SMF May 2022 Challenge - Infinity Swirl

[AliOop]

We will see what tomorrow's cut looks like. If it is at least an improvement over the first one, I may try again, but with different colors, and definitely a different scent!

 

[earlene]

Might I suggest trying it without fragrance? I know many folks prefer scented soap, but I like making a new-to-me swirl or technique scent-free in order to get the technique down before adding in unknowns like a new FO that I've never used.

 

[gardengeek]

I didn't think there was enough "Infinity" in my swirl so instead of stopping at one pass I did a second one disqualifying myself on this one. It's interesting how the top bars maintained the infinity look but the bottom bars were crazy.

The micas were all from Nurture Soap: Synergy, Coral Reef and Cantaloupe.
Fragrance: Coconut Cabana from Micas & More.
Mold with dividers: Nurture Soap 4.5lb Tall Skinny

 

[Kimimarie84]

I didn't think there was enough "Infinity" in my swirl so instead of stopping at one pass I did a second one disqualifying myself on this one. It's interesting how the top bars maintained the infinity look but the bottom bars were crazy.

The micas were all from Nurture Soap: Synergy, Coral Reef and Cantaloupe.
Fragrance: Coconut Cabana from Micas & More.
Mold with dividers: Nurture Soap 4.5lb Tall Skinny

View attachment 66868

It’s still a beautiful soap!

 

[gardengeek]

It’s still a beautiful soap!

Thank you!

 

[AliOop]

I made another attempt tonight. This time I think the batter was too fluid - I barely got any swirl movement going. Sigh. Hopefully I can cut it and photograph it before we leave for the airport tomorrow, or I won't have an entry.

 

[earlene]

I will be posting the entry thread later today (12 am GMT 5/22, which is actually 7pm CDT in Illinois). It will be open for 6 days, closing at 12 am (GMT) May 28th, so you all do still have more time for your Challenge soaps.

@gardengeek, that is lovely soap. I am not sure I would have chosen those two colors together, but they do go well together, don't they? It actually reminds me of the colors of a blouse I used to wear that I really loved (not the design, per se, but the colors.)

 

[gardengeek]

@gardengeek, that is lovely soap. I am not sure I would have chosen those two colors together, but they do go well together, don't they? It actually reminds me of the colors of a blouse I used to wear that I really loved (not the design, per se, but the colors.)

Thank you, @earlene! I've been trying to recreate a color scheme I saw on Pinterest(?) with a light peachy-pink and teal, but since I needed to use three colors I added the coral into the mix. I think my teal needs to be a bluer teal and the coral was way too saturated; I will reduce the amount next time I use it.

Even using my color wheel I struggle with picking colors. My Pinterest board is loaded with paint palettes for ideas and it's still not enough

Speaking of blouses, I've had a bright colored shirt that looks like watercolors for at least 6 years and you can bet that every time I wear it someone will comment on how they love the colors. One of these days I'm going to try to recreate that in soap.

 

[SoapLover1]

I didn't think there was enough "Infinity" in my swirl so instead of stopping at one pass I did a second one disqualifying myself on this one. It's interesting how the top bars maintained the infinity look but the bottom bars were crazy.

The micas were all from Nurture Soap: Synergy, Coral Reef and Cantaloupe.
Fragrance: Coconut Cabana from Micas & More.
Mold with dividers: Nurture Soap 4.5lb Tall Skinny

View attachment 66868

Hi! How are you Disqualified for making 2 Passes. One of the Videos showed just that! It is what I did and I would be crushed if that disqualifies me! I re-read Entry Instructions but didn’t see that. Could you please shed a little light on this for me? I will have to re-make today to Enter Tomorrow. Thanks! Blessings!

Eight more days and the entry thread opens. How is everyone doing? Any other tidbits to share besides not using an untested fragrance?

Hi! I used a new mold with dividers and it was an epic FAIL! The Soap and Colors were great, however, the Dividers didn’t fit properly in mold and bleed through! The first 1/3 Loaf was ok but the rest was a Hot Mess! I then got distracted and cut it incorrectly! I got one bar. See attached!
On the 2nd Try, I went with a different mold with same Dividers. This time I came up with “ A No Leak Plan”! I used a tiny bit of M&P to secure them to the bottom and sides. It worked out Great!
I used Bramble Berry’s Peach Petals FO and a 75% Lard; 20% Coconut Oil & 5% Castor Oil. I used Blue Ultramarine; Mad Mica’s Snow White; Maniacal Pea Green & Activated Carbon for Black in my 1st Patch. My soaps are pretty white so No TD. It cooperated with that exception of leaking dividers.
2nd Try, I used the same Recipe but used Spearmint EO instead of FO. It slowed things up a bit more. I left it in the cups after mixing in Micas for a 15 minute Break to allow it to Trace. Came back and it was Perfect! I poured without a hitch! Removed Dividers with ease and made my Infinity Swirl! I doubled it after watching a video of someone doing that! I then sprayed with Alcohol; covered it and put it in the Oven on 170°F for 30 minutes. Turned it off and left it for 3 Days. I just Unmolded it and cut it! It’s Beautiful! Thought it gave it more depth! Blessings to everyone on your Process & Entry! Will Post Entry tomorrow!

 

[gardengeek]

Hi! How are you Disqualified for making 2 Passes. One of the Videos showed just that! It is what I did and I would be crushed if that disqualifies me! I re-read Entry Instructions but didn’t see that. Could you please shed a little light on this for me? I will have to re-make today to Enter Tomorrow. Thanks! Blessings!

I don't know for sure @SoapLover1, I just assumed. Maybe @earlene will clarify for us.

ETA: I see that now in the video

 

[cerelife]

@AliOop
Love those partridges!!

 

[earlene]

xx

I didn't think there was enough "Infinity" in my swirl so instead of stopping at one pass I did a second one disqualifying myself on this one. It's interesting how the top bars maintained the infinity look but the bottom bars were crazy.

Since you posted the photo, the soap is disqualified. I also had an impulse to do a second pass, but my fear was that the design (with one pass) would be altered or muddled if I were unable to exactly match the location of where I put my swirl tool the first time through. It did occur to me that a second pass might accentuate the pattern if 1. I made an error and did not have the tool touching the bottom of the mold during the entire swirling process the first time around, or 2. I could not really see the swirl on the surface very well because the batter was too thick and the tool too thin. That's why I said in the intro of that video showing two passes: "Resulting swirl when batter is too thick & a very thin swirl tool is used (a thicker swirl tool may have helped)" There was another example where the soapmaker used a thicker wooden dowel with a thick trace and the swirl was better accentuated than with the skinny skewer. Perhaps I should have included that video as well, but I chose to mention that in the tips sections instead. (Tip #3)

Hi! How are you Disqualified for making 2 Passes. One of the Videos showed just that! It is what I did and I would be crushed if that disqualifies me! I re-read Entry Instructions but didn’t see that. Could you please shed a little light on this for me? I will have to re-make today to Enter Tomorrow. Thanks! Blessings!

SoapLover1, you are right to question if that in itself disqualifies an entry. No, it does not. As I said, I would fear it would alter the design, but the instructions do not say "only one pass" so it is not explicitly disqualifying to put the tool back in the soap and try to improve the Infinity symbol feature of this swirl.

I don't know for sure @SoapLover1, I just assumed. Maybe @earlene will clarify for us.

ETA: I see that now in the video

gardegeek, I hope that clarifies. I would have been fine with your pink and teal soap to be entered, other than having posted it before the entry thread was open, which does disqualify it as an entry. But, I do understand your feeling that it did not qualify because it did change the resulting look of the soap on the bottom part of the mold. I probably would have made the same decision as you made, but as the host who wrote out the instructions, I also have to agree with SoapLover1's point of view and say it would have qualified.

I think this is an example of when in doubt, it's best to hold off on posting photos of a soap that could be a possible entry prior to getting clarification from the Challenge host. In the past, I believe at least once, an entrant sent a photo to the hostess to make a determination if the soap in question was a qualifying entry because the soapmaker thought there might be a problem but was unsure.

 

[SoapLover1]

xx


Since you posted the photo, the soap is disqualified. I also had an impulse to do a second pass, but my fear was that the design (with one pass) would be altered or muddled if I were unable to exactly match the location of where I put my swirl tool the first time through. It did occur to me that a second pass might accentuate the pattern if 1. I made an error and did not have the tool touching the bottom of the mold during the entire swirling process the first time around, or 2. I could not really see the swirl on the surface very well because the batter was too thick and the tool too thin. That's why I said in the intro of that video showing two passes: "Resulting swirl when batter is too thick & a very thin swirl tool is used (a thicker swirl tool may have helped)" There was another example where the soapmaker used a thicker wooden dowel with a thick trace and the swirl was better accentuated than with the skinny skewer. Perhaps I should have included that video as well, but I chose to mention that in the tips sections instead. (Tip #3)


SoapLover1, you are right to question if that in itself disqualifies an entry. No, it does not. As I said, I would fear it would alter the design, but the instructions do not say "only one pass" so it is not explicitly disqualifying to put the tool back in the soap and try to improve the Infinity symbol feature of this swirl.

gardegeek, I hope that clarifies. I would have been fine with your pink and teal soap to be entered, other than having posted it before the entry thread was open, which does disqualify it as an entry. But, I do understand your feeling that it did not qualify because it did change the resulting look of the soap on the bottom part of the mold. I probably would have made the same decision as you made, but as the host who wrote out the instructions, I also have to agree with SoapLover1's point of view and say it would have qualified.

I think this is an example of when in doubt, it's best to hold off on posting photos of a soap that could be a possible entry prior to getting clarification from the Challenge host. In the past, I believe at least once, an entrant sent a photo to the hostess to make a determination if the soap in question was a qualifying entry because the soapmaker thought there might be a problem but was unsure.

Thank You, Thank You & Thank You! Blessings!

 

[gardengeek]

Thank you, @earlene. Your explanation does clarify. I disqualified myself because I didn't see the 2nd pass on the video. My own fault because I didn't watch the video to the end when I first looked at the rules. I would have disqualified this batch anyway because of the weird design on the bottom bars.

Maybe I should have posed the question when I posted the pic so I wouldn't have caused discomfort or anxiety to other people? Sorry for that @SoapLover1.

I do have another set that I intentionally did a second pass and the top and bottom bars are near identical. I think I was really careful to follow the design of the first pass on that batch so it can be done. That batch is my favorite (and hubby's) so far. I have one more (single pass) I'm waiting to decide which one I'm going to enter.

Can't wait to see all the beautiful soaps entered although I hate the voting part...it's soooo hard!

 

[SoapLover1]

I Apologize! I was just taken aback bc I had just finished and was proud of my soap! I panicked bc I thought I’d screwed up a 2nd time & would have to re-make. You Soap is Beautiful and was my focus until I read that! Glad you have another soap ready. Again, my Apologies! Never mean to offend anyone! I thought I was a good communicator but I’ve found that that is not necessarily the case! Blessings!

 

[gardengeek]

I Apologize! I was just taken aback bc I had just finished and was proud of my soap! I panicked bc I thought I’d screwed up a 2nd time & would have to re-make. You Soap is Beautiful and was my focus until I read that! Glad you have another soap ready. Again, my Apologies! Never mean to offend anyone! I thought I was a good communicator but I’ve found that that is not necessarily the case! Blessings!

No worries! And thank you

 

[Babyshoes]

I'm really loving all the photos on the entry thread, I think I'd have a hard time choosing if I was voting this month!

 

[earlene]

Link to Entry thread for the Infinity Swirl Challenge: Entry Thread for SMF May 2022 Challenge - Infinity Swirl

 

[maryloucb]

Wow! All the entries are amazing!

 

[earlene]

Entries for this month's Challenge are closed, and the voting has begun. I have sent the link for voting to those who participated (signed up). Please complete your voting as indicated in the message as voting will automatically be disabled on May 30th/May 31st depending on your time zone (actually at Midnight in my time zone, but at 5 am on 5/31 GMT.)

Winners will be announced soon thereafter, unless I fall asleep early on the 30th, in which case winners will be announced sometime after I awaken on the 31st.

Good Luck to all entrants! You all produced lovely soaps.