Kudos in advance to everyone doing the Layer challenge. I tried my hand at a 6-layer Pride soap and have a new respect for the difficulty and patience it takes to get perfect layers. Good luck to all!
SMF June 2023 Challenge: Layers!
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@JoyfulSudz thank you for sharing your experience! Because I experienced the same with a previous layers challenge, this month's challenge doesn't require any straight or perfect layers at all. Make any ole layers you want: slanted, asymmetrical, shaped, etc.
I probably should have named it Lackadaisical Layers.
I broke my "one and done" rule this weekend. The top of my first entry, that I made on Saturday, to quote my husband, looked like "vomit." 
Licking my wounds (and pride), I decided to make a second "entry" yesterday. I rushed the process. In my haste, I weighed out the wrong fragrance oil!!! The bottles look identical. I'm usually such a careful soaper. But, like I said, I rushed the process and was frustrated from the get-go. I only realized my mistake when I poured the fo in the first two pitchers of soap batter and began incorporating the fragrance oil...and the trace thickened...!! The fo I intended to use never speeds up trace. As I puzzled this, my brain processed that I was NOT smelling what I was SUPPOSED to have been smelling. So the intended design, thanks to my error, went out the door and I had to improvise.
Grrr!! I will cut my second entry this afternoon. If that, too, is a failure, I either wash my hands of this challenge, and submit what I have, or give myself a few weeks to make another "entry" when I have had some time to regroup.
Licking my wounds (and pride), I decided to make a second "entry" yesterday. I rushed the process. In my haste, I weighed out the wrong fragrance oil!!! The bottles look identical. I'm usually such a careful soaper. But, like I said, I rushed the process and was frustrated from the get-go. I only realized my mistake when I poured the fo in the first two pitchers of soap batter and began incorporating the fragrance oil...and the trace thickened...!! The fo I intended to use never speeds up trace. As I puzzled this, my brain processed that I was NOT smelling what I was SUPPOSED to have been smelling. So the intended design, thanks to my error, went out the door and I had to improvise.
Grrr!! I will cut my second entry this afternoon. If that, too, is a failure, I either wash my hands of this challenge, and submit what I have, or give myself a few weeks to make another "entry" when I have had some time to regroup.
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Much more my style!I probably should have named it Lackadaisical Layers.
Me, too!!!Much more my style!
I had the same experience last month, and finally stopped after my third try. Although I ended up with a lot of soap that isn't visually appealing to me, I have been astonished by friends and family grabbing it off my soap shelves - probably because they love the smell and don't care about how it looks. LOLI broke my "one and done" rule this weekend. The top of my first entry, that I made on Saturday, to quote my husband, looked like "vomit."
Licking my wounds (and pride), I decided to make a second "entry" yesterday. I rushed the process. In my haste, I weighed out the wrong fragrance oil!!! The bottles look identical. I'm usually such a careful soaper. But, like I said, I rushed the process and was frustrated from the get-go. I only realized my mistake when I poured the fo in the first two pitchers of soap batter and began incorporating the fragrance oil...and the trace thickened...!! The fo I intended to use never speeds up trace. As I puzzled this, my brain processed that I was NOT smelling what I was SUPPOSED to have been smelling. So the intended design, thanks to my error, went out the door and I had to improvise.
Grrr!! I will cut my second entry this afternoon. If that, too, is a failure, I either wash my hands of this challenge, and submit what I have, or give myself a few weeks to make another "entry" when I have had some time to regroup.
Anyway, I hope that your second soap is pleasing to you, or if not, that you get a chance to try again when you feel up for it!
I have so much soap...I had the same experience last month, and finally stopped after my third try. Although I ended up with a lot of soap that isn't visually appealing to me, I have been astonished by friends and family grabbing it off my soap shelves - probably because they love the smell and don't care about how it looks. LOL
Anyway, I hope that your second soap is pleasing to you, or if not, that you get a chance to try again when you feel up for it!
[Imaginary Audience]: How much soap do you have??
...I have so much soap that I could clean the Taj Mahal from top to bottom, inside and outside, and still have soap left over.
OH, that is so me. When my shelves get full, I wrap them, put a generic all-purpose label on them, and take them to the local homeless shelter. My generic labels say:
May contain: [list of every ingredient I ever use or might have used], fragrance.
The fact that I ordered a large pack of these generic labels gives you an idea of how much soap I end up donating each year.
I'm pretty sure all of my batches this month are going to be Ciaglia (including the challenge soap... I used 9 oz of scraps in that batch!) because I need to cut my scrap collection down 
I look away for 4 minutes and suddenly my scrap pile is full again. Howwwwwwwwwwww
On the bright side when it comes to a pride soap, if the layers aren't perfectly straight then it's a metaphorical design choice
I look away for 4 minutes and suddenly my scrap pile is full again. Howwwwwwwwwwww On the bright side when it comes to a pride soap, if the layers aren't perfectly straight then it's a metaphorical design choice
I'm pretty sure all of my batches this month are going to be Ciaglia (including the challenge soap... I used 9 oz of scraps in that batch!) because I need to cut my scrap collection down
On the bright side when it comes to a pride soap, if the layers aren't perfectly straight then it's a metaphorical design choice
Well played, @basti, well played!!
Thanks to the fact that I work from home on Mondays, I cut my soap a little bit ago. It’s…interesting. 
There are layers in there…somewhere…so I think it qualifies. It will have to do. 
I can relax the rest of the month and let it rest so it can harden up to prepare for planing and beveling.
There are layers in there…somewhere…so I think it qualifies. It will have to do. I can relax the rest of the month and let it rest so it can harden up to prepare for planing and beveling.
Bhahahhaaa - totally Gene Rayburn, complete with the skinny microphone. I loved Match Game!
Left turn here - maybe I’m beveling too early - how do you know when your soap is ready?
It’s very much a tactile determination. Too soft and what should be a clean plane becomes more of a smear. Usually, I give my soaps a week before I’ve planned/beveled them after the cut. But it depends on your recipe. And if you’ve allowed them to gel or not. Or even your sf% and/or water:lye ratio.
For the record, all of my soaps go through gel, my sf% is 2-4%, and my water:lye ratio is 1.8:1. All of these factors allow me to unmold and cut after 18 hours.
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My challenge batch is in the oven for CPOP. Tried several new things this month and can’t wait to see how it turns out. 
I have been soaping for 7 years but am still very much a rookie as I don’t make a lot of soap. Last month I decided I am going to enter each challenge to challenge myself and improve my skills. Now, if I can just remember that I must take good notes and not rely on my traitorous memory.
I have been soaping for 7 years but am still very much a rookie as I don’t make a lot of soap. Last month I decided I am going to enter each challenge to challenge myself and improve my skills. Now, if I can just remember that I must take good notes and not rely on my traitorous memory. 
I'm curious what's the difference between using a water lye ratio or lye concentration or percentage of oils when using a soap calc I still haven't figured this out yet.
Water-lye ratio and lye concentration are the same thing, expressed two different ways. I use lye concentration bc it is one number with no colon, so it is easier for me to see, read and accurately record.
Either of those settings will give you good consistent results no matter what batch size you use. You don’t have to fuss around with “water discounts” - simply raise or lower the lye concentration or water:lye ratio.
Water as percent of oils can give you inconsistent results when you change batch sizes. It usually results in waaay too much water for my liking, which in turn, creates a lot of soda ash and glycerine rivers. If you want to reduce water with this setting, you must do your own math outside of the soap calculator. As someone who seems to be dyslexic with numbers (but not letters), the less math I have to do, the better everything will turn out.
Bottom line, I recommend using the setting that works best for you, and sticking with it so it becomes second nature and one less thing to fuss about while you are soaping.
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No difference really. I just understand it better in terms of ratios.
Lye concentration is the same as ratios, just notated differently. @AliOop explained it nicely.
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SIGN-UP LIST
Please copy and paste the list below into a new post. Then add your name along with the next appropriate number:
1. Misschief - Just the push I need
2. RhondaJ - getting in early this month!
3. Mx5inpenn - hope to have multiple attempts this go round
4. dmcgee5034 - perfect timing for a soap I need to make!
5. catscankim - love layers
6. CLMP - I think I have a idea hopefully I can get creative with this one
7. McKherring Farm
8. janesathome - I will get in line for this challenge
9. Tammyfarms - I decided last month that I was going to enter all challenges no matter how intimidating.
10. Terri E - love doing layers
11. basti - coincidentally made a challenge appropriate soap last night
12. The Phoenix - Oh, all the options!
13. Vicki C - okay… this month I am going to get my entry done!
14. dibbles - I want to do a thing. The thing has layers so why not!
15.
Please copy and paste the list below into a new post. Then add your name along with the next appropriate number:
1. Misschief - Just the push I need
2. RhondaJ - getting in early this month!
3. Mx5inpenn - hope to have multiple attempts this go round
4. dmcgee5034 - perfect timing for a soap I need to make!
5. catscankim - love layers
6. CLMP - I think I have a idea hopefully I can get creative with this one
7. McKherring Farm
8. janesathome - I will get in line for this challenge
9. Tammyfarms - I decided last month that I was going to enter all challenges no matter how intimidating.
10. Terri E - love doing layers
11. basti - coincidentally made a challenge appropriate soap last night
12. The Phoenix - Oh, all the options!
13. Vicki C - okay… this month I am going to get my entry done!
14. dibbles - I want to do a thing. The thing has layers so why not!
15.
sweethavenarts
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SIGN-UP LIST
Please copy and paste the list below into a new post. Then add your name along with the next appropriate number:
1. Misschief - Just the push I need
2. RhondaJ - getting in early this month!
3. Mx5inpenn - hope to have multiple attempts this go round
4. dmcgee5034 - perfect timing for a soap I need to make!
5. catscankim - love layers
6. CLMP - I think I have a idea hopefully I can get creative with this one
7. McKherring Farm
8. janesathome - I will get in line for this challenge
9. Tammyfarms - I decided last month that I was going to enter all challenges no matter how intimidating.
10. Terri E - love doing layers
11. basti - coincidentally made a challenge appropriate soap last night
12. The Phoenix - Oh, all the options!
13. Vicki C - okay… this month I am going to get my entry done!
14. dibbles - I want to do a thing. The thing has layers so why not!
15. sweethavenarts
16
Please copy and paste the list below into a new post. Then add your name along with the next appropriate number:
1. Misschief - Just the push I need
2. RhondaJ - getting in early this month!
3. Mx5inpenn - hope to have multiple attempts this go round
4. dmcgee5034 - perfect timing for a soap I need to make!
5. catscankim - love layers
6. CLMP - I think I have a idea hopefully I can get creative with this one
7. McKherring Farm
8. janesathome - I will get in line for this challenge
9. Tammyfarms - I decided last month that I was going to enter all challenges no matter how intimidating.
10. Terri E - love doing layers
11. basti - coincidentally made a challenge appropriate soap last night
12. The Phoenix - Oh, all the options!
13. Vicki C - okay… this month I am going to get my entry done!
14. dibbles - I want to do a thing. The thing has layers so why not!
15. sweethavenarts
16
SIGN-UP LIST
Please copy and paste the list below into a new post. Then add your name along with the next appropriate number:
1. Misschief - Just the push I need
2. RhondaJ - getting in early this month!
3. Mx5inpenn - hope to have multiple attempts this go round
4. dmcgee5034 - perfect timing for a soap I need to make!
5. catscankim - love layers
6. CLMP - I think I have a idea hopefully I can get creative with this one
7. McKherring Farm
8. janesathome - I will get in line for this challenge
9. Tammyfarms - I decided last month that I was going to enter all challenges no matter how intimidating.
10. Terri E - love doing layers
11. basti - coincidentally made a challenge appropriate soap last night
12. The Phoenix - Oh, all the options!
13. Vicki C - okay… this month I am going to get my entry done!
14. dibbles - I want to do a thing. The thing has layers so why not!
15. sweethavenarts
16. Ford - gonna join the fun...
Please copy and paste the list below into a new post. Then add your name along with the next appropriate number:
1. Misschief - Just the push I need
2. RhondaJ - getting in early this month!
3. Mx5inpenn - hope to have multiple attempts this go round
4. dmcgee5034 - perfect timing for a soap I need to make!
5. catscankim - love layers
6. CLMP - I think I have a idea hopefully I can get creative with this one
7. McKherring Farm
8. janesathome - I will get in line for this challenge
9. Tammyfarms - I decided last month that I was going to enter all challenges no matter how intimidating.
10. Terri E - love doing layers
11. basti - coincidentally made a challenge appropriate soap last night
12. The Phoenix - Oh, all the options!
13. Vicki C - okay… this month I am going to get my entry done!
14. dibbles - I want to do a thing. The thing has layers so why not!
15. sweethavenarts
16. Ford - gonna join the fun...
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