First Swirl Suggestion, Please?

[John Harris]

Ok, time for me to venture into the world of swirling. You guys with all of your fancy soaps make me ... well ... envious! I can go to You Tube and find videos there I am sure, but what word should I search for? Also, if you have any secret URLs for swirling beginners, please clue me in?

 

[violets2217]

IN THE POT SWIRL! It's my favorite easy go to swirl! It always turns out different and is a good save with batter thicker than you want it to be. Here's one example:

 

[LynetteO]

Ok, time for me to venture into the world of swirling. You guys with all of your fancy soaps make me ... well ... envious! I can go to You Tube and find videos there I am sure, but what word should I search for? Also, if you have any secret URLs for swirling beginners, please clue me in?

This is what I tried 1st. Still love this one. I either over SB (most surely) or used an accelerating scent apparently (probably didn’t ) & batter got thick!!! However, In The Pot Swirl mentioned above is definitely easier!!!

 

[Zing]

ITP!!

 

[John Harris]

ITP = In the pot, Yes?

 

[LynetteO]

ITP = In the pot, Yes?

It took me a minute but yes that is what @Zing is referring to & I wholeheartedly agree that an in the pot swirl is easy, pretty & different every time.

ITP = In the pot, Yes?

Confirmed it here. What a handy link!

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/the-acronym-and-abbreviation-definition-thread.51841/

 

[dibbles]

Another vote for In the Pot swirl (ITP). It was the first swirl I tried and is a very forgiving technique.


You could also search for drop swirls, chopstick swirls or hanger swirls (use a gear tie).

Have fun and post pictures!

 

[KiwiMoose]

 

[lenarenee]

ITP swirl was one of the hardest for me to get right! (hint...save a little bit of colored batter to add at the last minute to your base because often the colors don't reach the bottom when you pour them in and you're left with lots of base color at the end of the pour.) Drop swirls were my best friends!

 

[JuLeeRenee]

My favorite is in the pot swirl as well.

 

[LynetteO]

ITP swirl was one of the hardest for me to get right! (hint...save a little bit of colored batter to add at the last minute to your base because often the colors don't reach the bottom when you pour them in and you're left with lots of base color at the end of the pour.) Drop swirls were my best friends!

It’s so great that you mentioned saving some colored batter. Watched the ITP video above & noticed that she did just that but off camera. That’s a wonderful tip. Thanks for saying it “out loud”

 

[ResolvableOwl]

In any case, I have a wish, regardless if you follow the crowd and go ITP, or you might opt for the equally easy one-pot wonder, drop swirl, or hanger swirl: Keep it simple. More than three colours are rarely worthwhile additions to the design, IMHO. I find the look of many ITP swirls a bit … well … untidy for that reason. As few as two colours might be good to start with (and to stay with maybe too).

Also keep it simple and don't overdo it, stop swirling rather sooner than later. I've seen too many people ruining a great design by not knowing when to call it a day.

 

[lucycat]

I agree that for a first swirl fewer colors are better. Less color work means you are in better control of time as well as keeping your workspace simpler. I was so concerned on my first complicated swirl about getting everything done quickly with all of the swirl cups in front of me that I forgot the fragrance.

Do you use ultramarine blue as a colorant? I personally find a white soap with a one color ultramarine blue swirl impressive because of the contrast of the bright dark blue against a pure white background.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

Confirmed it here. What a handy link!

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/the-acronym-and-abbreviation-definition-thread.51841/

Thank you so much! I was just wishing there was such a link someplace posted as a sticky at the top of the forums!

 

[LynetteO]

Thank you so much! I was just wishing there was such a link someplace posted as a sticky at the top of the forums!

There is. If you click on Forums from drop down menu top right of page you’ll see
“The soap making & craft forum” under that you’ll see “Beginner Soap Making Forum” & if select that thread “The. Acronym & Abbreviation thread is third from top.

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/#the-soap-making-craft-forum.4
I’ve book marked the Beginner Forum. Bookmarks help with the VAST of information available @SMF

 

[Zing]

Do you use ultramarine blue as a colorant? I personally find a white soap with a one color ultramarine blue swirl impressive because of the contrast of the bright dark blue against a pure white background.

I love this idea. Bookmarked and bucket listed. Done!

 

[lenarenee]

It’s so great that you mentioned saving some colored batter. Watched the ITP video above & noticed that she did just that but off camera. That’s a wonderful tip. Thanks for saying it “out loud”

Lol! Well thanks! I just wanted to save someone else from feeling like a ding dong as I did when my in-the-pot didn't turn out uniformly colored!

 

[KiwiMoose]

I love this idea. Bookmarked and bucket listed. Done!

Yes I might give this a go too. What are we thinking in the way of fragrance?

 

[The_Phoenix]

I prefer drop swirls. ITP, for me at least, always looks too muddled and haphazard. I like having more control with where my colors and how deep or shallow they are in the finished bar. These are two of my favorites:

 

[KiwiMoose]

I prefer drop swirls. ITP, for me at least, always looks too muddled and haphazard. I like having more control with where my colors and how deep or shallow they are in the finished bar. These are two of my favorites:View attachment 60152View attachment 60153

They are lovely Phoenix, but I have trouble getting mine to look as lovely as that. Mine always look more messy and less 'droppy'. Here's one I did the other day:

FYI @John Harris - to achieve this I split the batter into four colours - red, orange, green and TD to the base colour. I poured a little of the white ( about a cm coverage along the bottom of the mold) then poured a couple of random thin lines up and down of the red (from a height, so it 'drops' in), then the green, then the orange, then the white until all the colours were exhausted. As usual my batter got fairly thick for the last few passes along the top, so i grabbed a teaspoon and kinda spoon swirled the top inch or so of the top layers ( in, scoop, twist then out). Most people wouldn't have to bother with that if their batter is more fluid.