SMF April 2021 Challenge - Lollipop Swirl

[ResolvableOwl]

I can't get much more curious about the shenanigans you (and everyone else, as a matter of fact) are coming up with . And I also (try to remember to) clock how long my pour will take when I'm switching back to soap batter.

 

[KimW]

Just cut my second attempt today and it’s closer to a lollipop swirl than my first (re: accidental drop swirl)! It took me a bit to notice them, but I think I see the eyeballs some people have been getting. They’re not poured perfectly round, but do you guys see any that may qualify as lollipops?

In any case, it’s been fun trying to get this right, so I think I will give this just one more try this week before the entry deadline closes on the 27th.

I think they look fab and I would be happy to enter them...however...keep in mind that you can't post photos of your entry outside of the entry thread - even in non-challenge related threads. So, sadly, this cute little bunch can't be entered.

Says you!

My last attempt the pour took an hour, not counting any of the prep, just getting it into the cylinder!

I'm lining up one final try today which will probably take even longer...

You and me both! Did I post somewhere that the pour took so long that it prompted Hubs to order me a standing mat?!

 

[Vicki C]

More margarine, more colours, more experiences! (more biscuits?)

View attachment 56297 View attachment 56299 View attachment 56300

This time, I divided the margarine into three parts, added 8% cocoa powder to one, and the same 8% of corn starch to the other two (with the idea to match density and fluidity – which worked well). The green batter has pumpkin seed oil again (I didn't put that much effort into correcting the colours this time, it looks more grayish, which is a shame for the camera manufacturer).

• It might be a good idea to decide beforehand how many pours per revolution you might want to do. I didn't, but in the end it turned out well with 12 pours (4 pours for each colour). Drawing markers can be helpful. When you divide the circumference into a number of segments that is a multiple of the number of your colours, after each revolution you end up pouring the same colour at the same place. This is super practical, and also helps keeping the colours clean. (left photo)
• The original technique calls for “slice of sausage” cuts (perpendicular to the cylinder axis). But the patterns are just as beautiful when you cut in a skew angle (middle photo, bottom right), or even “scoop out” irregular shapes with a spoon (top left). My favourite, however, is how it looks like in a vertical cut (right photo): the 3D effect reminds me of a colourfully dressed caterpillar dancing in pirouettes! In any case, I'm super curious how patterns reveal themselves one after another in an actual bar of soap, when it got an ovoid shape after some time at the basin!
• Once again, I'm amazed how fast the pour is. Yes, it needs a lot of preparation, putting everything at hand, adjusting/waiting for the ideal fluidity. But the pouring itself is done in a minute or two, and has something … umm, meditative … to it. Watching your shape grow upward, you are not the creator of the design, but a mere servant whose hands are just needed to help the idea materialise from the ethereal world of conceptions into the dirty world of reality.

@ResolvableOwl when you write a soapmaking book I’ll be at the front of the line to buy it. Or any book.

 

[peachymoon]

I think they look fab and I would be happy to enter them...however...keep in mind that you can't post photos of your entry outside of the entry thread - even in non-challenge related threads. So, sadly, this cute little bunch can't be entered.

Ahh, I didn’t realize that!! I guess I will have to make that 3rd batch then.

 

[szaza]

Great to see you aboard! How did you survive half a year of not soaping? (Using up stockpile?)

Are you just generally interested in the technique, or have you just not yet added yourself to the sign-up list?

I didn't want to sign up until I was sure I had an entry..
The bars from lower half of the cylinder are nowhere near a lollipop thanks to my little slip up halfway through, but the 4 bars from the top half of the cylinder are ok
And yes, I still have more than a year (maybe even 2) of soaps left in stock so I even feel a bit guilty about soaping when there's still a lot of renovation left to do on the house we moved into 6 months ago. Silver lining: all my soaps are very well cured

 

[szaza]

Please copy & Paste, add your name along with the next appropriate number.)

1. earlene - I have a few days before surgery, it will probably be my last soap for at least 6-8 weeks
2. dibbles - This will be super fun or very 'exciting' - I'm in
3.Vicki C. - My last day of work is today! Yippee! Soap studio here I come...
4. Tara_H - this is on my bucket list, I'm so in!
5. KimW - Found and fell in love with this about the time I found SMF. Now I have a reason to finally try it!
6. Jersey Girl- Yes, yes, yes! Been wanting to try this!
7. peachymoon - I’m back! And I’m in!
8. amd - maybe I can pop a soap for fun into my to do list this month
9. glendam - I have been thinking of trying this technique, good timing!
10. Anstarx - I've been wanting to try this technique for a while. This can be just my push!
11. bookreader451 - I will try to get it in on time this month!
12. ResolvableOwl - Screw it. Cross-over escalation time!
13. Corsara - I'm going to sign up quick before I get cold feet and convince myself I can't do it!
14. Phoenix - This will be fun!
15. linne1gi - Love this challenge - definitely challenging!
16. Peachy Clean Soap's - I'm in how fun, 1st try @ this design. Am I The Caboose.?
17. Violets2217- I done ADULTING this week, so I’m gonna make some soap!
18. Maxine289 - looking forward to trying this.
19. szaza - yay I made soap!

 

[Tara_H]

I can't get much more curious about the shenanigans you (and everyone else, as a matter of fact) are coming up with . And I also (try to remember to) clock how long my pour will take when I'm switching back to soap batter.

Well, I timed this morning's pour and it was about 40 minutes - but I was rushing because I had a thicker trace than I was planning so it got a bit frantic...

I hesitated so long over using one of my new FOs but it was exactly the right smell for the design, so in the end I put it in the main batch just after emulsion.

I'm not sure the official term for what happened, but the batter seemed to get darker and more transparent, and somehow thicker without more of a trace. I rushed to split it into the colour pots and get it mixed with the mica, and it then stabilised at a medium-thick trace with no sign of further acceleration.

I made up an entire new batch and used it to 'dilute' the too thick stuff. Don't ask me why I thought it was a good idea but somehow it worked! Helped along with a few drops of lime oil when it started to thicken, I got the whole thing poured, but man! I'm exhausted and I haven't even started work yet.

 

[ResolvableOwl]

I'm not sure the official term for what happened, but the batter seemed to get darker and more transparent, and somehow thicker without more of a trace.

Difficult to tell without seeing it, but it sounds like untimely gelling? Was any part (lye, oils, room temperature) warmer than usual, or did you notice the batter heating up? More SBing than usual? More batter than usual? Did you successfully use that FO before without issues?

 

[Tara_H]

Difficult to tell without seeing it, but it sounds like untimely gelling?

Hmm... Maybe?? I forgot to mention above but there were some parts that had a jelly-ish texture...

Was any part (lye, oils, room temperature) warmer than usual, or did you notice the batter heating up?

No, all at just above room temperature.

More SBing than usual?

Definitely not.

More batter than usual?

Yes, double quantity.

Did you successfully use that FO before without issues?

Nope, first time using it, other than the volume of batter it's the unknown quantity.

It was weird though (at least to me) how it didn't continue accelerating but stopped at a certain point and didn't change at all for the length of time it took me to make a whole new batch

 

[KimW]

Hmm... Maybe?? I forgot to mention above but there were some parts that had a jelly-ish texture...

No, all at just above room temperature.

Definitely not.

Yes, double quantity.

Nope, first time using it, other than the volume of batter it's the unknown quantity.

It was weird though (at least to me) how it didn't continue accelerating but stopped at a certain point and didn't change at all for the length of time it took me to make a whole new batch

Pretty sure it was Lisa of "I Dream in Soap" who had a FO that accelerated trace initially, but then stabilized. She had a term for it that I don't recall and I'm pretty sure she said it was not an uncommon thing. Perhaps you've found one such FO? I also think your move of adding extra plain batter was very smart indeed and also helped to slow/stop the accelerated trace.

 

[amd]

Well, I took one attempt at this. Modified my fast moving recipe to something I know will move slower, picked a fragrance that claimed to be non-accelerating... and it accelerated. I did not get anything remotely close to a lollipop. I'll post pics later when I have recovered from this devastating failure. Unfortunately this will be only attempt as I'm swamped this month with a gazillion personal things (senior graduating from HS, funerals, and just life), in addition to my side business, and needing to figure out what to do for the May challenge!

 

[Corsara]

@ResolvableOwl when you write a soapmaking book I’ll be at the front of the line to buy it. Or any book.

Ditto! You are so eloquent @ResolvableOwl, I love reading your posts

 

[ResolvableOwl]

@ResolvableOwl when you write a soapmaking book I’ll be at the front of the line to buy it. Or any book.

Feels good, @Vicki C @Corsara ! Now that I'm a bit in low spirits after my, well, let's call it “partial success” in my swirl attempt.

Good news first:

(b/w to not reveal too much of what might or might not become my challenge submission)
I got something into my film canisters. Time will show if it is any good.
Several things didn't go quite according to plan. While dividing the batter into three, math abandoned me, and I somehow got two batters lye-heavy, and then of course there wasn't enough lye for the third one. Not so bad might I think since it's lost anyway – for some reason the third colour decided to rice/trace/whatever crumble into a state where it was outright impossible to pour it anywhere (except scoop it into a plastic bag where it'll become soap dough over night).
Meanwhile I improvised to at least rescue the other two, and added some extra oil. I hope I did the math better now. Now, after calculating twice through, I'm still at 2% too high SF, but that's better than 9% lye-heavy.
The lollipop pouring itself went largely satisfactory, except that I had overshot with my paranoia regarding fast-moving batter, and went too runny, against better knowledge (If I fail with soapmaking, I can still found a hipster margarine business instead…). Not sure if anything will be visible at all, or if the natural colourants decided to diffuse everywhere, and the pucks turn out uniformly coloured.
Needless to say that I've now run out of cupuaçu butter, so if I want to repeat this circus, I'd have to modify my recipe. Gosh, what a day!

@Tara_H @KimW : You see my “time trophy”. Overbid 5 minutes for four lollipop swirls. (It was actually a few seconds less, since I was a bit hectic by the end, and halting the timer wasn't the very first thing I thought of.)

 

[szaza]

If I fail with soapmaking, I can still found a hipster margarine business instead…

I think you found a goldmine there!

 

[Primrose]

Primrose Good Morning' Thank you for hosting our April Lollipop Challenge.
I have just a few Q. When you said we can embellish our Lollipop Soap Design what does this entail? & 2nd Q. when you mentioned we can put entire cylinder lollipop soap into another mold' does this mean place cylinder lollipop soap into a "rectangle" shape 2nd mold? or any shape 2nd mold for housing lollipop soap?.
Much Thx .

Hello Peachy, I am SO SORRY i totally missed this question amongst all the other comments on this thread.

This is a link to the Amy Warden Soap Challenge winners from when they did this technique. If you scroll through, you will see a few that embellished their lollipop soap with embeds on the outside of the soap (check out Nautilus by Cheeky Goat Soapery, Latte Pop by Emily M and Land of Cuban Snails by Sayani B)

https://soapchallengeclub.com/lollipop-swirl-winners/
In terms of embedding the lollipop soap into another soap, you will also find examples there - most in a rectangle mould, but I cant see any reason why you couldnt put it into a larger circular mould for example. As long as you are making a lollipop swirl as part of your soap, and I think it should probably be the main design factor in the resultant soap

 

[Primrose]

I was running a bit late, but the Entry Thread is now open:

https://www.soapmakingforum.com/threads/smf-april-2021-challenge-lollipop-swirl-entry-thread.83754/
Still plenty of time to try this technique if you haven't finalised your entry yet! I am loving all the discussions here including the margarine lollipops!

 

[earlene]

I ran out of time before my surgery and just wasn't able to create an entry. I really thought I'd have more use of my dominant hand before the entry thread closes, but as it turns out my second cast applied on Tuesday is even more restrictive of movement of my hand & wrist than the first cast was! So I am sad to say I won't be able to enter a soap in this month's challenge.

I am not even sure if I can manage to drive my car yet, let alone hold a cup to pour soap into a mold in a precise way. The fine motor skills of my non-dominant hand aren't so well tuned & my dominant hand is just getting weaker with each passing day. It's annoying!

But at least the cast is a nice purple.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@earlene I can only imagine how difficult it would be to have my dominant hand out of commission. I hope the hand will be better than before once it’s out of the cast and you’ve had pt.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I ran out of time before my surgery and just wasn't able to create an entry. I really thought I'd have more use of my dominant hand before the entry thread closes, but as it turns out my second cast applied on Tuesday is even more restrictive of movement of my hand & wrist than the first cast was! So I am sad to say I won't be able to enter a soap in this month's challenge.

I am not even sure if I can manage to drive my car yet, let alone hold a cup to pour soap into a mold in a precise way. The fine motor skills of my non-dominant hand aren't so well tuned & my dominant hand is just getting weaker with each passing day. It's annoying!

But at least the cast is a nice purple.

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Yikes! This looks so painful! I hope your surgery was a success and you’ll be soaping again soon!

 

[earlene]

Yikes! This looks so painful! I hope your surgery was a success and you’ll be soaping again soon! ♥

Far less pain than I would have expected. The first couple of days, before the swelling went down, it was painful, but after that I would pretty much only get a sharp twinge of pain out of nowhere a couple of times per day. I really did expect it would be more painful and last longer. Incidentally, my arthritis medication seems to be more effective against the pain than the narcotics were.

I thought I'd have bone pain when the pin was pulled back a quarter inch. I barely felt it! As long as one staff stabilized the thumb & the other manipulated the pin, it was painless. When only one person tried to do both those things at once it was painful because she was pressing down on the thumb with one hand (I think that was accidental) and she couldn't manage alone anyway, so she got help. At that point it was painless.

At this point, the only things that seems to increase pain is if I mistakenly twist my hand inside the cast, which creates some pressure on that pinhead or in some way put pressure to the thumb joint. I don't do it often, but sometimes I forget & try to pick up something by the handle and the weight of whatever it is puts pressure on the thumb in spite of the rigid cast, or I move my arm or hand in such a way that it tries to twist normally, but the cast is resistant.

In times like this I wish I was ambidextrous.