May 2024 SMF Challenge: Hanger Swirls!

[dibbles]

I've just finished pouring my 3rd attempt at a Luna Swirl. I think this will have to be it, even if it still isn't quite what I'm looking for. At least the 'fails' are still a pretty hanger swirl

 

[AliOop]

@dibbles your “fail” would be my ne plus ultra, I’m sure.

 

[akseattle]

Well, I stayed up into the wee hours making my soap Saturday AM. Unfortunately, very little went as planned. The color scheme I had in mind was pale yellow (the main color), with ice blue, white, and black swirls. The pale yellow was going to be achieved by using only 15% red palm oil, instead of the 30% the recipe calls for. As it turns out, 15% palm oil is still pretty bright orange. Which is fine if that had been the plan.
I think I poured my first layer too high. When I went to do my swirl, my hanger tool seemed to completely lift the soap out of its place. A wire hanger without the pen may have worked better... or my soap had reached too thick of a trace?? I will cut the soap later today, when I get my courage up. Usually, I can't wait to cut. I have a feeling I'm going to have a blurry grey mess of a design.
To top it, my soap may have volcanoed?
To prevent soda ash which plagued my palm oil soap last time I made it, I thought I'd try the oven trick. I don't think my oven gets cool enough, something very weird seems to have happened to the top of the soap.
On a positive note, I mixed my mica in oil for the first time- so much better than mixing with alcohol!! I should have tried this sooner! Thanks AliOop for help on that!

 

[AliOop]

Well, I stayed up into the wee hours making my soap Saturday AM. Unfortunately, very little went as planned. The color scheme I had in mind was pale yellow (the main color), with ice blue, white, and black swirls. The pale yellow was going to be achieved by using only 15% red palm oil, instead of the 30% the recipe calls for. As it turns out, 15% palm oil is still pretty bright orange. Which is fine if that had been the plan.
I think I poured my first layer too high. When I went to do my swirl, my hanger tool seemed to completely lift the soap out of its place. A wire hanger without the pen may have worked better... or my soap had reached too thick of a trace?? I will cut the soap later today, when I get my courage up. Usually, I can't wait to cut. I have a feeling I'm going to have a blurry grey mess of a design.
To top it, my soap may have volcanoed?
To prevent soda ash which plagued my palm oil soap last time I made it, I thought I'd try the oven trick. I don't think my oven gets cool enough, something very weird seems to have happened to the top of the soap.
On a positive note, I mixed my mica in oil for the first time- so much better than mixing with alcohol!! I should have tried this sooner! Thanks AliOop for help on that!

I am always nervous about hanger swirls, but they almost always turn out better than I'd hoped. I'm sure that will be the same with yours, as well!

 

[akseattle]

I am always nervous about hanger swirls, but they almost always turn out better than I'd hoped. I'm sure that will be the same with yours, as well!

Well, I cut my soap- at about the 30 hour mark- and although a little flawed, it's okay!

It must have over heated because there are little pock marks on the sides starting about half way up- like there were tiny bubbles that popped. When I pulled the sides of the mold away from the soap, there was some liquid which made me really nervous. But, otherwise, it unmolded without a problem. The top isn't smooth and shiny, but a slightly rough matt texture, and the colors are more blurred together. It seems like the top had puffed up and started to pour over the side of the mold. I cut that part off. But, the inside looks great!

I guess I'm adding to the choir of "not what I expected, but I like it!"

If I have a chance before the end of the month (or whenever the challenge ends), and if I get over the trauma of my oven experience, I may try this hanger swirl again. I made two batches of oil for this one loaf because I thought the red palm oil would really restrict the color palette. But, for my next swirl, I'll only use the palm oil recipe. I'm going to use the exact same micas and TD, in the exact same amounts, and hang with whatever the red palm oil produces. I think I'll stick with my hanger tool made with a pen, too. The only change --- no oven!! I'm actually getting excited!

 

[ackosel]

I hope we get to see all the non-entered attempts after the challenge ends. I think that would be fun and educational!

 

[AliOop]

I hope we get to see all the non-entered attempts after the challenge ends. I think that would be fun and educational!

Me too! But you don't have to wait till after the challenge ends. If you have a soap that you are sure you won't be entering, please post it here in the main challenge thread. The more you can share about what worked, and what didn't, the more we all benefit.

 

[Relle]

Done and dusted.

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

To enter the May 2024 SMF Challenge, copy and paste these instructions and the entire list into a new post, adding the next number and your name to the bottom of the list.

Sign-up list:
1. Justsomeguy - it's gonna be nerve wrecking but I'm in. My first venture into multicolored soap
2. Ackosel - I need to get a hanger and learn how to use it. Expecting to enjoy the learning process, submit a very unimpressive entry, and have fun doing it!
3. Relle
4. dmcgee5034 - have hanger, will swirl
5. McKherringFarm
6. akseattle
7. Firefly24
8. SoapM0m - I've been making soap for over 25 years and I've *never* done a challenge! This should be fun!
9. The_Emerald_Chicken
10. Vicki C
11. Zuleika - Hang myself on this.
12. Tammyfarms - starting to plan the design. This is the most time consuming part for me.
13. dibbles - it's about time for me to attempt a Luna Swirl
14. CLMP this was a fun challenge!
15.Deebeesnj- excited to participate and learn!
16.

 

[Firefly24]

I've just finished pouring my 3rd attempt at a Luna Swirl. I think this will have to be it, even if it still isn't quite what I'm looking for. At least the 'fails' are still a pretty hanger swirl

I Can't wait to see your Luna swirl. I have not attempted that one yet.

 

[Firefly24]

Wondering if anyone here participates in the "Soap Challenge Club" by Amy Warden? Or if you have ever participated?

 

[akseattle]

I've just finished pouring my 3rd attempt at a Luna Swirl. I think this will have to be it, even if it still isn't quite what I'm looking for. At least the 'fails' are still a pretty hanger swirl

I Can't wait to see your Luna swirl. I have not attempted that one yet.

@dibbles, you are tenacious! I can't wait to see your swirl, too!

 

[DeeBeeSNJ]

Look what was just posted to YT within the last hour... a hanger swirl soap video! Enjoy

I love her videos. She is so talented and knowledgeable. Shares so much to help the viewer create successfully.

Wondering if anyone here participates in the "Soap Challenge Club" by Amy Warden? Or if you have ever participated?

I never have. Have you? This is my first time entering a contest in soaps. I just want to challenge myself. Hanger swirls are fun, yet stressful. Between batter consistency, color and fragrance acceleration, how much,how little to hanger swirl without getting muddy. Nerve wracking but excited.

 

[dibbles]

Wondering if anyone here participates in the "Soap Challenge Club" by Amy Warden? Or if you have ever participated?

I participate, and I know there are others here who do as well. I highly recommend giving it a try!

 

[Firefly24]

I never have. Have you? This is my first time entering a contest in soaps. I just want to challenge myself. Hanger swirls are fun, yet stressful. Between batter consistency, color and fragrance acceleration, how much,how little to hanger swirl without getting muddy. Nerve wracking but excited.

No I haven't. That was why I wondered if anybody here has? Sounds fun though.

 

[AliOop]

@Firefly24 several of our members have not only participated, but won, including @dibbles, @Vicki C, and probably a few others that I'm forgetting (sorry!).

 

[McKherring Farm]

Okay....here is my first "fail" as far as the challenge goes. The swirl just didn't quite swirl! The colors are a little darker than I anticipated but....it smells nice (Birchwood Oul FO) and I don't hate how it turned out. It's just not what I was going for. I have a 2nd attempt that went much better and I plan to give it a 3rd try before I decide. I used a hangar swirl tool from BB. After watching a couple of videos I know my biggest mistake here was pouring my colors in distinct layers. I changed that on my second effort and things went much better. I had also tried doing a swirl after filling the mold halfway, then finishing the fill and swirling again. Yeah....that didn't work so well for me this time. Colors - Cappuccino mica, Gold Ultrasparkle mica, and Evergreen mica - all from BB. Goat milk replaced water 100%. Oils - Olive, Avocado, Castor, Coconut, Soybean/Palm mix (Crisco)

Thank you for the discussion of mixing micas in oils. I did that this time and really liked the result!
So.....let's see some other "fails".

 

[ackosel]

Okay....here is my first "fail" as far as the challenge goes. The swirl just didn't quite swirl! The colors are a little darker than I anticipated but....it smells nice (Birchwood Oul FO) and I don't hate how it turned out. It's just not what I was going for. I have a 2nd attempt that went much better and I plan to give it a 3rd try before I decide. I used a hangar swirl tool from BB. After watching a couple of videos I know my biggest mistake here was pouring my colors in distinct layers. I changed that on my second effort and things went much better. I had also tried doing a swirl after filling the mold halfway, then finishing the fill and swirling again. Yeah....that didn't work so well for me this time. Colors - Cappuccino mica, Gold Ultrasparkle mica, and Evergreen mica - all from BB. Goat milk replaced water 100%. Oils - Olive, Avocado, Castor, Coconut, Soybean/Palm mix (Crisco)

Thank you for the discussion of mixing micas in oils. I did that this time and really liked the result!
So.....let's see some other "fails".
View attachment 77447

Lovely fail! I still want to try another time or two before I decide which soap to enter. Lots going on this spring, but I should still be able to make time for a couple small hanger swirl batches before the deadline.

 

[ScentimentallyYours]

To enter the May 2024 SMF Challenge, copy and paste these instructions and the entire list into a new post, adding the next number and your name to the bottom of the list.

Sign-up list:
1. Justsomeguy - it's gonna be nerve wrecking but I'm in. My first venture into multicolored soap
2. Ackosel - I need to get a hanger and learn how to use it. Expecting to enjoy the learning process, submit a very unimpressive entry, and have fun doing it!
3. Relle
4. dmcgee5034 - have hanger, will swirl
5. McKherringFarm
6. akseattle
7. Firefly24
8. SoapM0m - I've been making soap for over 25 years and I've *never* done a challenge! This should be fun!
9. The_Emerald_Chicken
10. Vicki C
11. Zuleika - Hang myself on this.
12. Tammyfarms - starting to plan the design. This is the most time consuming part for me.
13. dibbles - it's about time for me to attempt a Luna Swirl
14. CLMP this was a fun challenge!
15.Deebeesnj- excited to participate and learn!
16. ScentimentallyYours - have a new supply of 12” Dunkin’ straws for my swirl tool.
17.

 

[AliOop]

Okay....here is my first "fail" as far as the challenge goes. The swirl just didn't quite swirl! The colors are a little darker than I anticipated but....it smells nice (Birchwood Oul FO) and I don't hate how it turned out. It's just not what I was going for. I have a 2nd attempt that went much better and I plan to give it a 3rd try before I decide. I used a hangar swirl tool from BB. After watching a couple of videos I know my biggest mistake here was pouring my colors in distinct layers. I changed that on my second effort and things went much better. I had also tried doing a swirl after filling the mold halfway, then finishing the fill and swirling again. Yeah....that didn't work so well for me this time. Colors - Cappuccino mica, Gold Ultrasparkle mica, and Evergreen mica - all from BB. Goat milk replaced water 100%. Oils - Olive, Avocado, Castor, Coconut, Soybean/Palm mix (Crisco)

Thank you for the discussion of mixing micas in oils. I did that this time and really liked the result!
So.....let's see some other "fails".
View attachment 77447

That actually is quite cool - very moody and mysterious!

And thank you for sharing that tip about not pouring in distinct layers, as well. I agree - random strips of color seem to work best for me, as well.