ones...

on the original post i love the first swirl

 

[JackiK]

It's not ugly at all. Krissy is right, it does look like sea coral. It would go great in a bathroom by the beach. Oh, golly, my house is only a few blocks from the Gulf of Mexico (hint, hint!!)

 

[newbie]

I just have to laugh! I tell you, this is the best forum. People are so unfailingly supportive.

Seriously now, this soap is not attractive. It's scented with Daystar's Ginger Lime which smells fabulous but, even though the website says it soaps easily, I'm here to tell you that it accelerates trace like nobody's business. This was my second run- the first riced with just a whisk and so I was trying a different method, but swirling was not allowed, as you can see. Jacki, if you want a free bar of vertical coral ginger lime soap for your near the beach house (you are so lucky!!!!!), I will happily send one along to you, totally on the house. Send me your address and I will send one along after it's cured for 4 weeks, but I warn you, it must look better in pictures, that's all I can say.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to post my pics of a soap I made with a series of figure 8's, just to compare how different the swirls look. The top looks a little funny, so I have to see if I can shave it off, but the swirl should still be there. I consistently have problems with Apple Jack and Peel and I have to figure it out, but the swirl patterns are what I want to work out.

And really, people on this forum are the best.

 

[Dragonkaz]

I'm with Jacki ... I love that look and it reminded me of the soft corals I used to dive around, when we lived in Fiji ... fabulous!

Keep swiring and sharing your photos ... please!