SMF October 2019 Challenge - Mini Drops Swirl

[amd]

Look at the photo of that soap closely. I think it looks like the white line is double in the tail section. Perhaps the blue base batter was poured along the sides of the white batter to forcing it up and in, which would make it surround the inside of the drop i.e. the way those giant drops in soap are formed. The similar drops on the side soaps lack a tail, but it looks like the white soap is wrapped around the interior of those drops. That could explain why the two top point don’t match up. Just an hypothesis.

This shape happens when you have two different thickness of batter - they don't need to be a huge difference, just very slight will do the trick. The white was poured first (a slightly thinner batter) and then the blue (a slightly thicker) was poured directly on top from a height. Because the white is more fluid, it will form around the "drop" of blue as it falls into the batter.

 

[Amy78130]

I've made 3 attempts and can't get the drop look!! It's still cool looking soap, but just not quite what I'm going for!! It looks more like girl camo instead of droplets!! Here's my first attempt that I'm not entering, the other 2 look similar, but a little bit better drops. I used funnel pitchers for this soap because I HATE using bottles!! I let the bottom layer sit too long and the funnel pitchers didn't break through...

 

[Michele50]

I've made 3 attempts and can't get the drop look!! It's still cool looking soap, but just not quite what I'm going for!! It looks more like girl camo instead of droplets!! Here's my first attempt that I'm not entering, the other 2 look similar, but a little bit better drops. I used funnel pitchers for this soap because I HATE using bottles!! I let the bottom layer sit too long and the funnel pitchers didn't break through...

Ooooo, love the colors!! Two of my favorites, pink and purple

This shape happens when you have two different thickness of batter - they don't need to be a huge difference, just very slight will do the trick. The white was poured first (a slightly thinner batter) and then the blue (a slightly thicker) was poured directly on top from a height. Because the white is more fluid, it will form around the "drop" of blue as it falls into the batter.

WoW, good to know; thanks @amd

 

[dibbles]

@Amy78130 your soap is still very pretty. I don't like using squeeze bottles either, but this is one of the techniques that really turns out better with them. Enough so that cleaning the bottles is worth it to me.

 

[Amy78130]

Ooooo, love the colors!! Two of my favorites, pink and purple

Thanks! I used Lovespell type fragrance oil!!!

 

[Michele50]

Thanks! I used Lovespell type fragrance oil!!!

Lol, well that's 3 for 3--pink, purple, and Lovespell ....like all of them

 

[bookreader451]

My first attempt is in the mold. I will see how it turned out tomorrow.

 

[TeresaGG]

I am considering it. If I get my space set up again before the cut off, I'll sign up. Right now it is looking iffy.

 

[Mobjack Bay]

@amd so I guess I was kind of on the right track with having to get the outside soap to wrap around the inside soap. Thanks for the tip!

 

[mommycarlson]

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
15. DeeAnna. Need to find some soapy mojo. This sounds like fun. I'm with Arimara -- If I sign up, I WILL make soap.
16. Dawni - rarely do I CP but I wanna see if I can pull this one off.. It's one of the few designs I'm drawn to try. Who knows, maybe I'll even attempt it in HP (like my previous
17. Msunnerstood - Can it be done in HP? Time to join Dawni and find out!
18. Mobjack Bay - of course I need to learn how to do this, right?
19. Primrose - done this once before but will have another go
20. Mommycarlson - Love this technique!

 

[bookreader451]

My first attempt is out of the mold and I rushed the cutting in anticipation. This will (hopefully) not be my entry. I tried to make it flamingos and I definitely need more contrasting colors and much better drops. Any tips would be encouraged.

 

[dibbles]

@bookreader451 - I can think of a couple of things you might try. Split and color your batter all at the same time if you didn't do that. Get the colored batter into the squeeze bottles and ready to go before you pour your base. You want a very thin trace. It's hard to tell, but it looks like your base had started setting up before you started adding your drops. I also can't tell how hard you were squeezing your bottles, but maybe you need a bit more pressure. If you feel like you need to, you can actually put the tip of the bottle into the batter and squeeze.

Your soap is very pretty, and you did get drops in the top portion, so I think you just maybe need to tweak the technique slightly.

 

[bookreader451]

Yes, you’re right I did pour the base before I did the colors and I was afraid of squeezing too hard. Thanks for the advice. Onto try two, mad mica’s delivery tomorrow!

 

[Relle]

You aren’t a spammer, and I hope you get your posts to 50 so you can join the challenge.

Remember 'fluff' posts to circumnavigate the rules and get the post count up, just to join challenges do not apply.

 

[dibbles]

Remember 'fluff' posts to circumnavigate the rules and get the post count up, just to join challenges do not apply.

I didn't suggest that he do that.

 

[KristaY]

1. Artemis -- love those little drops
2. Cellador-- I'm so busy... but I have been wanting to try this
3. AMD - my recipe moves far too fast for this, so wish me luck!
4. SoapySuds - I may try this without squeeze bottles!
5. Shunt2011 - Going to try to find time to give it a try. Haven't soaped since February.
6. Arimara - Edit: I definitely want to try this to though I may have to get some tools.
7. MarnieSoapien - IKEA here I come!!
8. DKing - I would like to give it a try.
9. bookreader451 - I really want to give this a try
10. Geniash - Excited to give it a try! First challenge.
11. amy78130 - I’m down!!! I haven’t tried this yet!
12. szaza - I told myself no challenges in October.. so I made my first try yesterday.
13. SYT - I've signed up for other challenges and then got too busy to soap or vote. But really need to try this one, so many possibilities!
14. Megan- This will be my first challenge! Very excited!! I've been wanting to try this technique for a while.
15. DeeAnna. Need to find some soapy mojo. This sounds like fun. I'm with Arimara -- If I sign up, I WILL make soap.
16. Dawni - rarely do I CP but I wanna see if I can pull this one off.. It's one of the few designs I'm drawn to try. Who knows, maybe I'll even attempt it in HP (like my previous
17. Msunnerstood - Can it be done in HP? Time to join Dawni and find out!
18. Mobjack Bay - of course I need to learn how to do this, right?
19. Primrose - done this once before but will have another go
20. Mommycarlson - Love this technique!
21. KristaY-I've been dying to give this a go!

 

[Relle]

I didn't suggest that he do that.

Just letting members know about this, who didn't have their post count for the challenges.

 

[JoeyJ]

I didn't intend to make you think you were a spammer, Joey. Furthest thing from my mind.

Thats ok DeeAnna, I didn't think you were labeling me, I was trying to avoid the type of posts that Relle is referring to below.

Remember 'fluff' posts to circumnavigate the rules and get the post count up, just to join challenges do not apply.

I didn't take it that way either, and I am very thankful for the clarification of the rules. Its probably just me, but I get annoyed with "fluff" posts, and get shy of contributing unless I feel I have something valuable to share.

Regarding the drops, I saw this done here, which may be helpful for technique. @dibbles can confirm, but I don't think the style shown exactly meets the challenge requirements regarding drop depth.

 

[dibbles]

@JoeyJ as far as the drop depth goes, the drops are kind of deep but I wouldn't disqualify anyone who entered a soap and had drops go further into the soap than intended. The technique in the video you linked is a traditional drop swirl though. Teri (of Tree Marie) made a thin layer of black so that the drops would be outlined, but the pouring technique she used to create the drops was to pour from high, as opposed to pouring closer to the mold to get the drops in the mini drop swirl technique. It is a beautiful soap though.

 

[JoeyJ]

Thanks very much @dibbles , helps clear up a few questions I had about the differences between the techniques.