What soapy thing have you done today?
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I just made my first batch of soap! I'm so excited to see how it turns out!
You know the rules Violet . . . pics or it didn't happen! :razz:
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
^^^Earlene,
I think I'd drop the temperature a bit before I blamed the additives. 125 degrees is high for a batch you want to colour even if you are using Shea or CO.
I think I'd drop the temperature a bit before I blamed the additives. 125 degrees is high for a batch you want to colour even if you are using Shea or CO.
I just made my first batch of soap! I'm so excited to see how it turns out!
Congratulations. That is so satisfying!
It's a slow to trace recipe, which is why I used higher temps this time, but maybe I'll try a little lower tomorrow. As it turns out the FOs I used do cause problems, but I didn't do the research. I know, I should have done. If Hubby goes to work tomorrow, I'll do the recipe again without the FOs and maybe a bit cooler and see how it goes. Room temperature is too cold for this recipe, though.
I've done some felting and some fibers don't wet felt well unless they are included in a blend with wool. But some of those same fibers do dry felt just fine. Here is a link addressing a test to felt alternative fibers. When I felt soap, I generally do a combination of dry needle felting and wet felting, depending on the fibers and the design. (I felted the soap in my avatar using wet felting and needle felting techniques using wool roving and silk.)
Some people are allergic to wool, so soap felted in alternative fibers is a great idea. I wish you every success.
Rusti
Well-Known Member
I sent a large portion of my ugly, cloudy first ever batch of liquid soap (diluted) home with my sister today to get it out of the house. It still washes, but it sure ain't pretty! That and planned a pair of Christmas batches. I have coworkers that want some soap bars and my mother wants to take some to work for her coworkers, so I need to get those underway in the next couple of weeks I guess.
Cut a loaf, which is always fun!
Decided to rebatch the portions of soap that looks like corn-beefed hash. Ugly ugly looking as a soap. I had cut the soaps yesterday and left them overnight and when I started trimming the edges I thought they are just too ugly with pretty tops and corned-beef on the bottom. Who would want to use them? So I broke off the hash soap and turned the rest of the pretty soap into guest sized soaps. They will work out better and they smell so good! Anyway it occurred to me last night that I have some black oxide that I can use and turn the corn-beefed hash looking soap into something more like black granite soap. That will look so much better!
penelopejane
Well-Known Member
Yes I can't do my recipes at room temp either.
Heat of the lye was all that caused my last batch to accelerate. So annoying because I wanted a slow recipe. But somep FOs can be a pain too.
Nice creamy soap
Attempted to unmold some melt and pour experiments. Yea, I am not liking this. Molds are currently in the freezer, which means I get to deal with glycerin dew. Wonder how long I can leave em in the freezer.... First ones unmolded fine, second ones not so well....maybe thats why Ihad the bottle of mineral oil with the molds...
Next up is making a batch of pine tar soap. I like using it but not a fan of making it....bleh..... so I'm prepping for that.
Attempted to unmold some melt and pour experiments. Yea, I am not liking this. Molds are currently in the freezer, which means I get to deal with glycerin dew. Wonder how long I can leave em in the freezer.... First ones unmolded fine, second ones not so well....maybe thats why Ihad the bottle of mineral oil with the molds...
Next up is making a batch of pine tar soap. I like using it but not a fan of making it....bleh..... so I'm prepping for that.
artemis
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I watched way too many soapy videos. Does that count? I won't get to soap for a couple more days, so I am living vicariously through YouTube soapers.
I won't get to soap for a couple more days, so I am living vicariously through YouTube soapers.
This is not the rebatch of the corned-beef hash, but a picture to show the 'before'. I'll cut the do-over tomorrow. I have a big brick of 'black granite'. So it looks much better now. Hopefully cut it will look even better.
Here's what it looked like before I removed the corned-beef hash soap from the pretty soap. This was from an almost soap on a stick that I was going to do a ribbon pour with on top of a base. The purpose of the base was so I wouldn't have to pour so deep for the ribbon pour. Nothing worked out well for this soap!
Well, except that I did get the Alaska Glacier look I was looking for when I had to change direction from ribbon pour to fancy footwork to turn thick soap into something better than plop into the mold. I am happy with the way the top part actually does resemble the blue bits visible in the glaciers in Alaska. I don't normally do rough-top soaps because I am not a fan, but in this case, I felt a rough top was most fitting.
I turned the top portion of the soap into guest sized soaps, leaving some of them with rough tops because it works with the theme.
navigator9
Well-Known Member
Just finished cutting two loaves of Cedar and Saffron. I had a customer request 20 bars, so my house is smelling heavenly. I love C&S, to me it smells clean.
Those are beautiful.
navigator9
Well-Known Member
Thanks. I'm going to be sure to snag myself a couple of bars this time. They usually go fast, although it's one of those love it or hate it FOs. But more seem to love it than hate it.
Been browsing some of the threads I missed since August (busy with soaping which I'm glad).
I had several batches with DOS recently and now investigating the issue, I have to put on hold my soaping plans for now. Suspecting the olive oil I got cheaper than usual, I made a pound of castille two days ago (which turned mushy when defrosted and I've HP'ed it again). While waiting to cut the castile, will test other oils to. The DOS usually appear after 2-3weeks which is a headache to wait...hope to find the culprit soon so I can make breastmilk soaps for two new mommies
I had several batches with DOS recently and now investigating the issue, I have to put on hold my soaping plans for now. Suspecting the olive oil I got cheaper than usual, I made a pound of castille two days ago (which turned mushy when defrosted and I've HP'ed it again). While waiting to cut the castile, will test other oils to. The DOS usually appear after 2-3weeks which is a headache to wait...hope to find the culprit soon so I can make breastmilk soaps for two new mommies
Stunning soaps. And a beautiful picture too.
I ordered a planer and activated charcoal from Amazon. I didn't really want to buy a planer/beveler, but decided although my vegetable peeler (stainless steel) does a very good job of beveling, it does not work as a planer. And peeling off a straight flat surface of the face of my soap after it's already cut just doesn't work with my soap cutter. So I ordered the planer. And I want to use the activated charcoal to make tooth soap. Still don't have the peanut oil, but I have to go to the cities to find that and I haven't felt like taking that trip just yet. I may do that tomorrow, though since I may be going to my doctor's office and he's a few towns away. Also I need more olive oil, so I have to go to the cities for that, too.
Took some photos of my 'black granite' soap. That's all to soapy stuff for today. Not much, really.
ETA: Here is the re-do of the corned-beef-hash looking bottoms of the Alaska Glacier atop Corned-Beef Hash Soap a couple of posts above. I cut off the tops and kept them, but turned the ugly bottoms into this:
I think this looks much better!
Took some photos of my 'black granite' soap. That's all to soapy stuff for today. Not much, really.
ETA: Here is the re-do of the corned-beef-hash looking bottoms of the Alaska Glacier atop Corned-Beef Hash Soap a couple of posts above. I cut off the tops and kept them, but turned the ugly bottoms into this:
I think this looks much better!
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