April SMF Soap Challenge, Hanger Swirl Petra Style

Welcome to April's SMF Soap Challenge!

PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THIS FIRST (and ALL Rules)-

General Rules:
1.The only members eligible to vote are those with their names on the sign up list - regardless of whether or not you have submitted an entry.

2. This month’s voting will be password locked. Passwords will be PM'ed to registered participants ONLY. So please check your PM's when the voting begins.

3. No posting your entry photos until the entry thread is made. Non entry photos are very welcome!

4. You are allowed to change your entry photo up until the entry thread closes. So if you decide after you post your entry you want another try, and you like the second better, you can change it up until the deadline.

NOW
This month’s challenge is a specific hanger swirl I've been working on. It's similar to the butterfly swirl, but it uses a slightly different method than the standard butterfly I've seen done. Petra at the blog Petras Seifen Kunst has done many YouTube videos using this technique, and I've studied her videos for quite some time. Others may be out there that have credit as the first, but if so I'm unaware of anyone before her (so forgive if credit where due is lacking).

SMF Challenge Specific Rules
· You must use a standard loaf mold (no TS molds).
· You must tilt your mold.
· You must fill in the base, any solid color you choose, approximately until it reaches the opposite wall.
· You must pour at least two different colors, not of the base color, in alternating stripes. If more than 2 colors are used, you may pour them in any alternating pattern you choose (see videos for explanation).
· You must pour the base (carefully) on top of your stripes.
· You must use the hanger in the pattern shown in the video. Down the wall, forward, up, and toward you, then repeat, at a minimum of 3 times, (she uses 3, I do 4, but use at least 3, up to as many as you want), walking to the opposite wall (see video for better understanding).


*I know this sounds rigid, but this challenge is to attempt this specific hanger swirl, so some rigidity is required.

Challenge Entry Thread Opens April 16, 2016.
Challenge Entry Thread Closes midnight April 23, 2016.
Survey for choosing the winning choices opens immediately the 24th.
Winners Announced April 30, 2016.

SMF Challenge General Rules
· To enter you must have a minimum of 50 posts and been a member for a month (sorry but no exceptions on this)
· Please add your name to the sign up list if you wish to participate (however, you don’t have to enter a soap at the end if you don’t feel happy with what you have produced)
· The challenge thread should be used to upload pictures of any of your challenge attempts where you can ask for advice and discuss the technique with other members.
· Constructive criticism is welcomed, but please try to keep your comments polite.
· Competition entries must be uploaded to the separate entry thread before the closing date. The thread will open on April 16, 2016 (Please follow the challenge specific rules as to what you need to enter)
· After the closing date April 23, 2016 the winning entry will be chosen using survey monkey and the winner announced on April 30, 2016. There is no prize attached to this challenge.
· If you fail to make the challenge deadline, you are still welcome to upload your soap onto the thread, but your entry will not be eligible for voting. We still love to see anything you have produced.
· Even though there is no prize, this is still a competition. If your entry is deemed not to fulfil the general rules or the rules specific to the challenge in any way, then you will be given the opportunity to amend your entry. If this is not possible then your entry will not be included in the voting.
· Newbie, Saponista, Lionproncess00, Sonya-m and GalaxyMLP reserve the right to have the final say on whether a soap is eligible for for voting.


Dear soapy world, when I made my soap, on video 2, it became too long because of fragrance adding and top decorations...dear soapy world, I tried, really I did, to edit my video. Alas, it was not meant to be. I live a frugal life (as all soapers do, right?!) free from home internet and fancy editing software to better supply my soapy love. <Break>, If you must, please fast forward my mundane fragrance 2 minute segment, as well as my ungodly amount of top decorating, if it becomes too tedious to bear! I swear I'll understand. Too long a soapy video can eat at the soapy soul, and I fear mine has done as such...
INTRO VIDEO
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7tc8tl4UjE[/ame]

MAKING SOAP VIDEO
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3-DqJldSqo[/ame]

Sign up sheet
1.

1. Newbie- Ooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2.

1. Newbie- Ooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)

I cannot watch the video until later tonight, but wowza - that's a gorgeous example. Can I put in a vote for that one?

1. Newbie- Ooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)

4. Saponista - those are stunning lionprincess, I can't wait to have a go at this!!!

Ah thx snappy and saponista! I won't be participating in the challenge, but the sentiment of a vote is so kind! I hope you all enjoy it. With the right trace this is much easier to do than you would think.

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mince can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!
5. Misschief - now to find the time

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!
5. Misschief - now to find the time
6. dibbles - I heart this

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!
5. Misschief - now to find the time
6. dibbles - I heart this
7. TeresaT - I am a huge Petra fan. She is stellar!!

LP, your soaps are gorgeous and no worries about the video - it was great. I watched it all, and will undoubtedly watch it again.

I fear my trusty hanger tool might be too big - is the size important, do you think?

My guess is that the size will make a difference. A thick swirling tool will move more soap and if your trace remains fairly thin throughout, the swirl will be more pronounced- not necessarily a bad thing but it will look different. A wire hanger moves less and cuts through more which gives you that finer swirled look but if your trace is thicker by the end, a thin wire will just cut through the colors and not show much. When I've watched Petra's videos, her batter is still fairly fluid at the end so she always used a wire hanger.

This is just my guess. We shall see what LP says; she's been working on this a lot so she will know for sure.

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!
5. Misschief - now to find the time
6. dibbles - I heart this
7. TeresaT - I am a huge Petra fan. She is stellar!!
8. Songwind - I just got some gear ties. Let's do this!

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!
5. Misschief - now to find the time
6. dibbles - I heart this
7. TeresaT - I am a huge Petra fan. She is stellar!!
8. Songwind - I just got some gear ties. Let's do this!
9. LisaAnne Thanks for letting me play

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!
5. Misschief - now to find the time
6. dibbles - I heart this
7. TeresaT - I am a huge Petra fan. She is stellar!!
8. Songwind - I just got some gear ties. Let's do this!
9. LisaAnne Thanks for letting me play
10. Crispysoap - let the good times soap

I'm here guys, sorry about the delay. Thank you newbie for helping me out. Thank you dibbles for the compliment.

When it comes to the size of your swirl tool, there is a fine line. I have used in the early soaping days a painted wire hanger, measured it is appx 1 mm thick. I found it was just too thin to work well.

I've used also in the past a straw that I slipped down onto a wire hanger. It worked to an extent, but at appx 7mm it was too much.

The wire hanger I was using was actually a child's coat hanger that had a thick coating on top of it making it slightly bigger than a standard wire hanger. It is appx 3 mm and works.

I think if it was 4, no more than maybe 5mm, it may be darn near perfect. That being said, I can't be certain having never tried that thickness.

I hope this gave a better guide for sizes. Still concerned, ask away. If anyone else has the perfect swirl tool they use, please post the width and we can compare maybe we can discover the perfect tool and size this way!

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!
5. Misschief - now to find the time
6. dibbles - I heart this
7. TeresaT - I am a huge Petra fan. She is stellar!!
8. Songwind - I just got some gear ties. Let's do this!
9. LisaAnne Thanks for letting me play
10. Crispysoap - let the good times soap
11. KCHaystack - I was going to do this anyway

Thanks LP and Newbie. I'm going on a hunt to see what I can find.

1. Newbie- Oooooo, this will be harder than it looks. I know because I've tried it with not so stellar results.
2. Dixiedragon (gulp)
3. Snappyllama (if only mine can come out half as pretty as the example, I'll be one pleased petunia)
4. Saponista- I can't wait to have a go at this!
5. Misschief - now to find the time
6. dibbles - I heart this
7. TeresaT - I am a huge Petra fan. She is stellar!!
8. Songwind - I just got some gear ties. Let's do this!
9. LisaAnne Thanks for letting me play
10. Crispysoap - let the good times soap
11. KCHaystack - I was going to do this anyway
12. BlackDog - Fine. But I've got to get a 1 lb mold first; I sense a lot of fugly soaps in my future.