SMF February 2021 Challenge - Circling Taiwan Swirl

[Sudds]

@Sudds the opposite would be cool, too! I'm so excited to (eventually!) see pics! Also, your package has done more traveling in its existence than I have in my life, and I'm slightly jealous.

Yes, it had a lot of good miles on it! I have a ton of chopsticks, skewers, rods, all kinds of poky things so think I can come up with something. Am going to try and talk my son into running into Home Depot when he gets off at 6 a.m. and pick me up some thin plexiglass...the soap won't eat it up, will it?? I did watch Tree Marie's video, that is what got me started down this rabbit hole!

My problem is that I no longer have a single-wire cutter, nor a log splitter. So that first block is cut with a pastry blade using a miter box. It still comes out trapezoidal. I can use the first wire on my loaf cutter to even up the edge, but it wastes so much soap, and my bars are not equal sizes.

(Can you tell I'm practicing my sales pitch for the purchase of a log splitter? DH really doesn't mind if I buy anything, but I have to also convince myself to add one more thing to the soap cabinets. All four of them).

 

[Sudds]

Yes, it had a lot of good miles on it! I have a ton of chopsticks, skewers, rods, all kinds of poky things so think I can come up with something. Am going to try and talk my son into running into Home Depot when he gets off at 6 a.m. and pick me up some thin plexiglass...the soap won't eat it up, will it?? I did watch Tree Marie's video, that is what got me started down this rabbit hole!

 

[Nina F]

I don’t qualify to enter. But since this is the first time this swirl has ever worked for me I’m posting! I cut a couple right side up just to see the cross section. The colors remind me of old comic book colors. View attachment 53926

I just love those colours!

 

[AliOop]

I don’t qualify to enter.

You have over 50 posts now, so you DO qualify to enter!

 

[Louise Taylor]

I removed my bolt on my single wire cutter - and was able to get nice even cuts that way. First I cut my log loaf into sections - then I turned the section on the side and cut that into 2. First time I got it to work for me.

The bolts on mine are welded on. I will have a go at prising them off. I think I might be better with a block, at least that way they soap can’t move much.

 

[Louise Taylor]

I don’t know if Bud Hafner planned it to be this way, but I too can get a 2.5“ and a smidge cut off a loaf if I remove the block/guide at the end and slide the end of the loaf right up to the bolt.

@Louise Taylor I don’t know how tall you are, but at my short height, the geometry for cutting bars with a knife is not ideal when the loaf is on my kitchen counter. With the soap on a lower table, I can look straight down and check that the knife is not tilted off the vertical plane. Then, as long as I marked the soap correctly, I can cut straight/squared sides. I hope that makes sense.

Worth a go, thank you . I’m quite short too.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

All ready to go for tomorrow!

 

[hlee]

I don’t qualify to enter. But since this is the first time this swirl has ever worked for me I’m posting! I cut a couple right side up just to see the cross section. The colors remind me of old comic book colors. View attachment 53926

Love your colors. This looks like a Phoenix soap.

 

[Zing]

Sign Up List:

1. jcandleattic - hopefully will have time to do this one.
2. Misschief - been wanting to do this again for a while
3. KimW - One I've been wanting to try! Yippeeeee
4. GemstonePony - I love this swirl!
5. DKing - I'm looking forward to seeing what I can come up with
6. catscankim - been wanting to learn this one!
7. AMD - I've been wanting to get "around" to doing this technique again
8. violets2217 - Gonna face my fears! This Challenge and the swirl! Plus, gives me another reason to make soap I don't need.
9. SideDoorSoaps - I’ve had dividers for awhile; I should try this!
10. Vicki C - never tried this but have watched plenty of videos - mesmerizing!
11. linne1gi - I’ve done this before, but not well! I’d like to be better.
12. The_Emerald_Chicken - Was excited to see this swirl as the monthly challenge!
13. Louise Taylor. Never tried this technique and always wanted to try.
14. Mobjack - I’m in.
15. S Powers - this has never been my fave design but I love the extra swirl action
16. Jersey Girl- Haven’t done one of these in a long time but have been meaning to. Perfect excuse for some experimenting!
17. Guspuppy - need to make soap to test FOs anyway and have wanted to try this!
18. The_Phoenix - *tap* *tap* *tap* Is this thing on? Can...can you hear me? I’m not a cat. Can you...can you see my swirl?
19. Zing

 

[Zing]

How do I delete this post?

 

[The_Emerald_Chicken]

My challenge soap is on the heating pad gelling!

My one gripe about this design is the large amount of wasted soap. Does anybody have tips for minimizing the amount of soap that sticks to the dividers? I used cardboard...would plastic make a difference?

 

[dibbles]

How do I delete this post?

The sign up list post or this mysterious one? I don't know how you can delete a post once made except to edit and have a single word (like delete), or maybe even an emoji or a single character would work. Or you can just leave it as is. If it's the sign up list, I can fix that if there is something you want to have changed. Well, I'd just copy and paste into a new reply with the correction, which is something you could do as well.

 

[Zing]

I want to delete the post that has the word "delete".

 

[Sudds]

Yes, it had a lot of good miles on it! I have a ton of chopsticks, skewers, rods, all kinds of poky things so think I can come up with something. Am going to try and talk my son into running into Home Depot when he gets off at 6 a.m. and pick me up some thin plexiglass...the soap won't eat it up, will it?? I did watch Tree Marie's video, that is what got me started down this rabbit hole!

I have had the same problem with indigo - I am just now getting it to be the color I want. Woad is also a nice purplish blue color.

linne, where have you purchased your woad? I have found a place in Italy but would rather purchase from the US if possible.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

My challenge soap is on the heating pad gelling!

My one gripe about this design is the large amount of wasted soap. Does anybody have tips for minimizing the amount of soap that sticks to the dividers? I used cardboard...would plastic make a difference?

The plastic dividers I have can be scraped with a spatula as they’re being lifted out, but I didn’t scrape them because it takes time and I also didn’t want to risk messing up my soap top.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

All ready to go for tomorrow!

View attachment 54003

Lesson #3 - The ink from a red Sharpie will run when you drip soap batter on it

 

[dibbles]

I want to delete the post that has the word "delete".

Other than asking an admin I don't think you can completely delete the post. In the lower left of the box that has your post you will see an 'edit' option. Click that, erase what you don't want and just type deleted. Or or another emoji that you like. I think that will work.

 

[dibbles]

My challenge soap is on the heating pad gelling!

My one gripe about this design is the large amount of wasted soap. Does anybody have tips for minimizing the amount of soap that sticks to the dividers? I used cardboard...would plastic make a difference?

I usually scrape my dividers as I'm pulling them out. I have never used cardboard that isn't covered in tape, but it should still work. Plastic might be better for that. If you don't want to scrape the dividers into your main soap, scrape them all into a bowl and pour into individual mold/s.

 

[violets2217]

My challenge soap is on the heating pad gelling!

My one gripe about this design is the large amount of wasted soap. Does anybody have tips for minimizing the amount of soap that sticks to the dividers? I used cardboard...would plastic make a difference?

I just have some individual molds handy and scrape batter and swirl’em in individual molds for extra sample/ guest bars...by the time I get to the dividers the soap is so thick... but the swirl is always so pretty, I always like the leftover soap better than my loaf!

 

[Arimara]

My attempt is funny. My trace was too thin and only the bottom came out "right". I also have a compelling reason to keep buying sodium lactate.