SMF November 2019 Challenge - Spin Swirl

[szaza]

Last night I gave this another go and the process was a disaster. (Rant alert!) First I melted all my oils and forgot to leave out 20% for my oil infusions. I decided to make up for it by just making more soap but when I'd finally recalculated and added extra oils, lye, EO, colorant etc I started adding lye to my oils and I realized my biggest jug was too small to handle that volume of soap. I quickly washed and used an old bucket while part of my soap was already saponifying. Then when it was time to color, the plastic cups with colorant also turned out to be too small. I just did my first pour with a super high superfat (because of the oil infusion) so I could add more soap batter afterwards and hoped for the best. Luckily I was able to fill 2 molds with the extra batter, so if the first pour fails, I still have the other one. I forgot to mention I ran out of gloves and the shops were closed on sunday so I decided to make soap without gloves which resulted in a small lye burn on my hand (a first time for everything). It took me 6 hours in total and I felt horrible afterwards, but the soap looks decent

 

[SoapySuds]

I picked two bars from my Black and Tan spin swirl.... one is from the edge and one from the middle. I washed the soda ash off them and am now im patiently waiting for the 21st. That’s not a type o.

Is it the 21st yet?

 

[MaggietheViking]

I can't wait to see all the results! And I can't tell you how reassuring it is to see people having all the same problems that I get from time to time (recalculating recipe on the hoof, dropping things, unexpected callers at critical moments...!)

I was swirling last week, first batch I tried adding the lye direct to the solid fats for the first time, and it hit what I thought was false trace within seconds - not what you want for swirling! I added heaps of water to keep it moving, and although it's softish, the pH indicates it has saponified.

I've upped my oils & returned to melting my solid oils for now. Do you all add extra water to keep things fluid?

 

[SoapySuds]

Do you all add extra water to keep things fluid?

I did two batches. One I added more water and the other I did not. The first one I did not, and worked quickly after emulsion stage. Two colors. The second I had three colors and added more water and was twice as much soap, I had issues because it was too much soap for the container to move around in effectively without sloshing out.

 

[earlene]

The Entry Thread is posted at this link.

It will be open for entry submissions through November 27th, closing about midnight. Voting will commence thereafter via the link the participants will receive via private conversations/messaging here at SMF.

Please keep comments about the entries of others in this thread as the entry thread is only for entries. Thank you.

I can't wait to see all the results! And I can't tell you how reassuring it is to see people having all the same problems that I get from time to time (recalculating recipe on the hoof, dropping things, unexpected callers at critical moments...!)

I was swirling last week, first batch I tried adding the lye direct to the solid fats for the first time, and it hit what I thought was false trace within seconds - not what you want for swirling! I added heaps of water to keep it moving, and although it's softish, the pH indicates it has saponified.

I've upped my oils & returned to melting my solid oils for now. Do you all add extra water to keep things fluid?

Maggie, I do not add extra water. The key is really to choose a slow moving recipe that will maintain its fluidity throughout the process, which can take some time. I am sure that is why it is considered an advanced technique. Knowing how to choose and work with a slow moving recipe is difficult for a beginner, so if you are a beginner, it may be too soon to try this swirl, at least until you've mastered working with a slow moving recipe to create easier swirls.

 

[earlene]

1. AMD - Yet another challenge for my fast moving recipe
2. dibbles - Hoping I can do this without slopping batter everywhere!
3. Misschief - This is a technique I want to try again and I MIGHT have time this month..... might.
4. MarnieSoapien - I love spin swirls!! You spin me right round baby...
5. Szaza - this has been on my list for ages! Failed batches here I come!!
6. steffamarie - I’ve been on a bit of a soaping hiatus recently but I’m excited to give this a shot!!
7. Michele50-2 weeks ago my small lazy-Susan arrived from Amazon; it's still in the box, lol. Time to liberate it and give this technique a shot!
8. DKing - This time I will find bottles and give it a go!
9. Primrose - you spin me right round baby right round ..
10. SideDoorSoaps - I hate my slab mold but maybe this might make me like it
11. Bookreader451 - I knew I was saving the boxes for something. McGyver slab here we come.
12. Soapysuds - does it have to be multiple colors? Can I do this with just a few colors, like one?
13. Karmic - Lucky 13!! I'm down for some batter slinging!
14. Mommycarlson - you talked me into it!
15. Kiti Williams - I thought I had already signed up.

I see what happened. In post # 34 of this thread, you signed up but the numbers were off. You should have been #15, but had it listed as 12 after MommyCarlson.

I am fixing it here with this post as we have 17 participants so far. More can still enter (up to the closing date), but please add on after #17:

1. AMD - Yet another challenge for my fast moving recipe
2. dibbles - Hoping I can do this without slopping batter everywhere!
3. Misschief - This is a technique I want to try again and I MIGHT have time this month..... might.
4. MarnieSoapien - I love spin swirls!! You spin me right round baby...
5. Szaza - this has been on my list for ages! Failed batches here I come!!
6. steffamarie - I’ve been on a bit of a soaping hiatus recently but I’m excited to give this a shot!!
7. Michele50-2 weeks ago my small lazy-Susan arrived from Amazon; it's still in the box, lol. Time to liberate it and give this technique a shot!
8. DKing - This time I will find bottles and give it a go!
9. Primrose - you spin me right round baby right round ..
10. SideDoorSoaps - I hate my slab mold but maybe this might make me like it
11. Bookreader451 - I knew I was saving the boxes for something. McGyver slab here we come.
12. Soapysuds - does it have to be multiple colors? Can I do this with just a few colors, like one?
13. Karmic - Lucky 13!! I'm down for some batter slinging!
14. Mommycarlson - you talked me into it!
15. Kiti Williams - I think I can do this! My soaps are at thin trace because it is easier to pour into the molds.
16. jcandleattic - I'll give it a spin (haha)
17. Ashleigh - My first challenge!

 

[szaza]

Nice work @Kiti Williams !!

 

[Kiti Williams]

Nice work @Kiti Williams !!

Thank you!

Nice work @Kiti Williams !!

I like how nice yours came out.

 

[SoapySuds]

@Kiti Williams - so swirly and trippy

@szaza - love the soft look the natural pigments give, very pretty

@DKing - I love it, I like the contrast

Your soaps all look great!

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@earlene just to clarify, is the closing date for entering the last date for uploading an entry? I’ve been traveling a lot lately and just had a chance to give it a whirl tonight.

eta: I re-read the rules fresh this morning and think I’m good to go. Will add my name below.

 

[szaza]

@DKing I feel ya on lighting and phone cameras.. now that I see the other entries (including yours) I feel I need to go back and step up my game. Your soap looks absolutely lovely, the color combination is wonderful!

@SoapySuds I love the effect of the black and white soap you made. It turned out beautifully

 

[DKing]

@DKing I feel ya on lighting and phone cameras.. now that I see the other entries (including yours) I feel I need to go back and step up my game. Your soap looks absolutely lovely, the color combination is wonderful!

@SoapySuds I love the effect of the black and white soap you made. It turned out beautifully

I agree! It reminds me of a zebra, and I love zebras.

I think we are often our own harshest critic. While we can easily appreciate and celebrate someone else's effort, there is a tendency to pick apart our own creations. Your soap is very beautiful and has a more fluid flow than mine! I too plan to step up my game next month and try to get the lighting situation figured out. I did enjoy the November challenge as it got me to attempt something new, even if I had a few hiccups during the process.

 

[Primrose]

This one has soap gremlins all over it for me. Although I've successfully done it in the past, I've got three failures so far this time. Mostly due to me trying to push the envelope with FOs that haven't played so nicely.

I will try one more round tomorrow to hopefully get an entry

 

[Mobjack Bay]

1. AMD - Yet another challenge for my fast moving recipe
2. dibbles - Hoping I can do this without slopping batter everywhere!
3. Misschief - This is a technique I want to try again and I MIGHT have time this month..... might.
4. MarnieSoapien - I love spin swirls!! You spin me right round baby...
5. Szaza - this has been on my list for ages! Failed batches here I come!!
6. steffamarie - I’ve been on a bit of a soaping hiatus recently but I’m excited to give this a shot!!
7. Michele50-2 weeks ago my small lazy-Susan arrived from Amazon; it's still in the box, lol. Time to liberate it and give this technique a shot!
8. DKing - This time I will find bottles and give it a go!
9. Primrose - you spin me right round baby right round ..
10. SideDoorSoaps - I hate my slab mold but maybe this might make me like it
11. Bookreader451 - I knew I was saving the boxes for something. McGyver slab here we come.
12. Soapysuds - does it have to be multiple colors? Can I do this with just a few colors, like one?
13. Karmic - Lucky 13!! I'm down for some batter slinging!
14. Mommycarlson - you talked me into it!
15. Kiti Williams - I think I can do this! My soaps are at thin trace because it is easier to pour into the molds.
16. jcandleattic - I'll give it a spin (haha)
17. Ashleigh - My first challenge!
18. Mobjack Bay - under the wire

 

[earlene]

@earlene just to clarify, is the closing date for entering the last date for uploading an entry? I’ve been traveling a lot lately and just had a chance to give it a whirl tonight.

Yes, you've got that right, Mobjack. The closing date for the entry thread is the deadline for submitting an entry photo.

It is also the last date for signing up should anyone who still hasn't signed up but wants to participate can still join in. For example, Dawni stated that she wanted to sign up but first wanted to make sure she made the soap. So she (or others of the same mind) may still make the soap and sign up at the last minute (on this thread) and then go enter their soap on the Entry thread. While I was typing, I see you also signed up, so you already got that part. LOL

 

[Mobjack Bay]

Yes, you've got that right, Mobjack. The closing date for the entry thread is the deadline for submitting an entry photo.

It is also the last date for signing up should anyone who still hasn't signed up but wants to participate can still join in. For example, Dawni stated that she wanted to sign up but first wanted to make sure she made the soap. So she (or others of the same mind) may still make the soap and sign up at the last minute (on this thread) and then go enter their soap on the Entry thread. While I was typing, I see you also signed up, so you already got that part. LOL

Thanks Earlene! I’ve been to Alabama and Delaware in the last two weeks and haven’t fully unpacked, but I have a soap for the Challenge!

Last night when I was making dinner, using the newly sharpened, biggest knife I have I cut right through my nail. The cut is lengthwise at about 1/3 of the width of the nail. I wanted another try at this challenge, but time will tell. I think I may be able to get a large glove over the gauze and bandage in a day or two. If not, I'll enter my first attempt. Ow, Ow, Ow - at least it's on my left hand, but it is my index finger. Lots of adapting.

Oh no! Just reading through this thread now... I hope your finger is healing. Having seen many examples of your artistry, your first try is probably gorgeous.

 

[mommycarlson]

"fail" #2 This is actually my 3rd attempt. I don't consider this one a fail, except that it came down to this one and the other one that I will enter, although this one turned out nice, I didn't feel like there was enough contrast in the colors. This one is scented with Energy from CC, the colors are Voodoo, Maniacal Pea, Tangerine and Yellow Raincoat from MO.

 

[dibbles]

Oh no! Just reading through this thread now... I hope your finger is healing. Having seen many examples of your artistry, your first try is probably gorgeous.

Thank you. It is healing, but I am keeping it bandaged and wrapped so the loose part of the nail doesn't get torn more. It's cumbersome and in my way, but forcing me to slow down which is a good thing.

As for my spin swirl, I'm hoping I can plane it today. This technique always leaves me feeling like I can do better.

 

[SoapySuds]

"fail" #2 This is actually my 3rd attempt. I don't consider this one a fail, except that it came down to this one and the other one that I will enter, although this one turned out nice, I didn't feel like there was enough contrast in the colors. This one is scented with Energy from CC, the colors are Voodoo, Maniacal Pea, Tangerine and Yellow Raincoat from MO.

View attachment 42656

I actually love this. The colors are complementary with a pop of that minty color in there! It’s very eye pleasing

And your entry is great! I see in the lower right bar, the bust of a woman in an evening gown and in the lower left bar, The Rolling Stone trademark with the tongue, love the colors!

It’s going to be hard to vote

 

[Karmic]

@DKing I feel ya on lighting and phone cameras.. now that I see the other entries (including yours) I feel I need to go back and step up my game. Your soap looks absolutely lovely, the color combination is wonderful!

@SoapySuds I love the effect of the black and white soap you made. It turned out beautifully

Last month I lamented my photo skills as well and it was recommended to me to get a small photo lightbox or "mini photo studio" and I have to say it was the best $15 I have spent