Largest batches to date

[doriettefarm]

Have to show off the 2 largest batches of soap I've made to date. Both were recipes using 5lbs of oils (one all-veggie and one lard) and produced over 7lbs of finished soap each . . . 18 bars each loaf for a total of 36 bars. They were made during a soap class that I taught Tuesday night along with my fabulous assistant dixiedragon.

First batch was a scrubby kitchen soap made with brewed coffee, Cafe Bustelo coffee grounds and Cuban Coffee Bean FO from Soapalooza. Nothing fancy but it smells really good!

Second batch was the lardy recipe because I wanted something slower tracing to demonstrate a basic swirl. I used AC, brown & green oxide to color along with some TD to whiten the base. Poured half of the white base then alternated the colors in a drop swirl fashion, poured more white base and repeated the colors. To finish it off I used a long gear tire to hanger swirl and really tried to restrain myself from overdoing it! I got lots of comments during the pour about the camouflage colors but I think it turned out pretty cool.

Hopefully the students will be pleased when they receive a bar of each soap around Thanksgiving (wanted to make sure they cured properly before use).

 

[lenarenee]

Both are very nice! You enjoyed teaching the class? How exciting to be close enough to a fellow soaper!

 

[snappyllama]

Those are just lovely! I don't think the colors are camouflagish at all. I can totally see your soap!

I bet your class was a hoot with y'all as the instructors.

 

[doriettefarm]

I didn't intend to pick camo colors at all . . . I was going for fall colors to compliment the Sweater Weather FO. So I'm glad the soap isn't invisible (haha snappy)!

And yes I had a blast teaching and would definitely do it again. Hopefully we got some new folks hooked on soaping and they will come here for advice (of course we recommended SMF as a good source of info).

 

[dibbles]

How fun for you two! I'm betting it was a fun class The soaps look great - your students will be excited to get them.

 

[CaraBou]

That's awesome you guys teach together. I would totally take your class if I was there. Great looking soaps, your students will love them!

 

[dixiedragon]

It was a blast and I'm so glad Dorietta invited me. It was taught at a local botanical garden and several of the students commented that it was the most fun of any class they'd taken there. Those swirls turned out really great.

How is the coffee fO holding up? OOB it's by far the best coffee I've ever smelled. fingers crossed!

 

[shunt2011]

Those turned out really nice!! Great job to the two of you! Would have been fun to see.

 

[vedwards]

Those are awesome! I love the swirl! I'd definitely be please if I was one of the students!

 

[BeesKnees]

Oh cool! If only I had paid attention to my botanical gardens emails and realized they were having a soapmaking class! I drove to Montgomery to take a class but we didn't do anything fancy. We were doing hot process soap, though, so maybe it takes longer to make and that's why we didn't cover anything beyond the basic? I'll sign up if you do another class!

 

[doriettefarm]

Oh cool! If only I had paid attention to my botanical gardens emails and realized they were having a soapmaking class! I drove to Montgomery to take a class but we didn't do anything fancy. We were doing hot process soap, though, so maybe it takes longer to make and that's why we didn't cover anything beyond the basic? I'll sign up if you do another class!

I was actually wondering if you might be one of our students when I saw you post in the Intro forum. There's a possibility we might do another class in the spring so sign up for the Aldridge Gardens newsletter. You could also PM me with your email address and I'll send you a copy of the handouts & recipes we used in the class.