My First Attempt at Swirling

[heyjude]

I gave swirling a try following the mustard bottle/chopstick method directions I had picked up on the forum. (well, in this case it was a cocoa bottle). For a first try I was pretty pleased.

So--I have a few questions. Even though I dragged the bottom of the mold with my chopstick, the swirl seems to be mainly contained to the top of the bars. I'd like to see a swirl throughout the bars. Is this a matter of pouring at a thinner trace?

I really wasn't sure how much colored soap to swirl. Since it was a 4# batch, I put around 20oz in my container and had some left over which I poured into a paper cup. I don't think anymore would have fit into the mold as it was pretty full. What is a good way to figure out the amount of soap to color?

And what if I want to do a swirl with more than 2 colors? Do I squirt out my first color, then lay down a "base color", squirt down my 2nd color, put down my "base color", then squirt a third color on top (if there is room in my mold)??

I have always gelled before, but I wish that I had stuck my mold in the fridge to maintain the "delicate" pink I had going for me.

It seems to me that I had as many questions before I did the swirl as I do now that I've done it!

http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss11 ... 09pic2.jpg

http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss11 ... 172009.jpg

p.s. I also included a photo of a select shade colored sandlewood soap i made the same afternoon. Just cut, but not yet trimmed

http://i566.photobucket.com/albums/ss11 ... 09pic3.jpg
TIA

Jude

 

[Lindy]

Wow! I love your swirlie - it looks so soft & pretty - just begs to be used! I love your Sandlewood 2-tone as well - nice job lady!

 

[rubato456]

gorgeous swirls well done!

fantastic! i'm totally impressed! from what i've read, you need to pour from some height above the mold to get the contrasting color to go down all the way through. there are other methods ...for more than one color but that's out of my league for now. very very nice!

 

[heyjude]

Thanks Lindy and Rubato!

Rubato, you might be thinking of the in the pot swirl which is definately done by varying the height of your pour. This method I'm pretty sure doesn't depend on the distance you are from your mold. But, I'm not positive. That might be the key to my solution!

Jude

 

[Deda]

Wow! SO beautiful!

 

[angbaby4974]

Actually the height from which you pour does matter. The higher you pour from, the deeper it goes into the soap. The closer you pour, the more it kinda sits on top.

Your swirls are gorgeous for a first timer!!!
To do more than one color, use more bottles. As far as how much to pull out for color, well I'm still working on that myself. I always end up with extra colored soap that wither won't fit in the mold, or would ruin the effect that I'm going for. I just put it in little gladware snack size bowls & give it to my daughter after they cure.

 

[heyjude]

Hi Angbaby,

This is the tutorial that I used for my swirl-

www.beauxeaux.com/swirltutorial/howtoswirl

It doesn't really mention pouring from different heights, talks more about making sure that the contrast soap doesn't sink to the next layer (just as you mentioned about it sitting on top), but I would certainly be willing to give it a try.

Thanks for your help!

Jude

 

[surf girl]

It looks to me like your swirl has gone through just fine. Look at the top cut edge of your soap - see the pink colour along the edge? (ignore the swirled upper surface, just look at the top mm or so). That's what a swirl looks like on edge. Now look farther down the cut edge. See those blobs of pink? Those are another layer of swirl, seen on edge. I think that as you use your soap, you will see successive layers of swirl. (That's how mine work, anyway).

Beautiful swirl, by the way.

 

[Guest]

I am loving your swirls and the colors of the soaps.. Way to go.

I just read about inserting the swirl bottle into the molded soap , and squeezing the swirl color down into the soap .I have not tried this yet . With my luck the lid would pop off in the soap and I would be playing find the lid in the fresh soap , instead of swirling. I also saw a very nifty idea , the soaper had made a copper tube into the shape of a wide U the length of her mold to manipulate the swirl.
I believe I was meant to invent the perfect swirl making tool , you would not believe the things I think of when I should be sleeping.lol When and if I do , I will share with everyone who is as frustrated as I am with getting a consistently nice swirl.

HTH
Kitn

 

[rubato456]

jude:

what is the mjstard bottle chopstick method you used? i searched on mustard bottle and nothing came up for me....

 

[angbaby4974]

Sorry I forgot that you were using bottles. When I use bottles, I just give them a little more pressure when I squeeze. It comes out at a higher pressure & goes deeper into the soap. I tried clicking your link, but it's broken. My personal experience has been that the bottle method works best for swirls that are on top of the soap. Pouring from a measuring cup works best for swirls throughout. I like the measuring cup because it has a spout for pouring & keeps the amount that coming out relatively even. Gravity works well if using a measuring cup, which is where the pouring from different heights comes into play.

Hope that helps some.

 

[Dixie]

That's a fabulous swirl!!!! And how did you get that beautiful color blue?

To make it easier for my colored saop to reach bottom when I pour, I pour my soap in the mold and medium trace. Don't let it get too thick. That way I don't have to hold it quite as high. When I have to hold it real high I usually splash some on me when I start to pour. I'm messy

 

[surf girl]

jude, I use the method you linked in your post above, and I do not pour from height. (Now, maybe I should: maybe my swirl would be better if I did - the posters above are quite right about the colour penetrating more deeply when gravity is on your side). On my best attempt, I got great swirl throughout the bar; on others, it was less perfect but still good throughout. If I use too thin a trace for this type of swirl, I find the colour gets more marbly and less swirly.

 

[heyjude]

Hey everyone -thanks for all the encouragement and suggestions.

Surfgirl, I will be looking forward to using the soap so that I can see if my design did indeed reach the lower layers. I'm sure you're right as I've viewed your beautiful soaps on the forum before.

Kitn, I will look forward to buying your first swirling tool! But, I don't believe for a minute that you are swirl challenged!

Dixie, the blue color is the Select Shades aqua marine. It really is a pretty color (even better in person). Next time I will try to pour at a thicker trace. I think I was a bit afraid that my soap would seize in the bottle!

Rubato, if you paste this address in you should come up with the tutorial surfgirl and I use. It's really easy and has great pictures too. I'm not too computer savy, so at worst case google the search terms.
beauxeaux.com/swirltutorial/howtoswirl.htm

I'm on vacation this week so hope to give swirling another go. I think I might mix 2 colors and not worry about how much soap to hold back for the swirl.

Happy Soaping!

Jude

 

[Guest]

Kitn, I will look forward to buying your first swirling tool! But, I don't believe for a minute that you are swirl challenged

Oh yes I am , swirling is hit and miss for me , that is why I need that tool .LOL . I am going to work on an idea this afternoon. --- off to the laboratory .


Kitn