Finally

[Edward Sebastian]

Well, I finally faced my fear and jumped into the murky waters. Made my first batch of soap, granted I followed a recipe, but I did it. I have to say, tho' , I felt as if I was a chicken with my head cut off. Is it me, or does everybody go through that whole feelin' unorganized during the process? Not sure how my batch will turn out, but I was a wreck. Anybody else feel that way? Tell me your story of your first batch of soap making.

 

[Megan]

I still have batches like that. I try to follow the whole mise en place technique, but then all of a sudden I'm like: "where's my spatula?" "darnit, I dropped my spoon, gotta go get a new one" "did I just get soap batter on my face? Wipe it off and press on"....

 

[soapmaker]

All kinds of personalities on here and everyone is unique. My recollection (14 years ago) of my first batch was feeling wary but very excited. As it began to trace (before stick blenders hit that's 1 hour of stirring) I thought I must be doing something right! At that time I had to wait the 24 hours insulation time with blankets on my batch etc. before looking! Next day with gloved hands I removed all the wrappings and it had firmed up. (More excitement) Then after I cut it, I rinsed my gloved hands under the tap and got all kinds of lather!! Super excited! I made soap. It was wonderful. Sorry, I was organized, but don't worry, if you get soap, that's the object.

 

[moodymama]

I went super easy, I did a 100% olive oil soap with a cheapy stick blender. I stick blended for what seemed like forever and it barely got past thin trace, I thought I did something wrong. I was glad the next day when I unmolded it had turned out well. Not soft or anything.

 

[Edward Sebastian]

I still have batches like that. I try to follow the whole mise en place technique, but then all of a sudden I'm like: "where's my spatula?" "darnit, I dropped my spoon, gotta go get a new one" "did I just get soap batter on my face? Wipe it off and press on"....

HAHAHAA!
Practically me! ...

 

[dibbles]

I tried to be as organized as possible. I used lavender EO (I think), but no colors. I remember being very nervous about mixing the lye solution. I think I held my breath while stirring. When I couldn't hold my breath any longer, I left the area to breathe in another one and went back to stirring. I also remember literally sweating while making that first batch. It gets easier, I promise! Congratulations on your first!

 

[Edward Sebastian]

All kinds of personalities on here and everyone is unique. My recollection (14 years ago) of my first batch was feeling wary but very excited. As it began to trace (before stick blenders hit that's 1 hour of stirring) I thought I must be doing something right! At that time I had to wait the 24 hours insulation time with blankets on my batch etc. before looking! Next day with gloved hands I removed all the wrappings and it had firmed up. (More excitement) Then after I cut it, I rinsed my gloved hands under the tap and got all kinds of lather!! Super excited! I made soap. It was wonderful. Sorry, I was organized, but don't worry, if you get soap, that's the object.

ABsolutely! YEah!!

I went super easy, I did a 100% olive oil soap with a cheapy stick blender. I stick blended for what seemed like forever and it barely got past thin trace, I thought I did something wrong. I was glad the next day when I unmolded it had turned out well. Not soft or anything.

That's fantastic!

I tried to be as organized as possible. I used lavender EO (I think), but no colors. I remember being very nervous about mixing the lye solution. I think I held my breath while stirring. When I couldn't hold my breath any longer, I left the area to breathe in another one and went back to stirring. I also remember literally sweating while making that first batch. It gets easier, I promise! Congratulations on your first!

That's great. Thanks!

 

[bookreader451]

The worst for me was mixing the lye. I was convinced I was going to poison my husband and cat with fumes so I mixed it outside. Then I played the 10 degree game running back and forth to the lye, still outside, and the oils in the kitchen. I ran a marathon before I even used my shiny new stick blender!

In the end I did okay but I think I shook through the whole thing.

 

[Arimara]

I just dove right in and made a recipe from Ann Watson. I got tired of reading as it was starting not to make any sense. My first ever batch was HP and I had infused calendula leaves in some oil, which I could swear helped that soap feel good (I won't though).

 

[Beth]

Well, I finally faced my fear and jumped into the murky waters. Made my first batch of soap, granted I followed a recipe, but I did it. I have to say, tho' , I felt as if I was a chicken with my head cut off. Is it me, or does everybody go through that whole feelin' unorganized during the process? Not sure how my batch will turn out, but I was a wreck. Anybody else feel that way? Tell me your story of your first batch of soap making.

I’m a very organized person, I measure everything before, and line up in order (and in groups) of pouring it. Then, once it reaches trace I feel super disorganized because things need to be done fast from that point on.
And later I always have a feeling that I “forgot” something. Which haven’t happened yet.
That soap will be your baby. I still having soap from my first batch. And the experience of washing your hands with your own soap is amazing.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I remember feeling quite tense and I made a lot of mess due to the tension - splashes and gloops everywhere. I was super paranoid about the lye solution and the soap batter once mixed.
These days, it's all very relaxing with no tension, and consequently, no mess.

 

[Zing]

Good for you, Dude, for making soap!! We want pics! I've been soaping for awhile and try to lay everything out ahead of time and still get an anxious feeling during the process. Like I'll 'air practice' a hanger swirl and then feel like I've forgotten everything when I stick the hanger in the actual batter. I am a perfectionist and I will say that soaping has been good for me in terms of learning to accept what you get instead of what you planned. It is incredibly satisfying, though, to watch raw ingredients turn into something beautiful and useful.

 

[Curtis]

It took several batches before I ironed out mistakes. A few things I learned that may help.

1. Try to make small batches of soap at least every couple of weeks. I think that if you wait too long in between batches you'll learn a lot more slowly - that's how it works for me at least. I started making soap when I was taking some time off and I made small batches every couple of days. I made many mistakes but I learned a lot doing it this way.

2. Make very detailed step by step instructions and follow them exactly. I still do this and it has saved me from skipping a step and leaving something out. When I first started I had a time when I would forget to EO/FO, or I'd forget to add sodium lactate to my lye water, or I'd forget to add milk after I mixed the lye and oil. Now I write out each step of the process and don't move onto the next step until I've checked off the prior step. Since I started doing this I've not forgotten anything.

3. Don't over stick blend. There was a period when I would stick blend way too much and my batter would be thicker than I wanted. Now I stick blend a little, stir and and wait. I'd rather pour too thin than too thick.

Please post pictures of your soap

 

[Kathymzr]

Soapmaking is like conducting an orchestra—yikes! Stage fright!

 

[Edward Sebastian]

The worst for me was mixing the lye. I was convinced I was going to poison my husband and cat with fumes so I mixed it outside. Then I played the 10 degree game running back and forth to the lye, still outside, and the oils in the kitchen. I ran a marathon before I even used my shiny new stick blender!

In the end I did okay but I think I shook through the whole thing.

HAHAHAAA!! I held my breath too! HAHAAA

I just dove right in and made a recipe from Ann Watson. I got tired of reading as it was starting not to make any sense. My first ever batch was HP and I had infused calendula leaves in some oil, which I could swear helped that soap feel good (I won't though).

You're braver than me... lol

I’m a very organized person, I measure everything before, and line up in order (and in groups) of pouring it. Then, once it reaches trace I feel super disorganized because things need to be done fast from that point on.
And later I always have a feeling that I “forgot” something. Which haven’t happened yet.
That soap will be your baby. I still having soap from my first batch. And the experience of washing your hands with your own soap is amazing.

Totally agree! I can't wait.

I remember feeling quite tense and I made a lot of mess due to the tension - splashes and gloops everywhere. I was super paranoid about the lye solution and the soap batter once mixed.
These days, it's all very relaxing with no tension, and consequently, no mess.

Good to know, I won't be a complete and utter mess forever...lol

Good for you, Dude, for making soap!! We want pics! I've been soaping for awhile and try to lay everything out ahead of time and still get an anxious feeling during the process. Like I'll 'air practice' a hanger swirl and then feel like I've forgotten everything when I stick the hanger in the actual batter. I am a perfectionist and I will say that soaping has been good for me in terms of learning to accept what you get instead of what you planned. It is incredibly satisfying, though, to watch raw ingredients turn into something beautiful and useful.

Solid! I have to find something to cut it with. It's one of the only things I didn't plan for ahead of time...lol! I'll post when I do get to cut it. Can't use any of my knives.

It took several batches before I ironed out mistakes. A few things I learned that may help.

1. Try to make small batches of soap at least every couple of weeks. I think that if you wait too long in between batches you'll learn a lot more slowly - that's how it works for me at least. I started making soap when I was taking some time off and I made small batches every couple of days. I made many mistakes but I learned a lot doing it this way.

2. Make very detailed step by step instructions and follow them exactly. I still do this and it has saved me from skipping a step and leaving something out. When I first started I had a time when I would forget to EO/FO, or I'd forget to add sodium lactate to my lye water, or I'd forget to add milk after I mixed the lye and oil. Now I write out each step of the process and don't move onto the next step until I've checked off the prior step. Since I started doing this I've not forgotten anything.

3. Don't over stick blend. There was a period when I would stick blend way too much and my batter would be thicker than I wanted. Now I stick blend a little, stir and and wait. I'd rather pour too thin than too thick.

Please post pictures of your soap

That's great advice, thanks. I will post as soon as I can find something to cut it with. I didn't plan for the cutting part, so I didn't purchase a cutter...ugh.

Soapmaking is like conducting an orchestra—yikes! Stage fright!

Absolutely agree! HAHA!

 

[Kcryss]

That's great advice, thanks. I will post as soon as I can find something to cut it with. I didn't plan for the cutting part, so I didn't purchase a cutter...ugh.

A cheap mitre box and a long drywall plastering blade/scraper thing will work.

 

[moodymama]

That's great advice, thanks. I will post as soon as I can find something to cut it with. I didn't plan for the cutting part, so I didn't purchase a cutter...ugh.

You can use a non-serated knife.

 

[TheGecko]

That's great advice, thanks. I will post as soon as I can find something to cut it with. I didn't plan for the cutting part, so I didn't purchase a cutter...ugh.

I bought a cheese slicer off Amazon. Soap likes to slide a little, so I bought a flat ‘dowel’ from Home Depot, some course sand paper and wood glue. Sanded off the finish the width and length of the dowel, roughed up the bottom of the dowel and glued them together and held with clamps. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy.

 

[Edward Sebastian]

A cheap mitre box and a long drywall plastering blade/scraper thing will work.

Oh man, too late. Ordered a soap cutter board...sigh....

You can use a non-serated knife.

Unfortunately, I don't have one to spare...lol. Since this was my first soap, I just used a cheap meat cleaver....worked...lol

I bought a cheese slicer off Amazon. Soap likes to slide a little, so I bought a flat ‘dowel’ from Home Depot, some course sand paper and wood glue. Sanded off the finish the width and length of the dowel, roughed up the bottom of the dowel and glued them together and held with clamps. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy.

That's fantastic. Wish I thought of it before ordering the cutter board...lol Thanks tho'!

Well guys, I unmolded my soap, and here it is. feels a lil' soft, and the edges of the soap got stuck to the blade, but I'm assuming that's from the water being retained in the soap. I'm not sure if the top has soda ash or it's from the plastic wrap I laid on top of the mold before wrapping a towel around it. Let's see how it is in 5 weeks. It is five weeks , riiight? or is it seven weeks before use? what do you guys think? Any critique welcomed. Thanks. OH, By the way, what do you guys use as a drying rack?