I can't do a decent drop swirl!

[KiwiMoose]

I've decided I don't like drop swirls. They never turn out any good. Always just a big U shaped mess. Are there any drop swirl experts out there that can help with tips? I see a lot of lovely ones but just can't seem to emulate them. Here's my most recent one and the method I used was to half pour the green (ITP swirl) into the mold, then I did a 'kiss pour' of my teal and pink from a reasonable height, then a bit more green from a height, then a little more kiss pour. Lastly I combined all of them as ITP for the top layer before spooning the two remaining colours onto the top. I'm thinking the U shape comes from pouring the second run of the base colour down the centre. I obviously make this mistake a lot, given I have a lot of U-swirled soaps.

 

[Zing]

I know you are frustrated and I do hope you get some good tips here! I'm surprised because you are an incredibly talented super soaper -- have to admit it's a relief to find out you are human! I've never done this type of swirl -- on purpose, at least. But I will say that that soap is lovely. The color combo is very Arizona-esque, hope you get the reference.

 

[lenarenee]

Well, I don't see anything wrong with your drop swirl. What are you hoping it will look like? Maybe you're hoping to get more of the drops deeper into the base?

You don't like the big U, and yes, that's from doing one pass with the color. I do 2 or 3 each pass, not in the same place.

Are you dropping from various heights as well? When you drop, a good sign that it's reaching a nice depth is when you see the base/batter rise up the sides. When it doesn't, then you need to pour higher up and let gravity force it down deeper.

Medium trace starts to be too thick for a deep drop swirl, and a thinner batter dropped high helps.

Here's a few things I do: Fill the mold with about half the batter you would normally use for your drop swirl, then start start the drop swirl with the colors (again using about half of what you would have used). At this point, you drop swirl the white base, then the colors, then base, then colors until finished. (that was very awkwardly explained so let me know if you need a do-over!)

Or, take take half of the white base, add some of the color as though doing an in the pot swirl, pour as usual into the mold. After that, drop swirl the white and colors one by one. Both of these give me a soap swirled although out the bar, but there are definitely a cross between a itp and drop swirl. (drop swirl to me is a drip within a drip, larger more defined blocks of color rather than swirls) I'll see if I have a bar for an example.

 

[TheGecko]

I like drop swirls…combined with a chopstick

 

[Rsapienza]

I seem to have success with drop swirls. I drop from high and alternate from pouring on 1 side and middle, then middle and other side and sort of go back and forth like that. I think when I was first learning, I had watched a couple of Katie Carlson’s YouTube videos and mimicked her pour.

 

[dibbles]

Of course you can do a drop swirl! Your soap is pretty, but I understand your frustration if that isn't the look you are trying to achieve. I agree that pouring a large-ish amount of the base color down the middle is causing the U shape. Can you find a picture of what you want your result to be? More like this maybe?

 

[Cat&Oak]

When I make drop swirls I make sure my batter is light/medium trace. I first pour half the batter then alternate the other colors 3 times at varying heights. Hope that helps.

 

[KiwiMoose]

I seem to have success with drop swirls. I drop from high and alternate from pouring on 1 side and middle, then middle and other side and sort of go back and forth like that. I think when I was first learning, I had watched a couple of Katie Carlson’s YouTube videos and mimicked her pour.

Now THAT's what I'm talking about - they look great!

Of course you can do a drop swirl! Your soap is pretty, but I understand your frustration if that isn't the look you are trying to achieve. I agree that pouring a large-ish amount of the base color down the middle is causing the U shape. Can you find a picture of what you want your result to be? More like this maybe?
View attachment 60644

Yes - beautiful!

When I make drop swirls I make sure my batter is light/medium trace. I first pour half the batter then alternate the other colors 3 times at varying heights. Hope that helps.

Lovely!

OK - you three, I'll try again in the next couple of days and see what I can come up with.

 

[dibbles]

KiwiMoose, try pouring about 2" of soap in the bottom of your mold. Then in a thinnish stream, pour one color lengthwise 2-3 times (in 2-3 places), followed by the same with a new color (more or less on top of the first color). Repeat, adding in the base color as well. If you want less color throughout the bar, just pour more base in at the start. I'd forget adding in the kiss pour technique for now. You can always revisit that later. You've got this!

 

[KiwiMoose]

Okey dokey soapy friends. I’m feeling positive about this one. I used Lavender, Tea and Tonic FO which is not only delicious, it slows trace. The batter was super-duper fluid!

 

[LynetteO]

Trying hard not to be green with envy with your amazing beautiful !

 

[jojoandher3girls]

Looks amazing,look forward to seeing the cut

 

[Cat&Oak]

I'm excited for the cut Kiwi your soaps are always stunning and something I aspire too

 

[Peachy Clean Soap]

Okey dokey soapy friends. I’m feeling positive about this one. I used Lavender, Tea and Tonic FO which is not only delicious, it slows trace. The batter was super-duper fluid!
View attachment 60683

Thats Beautiful'

 

[KiwiMoose]

Right - here we go....
*Disclaimer* This is one time when my signature glycerine rivers kinda ruined it, along with either stearic spots or rice slurry spots (or both)

Then would you believe this reminded me of a few things, and so i went back through my archives to find I CAN do a drop swirl:

I think my 'U' shaped issue comes from complacency - I just always think it will turn out OK so I don't pay attention to what I'm doing and what the result will be.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

You nailed it, and apparently also many times before! Congratulations.

 

[dibbles]

Lovely! Were you excited when you cut it?

 

[KiwiMoose]

Lovely! Were you excited when you cut it?

Yeah-nah. I love @Rsapienza's ones above, but I guess they are not gelled to get that lovely smooth finish? Oh well - soap do what soap do.

 

[Cat&Oak]

Beautiful! Great job Kiwi!

 

[dibbles]

I guess they are not gelled to get that lovely smooth finish?

I don’t know, but soaps that are gelled can be smooth.